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MIND MODELS

Posted by anthonynorth on October 9, 2010

Microfiction Monday, ABC Wednesday, more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

beta-physicist1

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Microfiction: She’d scared all the
passengers away. After all, trains
crash don’t they? She knew this
from the first time she’d died.

MIND MODELS

I play with mind models. I construct ideas in my head and see how the
world would operate if they were true. It is not belief, for at heart I
accept that the only truth is there isn’t one. Rather I use reason. It is
a discipline that is dying in the modern world. Things either have to be
due to belief or science provable by data. It leaves a conflicting gulf
where mind models should be.

I’m now on Facebook

newsflash

SCIENCE NEWS: Google has launched
a prize for lunar exploration. Great idea. Get
private enterprise involved as much as possible.
But I like companies like Google for another reason.
They’re big, certainly, but they are not so much producers
as facilitators. This is what Big Biz should do – provide a blank
canvas and support for small biz to thrive.

BRIT NEWS: Child Benefit for high earners to be scrapped. The idea
of universal benefits for all is gone. I hope this isn’t the beginning of
getting rid of all such entitlements. As long as it is only high earners
who lose it, fair enough, but a word of warning: keep off the State
pension! There’s a pact between governed & leaders in the UK.
Don’t break it.

RELIGION NEWS: The Druid Network in England & Wales has
been given charitable status by the charity Commission.
This does, in effect, give Druids official status as a
faith. Could we finally see other minority faiths
accepted? This is a very good move, if a
couple of thousand years too late.

policeman-uk

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Friday Flash 55Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

LONELY

No one wants him, I suppose it’s fair,
Always shunned by those aware,
His life is misery and nothing more,
No one to love or adore,
Got plenty of money but he’ll end up beneath,
That’s the price of being a thief

FLASH 55 – THE PLAN

Fiction: There are no super crooks – just lots of petty villains who get
together for a big job; hence the incompetence. But Bellamy had to
get this one right. That’s why he kept suggesting changes to the point
that they’d missed the window for the job – which was why he was
such a good undercover cop.

ENVISION

He sees a life beyond these bars,
But might as well go to Mars,
Entrapped behind their sturdy form,
In a nightmare room that is his norm,
Trapped through the years, tingling nerves,
No matter how much booze they serve

© Anthony North, October 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

110 Responses to “MIND MODELS”

  1. I liked how you ended that one off. I don’t hear the word ‘booze’ much these days.

  2. Hi Shane,
    Thanks for that. No, it isn’t a word used much nowadays.

  3. I can visualise clearly the subject of your poem.A neat response to the prompt.

    Pensions: They can’t take the OAP away – we’ve paid for it through our National Insurance contributions – notwithstanding that ‘they’ have squandered the money instead of investing it for our futures. Never having been a higher rate taxpayer, I can’t see a problem with capping the child benefit for them. But no doubt there will be greedy souls who protest.

  4. Hi Viv,
    Many thanks. Yes, the protest is quite loud at the moment. They haven’t moved onto State pension yet, but I suspect it will come.

  5. Deborah said

    Brilliant … and excellent MM too! :o)

  6. Mary said

    Well done, Anthony. You took the topic in an interesting direction!

  7. systematicweasel said

    Awesome post, Anthony! Loved where you took the idea! =)

    -Weasel

  8. Hi Deborah,
    Many thanks for those kind words.

    Hi Mary,
    Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

    Hi Weasel,
    Many thanks. Glad you liked it.

  9. Diane Truswell said

    My favorite line:

    No matter how much booze they serve

    Booze in confusing, isn’t it? You might as well go to Mars, LOL!

  10. Hi Diane,
    Thanks for that. You’re right.

  11. James said

    If only people were resonable and logical as a mind map. Any system that ignores the basic human need for ….more.

    Will fail… why? because human desire built in a way as soon as its filled it disappears only to return in stronger and different form. Look what happens if bought something of high value like a car for example i mean expensive one. For a few days that person is on cloud nine. then the desire disappears and person is left feeling empty. What will they do now? they will tell all there friends “look at my new car , isnt she a beaut”. This person is now using other people enevy and honour to boost themself back to level when first got the car. once they exhausted all this the person will sell the car or join car club.

    Its same old cycle thats been going on for centuries. Why do you bill gates and warren buffet announced they giving away thier billions of dollars to charity? Its not to do good its because they got so much money its become empty of all meaning. So now they must find some way filling this empty hole in thier lives. How ? by honour. These people not doing for good mankind they doing for thier own selfish needs.

    Food,shelter,sex (this are basic desires that never change) then you have human desires honour,money,knowledge. These desire are what seperates us from the animals. Then you have spirituality sitting at the top. Human nature follows this path.

    So what every system you build must take this into account or it will fail.

  12. Hi James,
    Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is basically food, shelter, procreation (sex), self esteem and finally self-actualisation. Too many get stuck in self esteem – your beloved ego.

  13. pamela said

    Anthony it is always a delight to read your posts!
    I like the direction you went with this prompt.
    Pamela

  14. Hi Pamela,
    Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

  15. 1sojournal said

    I like the under cover cop simply because he makes sense. Also like what you did with the prompt. Booze does facilitate visions of one sort of another, but most are negative because the booze is a depressant. Why don’t people learn from their hangovers? And thanks for commenting and visiting my site,

    Elizabeth

  16. Jim said

    I like your µfiction. Some ladies are just plain jinxes.
    ..

  17. Irene said

    Oh you describe a condition behind bars well. Are we all behind bars? Booze isn’t our best friend!

  18. What a price one has to pay.. wow.. your take on Lonely is so beautiful..

  19. Hi Elizabeth,
    Thanks for that. I admit I never learnt from my hangovers when younger, but I finally nailed it. I still like a beer or two on a night to unwind, but can say the last time I was drunk was in 1984.

    Hi Jim,
    They certainly are.

    Hi Irene,
    It certainly isn’t when it gets out of control.

    Hi Ramesh Sood,
    Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

  20. Geraldine said

    I like it! What an interesting mind you have Tony, it’s always fun to stop in.

    http://www.mypoeticpath.wordpress.com

  21. Hi Geraldine,
    Many thanks for those kind words.

  22. Amity said

    I like the rhyme of your lonely poem…:-)

    And tis’ sad, he’s got lots of money but won’t enjoy it “for that’s the price of being a thief”…

    are politicians thieves? so then they will not enjoy their loot?

  23. As always Anthony, you surprise and delight with your verse and 55’s. The cop is smarter than the crims…I am pretty sure that’s how it’s supposed to be. 🙂

  24. Hi Amity,
    Thanks for that. Yes, I’m sure some of them are.

    Hi Eaton,
    Many thanks. I certainly hope they are 🙂

  25. systematicweasel said

    Loneliness, the life of a thief. Wonderful take on the prompt! =)

    -Weasel

  26. kimmy said

    on MIND MODELS: can’t help but agree with ‘I use reason. It is a discipline that is dying in the modern world..’ and i think several people are just to lazy to ‘use reason’ instead they choose the more conventional, popular belief..

  27. sandra.if said

    what a price!! that is fair!!

  28. Hi Weasel,
    Thanks for that. glad you liked it.

    Hi Kimmy,
    Yes, this is increasingly the case.

    Hi Sandra,
    Yes, I think so, too.

  29. zephyr said

    Boy, isn’t it good she scared them away? 🙂

    Mind models is awesome. There certainly has to be something besides faith and science and what better than reason?

    I agree about minority faiths getting acceptance. After all accepting a faith is as important as political recognition since it legitimizes an entire group’s beliefs. But if it has taken centuries for this to happen to the Druids, the rest had better be patient. 😀

  30. I like the surprise spooky ending to your MM…reminds me of an O Henry story.

  31. Hi Zephyr
    Thanks for that. Yes, the Druids had a long battle.

    Hi Pat,
    Thanks for that. O Henry was an excellent writer. I have his collected short stories somewhere.

  32. Clever take on the lonely prompt…an enjoyable read, as always!

  33. Hi Sweetest In The Gale,
    Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

  34. BIll said

    Pretty Dark Microfiction, I guess she keeps reliving it over. Next it will be the Wickens or is it the Wicca who will want to be recognised as a Religious Entity, or maybe they already are? Great Flash 55, seems as if he was too good, the way it should be to catch the Bad Guys n Gals.

    You have a wonderful Week Anthony, my Microfiction will post in a couple hours and a bit.

  35. BIll said

    Oops, that was supposed to be Wiccans.

  36. Hi Bill,
    Thanks for that. Yes, the cop was certainly quick.

  37. Peggy said

    Anthony;

    Holy cow, a ghost. Perfect for Halloween, just around the corner.
    I loved it!

  38. Twilight said

    Do you see “reason” as the same as “logic”, AN? It’s a tricky concept to define. Rationality? They are all related – close cousins.

    Re Druids and their new status – I wonder whether atheists will ever be given a comparable status? Atheism though not a belief or religion in the accepted sense , is a belief in non-belief, non-religion – which is just as real status in theory as a belief or religion – yes?

  39. Oh, yes, we definitely remember the first time! Don’t you?? I love it Anthony! Hope you have a wonderful week!

    Sylvia

  40. Hi Peggy,
    Thanks for that. Glad you liked it.

    Hi Twilight,
    On atheism, yes, a belief, certainly, but a religion? Not sure about that one. What do they venerate above the individual?
    Now reason and logic. No, I don’t think they’re the same. Follow any logical process and you go back to an axiom, which is ‘self-evident’ – another word for belief, in my opinion. Reason can transcend the axiom, so is significantly different.
    Thanks for the thought prod 🙂

  41. Hi Sylvia,
    Thanks for that. And I do indeed 🙂

  42. I enjoyed them all (as usual) but Envision took me by surprise and I like it even more the second time. The microfiction, wow, I like that twist on it!

  43. Hi Susan,
    Many thanks for the kind words.

  44. Now that was a surprise! Dead already? I like that bit of information at the end.

  45. Kay Davies said

    I tried “Microfiction” for the first time today. It reminds me of telling the editor of our little boating newspaper in the early 70s, “We have a seven-inch hole on page 12, seven inches including the head!” He’d sit down at his typewriter, write a little story and a headline, then I’d set them both and plunk them right in. They always fit. The good old days in the newspaper biz.

    Kay, Alberta, Canada

  46. Great twist in the MM. And love your comment about the druids. Will there now be a run on mistletoe?

    Have a great week.

  47. Jim said

    I’m liking your poem, ‘Lonely.’ Yes, he’ll end up beneath for sure. My first thought is a U.S. saying, “end up beneath the jail.” Also could be beneath the dirt, i.e. dead and burried. I’m not Brit enough to know. 🙂
    ..

  48. Nice job with lonely. Thank you.

    I enjoy your blog, Anthony. Work has me chasing my tail lately, so I am grateful for the escape into your sanity.

  49. Thom said

    Nothing better than being a good undercover cop 🙂 Great 55…along with that your microfiction could be a continuing series 🙂 Love it. Very well done my friend 🙂

  50. Sure! Thiefs are lonely!

    dad, farther and farther away

  51. Hi EG Wow,
    Thanks for that. glad you liked it.

    Hi Kay,
    Yes, it’s a good exercise in writing.

    Hi Michael,
    Yes, I’m sure mistletoe will thrive now 🙂

    Hi Jim,
    Any of those definitions will certainly apply.

    Hi Sandy,
    Many thanks. Isn’t it terrible when work interferes with blogging?

    Hi Thom,
    Many thanks for the kind words 🙂

    Hi Gautami,
    Yes, and deservedly so.

  52. Ellie said

    Ooo. . .a ghost story. I like it!

    Have a fab week x

  53. Hi Ellie,
    Many thanks. Yes, I like doing ghost stories.

  54. Akelamalu said

    Oooh spooky Microfiction today Anthony – I like it. 🙂

  55. Hi Akelamalu,
    Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

  56. One would think she’d try to forget that first time. Or all of them, for that matter.

  57. Hi Mama Badger,
    Very true. If she could.

  58. hope said

    And just when I think there may be ONE mode of public transportation which is safe. 🙂

  59. Hi Hope,
    Not even a ghost of a chance 😉

  60. quilly said

    Microfiction: I see dead people! LOL!

    55: Well, it is a cop’s job to prevent crime, right?

  61. Hi Quilly,
    Well, it’s supposed to be.

  62. Lenore said

    great microfiction!

  63. Hi Lenore,
    Thanks for that.

  64. True words for the M Day, Anthony! You always say it so well! Thanks for another insight! Hope you’re having a good week!

    Sylvia

  65. Hi Sylvia,
    Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

  66. Reader Wil said

    Hi Anthony! Great post as always! I am especially interested in the faith of the druids. I knew a bard when I was in Cornwall. He taught Cornish to Cornish men and women. In about 1777 the last person to speak this Celtic language died. It was Dolly Pentreath. What was her faith?

  67. Hi Reader Wil,
    Thanks for that. Far too many of those old languages are being lost. A great tragedy.

  68. Your writing is So AWESOME, Anthony. You remind me it’s high time to design a cute little sidebar link button for you, so more can be exposed to your fine mind. I’ll get that up later this week on my blog.

    Yay, for the druids getting equality! Equality for ALL.

    And it is sad old languages are being lost. Everything changes so much.

    xo

  69. Hi Jannie,
    Many thanks for those kind words. Much appreciated.

  70. Mind Models – how true. Not a lot of original thought processing going on – mostly repetitious sound bytes which mean little. Good post!

  71. Hi Tumblewords,
    Many thanks. And so true.

  72. suzicate said

    Lonely – crime doesn’t pay, good point in your poem.

  73. Hi Suzicate,
    Yes, they always pay one way or the other.

  74. KB said

    What a miserable life behind those bars.

  75. dustus said

    Well done across the board. Enjoyed Envision and Lonely the most, tight writes.

  76. brian said

    have know quite a few trapped at those bars…trying to get rid of what they know they have to live with in the morning…nice one shot!

  77. I’m fascinated by your mind models. I suppose many of us do that, except for those who are doctrinaire enough think the world is/should be only one way.

    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

  78. Gay Cannon said

    Many interesting topics as usual. It always makes me think to come by your place. I like the one about religious freedom. I fear extremes with no exploration of the Gulf, too. I think your other topics equally absorbing. Thanks, Gay @beachanny

  79. Hi KB,
    It is indeed.

    Hi Dustus,
    Many thanks for the kind words.

    Hi Brian,
    Yes, you’ve got it right there.

    Hi Roger,
    Yes, the best way is to never accept the system as right.

    Hi Gay Cannon,
    Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

  80. Barb said

    Good post. Thanks for playing ABC Wed.

    Barb- Part of the ABC Team.

  81. Chris G. said

    Love “The Plan.” Nice twist. Good cop–poor, simple crooks. Good representation of being behind bars as well, you’ve really captured the image starkly. And I share your views on Google–they’re doing right, in a lot of areas. I love the whole blank canvas philosophy. Much more fulfilling and easier to swallow than, say, a Walmart “I will devour you all” philosophy.

  82. Talon said

    “Envision” was so good…and I admit it made me feel so sorry for him. And “The Plan” – that was a tight write! Amazing how you get such a tight write out of 55 words!

  83. Hi Barb,
    Thanks for that.

    Hi Chris,
    Many thanks for the kind words about my philosophy.

    Hi Talon,
    A kind comment. Thank you.

  84. patti said

    Loved the poems- especially “envison”- very clever!

  85. Hi Patti,
    Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

  86. trisha said

    just loved isaac gallistein. 🙂

  87. Hi Trisha,
    Thanks for that. Glad you liked it.

  88. Claudia said

    heading for a life beyond these bars..well done

  89. Life between, behind and beyond these bars… to which layer do we tell…

    Nicely written.

  90. Hi Claudia,
    Many thanks. Much appreciated.

    Hi Reflections,
    Many thanks for that.

  91. Wow … druids are at last officially recognised? But .. aren’t they one of the very oldest religions we have in these isles?

    Mind models. Hmm. Well, all ideas that are thought through are mind models, I suppose, aren’t they? It’s a very human thing to do, it seems.

  92. Hi Jay,
    Yes, it’s about the oldest, although it was rediscovered and practised again quite recently after a centuries long intermission. As for mind models, quite true. Except for scientists, it seems 😉

  93. alex said

    wow i like this!
    🙂
    so much creativity

  94. Hi Alex,
    Many thanks for the kind words.

  95. Mama Zen said

    Awesome microfiction!

  96. Hi Mama Zen,
    Thanks for that.

  97. You, my dear Anthony, are one of the best fiction writers in Blogland!!!

    My 55 is a double whammy this week, two for the price of one. Of course, as always, you need to scroll down below my Friday’s Show n Tell.

    The link is HERE I’d love to have you stop by for a visit.

  98. Hi Hootin’ Anni,
    Many thanks for those kind words. Much appreciated.

  99. brian said

    hehe. dare i say i think he may get his man this time…great 55 you twisted once or twice in 55 words…

  100. Hi Brian,
    Thanks for that. I guess he may do 🙂

  101. Claudia said

    twisted and creative 55 anthony

  102. Hi Claudia,
    Many thanks. Glad you liked it.

  103. G-Man said

    Tony…
    Your Micro-Fiction was the best one that I’ve read.
    I very much enjoyed your 55..
    Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End

  104. Hi G-Man,
    Many thanks for that. Much appreciated.

  105. joanny said

    Extra-ordinary read Like the “mind models” the last three reads were interesting, lots of truth in that one about being lonely and the second one about becoming a “good undercover cop.” The irony of that is I too have seen some folks become “cops” for similar behavior.

    Nice 55ers .

    cheers,
    Joanny
    http://thedowsersdaughter.blogspot.com/

  106. Hi Joanny,
    Thanks for the comment. Much appreciated.

  107. ladynimue said

    2 posts on thief and crime !! but loved both of them 🙂 Specially the 55er .. i am a fan of them for always 🙂

  108. Hi Nimue,
    Many thanks for the kind words.

  109. Dianne said

    I loved envision, well done rhymes, I would like to be more subtle and skillful with rhyme.
    My scary 55 is up HERE

  110. Hi Dianne,
    Many thanks for the kind words.

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