EXTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

Wildfire seasons seems to start earlier every year now. It's probably due to climate change, which of course doesn't exist. In parts of the country like Texas and Oklahoma, where climate change doesn't exist, wildfires have been alternating with dust storms and bomb cylones, which also do not exist.

What is existence anyway? An illusion? A misinterpretation?

Does one have to "exist" to experience it?

One would think so.


Even here in the Bay Area, there have been small outbreaks. Wildfire, that is.

Just imagine, there you are driving through the howling wilderness of Tiburon, the dry wastelands of Mill Valley, or the desert tinderbox of Woodside, and you smell smoke.
Under the right conditions, everything goes up.

There are times when the mind on one tangent sees the flickering shadows of another tangent. Or thinks it smells something that isn't there. Hamburgers on a grill, the deepfat fryer, sausages with brown crusty bits. Mental bacon, the sparkling memory of something experienced years ago. Orange skies. Smoke clouds, a stick of incense that isn't there, smoldering at the edge of consciousness.

By the way: If you are a foreign scientist visiting the United States for a conference, get a burner phone and a brand-new laptop, because the authorities may search your devices for things like a belief in climate change or democracy and conclude that you are an enemy hellbent on destroying our society. Or even that you loathe Propaganda Barbie and her regular insane lying rants from the press briefing room.

You will be denied entry.


That's neither here nor there, of course. I don't know why I even mentioned it.
A mental blip. Happens a lot when you're older. Or read the news.


The chances of random foreign nationals disappearing, and subsequently ending up in El Salvador are, sadly, never zero anymore. It may become a burning issue.
Many things can burn. Existence is suffering, then you die.


I think after I do my laundry today I'll go down to Chinatown for some cheung fan and other snackie things. Plus a cup of hot milk tea somewhere.
Pipe and tobacco for afterwards.


Life is graphic. Life is art.




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