Metaphors -- The Moon Is A Ball of Cheese

Though I was innocently using "the moon is a ball of cheese" as an example of a metaphor (figurative and literal terms both named), apparently there is an ongoing controversial debate between scientists who have two theories about the composition of the moon. Some say rock; others say -- you guessed it -- cheese.

Direct from SkepticReport.com, here is a summary of the cheese theory, given by Rico Dodton, who holds a PhD in celestial foodstuffs:

For hundreds of years, humans have known intuitively that the Moon is made of cheese. It’s really quite obvious if you don’t hide behind a bunch of scientific mumbo jumbo. Let me give you a little thought experiment. If you opened up your refrigerator at home, and saw something greenish white, with little holes in it, you would assume it was cheese. Any rational person would do the same. Why then, should the case of an object in the sky be any different? Logically, we should assume the same thing – the Moon is white, the Moon has holes, and therefore it is cheese. But don’t take my word for it — I have statistical facts to back up that statement.

Let’s first look at the so-called “scientific” theory that is taught in our schools today. Scientists tell us that the Moon is a huge ball of rock, circling – in astronomical terms – right next to the Earth, another huge ball of rock. Now I ask you, does this make sense? Does it seem likely that two balls of rock would be found right next to each other in space? Let’s look at the math. According to scientists, the ratio of empty space to rock in the universe is enormous. Jump anywhere in space and you are likely to find yourself in a totally rock-free zone. Considering this, what are the chances that two balls of rock would appear right next to each other in the vast enormity of space? I’ve performed the calculations, and the answer is: nil. Of all the places for a ball of rock to appear, right next to the Earth is so unlikely as to be statistically impossible. So we’re left with the question – if a ball of rock could not appear next to the Earth, what might the Moon in fact be? And of course, the only other possibility is a ball of cheese.

Read the whole debate!

Who Was Kubla Khan? And What is Xanadu?

Some of you asked for a little help on explicating Kubla Khan. So, here are a few tips.

1. You should know something about the historical Kubla Khan.
2. You should understand what is meant by Xanadu.
3. You should be aware that the poem is a product of the Romantic era.
4. You should consider that the poem is a fragment of the poet's dream.

As for who is Kubla Khan, he was the greatest of the Mongol emperors after Genghis Khan and founder of the Yüan Dynasty in China. When he declared himself emperor, the historical Khan claimed he had the Mandate of Heaven, a traditional Chinese concept of rule by divine permission, and therefore gained absolute control over an entire nation. Between warring and distributing the wealth his grandfather Genghis Khan had won, Khan spent his summers in Xanadu and had his subjects build him a home suitable for a son of God. Read more...

Due to Coleridge's poem, Xanadu has become fabled as a metaphor for opulence, a kind of quasi- Utopian fantasy place created by a dictator of unlimited wealth.