Civilization's last chance - a bad bet.

Bill:

Nice article, as far as it goes.  I've included my Letter to the Times in reaction, below...

Here's my theory:

Life evolves by taking over energy niches (my brothers eat at noon, I'll eat at midnight).

Humans evolved, alongside our CULTURE, to take over energy niches too: hands, brains, fire, bipedalism, language, tools, clothes, shelter, agriculture, health care...our culture and physical evolution together lead, inexorably, to where we are today.

Inuit didn't evolve in place, they competed quite well with polar bear for dominance of the arctic energy niches however, thanks to their Culture!

Human culture has now "evolved" to dominate all natural systems, and our over population is the evidence...nothing "natural" can stop our continued growth and impacts on the environment.

So, culture works just like biology to take over energy niches. 

Which makes everything "man made" quite natural indeed.

It's simply that the rest of life on the planet will not withstand us, and, while we can clearly dominate, do you seriously believe we can MANAGE the myriad natural systems within which we've caused chaotic change?

We're obviously quite smart enough to overwhelm nature, but no way are we wise enough to manage it.

Plastics and the Pacific Gyre say it all...just the shadow of the floating flotsam has chaotic influence on various systems.

Since no one understands the systems we've already upset, you cannot show that actions we take (or don't take) won't make things worse...that's how bad things really are!

Therefore, www.vhemt.org is the least painful outcome, given the givens, and, in my educated opinion, the only moral choice...to minimize the die off of humanity and minimize humanity's impacts on Earth's systems.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael (Frish) Frishberg
Date: Sun, May 11, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Subject: Civilization's last chance - a bad bet.
To: letters@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-mckibben11-2008may11,0,7434369.story

Human Caused Global Climate Chaos is the inevitable result of our profligate ways...and reflects our individual human selfishness as accomodated by capitalism!

NOTHING on the horizon shows any hope for a significant decrease in CO2 and other emissions, and the article didn't mention the failure of fisheries, drought and lack of potable water, deforestation, deglaciation, and other traumas...since the real problem is overpopulation of humans...

Corporations control the future, NOT GOVERNMENTS, and profits are their mission, not people or climate.

To reduce the inevitable suffering, I choose to be childfree. 

Any other choice is immoral, given the future we've created.

www.vhemt.org
--
Cheers,

Frish

Zimba for President

Zimba said:

Thank you for not breeding (penalties will include mandatory sterilization, public service and substantial fines to be directed
towards improvements for Earth's ecology and wildlife habitat restoration)! Zimba for President

While I understand and appreciate your tongue firmly implanted in cheek, I also sympathize with your stance.

 

I am the "fearless leader" of a group that is held in even lower regard than VHEMT.

 

That group, and this, includes many member who have made voluntary and personal choices, and are in no way interested in actively taking a political role.

 

You recognize that in order to achieve success, powerful forces will need to be moved into agreement with our position.

 

Not likely to happen.  But it is nice that you are interested in making it so.

Civilizations Last Chance? I'll bet against!

THE LA TIMES HAD A VERY INTERESTING EDITORIAL ON THE FRONT OF THE OPINION SECTION TODAY.

HERE'S THE ARTICLE AND MY LETTER TO THE EDITOR...

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-mckibben11-2008may11,0,7434369.story

 

Human Caused Global Climate Chaos is the inevitable result of our profligate ways...and reflects our individual human selfishness as accomodated by capitalism!

 

NOTHING on the horizon shows any hope for a significant decrease in CO2 and other emissions, and the article didn't mention the failure of fisheries, drought and lack of potable water, deforestation, deglaciation, and other traumas...since the real problem is overpopulation of humans...

 

Corporations control the future, NOT GOVERNMENTS, and profits are their mission, not people or climate.

 

To reduce the inevitable suffering, I choose to be childfree. 

Any other choice is immoral, given the future we've created.

www.vhemt.org

Frish

DO YOGA, HELP BURMA!!!

The following is from Stella, a Yoga Instructor Friend of mine, I trust her, but check out Avaaz on your own if you feel like sharing...and, please think about global climate chaos this weekend...it will continue to have more human consequences going forward...

 

(((LA Brights bright-286ers- see you SUNDAY!  REALITY NOW!!!)))

 

Dear Yogis,

AS YOU ALL MAY KNOW, SUNDAYS I TEACH A DONATION CLASS AND THE PROCEEDS GO TO CHARITY.  BELOW IS THE CHARITY THAT I AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL SUPPORT.  COME AND JOIN THIS CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY AND DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOURSELF AND SUPPORT THE MONKS EFFORTS IN BURMA. 

PEACE AND LIGHT, STELLA

In the wake of a massive cyclone, a shocking 100,000 Burmese may be dead. More are missing. A million are homeless.  But what's happening in Burma is not just a natural disaster--it's also a catastrophe of bad leadership.

Humanitarian relief is urgently needed, but Burma's government could easily delay, divert or misuse any aid. Yesterday the International Burmese Monks Organization, including many leaders of the democracy protests last fall, launched a new effort to provide relief through Burma's powerful grass roots network of monasteries--the most trusted institutions in the country and currently the only source of housing and support in many devastated communities. Click below to help the Burmese people with a donation and see a video appeal to Avaaz from a leader of the monks:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/15.php

Giving to the monks is a smart, fast way to get aid directly to Burma's people. Governments and international aid organizations are important, but face challenges--they may not be allowed into Burma, or they may be forced to provide aid according to the junta's rules. And most will have to spend large amounts of money just setting up operations in the country. The monks are already on the front lines of the aid effort--housing, feeding, and supporting the victims of the cyclone since the day it struck. The International Burmese Monks Organization will send money directly to each monastery through their own networks, bypassing regime controls.

Last year, more than 800,000 of us around the world stood with the Burmese people as they rose up against the military dictatorship. The government lost no time then in dispatching its armies to ruthlessly crush the non-violent democracy movement--but now, as tens of thousands die, the junta's response is slow and threatens to divert precious aid into the corrupt regime's pockets.

The monks are unlikely to receive aid from governments or large humanitarian organizations, but they have a stronger presence and trust among the Burmese people than both. If we all chip in a little bit, we can help them to make a big difference. Click here to donate:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/15.php

With hope,

Ricken, Ben, Graziela, Paul, Iain, Veronique, Pascal, Galit and the whole Avaaz team

PS: Here are some links to more information:

For more information about Avaaz's work to support the Burmese people, click here:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/burma_report_back 

For more information about the cyclone, the humanitarian crisis, and the political dimension, see these articles:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/IMD_issued_specific_and_precise_advisories_to_Myanmar_IMD/articleshow/3016493.cms
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/08/myanmar/?iref=mpstoryview
http://www.irrawaddy.org/opinion_story.php?art_id=11836
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/world/asia/07aid.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7385205.stm

------------------------------------
ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.

To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to info@avaaz.org. You can also send postal mail to our New York office:260 Fifth Avenue, 9th floor, New York, NY 10001 U.S.A.

If you have technical problems, please go to http://www.avaaz.org.

Parking in West Hollywood

I parked in the red.

I walked across the street, went up to my apartment, delivered my mother her medication, walked back to my car to find the officer beginning to write his citation.

 

Across the street, parked in the red, was a commercial truck (plumbing).

 

When I asked, the officer said, "They told me they were leaving soon.  If you had had your hazard lights on, I would have thought you were in these apartments and returning soon."

 

I may park for 90 seconds in the red, but I don't put my hazard lights on when it isn't a hazard.

 

Please forgive this ticket, it is obvious that the parking laws are not consistently applied.

114-Year-Old Man Takes Longevity Keys to the Grave

LIVE LONG!  

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080508/sc_livescience/114yearoldmantakeslongevitykeystothegrave

 

I especially loved the absolutely NO KNOWN ANSWERS attitude of this article.

 

Frish's Special Diet for a Life Worth Living:

           Only eat food you like!

Our military's response to the disaster in Myanmar...

Gates said the military was moving aircraft and ships into place to
help deliver humanitarian supplies once permission is granted.

"I cannot image us going in without the permission of the Myanmar
government," Gates said at a Pentagon press conference with Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen.

"It's all tied to sovereignty, which we respect whether it's on the
ground or in the air," Mullen said.

{EXCEPT IF OIL IS INVOLVED, OR IF THE PRESIDENT HOLDS A GRUDGE AGAINST
THE LEADER OF ANOTHER COUNTRY, OR, IF THE COUNTY MAY HAVE WMD, OR THE
CAPABILITY TO PRODUCE SAME, OR, THEY SUPPORT AL QAEDA OR SEEM LIKE
THEY MIGHT HAVE SUPPORTED 911 EVEN THO' THEY DIDN'T, OR IF THE COUNTRY
NAMED IS IRAQ, SINCE WE INVADED AND OCCUPIED THAT COUNTRY WITH NO
RESPECT FOR SOVERIGNTY OR RULES OF WAR...OTHER THAN THAT I CANNOT
IMAGINE THE RELUCTANCE OF THE DESPOTIC REGIME TO GIVE UP THEIR
BORDER'S SOVERIGN PROTECTIONS!}

Sportsman's Double

I ended up with an older woman at a club last night. She looked OK
for a 61-year-old.

As I drank I found myself thinking that she probably had a hot daughter.

We drank a bit, and had a bit of a snuggle, and then she asked if I'd
ever had a Sportsman's Double.

'What's that?' I asked

'It's a mother and daughter threesome,' she said.

I said, 'No' - excitedly.

We drank a bit more, then she says that tonight was 'my lucky night'.

I went back to her place. She put on the hall light and shouted upstairs:

'Mum, you still awake?'

Bush or McCain? Can you tell the difference???

Start the Bush-McCain Challenge by clicking here:

http://Bush-McCainChallenge.com/?rc=challenge-friends&r_id=12589-4946138-MHhoN6

Enjoy the extra credit McCain vs. a Carrot round!

http://Bush-McCainChallenge.com/?rc=tafcarrot

NIZE BABY excerpt

My friend has an film audition forthcoming as a Jewish Lawyer from the 60's.

Figured Nize Baby iz zo ober der dop zat itz a purfek practice read.
It is the accent of the parents of the lawyer, if you will...

Milt Gross was a very EARLY comic strip author, and fairly famous in
his day (1920-40's)

Having a copy of Nize Baby, I was going to fax a few pages for dialect
practice, but I found a reference online to give my friend the idea.

See paragraphs on this page!

http://www.pseudopodium.org/search.cgi?Milt+Gross

They are all ENGLISH words, call and I'll listen and/or give you a demo!

Another disaster averted!

Report: NYC Freedom Tower plans found in trash

NEW YORK - A homeless man has come forward with two sets of
confidential ground zero blueprints that he says were dumped in a
Lower Manhattan trash can. The man brought the Freedom Tower plans
to the New York Post, which says the 150-page schematic is marked:
"Secure Document — Confidential."

The documents are dated Oct. 5, 2007. They contain plans for each
floor, the thickness of the concrete-core wall, and the location of
air ducts, elevators, electrical systems and support columns.

The agency that owns the World Trade Center site, the Port Authority
of New York and New Jersey, calls it a serious security lapse.

Spokeswoman Candace McAdams says mishandling the blueprints would be
"cause for serious disciplinary action."

Unusual Earthquake Swarm Off Oregon Coast Puzzles Scientists

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080413184801.htm

Water will quickly become the gating factor...here's another clue folk!

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/l14573335-water/

Morality of Veganism

While I wax amply on many issues, I have never taken on the "morality"
of veganism.

We are soon coming to the point that "meat" can be economically grown
without any sentience involved, just a ham in a bottle…not many moral
issues with that I suspect…

However, consider the following:

If all humans, tomorrow, stopped eating meat…
there would (for quite some time) be an excess of food available (if
it could be distributed equitably)

We could let the current cattle and pigs and chickens live long and
die out…and no more pets, they eat way too much fish!

and, we'd continue to breed…

and, sooner than later (much much sooner) we'll have eaten our way off
the planet (again!).

As our technology overwhelms natural limits, we become subject to
every natural consequence…

FOOD RIOTS IN HAITI OVER THIS PAST WEEKEND

1,000,000,000 people in the world TODAY that don't have ready access
to potable water.

Ice Shelf Calving in Antactica (removing another barrier that keeps
ice on the continent…when it moves off the continent oceans rise!)

Vegan? Carnivore?

MOOT POINT.

Voluntary Human EXTINCTION is the only MORAL choice!

The die off of humanity is inevitable, and not long in coming.

Therefore, to minimize the suffering, no more children ought be born.

At all.

Voluntarily.

By anyone…anywhere.

Forever.

Sagittarius

THIS IS THE BEST DAMN NEWS --- ONLY 14 MORE YEARS OF BAD LUCK!!!

Below are True descriptions of zodiac signs.

Read your sign, and then forward it on, with your zodiac sign and
label on the subject line.

This is the real Deal, try ignoring or changing it, and the first
thing you'll notice is having a horrible day starting tomorrow morning
- and it only gets Worse from there.

Remember, if you are on the cusp of another sign you most likely will
have features of both signs...which may lead you into total
confusion......

CAPRICORN - The Go-Getter (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Patient and wise.
Practical and rigid. Ambitious. Tends to be Good-looking. Humorous
and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimistic.
Capricorns tend to act before they think and can be Unfriendly at
times. Hold grudges. Like competition. Get what they Want. 20 years of
bad luck if you do not forward.

AQUARIUS - The Sweetheart (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Optimistic and honest.
Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent.
Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious.
Very stubborn, but original and unique. Attractive on the inside and
out. Eccentric personality. 11 years of bad luck if you do not
forward.

PISCES - The Dreamer (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Generous, kind, and thoughtful.
Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague.
Sensitive. Don't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and
loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful. 8 years of bad luck
if you do not forward.

ARIES - The Daredevil (Mar 21 - April 19)
Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic.
Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short
fuse. (Easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing.
Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and
assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic. 16 years of bad luck if
you do not forward.

TAURUS - The Enduring One (April 20 - May 20) Charming but aggressive.
Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm-hearted.
Strong, has endurance. Solid beings that are stable and secure in
their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty.
Patient and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving
and kind. Loves hard - passionate. Express themselves emotionally.
Prone to ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves
often. Very generous. 12 years of bad Luck if you do not forward

GEMINI - The Chatterbox (May 21 - June 20) Smart and witty. Outgoing,
very chatty. Lively, energetic. Adaptable But needs to express
themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Like change. Versatile. Busy,
sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or
inconsistent. Beautiful physically and mentally. 5 years of bad luck
if you do not forward.

CANCER - The Protector (June 21 - July 22)
Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome.
Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative.
Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily
hurt, but sympathetic. 16 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

LEO - The Boss (July 23 - Aug 22)
Very organized. Need order in their lives - like being in control.
Like boundaries. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help
Others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted. Generous, warm-hearted.
Sensitive. Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving. Doing the
right thing is important to Leos. Attractive. 13 years of bad luck if
you do not forward.

VIRGO - The Perfectionist (Aug 23 - Sept 22)
Dominant In relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word.
Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager.
Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful. Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Harsh.
Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic. 7 years of bad luck
if you do not forward.

LIBRA - The Harmonizer (Sept 23 - Oct 22)
Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have own unique
appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone.
Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious. Give in
too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible. 9 years of bad luck if
you do not forward.

SCORPIO - The Intense One(Oct 23 - Nov 21)
Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive.
Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds
grudges. Attractive. Determined. Loves being in long Relationships.
Talkative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and
Emotional. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

SAGITTARIUS - The Happy-Go-Lucky One (Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome).
Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and
outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient.
Fun to be around. Having lots of friends. Flirtatious. Doesn't like
rules. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces
or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted. Beautiful inside
and out. 14 years of bad luck if you do not forward

Send away!!~ Ready .. set............ GO!
1-3 people= 1 minute of luck
4-7 people= 1 hour of luck
8-12 people = 1 day of luck
13-17 People = 1 week of luck
18-22 people = 1 month of luck
23-27 people = 3 Months of luck
28-32 people = 7 months of luck
33-37 people = 1 year of luck

Thanks for helping my fantasy life - it's getting harder and harder after all...

Existed between ears
Vibrant imagination -
Avid Appetites

Reality Wins tho'!
I am best - No Fantasy
Satisfaction: YOURS!

My pal Les gets interviewed!

For those of us who are childfree, and our sympathizers!

http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2008/03/13/news3.html

Well done Les, quite VHEMT ('vehement') of you!!!

Dyslexia: It differs by Language!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080408/ap_on_he_me/dyslexic_differences
From the article:
...said lead author Li-Hai Tan, a professor of linguistics and brain
and cognitive sciences at the University of Hong Kong. "Our finding
yields neurobiological clues to the cause of dyslexia."

Actually rather more than that I suspect, but not sure why she doesn't...

From the article:
Millions of children worldwide are affected by dyslexia, a
language-based learning disability that can include problems in
reading, spelling, writing and pronouncing words. The International
Dyslexia Association says there is no consensus on the exact number
because not all children are screened, but estimates range from 8
percent to 15 percent of students.

Learning disability? Dyslexics learn things just fine. They just
have trouble reading and writing, tasks that haven't been necessary
for human survival until quite recently! Therefore the high
percentage in the population if it is genetic...

I think that actual brain structure of the recently evolved language
portion of the brain is what is being illuminated!

Interesting that language types cause changes in brain structure
regardless, since there once was a school of Anthropology that spoke
to the general impression that different language groups engendered
different "personalities". Hence, Culture and Personality - why do we
think of Germans as "efficient", Brits as uptight, Italians as having
tempers, etc.

Maybe there is something here after all!

"you hire a fecund woman and she eventually sprogs."

http://timesonline.typepad.com/alphamummy/2008/04/natasha-kaplins.html

Article provides mildly interesting analysis, but that subject line
(lifted from it) is priceless!

Frish

Essence: thanks for the fantastic post!

This was my rfesponse to a post on a YAHOO group I belong to...

Essence: You wrote a terrific response to SA Wendy (to a post I never read!).

You wrote:
Give or take variations in morality and intelligence what have you, the same
base instincts are in us all and there is no preferable breeder IMO.

TOTAL AGREEMENT, IN GENERAL people are moral actors and of average
intelligence and NO ONE SHOULD REPRODUCE.

You wrote (and I'm not sure what you mean by the first sentence, but...):
Left alone in a smaller population I would expect the rich to be led
by ego and breed their resource hungry numbers up freely. After all
it's near impossible to impose ecological ethics on every single
individual and who would they answer to?

YOU HAVE RAISED THE VERY ISSUE THAT WILL THWART ANY CHANCE AT ENOUGH
CHANGE IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
It requires draconian action to get all of us to do ANYthing and even
that will cause rebellion.
The power to enforce such ethics either violates every moral teaching,
or will not ever be capable of enforcing them!

This can be seen, in trivial microcosm, in the abreaction
conservatives have to the very concept of "Global Warming", what a
hoax, etc....which of course is simply delaying any action to reduce
human caused climate and other Earth systems' chaos.

It may well come to military and swift justice situations as the water
runs out, but it won't make things sustainable.

You Said:
The nature of the human virus is to fill up and dominate the
surroundings and I don't believe those responsible for the western
model are responsible enough. Nor are the poor, middle class or
otherwise.

EXACTLY RIGHT, and worse than that, there is no one "responsible"!
Culture has a momentum of its own, we can only attempt to shift it's
course.

The "human virus" is characterized by human physicality (we eat and
shit, not much going on there from a disruption to ecology standpoint)
and HUMAN CULTURE that is what we use as a specie to take advantage of
an ecological niche.

The NATURE OF LIFE is to evolve, thanks to competition, to take
advantage of another ecological energy niche. (I'll eat at night, no
one is up then...etc.)

HUMAN CULTURE AND HUMAN NATURE (THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL)
impacts the world in an EXACTLY analogous way...

NO ONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF IT, IT IS SIMPLY CULTURE DOING WHAT
CULTURE DOES...

Why have an igloo (human culture and technology) unless you eat seals
(raw blubber anyone? feast away, we're omnivores!)?

Why not have full blown cities, like Chicago or Minneapolis, where
people ought not exist at all...thanks to coal, oil, nuclear power???

The "organic" "natural" "evolution" of human culture has now taken
charge of the planet's climate...our accumulative activities
(basically uncontrolled) in toto are just the inevitable outcome of
cultural progression.

Can our Social Evolution proceed in time to allow us to sustainably
manage the planet?

Eight Ball says: NO.

Excellent post, thanks a lot!

To Dr. Huffard: Hi, I have a comment, a statement a question and a thank you.

Christine: Hope you have a moment for this...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080402/ap_on_sc/octopus_love

They attribute this to you:
"It's not the sex that leads to death," said Christine Huffard, the
study's lead author. "It's just that octopuses produce offspring once
during a very short lifespan of a year."

While their procreation by itself doesn't kill them, in the really big
picture when sex evolved it led to death! Before sex there was no
death from "old age", old cells simply split!...With the evolution of
sex, death has to occur, or there would be nothing but octopi the
world over.

On the average, every octopus has two offspring, the rest get eaten or die!

That stupidly is why I'm writing, your statement got my attention on
that tangential point, but, as long as I'm here...

(I am of the undereducated opinion that) life itself is simply an
extention of geology.

Biology is really GEOlogy (and with a CAPITAL GEO, since OUR kind of
life could ONLY occur on this planet EARTH (hence GEOlogy).

The chemistry to support life existed when the solar system was right
for it to occur, and it started.

We know this happened because we're here discussing it!

Evolution happens, the feedback mechanisms (water cycle, carbon cycle,
oxygen creation, etc.) flux away, we're here....

What I'm asking is...does anyone in the bio world talk about life
being the natural outcome of the chemistry of the Earth at the time
self replicating molecules began replicating?

My philosophy goes on to consider how human culture evolved alongside
human beings to OVERCOME natural boundaries (clothes, fire, language,
education of children to overcome normal hazards, technology, weapons,
medicine, agriculture, etc.), and our culture and the technology we
now totally depend upon is killing the planet...but that's something
else entirely...

If anyone is keeping score, shortly (150 - 250 years or less) it will be:

GAIA: 1
Humans: 0

Thanks for considering my question!

To Al Gore - Addendum to my prior letter: "Perfect example as to why you are Inconveniently WRONG!"

"But it's clear that many aren't ready to give up their disposals."

See this article Al.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88382453&ft=1&f=1001

Here is a PERFECT example of how HUMAN NATURE will get in the way of
any progress on the environment, if one takes your position...it will
take far too long to change our behaviors to keep the effects of human
produced climate change from accelerating...

1. Raleigh has an antiquated sewerage system. It gets blocked by
grease and blows up. No one wants to pay to replace it (2000+ miles
of sewer pipe getting old...)
2. The city council abolished new garbage disposals from new
construction to attempt to stem the other "stuff" from getting into
the flow.
3. A reasonable request also was made to those who already have
disposals, to quit using them.
4. Some reacted "as though a SWAT team was on their roof, coming to
confiscate their disposals"...
5. The residents of Raleigh, used to throwing everything down the
kitchen sink, even when confronted with a very pricey alternative
(replacing the sewer system!), will not easily change their ways...

The Raleigh experience serves as an example of precisely what I mentioned:

Human nature however is too self serving for even a small population
of humans to sustainably manage their existence.

There is only one moral way to voluntarily reduce human population,
and that is for each of us to decide not to have offspring!

VHEMTly yours, Frish

www.vhemt.org

SUMMARY OF [The Brights] April 2008 BULLETIN "LA BRIGHTS are mentioned"!

Hi all, thanks for taking a minute to relax and enjoy life for a
change. I believe our next luncheon is April 13. No Foolin'!

I snipped pieces of the Bright's April Bulletin, and I do hope you
subscribe...see bottom of note for subscription info if you care to do
so...

It is nice to see our efforts recognized by The Brights Central,
thanks Paul and Mynga...

Also, an interesting bit of knowledge gained about how to sign our
letters to the editors.

Great work all, thanks for being a Bright!

Frish sez: I always have trouble with the pluralization, so this is
helpful to fellow writers:
===================
Peter Papesch (Boston, USA) sent in his point of view the matter:

"'BRIGHTS' (plural) is the collective term for us. Identifying myself
as 'A BRIGHT' is both grammatically and conceptually correct.
Furthermore, since the movement was conceived in the English-speaking
realm, I would urge all fellow Brights to retain the English term with
its double meaning rather than face the hurdles of translating the
double meaning into any other language. The very characteristic of the
double meaning adds significance to the term, and thus to the
movement."
=====================

Frish sez: Bright's Local Constituency I believe is our LA Brights
Official Title. By the way, members, we had a merry band of 2
participants so I really enjoyed writing the line in the press release
- "All participants agreed:"...but...here is something slightly more
serious...

Our group only serves us to the extent that our members have common
interests and sometimes behaviors, like showing up...and, while this
was our first volunteer effort (and I was out of town!), we'll see if
"the group" really is serious about community outreach as more
opportunities arise. Many thanks to Armel and John for being there,
let's do another soon (I think something is scheduled, see you there!)

BRIGHTS BLC IS VOLUNTEERING IN COMMUNITY

[March 28, 2008] For Immediate Release: "Los Angeles BRIGHTS support
nature at Daniel Webster Middle School Educational Garden"
---------------
On March 22, 2008, The Los Angeles BRIGHTS turned out to plant, weed,
tend and otherwise nurture The Daniel Webster Garden. Located at
Daniel Webster Middle School (LAUSD) the garden was established to
teach children who grow up in an urban setting more about the
environment.

The LA BRIGHTS charter includes volunteer efforts, doing good for the
community and supporting BRIGHT goals. See http://www.the-brights.net

Recognizing the need for more knowledge about nature, LA BRIGHT and
school teacher John Taylor wasn't solely altruistic in his volunteer
effort. "Sure, happy to help here, but I'm bringing what I learned
back to my own school, to initiate the effort there!"

All participants agreed: It feels good to help others. The LA BRIGHTS
will be performing more acts of volunteerism in support of the
naturalistic worldview.
---------------
This type of action serves as a model for other Brights Local
Constituencies that meet in person. The LA Brights not only focus on
the community; they also take the extra steps to ensure that their
volunteer efforts gain wider notice. See:
http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200803/1206753243.html

========================================
REFERENCE GUIDE TO BRIGHTS INFORMATION

BRIGHTS FORUM (TALK ON TOPICS OF INTEREST)
http://the-brights.net/forums

CONTACTING PERSONNEL
http://www.the-brights.net/reference_guide.html

INFORMATION BULLETINS:
All Bulletins, including this one, may be found via the link in the
right column of the home page at www.the-brights.net

You can unsubscribe from Bulletin mailings via this URL:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/496/unsubscribe.jsp

SPONSORSHIP ACTION
To advance the civic aims and principles of the movement.
http://the-brights.net/action/support/

Bright Regards from Paul Geisert and Mynga Futrell
Co-Directors of The Brights' Net
the-brights@the-brights.net
--
Cheers,

Frish "Fearless Leader" L.A. Brights
http://www.nonshoppingchannel.blogspot.com

My letter to Al Gore: Why You are Inconveniently WRONG!

Al: First, and foremost, I totally agree with "The Inconvenient
Truth", great meeting you at the book signing...You are wrong not in
the direction or the degree of your argument, but in it's intended
function, changing human behavior.

On 60 Minutes, you suggest, and I paraphrase: "People can change, it
is not hopeless".

However, if everyone, tomorrow, did everything you suggest, how much
difference would it make to the environment?

Sure, less than today or what it would have been otherwise...however,
that isn't going to make enough of a difference...even if we all did
everything right, tomorrow and forever!

First, not everyone is going to "get it" tomorrow.

Second, it will take some (way too long) time for things to change
once enough people do "get it" (and are willing to act accordingly).

Third, you "can't legislate morality" and you cannot "create culture"
(a culture of continuous diminution of human environmental impact)
with a slide show, ad campaign, trained evangelizing presenters, etc.

Until the power of capitalism (far and away the greatest driver of
climatic change by humans) is turned to preserving the biosphere
instead of overcoming it we have no chance of survival.

And, until people make the right choices, though being informed, so
that the market forces will drive the capitalistic machine, that
cannot happen, (regardless of your nice try with the slide show, to
attempt to counteract this impediment...).

The inevitability of the collapse, and the incredibly increasing
population means only one thing...to minimize the murderous effects
due to climate change the fewer people around to be done away with by
those changes the better!

Al, your way (changing human behavior in our use of technology) is too
slow...and MANY MORE PEOPLE will suffer because of it.

If we were few, the world's systems could withstand or tolerate
us...and we could stand a chance of managing our impacts.

Human nature however is too self serving for even a small population
of humans to sustainably manage their existence

"Manage the environment" is an interesting goal, since we don't know
enough about the environment we've already wrecked to know how to fix
it so it would operate in a way we could sustain!

There is only one moral way to voluntarily reduce human population,
and that is for each of us to decide not to have offspring!

NO ONE should have children so that we reduce human suffering, and
allow the continued existence of much of the life on the planet...

If I recall, Tipper was into labeling recordings of song lyrics for
"moral" reasons.

Love to hear you both harmonizing about how having no children is the
only hope for LIFE ITSELF.

VHEMTly yours, Frish

www.vhemt.org

Los Angeles BRIGHTS support nature at Daniel Webster Middle School Educational Garden

Los Angeles BRIGHTS support nature at Daniel Webster
http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200803/1206753243.html

Tell a friend.

An Amazingly Ridiculous Suggestion!!!

MOVEON YOU HAVE ENTIRELY MISSED THE POINT. DON'T PLAY ON THEIR PLAYGROUND.

(I sent a version to them on their website...too)

I wish Obama could be as honest as he ought to be about religion to
begin with.
Religion provides fewer benefits to society than it is given credit for...
Billy Graham was an unrepentant anti-Semite and counselor to how many
presidents?
Reagan consulted an astrologer for God's Sake! (so to speak...)
The religion of Presidents is suspect on many levels.

Race is an issue in this race, nothing wonderful he says will change
anyone's mind.
If the race baiters on the right wish to do so, and they do and have,
they will try to make race "THE ISSUE".

It is "nice" to see you think sending many people an Obama speech
about race and or religion will change anything...It won't. Preaching
to the choir for one thing...

OBAMA SHOULD SIMPLY SAY, DOES ANYONE THINK THAT BEING OF MIXED RACIAL
BACKGROUND MEANS I AM SOMEHOW INCAPABLE OF BEING PRESIDENT? WHERE DID
THE AMERICAN DREAM GO?

THE YOUTH VOTE HAS FEWER RACE HANG UPS. Get them registered and
voting... college tuition and vocational training money at reasonable
interest rates...Universal Health Care...

MCCAIN WILL INSTITUTE THE DRAFT TO FUEL WARS THAT WILL LAST 100 YEARS.

MCCAIN IS TOO OLD. PERIOD. MAKE MCCAIN RUN ON HIS AGE.

JOBS
HEALTH
PEACE
ENVIRONMENT
supreme court

OBAMA: He's not running on HIS race. He's running on OUR future.

On Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 10:24 PM, Noah T. Winer, MoveOn.org Political
Action <moveon-help@list.moveon.org> wrote:
>
> Barack Obama's speech on race today was one of the most honest and
> thoughtful you'll ever see. But the media are missing the point.
SAYS YOU...

> In the middle of a presidential contest tainted by racism and sexism, Barack
> Obama did something amazing today. He gave one of the most honest,
> courageous, and thoughtful speeches we've ever seen.
OKAY

> This is a message that could change our nation.
(Moveon wants me to send it to everyone I know. Well, sorry, I'm not
doing that.

OBAMA SAYS:
> "We have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds
> division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as
> spectacle—as we did in the OJ trial—or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in
> the aftermath of Katrina—or as fodder for the nightly news.
>
> "But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking
> about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one.
> And nothing will change.
>

I AGREE WITH OBAMA. FORGET ABOUT RACE IN THIS CAMPAIGN, IT IS A
DISTRACTION AND WORSE, NOT A WINNING STRATEGY. GET OUT OF THEIR
SANDBOX. NOT ONE EXTRA VOTE WILL BE OBTAINED BY ANYONE WHO WASN'T
READY TO VOTE FOR OBAMA BY READING OR HEARING A SPEECH...AT LEAST NOT
BECAUSE OF THE CONTENT THEREOF!

Cheers,

Frish

Behold: The Atheist Apolcalypse

http://www.viruscomix.com/page433.html

In memory of Weizenbaum...(subtitles by ELIZA...)

New Technology, Looking for Application...REALLY Near You. See this video.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/256.0/popup/index.php?cl=6998855

He wants to superimpose computer images over the real world.

Regular Reality is already more than many of us can handle...(have
another drink?)

I can see it now...a 24/7 video game, in real space! "So lifelike,
you'll forget you're alive!"

And, the doctor wants to monitor us for more satisfactory medical outcomes.

Hey, let's get Radio Frequency chips embedded in our skulls at birth
to keep the illegals out, our credit histories available, and our
medical conditions under control...and these contact lenses to paint a
rosey hue...who needs prozac?

Let's have our DNA on deck so we can quickly identify potential for
genetic problems having offspring with a particular person to whom we
are attracted...

Monitor me please administrator. Oops, no choice!
-------------------------------
Speaking of which:

I created this note (above) as a draft, and saved it in gmail.
I copied the video link from another note.
I opened the draft note.
I pasted the link.
I found a whole long list of RFID suggestions along the right side of
my recently saved and re-opened note. Not in the market, thanks...

Love the internet. Love Google. Love AI guess work, getting better everyday!

Love the automated big brother that isn't so far away.

My father, M. C. Frishberg, was a visionary, an original Silicon
Valley Nurd, truly a technology evangelist of his time...

In the late 1950's and early 1960's he was adamant that data
processing technology was the only way we'd get out of the disasterous
situation humanity is finding itself in...so he did what he could to
ensure that technology was distributed as widely and quickly as
possible...witness the fact that you are sitting in front of a
computer as you read this, perhaps 20% of the world's population has
that capability, only forty five years later, easily the most
disruptive technological introduction since the beginning of
time...thanks in no small measure to Dad...but that's another story.

I know technology is the cause of the incredibly destructive
activities humans engage in, which is why it cannot dig us out.

Time will tell if Dad or I am correct.

Back to the not so distant future...

"I see you are drinking beer, again, how do you feel about that?",
writes ELIZA...across both eyes, next to the refreshing and subtly
modulating vitawater-enzyme-drink-that-moderates-your-blood-sugar and
hangover-and-lipids logo...

In 1966, Joseph Weizenbaum introduced ELIZA, a simulation of psychotherapy.
He died recently.

Play with Eliza:
http://www-ai.ijs.si/eliza-cgi-bin/eliza_script

Create your own:
http://www.ugrad.cs.ubc.ca/~cs100new/elizalab.html#deliverables

This is why I don't write for a living...

I've discovered the motivation behind the NY Governor's need for prostitutes.

He had a Spitzer, but wanted a Swallower...

Saw this, thought of you!

http://improveverywhere.com/2008/03/09/food-court-musical/

Unexpected Scene!
Disney's Dwarves showed us the way...
Working AND Whistling!

To techno Mavens. Is this something new and exciting? or not...

One of my print prospects, Eric, President of Insytive.com has claims
about his website tool.

www.ecowater.com

is an example of what the tool produces, I think...

Please take a peek and see what you find in terms of anything
new/weird/exciting and let me know!

Here's what Eric said to me today:
All the claims are true and not hyperbolic. Visit the site and you'll
see for yourself.

Regarding the code… you only can see the consumer side of the site.
There is a DEALER LOG IN to an enormous e-commerce platform.

WARREN BUFFET'S BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY GOES LIVE WITH WORLD'S FIRST
E-DESTINATION TM PLATFORM FOR ECOWATER SYSTEMS

March 1, 2008 – Insytive Strategic Solutions Group launches EcoWater
Systems' world-
Class new web presence

www.ecowater.com

Unlike any website on the net, the new digital home for the largest
residential water treatment systems company in the world, represents
not only the most sophisticated site of all the Berkshire Hathaway
companies, but the premier web platform in the residential water
treatment space.

To learn more about Insytive e-destinationsTM and how Insytive
Strategic Solution Group can help your company achieve the presence it
created for the number one manufacturer of residential water treatment
systems, please contact us at blah blah blah, etc.

SO, is there anything here or not?

Your attention to this matter is purely appreciated, you are under no
obligation and will not be remunerated except for my continuing
respect for you and your knowledge and opinion.

Cheers,

Frish

'Touch all you want, but...If you break it, you own it!" Some observations...

Thanks for reading, thinking, (hopefully enjoying or being disturbed) and critiquing...I value your thoughts.  This is a synthesis of several years of online discussions with loads of fun people...so, I'm pretty sure I right, but you tell me!

 

Of course, some armchair shrinks out there may feel I'm simply rationalizing my decision not to have kids...you be the judges!

 

REALITY NOW!

 

In the beginning, the Universe happened because it could.

-         A long time later, Life happened because it could.

 

Evolution, over another really long time, led to Humans AND developing alongside every step of the way, Human Culture!!!

 

-         Culture is useful to overcome or ignore Nature's limits

o       Language let us learn from other's mistakes

o       Fire extended our day, kept us safer at night,  killed bugs while processing food!

o       Clothing allowed us to extend our range

o       Mathematics and Physics got us to the moon, etc.

 

Our Culture is incredibly successful, it made us invincible!

-         Essentially there are no predators left!

           (90% fewer sharks in the world than in 1987!)

-         We've eliminated diseases or lessened the effects

-         Most people eat more than once per day

-         Infants survive to childhood almost everywhere

-         Life spans are double what they were 350 years ago.

-         We eat strawberries in January…flown in from Chile

 -         We exist in every environment on the planet 

 

However, the entirety of the effects of Human Culture on the world around us cannot allow us to use it to simply ignore or "work around" Nature anymore.

 

Human Activities now are widespread and dramatic enough to affect the operation of Nature's Systems...with chaotic, long term, and potentially hazardous consequences!

 

Here is just one example:  Human Cultural Activities (driving cars, burning coal, etc.) HAVE ALREADY changed the nature of the chemistry of the atmosphere.  Thanks to inertia of the the atmospheric and oceanic systems, and the ability to "soak up" some of the disruption, the effects are only beginning to be observed...

 

As the title of this note suggests...now that we've broken it, we are responsible for making it operate, and the incentive is our very survival!

 

The question is:

 

Humans:  We're proved ourselves smart enough to dominate nature, but are we wise enough to MANAGE Nature?

 

o       We'll find out in the next 100 years or less!

 

For Humans to survive,

Culture MUST shift

INTENTIONALLY 

from domination of Nature

to maintenance of Nature.

 

Immediately

 

THE FRISH COROLLARY:

 

I know of NO REASON why anything stated above is incorrect.

 

Unless one were extremely optimistic about the nature of large groups of humans to make wise decisions, quickly, and over multiple generations...one wouldn't have children.

 

www.vhemt.org

 

It's the fourth most radical environmental group in the world!

 

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/offbeat-news/top-4-environmental-extremist-groups/742

 

This is not depressing.  It is REALITY NOW!

 

Therefore, I wish you the VHEMT Motto:  Live Long and Die Out!

 

Please share if you dare with others who might care (or be upset).  Comments are eagerly anticipated. 

 

And, remain childfree if you are!

Happiness

Happiness can be inherited, research finds -
More to us than our biology? Perhaps not as much as we'd like to think.

Happiness is an attribute of our personalities.

Personalities evolved because they are an advantage (to the group, as all genetic advantages are...).

We are SOCIAL PRIMATES and our very "pecking order" is maintained by how personalities interact, and probably forms the basis for personality in the first place.

Our different personalities give us different perspectives on reality.

When making decisions with group input, potential pitfalls and or courses of action may be shared by those whose perceptions differ thanks to their personalities.

The optimist looks at the glass and says: "The glass is half-full!"
The pessimist looks at the glass and says: "The glass is half-empty!"
The engineer looks at the glass and says: "The glass was mis-specified!"
(...since it is obviously the wrong size for the task...I purposely "broke role" by explaining the joke, since, for Engineers, and their ilk, spelling things out is important. For those of us with a higher tolerance to ambiguity, well, we make it up if we don't know for sure and we laughed too!)

Happiness, Optimism, Pragmatism they are all aspects of personality and our genes too.

Read an article today regarding how little Prozac and Paxil and other attempts at keeping more Serotonin within the brain's interstices actually do to solve people's depression.

"Cryokid" Book Signing on Sunday Next in West LA

My early life was as an Archaeologist/Anthropologist, so I enjoy family in all it's definitions...even tho' I have no children of my own...(and recommend against!).

 

Janet Spiegel is a business associate and the subject of the book is Janet's daughter, who is a "Cryokid" (product of sperm bank).

 

The author is the "Cryokid"'s grandmother, Corrine!

 

That makes it pretty cool, except the sperm donor himself is also quoted which is what makes it unusual...see you there!

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Janet Spiegel info@mail.evite.com

 

Book Launch for "Cryo Kid: Drawing a New Map" by Corinne Heather Copnick

 

Dear family and friends,

 

Please celebrate the LA launch of my mom's book "Cryo Kid" with us. If you can't attend, please support her accomplishment and buy a copy online (autographed through cryokid.com).

 

Guests welcome so spread the word!

 

VIEW EVITE INVITATION

 

http://www.evite.com/r?iid=XJHQPTMCCKQLPQRRSEZQ&li=iq&src=email

 

Host:  Janet Spiegel

Location:   Dutton's Brentwood Books -- 310.476.6263

11975 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049 US

When:  Sunday, March 9, 2:00PM

Phone:  818-345-1531

In support of "How Many Non-Believers" - an LA Brights letter to the LA Times.

Dear LA Brights:
Writing letters.
It's one of "our things" (*Cosas Nostra!)

Here's the template for an effective Letter to the Times (or anywhere else):

Took their piece and showed I had read it (we concur).
Made my own point altogether (morality vs. religion) and I'll hope
that's enough to catch their eye and get us into the paper.

I've introduced another whole topic, therefore a newsworthy subject
unto itself and fun speculation for them.

Pick your own "twist" and scribe away...the LA Times editors may be
reached at letters@latimes.com.

Here's the story:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-paulos4mar04,0,7732175.story

Here's my letter (I did use the BRIGHTS tag this time. Seemed appropriate.)

Dear Editor, LA TIMES:
Members of The Los Angeles BRIGHTS ("Reality Now!") were raised in all
manner of households: Hindu, Catholic, Jewish, Evangelical,
others...even Atheist).

We concur that those who don't believe are significantly undercounted.

The general population is beginning to realize that morality stems
from being human, not from being religious.

Religion cannot impose morality upon one's personality, you either
were born with a conscience or you weren't!

There are many ways to live a good life, be a good person, and a
positive social contributor and not be affiliated with religion
whatsoever.

Frish - Fearless Leader, LA Brights
--------------------------------------------------------
Hope to see many of you next Sunday. Thanks for being Bright.

Treadmill Headstand!

Another good reason not to do exercise...

On the sustainability of resource extraction processes

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080227/sc_livescience/sharksdeclinebutattacksrise

This is a great article for several reasons:

 

"A diver who suffered a fatal shark bite in the Bahamas this week is part of a trend of increasing attacks around the world despite plummeting populations of the majestic fish.  If sharks are so threatened in the world's waters, why are attacks on humans on the rise?
Because the global population of humans is growing fast..."

 

So, it is our numbers that are at fault, we're diving into more places, exposing ourselves to more shark attacks.

(*no one mentions the potential that more shark attacks are happening since we've destroyed their normal prey, and they're hungry!  Perhaps we're not quite there yet!)

 

The article has other nuggets of information:

 

"Sharks killed one human in 2007, according to the International Shark Attack File, but humans killed an estimated 38 million sharks for their fins each year, Baum said. That's as many sharks as the entire human populations of the 35 largest cities in the United States."

 

I have never seen the environmental destruction we're causing to be phrased in such a way...read it again "EACH YEAR"...

 

"Data from two case studies, one in southeastern Australian waters and the other in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, showed reductions in abundance of about 90 percent in many species of sharks in less than 20 years, Simpfendorfer said. "

 

Reductions of 90 percent in 20 years.  Doesn't leave much for the next 20...and what are the implications when the top predator is no longer around to keep other species in check?  It ain't good.

 

"Sharks ...are ... crucial to the entire marine ecosystem: they ... help keep smaller sharks and rays from devouring too many scallops, clams and other commercially important species of marine life."

Yes, the sharks are in the ocean to protect commercially important species for mankind.  Well, perhaps we've fallen off the wagon with that one, but, interestingly, sharks are crucial to the rest of the ecosystem, absolutely astounding!  (yeah...right, like no one ever considered that before!)

 

Once again, through our continuing uncontrolled experiment on the ecosystem of the planet, Humans are proving smart enough to RUIN the planet, but not smart enough to RUN it.

 

THE LAST LINE IS THE BOTTOM LINE!

 

"The real story isn't shark attacks, Burgess said. "The real story is what is happening to skates, sharks and rays on a worldwide basis. We have witnessed, in the last 20 to 30 years, huge declines in these animals worldwide."

Civilization Marches ON - perhaps a legal VHE solution is possible!!

INTERNATIONAL / EUROPE   | February 28, 2008
World Briefing | Europe:  Italy: Men Can't Grope...Themselves
By IAN FISHER
Whatever their reason might be, a passing hearse or simple discomfort, Italy's highest court ruled that men may not touch their genitals in public.

 

(Definitely a step in the correct direction...however, when women ignore male genitals we'll be getting somewhere!)

Annals of Corporate Emails

"I know what gratis means.  I speak German, remember?"

The song of the CHP! Thanks Mr. Bemis!

The Badge of the CHP

The Badge of the CHP was written and recorded by Mr. Cliff Bemis. The song was written to honor Officer Bruce T. Hinman, who gave his life in the line of duty on October 3, 1995. On his website, Mr. Bemis states:

"The death of my friend, CHP Officer Bruce T. Hinman in 1995, was devastating to his family and friends. And so, to remember Bruce, and to honor the officers of the CHP who work everyday protecting citizens across our state, I wrote and performed The Badge of the CHP, and have officially donated it to the California Highway Patrol."

Today, the song is played at CHP memorial services, cadet graduations, and other special events. Mr. Bemis has personally sang at several of these events. The CHP family thanks Mr. Bemis for the gift of his time and talent in honoring the sacrifice made by CHP employees daily in the pursuit of public safety.

The Badge of the CHP courtesy of Cliff Bemis

Weird Science...

http://www.livescience.com/php/video/player.php?video_id=LinkesDropletSTRETCH

This unnarrated short shows water flowing uphill...it claims.

Haiku Mania!

To Haiku, Or Not?

Is it better to do so?

That is the question!

 

 

Things I've Said When Asked About My Child Free Status

So, when to use any of the answers below?  It all depends! (the "executive's answer"!).  Enjoy a giggle and share your own!

 

"When I was eight, someone suggested I should eat my vegetables because "There are starving children in China" (circa 1962).  Decided then I would never have children.  Why would I have children in a world that already can't feed children?"

 

"There are enough children in the world."

 

"My siblings have procreated, therefore my genes will carry on."

 

"Yes, I was married for 29 years and no we had no children."

 

"We didn't have kids because we never consumated the marriage.  That's what kept our marriage fresh for 29 years...we heard that anticipation was better than the real thing, and vowed to prove it!"

 

"Why no kids?  It was either the water, or the fact we never consumated the marriage..."

 

"Watched a lot of videos of WWII and Concentration Camps at Religious (Jewish) School.  Convinced me, if humans can do that, no way I'm having a child!"

 

"I don't have kids, got a vasectomy at age 50, which was quite liberating!"

 

"My genes are no more necessary for the future of mankind than any others."

 

"I Love children, they love me.  I've helped raise several nieces and nephews.  Never changed a diaper, never want to."

 

"I don't do vomit well, since I frequently vomit in sympathetic response to a child's spit up!"

 

"The most ethical/moral selfless decision you can make (in favor of the rest of life on the planet) is to have no children."

 

"No child blames me."

 

"The most ecologically progressive thing you can possibly do is not have children!"

 

"Life is the natural outcome of the chemistry of the planet, all of life's components were available on a cooling Earth.  Human life has been changed, by our culture and the technology that stems from it, to ignore natural laws governing our life and death...from tools (fire, sharp rocks, technology), habitat (clothing, housing), health (medicine), food (agriculture), or any other aspect of human life on earth.  We are out of control, unsustainable, reaching formidable limits, and have already caused enough climate changing chaos to adversely affect the biosphere for the next 500 years.  That's why I don't have children."

 

"Humans aren't smart enough to Run the planet, we're just smart enough Ruin it."

(Wow, that was a good one!  Thanks all!)

Another letter to the LA Times...as the Supreme Court throws out a domestic spying challenge

To the Editors, LA Times:

The Federal Gov't claims it is secret who they spied upon (if they spied at all), those who think they were spied upon can't therefore know for certain, and somehow the Supreme Court observed, recognized and continued this injustice, and disallowed the complaint.

 

If any of us were spied upon, all of us were spied upon.  That is the American standard they ought to be using.

 

Congress must act to release all records relating to domestic spying (wiretapping and any other forms) immediately!

 

Frish

 

(I've copied several groups of folk on this.  There is a particularly bright group that may benefit from the style and effort if not the content...will they publish?  always a crap shoot!)

Re: U.S. Christians suggest killing Muslims to "purify the Earth"

Yesterday, Fred wrote to me and said:

 

 

I don't believe Christians teach their children to strap bombs to themselves and blow up

  infidels.

 

I replied that KKKers claim to be Christian too, but, as you'll see below, Fred decided not to understand my meaning, or to be obtuse in his response. 

 

The article is advocating just that, strap on your rifle and kill a Muslim, there is no difference Fred, between the hated Islamic Enemy and the so called Christian response!

 

Just because a human bomber is described as a Muslim Extremist, doesn't mean they are Muslim or Extremist.  At least some of them are Psychotic Extremists, but they live in a Muslim country...so, our press calls them Muslim Extremists. 

 

This is exactly what the article was about, how our very worldviews have been tainted by the obsessing over MUSLIMistism (to coin a colbertism).

 

The Christians being written about advocate arms be taken up against Muslims!  

 

How incredibly hypocritical and unChristian in their response, forget turn the other cheek, let's sign up for perpetual war, to please god...

 

On Feb 13, 2008 3:22 PM, Fred wrote:
 

I don't think 10% of Christians belong to the KKK.

Hi.  My point is that 100% of KKKers claim to be Christian.  Do you agree they are Christian?  Or are you saying that they just aren't very many in number, so, it doesn't matter if they claim to be Christian?  Or what?  Labeling a homicide bomber a muslim extremist is just like labeling them a KKKer Fred.  Do you ever hear the term Psychotic Extremist, yet most of them are that too?

 

Are you claiming that 10% of Muslims world wide are terrorists Fred?  Do you know how many that is?   I'd be plenty worried too, if that were the case, and nothing our military could do would stop it either, believe me! 

 

Let's do the Math:

 

About 2 Billion Muslims in the World Fred.

If 10% are terrorists we have 200,000,000 people to worry about. 

 

That's like 1 out of 20 adults in the world Fred...no police no military, nothing could stop them if they were in any way organized.

 

 

Besides, Muslims -- like about 10,000,000 of them, are teaching kids today to blow themselves up to kill infidels.

 

So, let's work on fixing that, if it is true.  How about spending 10% of what we're spending to fight terrorism via the military means and develop free solar powered PCs wireless to satellites, distribute them any way we have to, so local governments can't control content and then see what happens in 25 years or so...education is the key Fred, both for Christians and Muslims.

 

But you don't see any difference.

Are you advocating their deaths? 

Are you suggesting the correct response to their harmful schooling of horrible hatred for Christians is to kill Muslims?

 

Then, you are correct Fred, there is no difference between Christian Extremists and the Muslim Extremists...

U.S. Christians suggest killing Muslims to "purify the Earth"

As Frish (that's me sport's fans, this note has a wide distribution!) said (during the 2004 "political season"), whomever wins it won't be good for Muslims...since Kerry and Bush were both Skull & Bones (for example) and that's just another name for Crusaders.

 

A recent conversation with a Bright US Navy Warrior confirmed that the pressure for all to be "christian" in the military is extreme, from officers and chaplins on down...nice to see a reference to the The Military Religious Freedom Foundation.

 

I have seen video and read about "Haji" chants/songs (cute little military ditties that dehumanize Muslims so to make it easier to kill them, spread informally from unit to unit but not discouraged by officers...).

 

THE ARTICLE COPIED BELOW IS EXTRAORDINARILY DISTURBING, SINCE THE RELIGIO-PROPOGANDA IS SO IMBEDDED IN THE CULTURE, AND THE MILITARY...and spread by our "leaders"  "Islamo-Fascism" is the weirdest combination of concepts ever foisted on an horrifically and purposely ignorant public.

 

Actually the title of the article is way too tolerant by stating this is an "emerging" situation.  This has been in full force for 30 years or more, thanks to Tim LaHaye and other Dominionist/Second Coming touts...

 

Dealing with terrorists is actually a very soluable problem.  Make it a police problem, since they are political criminals, and not a military problem, since they aren't actually "at war" with us.  For example, to whom would we surrender in Iraq?  How can we be at war and not know to whom we ought surrender?  Doesn't follow any logic, we can't be at war at all...

 

Dealing with individuals acting crazy will never stop.  Dealing with terrorists can be done...It is very possible that the lies spread by the groups fomenting anti-Islamism are actually terrorists...criminality limited to liable, but hey...no different than Holocaust deniers.  That's criminal in Europe!

 

The Earth will be "purified" with or without christians, since it isn't nice to fool Mother Nature...but that's a different note...

 

*(Oh, yeah, spread the meme - see http://www.the-brights.net/ and, remember "REALITY NOW!" (Motto of the LA Brights!))

 

http://www.alternet.org/rights/76686/

Christian Right's Emerging Deadly Worldview: Kill Muslims to Purify the Earth

By Chris Hedges, Truthdig. Posted February 12, 2008.

 

Christian extremists are preaching a war against tolerance to target and persecute all Muslims, including the 6 million who live in the U.S.

 

Walid Shoebat, Kamal Saleem and Zachariah Anani are the three stooges of the Christian right. These self-described former Muslim terrorists are regularly trotted out at Christian colleges -- a few days ago they were at the Air Force Academy -- to spew racist filth about Islam on behalf of groups such as Focus on the Family. It is a clever tactic. Curly, Larry and Mo, who all say they are born-again Christians, engage in hate speech and assure us it comes from personal experience. They tell their audiences that the only way to deal with one-fifth of the world's population is by converting or eradicating all Muslims. Their cant is broadcast regularly on Fox News, including the Bill O'Reilly and Neil Cavuto shows, as well as on numerous Christian radio and television programs. Shoebat, who has written a book called Why We Want to Kill You, promises in his lectures to explain the numerous similarities between radical Muslims and the Nazis, how "Muslim terrorists" invaded America 30 years ago and how "perseverance, recruitment and hate" have fueled attacks by Muslims. 

 

These men are frauds, but this is not the point. They are part of a dark and frightening war by the Christian right against tolerance that, in the moment of another catastrophic terrorist attack on American soil, would make it acceptable to target and persecute all Muslims, including the some 6 million Muslims who live in the United States. These men stoke these irrational fears. They defend the perpetual war unleashed by the Bush administration and championed by Sen. John McCain. McCain frequently reminds listeners that "the greatest danger facing the world is Islamic terrorism," as does Mike Huckabee, who says that "Islamofascism" is "the greatest threat this country [has] ever faced." George W. Bush has, in the same vein, assured Americans that terrorists hate us for our freedoms, not, of course, for anything we have done. Bush described the "war on terror" as a war against totalitarian Islamofascism while the Israeli air force was dropping tens of thousands of pounds of iron fragmentation bombs up and down Lebanon, an air campaign that killed 1,300 Lebanese civilians.

 

The three men tell lurid tales of being recruited as children into Palestinian terrorist organizations, murdering hundreds of civilians and blowing up a bank in Israel. Saleem says that as a child he infiltrated Israel to plant bombs via a network of tunnels underneath the Golan Heights, although no incident of this type was ever reported in Israel. He claims he is descended from the "grand wazir" of Islam, a title and a position that do not exist in the Arab world. They assure audiences that the Palestinians are interested not in a peaceful two-state solution but rather the destruction of Israel, the murder of all Jews and the death of America. Shoebat claims he first came to the United States as part of an extremist "sleeper cell."

 

"These three jokers are as much former Islamic terrorists as 'Star Trek's' Capt. James T. Kirk was a real Starship captain," said Mikey Weinstein, the head of the watchdog group The Military Religious Freedom Foundation. The group has challenged Christian proselytizing in the military and denounced the visit by the men to the Air Force Academy.

 

The speakers include in their talks the superior virtues of Christianity. Saleem, for example, says his world "turned upside down when he was seriously injured in an automobile accident."

 

"A Christian man tended to Kamal at the accident scene, making sure he got the medical treatment he needed," his Web site says. "Kamal's orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist were also Christian men whom over a period of several months ministered the unconditional love of Jesus Christ to him as he recovered. The love and sacrificial giving of these men caused Kamal to cry out to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob acknowledging his need for the Savior. Kamal has since become a man on a new mission, as an ambassador for the one true and living God, the great I Am, Jehovah God of the Bible."

 

This creeping Christian chauvinism has infected our political and social discourse. It was behind the rumor that Barack Obama was a Muslim. Obama reassured followers that he was a Christian. It apparently did not occur to him, or his questioners, that the proper answer is that there is nothing wrong with being a Muslim, that persons of great moral probity and courage arise in all cultures and all religions, including Islam. Christians have no exclusive lock on virtue. But this kind of understanding often provokes indignant rage. 

 

The public denigration of Islam, and by implication all religious belief systems outside Christianity, is part of the triumphalism that has distorted the country since the 9/11 attacks. It makes dialogue with those outside our "Christian" culture impossible. It implicitly condemns all who do not think as we think and believe as we believe as, at best, inferior and usually morally depraved. It blinds us to our own failings. It makes self-reflection and self-criticism a form of treason. It reduces the world to a cartoonish vision of us and them, good and evil. It turns us into children with bombs. 

 

These three con artists are not the problem. There is enough scum out there to take their place. Rather, they offer a window into a worldview that is destroying the United States. It has corrupted the Republican Party. It has colored the news media. It has entered into the everyday clichés we use to explain ourselves to ourselves. It is ignorant and racist, but it is also deadly. It grossly perverts the Christian religion. It asks us to kill to purify the Earth. It leaves us threatened not only by the terrorists who may come from abroad but the ones who are rising from within our midst.

 

Chris Hedges, a Pulitzer prize-winning reporter, was the Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times. He spent seven years in the Middle East and reported frequently from Iran. His latest book is American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America.

A quick response to Fred's weekly email blast

Fred:  The set of record low temperatures is absolutely MEANING FREE.  

 

How do you know, from what the "Washington Times National Weekly Edition" says, that last year was somehow special in terms of low temperatures...

 

The best sentence in the piece is the final one:

 

"Global warming has long since passed from scientific hypothesis to the realm of pseudoscientific mumbo-jumbo."

-- "Year of Global Cooling," by David Deming, The Washington Times National Weekly Edition, December 24, 2007, page 32. Address: 3600 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002.

Fred.  No one speaks of global "warming" as a scientific hypothesis.

Scientists speak of Global Climate Change.

Climate CHANGE doesn't mean hotter all the time everywhere.

Why should a few "low" temperature examples be anything but what they are?  They are evidence of Global Climate Change.

 

It will get much worse before the Earth recovers itself from our unintentional experiment on the biosphere.

 

Global Climate Change, due to human activity, is as much a scientific FACT as gravity. 

 

Fred, do you act in accordance with gravity? 

 

Why do you think you'll avoid the effects of global climate change?