THE POLITICS OF EXTINCTION

Pope Francis has been in the States for the last few days, and although much of his message many of us may agree with, his is still a message of death. Although recognizing, and if at all possible, battling Climate Change is a message that resonates with a hopefully large number of atheists, it does not alleviate the path to extinction that the catholic church would like to take us down. 

Although conservative leaders did not welcome his messages on climate, wealth, refugees, etc.; they really enjoyed his life starts at conception spiel. The catholic church has been at the lead when it comes to the rights of cells. Apparently that is so much more important than the unknown number of children molested by priests; the church has still not made their records accessible to the government or the people. All internal, christian law. 

The Ordovician-Silurian extinction occurred about 439 million years ago due to a drop in sea levels as glaciers formed followed by rising sea levels as glaciers melted. During this extinction 25 percent of marine families and 60 percent of marine genera (the classification above species) were lost.

The pope's reluctance to bring up the many horrors that have been recently committed by the church, and his stance on women negates and overwhelms any good his message may contain. The anti-choice movement has its champion, and the world screams in anguish. Over 7 billion humans now hold sway over all life. Catholics have been in the forefront of the anti-choice terrorist movement, and the pope supports the terrorists.

The Late Devonian extinction took place somewhere around 364 million years ago. To this day its cause is unknown. However, evidence supporting the Devonian mass extinction suggesting that warm water marine species were the most severely affected in this extinction event, has lead many paleontologists to believe that an episode of global cooling, similar to the event which that may have resulted in the Ordovician-Silurian mass extinction, may have lead to the Devonian extinction. Thus this theory suggests that the extinction of the Devonian was triggered by another glaciation event on Gondwana, which is evidenced by glacial deposits of this age in northern Brazil.

According to Earth Overshoot Day we used up what the earth produced on August 13, 2015. This means we are drawing down on the earth's principle instead of living on its interest, if economic models work for you. Basically we use more resources than the earth can produce. 

The Pope's desire to see humans needlessly propagate is an abomination; propagation is what animals do to keep their species alive, but it is not something they should be forced to do. To straddle teens who have an entire life ahead of them with the burden of raising offspring, to destroy a woman's life for the sake of the unborn, to deliver children into the misery of a life that cannot be sustained, is simply torture.

The Permian-Triassic extinction happened about 251 million years ago and was Earths worst mass extinction. 95 percent of all species, 53 percent of marine families, 84 percent of marine genera, and an estimated 70 percent of land species such as plants, insects and vertebrate animals were killed during this catastrophe. 

The anti-choice comments were applauded by our conservative congress. The anti-science crowd who cannot accept basic life sciences like evolution, who cannot understand climate science, who purposefully close their eyes and minds to reach an unsustainable goal of profit for the few and misery for the rest. These people really are not just a freethinker's enemy, they are the enemy of all life that exists on this planet.

The Chairman of the House Science Committee, Lamar Smith, cut NASA's earth science budget this year. Though he chairs a committee on science, he doesn't understand what science is. Ben Carson, one of our fine anti-science conservatives running to be president of the Unites States, thinks evolution is a fairy tale. A neurosurgeon who does not accept the basic life science that we have al benefitted from. Instead of science, we now used ideology as theory. This list goes on and on, the vast majority of conservative elected officials do not have our best interests at heart. 

The End Triassic extinction, taking place roughly 199 million to 214 million years ago, was most likely caused by massive floods of lava erupting from the central Atlantic magmatic province triggering the breakup of Pangaea and the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. This possibly contributed to global warming.

If you glance at the possible reasons for past extinctions, you'll notice that climate change has been a possible helping hand, or the main event, that drove countless species into extinction. Yet here we are, ignoring all the signs of another catastrophe. We are drowned out by a media that cannot explain what is happening in a soundbite so doesn't bother trying. The public seems to care less and less about anything science, unless it's a new way to kill, and that fault lies squarely on the confusing data being fed to them by the media. 

The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction occurred about 65 million years ago and is thought to have been aggravated, if not caused, by impacts of several-mile-wide asteroid that created the Chicxulub crater now hidden on the Yucatan Peninsula and beneath the Gulf of Mexico. Yet, some scientists believe that this mass extinction was caused by gradual climate change or flood-like volcanic eruptions of basalt lava from the Deccan Traps in west-central India. During this extinction, 16 percent of marine families, 47 percent of marine genera, and 18 percent of land vertebrate families including the dinosaurs.

Religious leaders, and politicians, are only looking out for their own welfare; senseless puppets in our new Oligarchy. These are the newest of the false prophets. They are living for today and not for eternal life. 

The Holocene extinction, sometimes called the Sixth Extinction, is a name proposed to describe the currently ongoing extinction event of species during the present Holocene epoch (since around 10,000 BCE) mainly due to human activity.

Humans may be on their way out. We have spread to the ends of the earth using resources as fast as we can. For the most part, we have no sense of the future. Our ideology and politics are driving us to extinction. Any that have even a minimal understanding of the ecological requirements for diversity, basic biology and life sciences, should be able to imagine a future that doesn't include life as we know it.

It was fun people. 

The Sunday Planet - September 13, 2015

GODSPOTTING

I see god. I see his people godsplaining daily. 

At a recent anti-Iran deal event, we got to enjoy the crazy all in one day. Phil Robertson complained that he was told "god was dead in college, but he wasn't." From there he expressed his love for all things jewish; "You know why I love Israel? Because they wrote the bible, when god decided to become flesh 2015 years ago - just look at your calendar - he became jewish flesh." Robertson is a godly man, he's "anti-pulling babies outta women's wombs, he is anti-perversion" - that means you, gay people. He claims that "WE," which I gather includes you and I and everyone else, "are pro-god almighty, we're pro-gun, we're pro get-your-ass-out and go to work." In his words, "America isn't religious enough."

The Tea-Party anti-Iran rally was more of a church service then anything else. Glenn Beck is still alive, dammit, and he was as crazy as always.

Before he started his sermon, he got one quick anti-science jab in; you know, you can't have god without stupid. Beck says, "I've solved the issue of global warming, it's not our SUVs, it's that big flaming thing in the sky."

Then the sermon started.

"We live in a world that is suffering under the delusion of peace and prosperity..." he says. "The confusion comes from the abandonment of truth, a truth that has been chased out of our public square, out of our public buildings, out of the media, our universities, and quite frankly, out of many of our churches as well."

Tell me more about how truth/religion has been booted from public discourse jackass sitting on the lawn in front of the United States Capitol. Please. Then tell us the why peace and prosperity is a delusion, maybe religion?

The fun continues. "But god's timing is divine, if we fail to restore truth, god will do it for us... In this week's torah portion, we are told about the early Israelites, where moses stood at the edge of the promised land and commanded god's people to choose, life or death, light or darkness, or they would be swept from their promised land. Today we are faced with the exact same choice. Because something is happening in America, something is happening around the world, I believe we are no longer fooled by those who made good evil, and evil good. With Planned Parenthood and the slaughter of our police officers out on the streets, while we get into bed with bad guys... We realized we have been silent too long, we have been dulled, been dulled, into a senseless slumber. But there are millions of people waking up all around the world, they are shaking themselves, and their families, awake. They are turning back to eternal principles, because there is a hunger for truth."

Silent? If only bitches. Yep, I see you god. Truth? You can't handle the truth.

Politicians on the right seem to think getting all friendly and cozy with a myth is the only way to run a campaign.

I see Kim Davis holding hands with Mike Huckabee, a candidate for the president of the United States. I see the rallies for stupid at the jailhouse where she should still be locked up. Kim refuses to follow the law of the land, and this ties in with all the rest. Mike lets us know how "courageous" Kim is for standing up for her beliefs. She takes the stage with Eye of the Tiger playing in the background, (yeah, lawsuit coming). Raising her arms in the usual worshipping pose, she proclaims that "I just want to give god the glory. His people have rallied, and you are a strong people. We serve a living god who knows exactly where each and everyone of us is at. Just keep on pressing, don't let down, because he is here. He's worthy, he's worthy"

Oh crap, he was watching me again? God dammit, give me some privacy god. The anti-government terrorist group, the Oath Keepers," have offered to guard Kim from the state in case they try to arrest her again. Yes, make my day.

Although I like to joke about the stupidity, this is also about a horror that we cannot allow. As with the tea party rally, this is a call to the believers that only god's word is law, not man's. All these events have one thing in common, and that is to impose god's law on the land. Christian law, Sharia law; religion wants us to bow our heads to the idiocy that all holy books promote. The christian conservative right is losing the numbers they once had to promote their agenda, so now the war becomes more "in your face."

The attacks come in all manners, many are hidden.

In Tennessee a mom would like to ban a book on science. The mom, Jackie Sims,  thinks that "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" - which is a book about science, race, and ethics - is pornography. Prudes and the anti-education crowd all come from the same pot, religion. I like the ones who try to work around mentioning religion, but all the signs point in that direction. As I've said before, I don't care what someone wants to believe as long as it is not inflicting society as a whole. If she wants to keep her son uneducated, I guess she can. The problem here is that she wants to limit education to all the students in that school. It's not good enough that her son will be less informed, she wants all students to mire in her unenlightened view of the world.

This is how religion is fighting the demise of belief in the U.S. Fear and stupidity are always the main weapons used  in the battle, that hasn't ever changed. 

The godspotting will continue. 

The Sunday Planet - September 6, 2015

HUMAN

Apparently being human can suck, or maybe it could be better defined as being improper being a humanist in some situations. 

Oh the pain, the suffering, the humiliation; I lost a "friend" on Facebook. 

Well, not really a friend, just a fellow atheist that happened to friend me over the years because we agreed that religion is, well, bunk. I've seen her posts over the last few years - mostly ignoring - but every so often offered an opinion. Last night I was tired, had a few drinks, and finally let her know how I really feel; and that is always a mistake in life. 

She is a writer of books and screenplays, and promotes herself heavily. No problem, good for her. Science Fiction is what she centers on, and hey, I've enjoyed that genre just about my entire life.  I've never read any of her novels or plays so cannot attest to her ability, but I have no reason to doubt it. She has a habit of posting scientific material that sometimes isn't scientific, but that can happen to most of us. No, I have no problem with errors, they're usually straightened out immediately.

So now that I've bored the living hell out of you, let me get to the point. She is one of those who is seemingly very anti-muslim. Like probably most that will read this, I probably agree to a certain extent. To be clear, I think any religion is harmful to society as a whole if left unchecked. To continue with the thought, I really don't care if someone wants to believe in whatever fairy tale grabs their fancy, as long as they don't use it to tell me how to live my life, have any effect on society's mores, or be used to govern; that's where the battles always begins. 

The heart of her muslim posts seem to center on getting rid of them. They are an evil that should be eliminated, Islam is a blight on humanity and must be stopped; the list goes on as it probably should. The last post though was in error again and was about the influx of immigrants, predominately from Syria, trying to escape into other countries, mostly European. The gist of her tirade was that that ungrateful muslims were throwing away food that was given them in Hungary. Hungarians are poor and they could of used that food, etc. 

The real story is that immigrants were tossing away the food because they were going on a hunger strike to protest not being allowed passage to other European nations. Quite a difference in my opinion. 

I see this as a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions, nothing more.

Yes, they're muslim. Yes, it seems that Europe has a problem with immigrants who refuse to integrate into society, I would as well. But yet, these are families escaping war and poverty, are trying to find safety for their children, are trying to find life; wouldn't we do the same? I just can't blame them for the attempt. When I see the photos of a dead child laying on the beach, when I hear the stories of a father's loss as his family drowns, I seem to not see the religion, but the humanity.

It appears I am at odds with many atheists. Maybe it would be better to force them into sleeping in the beds they made. This is all their own doing, they decided to embrace religion - a religion that sucks the morality out of life - why should we care? Maybe they'll destroy each other so we don't have to.

We have had prominent atheists - think Hitchens - who railed against Islam. What would he say if he still was walking this earth, let them die? Dawkins is not a friend, what does he say? The latest I see is that he thinks the richer Arab states should be helping, and in that I agree. With the way the muslim population currently acts in many European countries, I don't see it as being a boon to said countries. Integrate or leave is how I look at it. Become an asset or go home.

An ex-AU-member from the Middle East once explained a issue of morality that comes up every so often. When a country is hit by drought, or other natural phenomenon that makes it hard for the people to survive, they are taken in by neighboring states who support them until they can go back home. They do this because maybe next year it will be the opposite. It is survival. Possibly this should be treated the same way?

There are now over 4 million refugees out of Syria. Turkey has taken in almost half of them. This should be a problem that muslim states deal with, not the west. Yet if the Middle East is going to be up in flames for years, maybe the farther away you can run the better. Perhaps I am just too liberal in my thinking? Should a more conservative viewpoint be embraced?

I'm sure my European friends will be happy to explain the problem, please do.

Regardless, being human to me means that allowing other humans to suffer is immoral. At times it appears I may be wrong, but that's a problem I haven't come to grips with yet.

Being human at times can and does suck, but that's based on a selfish vision. To be a humanitarian would appear to be even much worse if the decisions you make are in error. 

The Planet - September 22, 2013

POLITICS

Keeping the insanity "real," the House GOP decided that the honorary position of "science laureate" was just too damn useful for them to support. The initiative was stopped. An unpaid position that's only purpose is to promote science across the country is just way to damn subversive for these cave dwelling tea party members of the house. Their thought is that science is political, which of course it is not; scientists would say the same things no matter who is in charge. An anonymous high ranking house member stated, "fear and ignorance, it's what we're all about." Not really, but someone might as well; the truth is evident.

In Kansas, Governor Brownback had promised on the campaign trail that he would reduce poverty. Besides the amusement that one might get from any conservative saying he cares about the plight of American workers, it was an out and out lie. The state hit a new high in child impoverishment in 2011. Policies that were instituted by the crazy man has had their desired effect, the rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

For better, or worse, atheists are sticking their noses into politics. A political action committee has been created that will spend its money on either atheists, or at a minimum, those candidates who will support the separation of church and state. 

House republicans voted to cut $40 billion from the food stamp program. Only conservatives can hate fellow Americans so openly without retaliation. Republicans think that an average of $138 dollars a month is way to generous to feed the starving. For these bastards and their caviar covered filets, shit on the shingle is way too good for the poor.

FOX helped out by passing around videos on "The Great Food Stamp Binge." Fraud and waste has been proven to be less than 1 percent of the program, but the fiends from FOX perverted that data.

This is where one would normally see a horrible image of a starving child, but apparently no child is starving in the U.S. First I tried searching for "starving children" images on google. I didn't want to put up another photo of an African child starving; we've all seen them. I wanted starving white children. The only ones found are black and white photos from the early 1900s, or maybe even earlier, or old eastern European images. Then I tried American starving children, still very few photos of white children, and again when there were, they were old black and white photos. Then I tried U.S. starving children, same basic results.

Apparently, every white child in this country is fat, dumb and happy. Congratulations America.

EDUCATION

Our friends in North Carolina, those tea party statesmen that have done all they can to restrict voting rights, mandate arms carrying in playgrounds, and all other whacky dumb fuck shit, has decided to ban a literary classic from school libraries. "Invisible Man," a Ralph Ellison classic that won the National Book Award in 1953 about social conditions surrounding blacks, no longer has any "literary value" according to old white conservatives in the State. We'll see about this.

A library aide was fired in upstate New York for having a library reading competition. One child kept winning, because you know, some of us like to read. The Director of the library, who apparently was fired as well, started the controversy because the young one winning the contest every year was involved in "no-good-dirty-rotten-book-stealer." Apparently this dimwit thought the winner should be chosen at random, because you know, that encourages reading.

GUNS

They finally fired that police chief who liked to make videos of himself shooting weapons while talking about "fucking libtards" and anyone else he's hating at the moment. Just think, that guy probably has a legal permit to carry firearms, and he hates everyone who disagrees with his moronic viewpoints. Jump him if you see him and kick his ass before he starts shooting is all I can say. Self-defense for real.

FOX reflects on the real problem of gun violence. Increased institutionalization. They must never listen to the real news.

In my lovely state of Michigan, ten minutes from my home, 2 men got into a crazy road rage battle while driving. They were both legally carrying weapons. They pulled into a car wash parking lot, got out of their cars, and started firing those weapons. Both are dead. That's what everyone is missing when it comes to the gun control battle, normally sane people can get pissed. It used to be you would take a swing at someone, now it's the O.K. Coral in every little town in the country. Rage is never in the equation when discussing the legality of carrying instruments that serve one purpose only, killing.

Guns are not for defense, running and ducking for cover is defense. Again, guns are made for one purpose only, death.

HATE

A very small town in disrepair attracts white supremacists. Leith, North Dakota has been falling apart for years; what better haven for a bunch of knuckle-dragging neanderthals to inhabit. This is America, where we allow freedom of hate. The townspeople aren't that happy about the prospect of a takeover, especially, as you can imagine, there one and only minority citizen. Only 24 people live in the town, I think they're in for a battle.

Then there's the idiocy that follows all things non-white. Our new Miss America had the audacity to be born of Indian descent. Oh no you don't. This is one of the best Bill Maher monologues I've seen, he hits the nail on the head when it comes to American's new pastime, hate. Read it or watch it.

ATHEISM

We all need a chuckle now and then, thanks Snoopy.

The Planet - September 12, 2013

GOD

Nice blog by Jeff Schweitzer talks about one of our favorite lines, "Science Is Not Religion." The rebuttal centers on a recent thought by social psychologist Christine Ma-Kellams' thought that "in many ways, science seems like a 21st century religion."

Yeah, I've heard that somewhere before. In fact, over and over the thought rises to become king of the manure mountain for a couple of days. Please, let it go. 

The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance "one nation, under that figment of your imagination" line is being litigated once again. The litigation focuses on the thought that under god discriminates against those who've decided they never liked fruit cakes anyway. Basically, reciting the pledge is religious indoctrination. 

When I was growing up, I'd always be looking around to see who was saying that "under god" thing. The percentage of my peers saying those words by rote always amazed; I think some years I was the only one in the class making up words. 

I really enjoyed mythology while in school, so always said zeus, thor, janus, etc., when reciting the damn pledge every morning. It's all about control, control of our minds. If only I'd known about the flying spaghetti monster and his noodly appendages then; ah, what fun.

Of course, the right doesn't like any of you. The above litigation story was discussed on Fox, where Dana Perino basically stated that if you don't like god, you don't have to live here. Dana should heed her good book and not talk in public, it's a sin.

EDUCATION

Zack Kopplin, the young man in Louisiana who started a campaign to get rid of their Science Education Act, is still campaigning for real science in schools. For those who aren't up to date on that act, it allows teachers to bring supplemental materials that refute evolution and global warming into the classroom. I don't know how many caught him on Maher last April, but it shows how education, regardless of age, is a powerful tool. He slams conservative economist Stephen Moore with reality, it is a joy to watch.

This type of activism seems to be starting to gain ground. In Britain, Esha Marwaha started an online petition to stop the education secretary, Michael Gove, from removing references to climate change for those under 14.

Then there's Texas, which always seems to find its way into the news. The Texas State Board of Education was infiltrated by creationists. The Texas Freedom Network requested records of the reviewers, and the agenda they are promoting is inexcusable.

“I understand the National Academy of Science's [sic] strong support of the theory of evolution,” one reviewer wrote. “At the same time, this is a theory. As an educator, parent, and grandparent, I feel very firmly that ‘creation science’ based on Biblical principles should be incorporated into every Biology book that is up for adoption.”

Another wrote that, “While I understand the theory of evolution and its wide acceptance, there should be inclusion of the ‘creation model’ based on the Biblical view of history.”

Are we talking about biology or Bible study? Reviewers seem to have confused one for the other.

Dr. Raymond Bohlin, a reviewer affiliated with the creationist Discovery Institute, repeatedly plugged the Institute’s own work in his objections to the textbooks.

“There is no discussion of the origin of information bearing molecules which is absolutely essential in any origin of life scenario. Meyer’s Signature in the Cell easily dismisses any RNA first scenario. The authors need to get caught up,” he wrote.

GUNS

Yes, we need more of them, because we haven't put one in the arms of every psychopath in the country yet. Last Sunday, a 46 year old gentleman shot an 8 year old boy who was playing outside, celebrating his 8th birthday. 

It took three years for the first national park death. The tea party congress has decided that guns are needed everywhere, a three year old girl shot herself because her parents are dumb fucks who think they are safer with weapons always handy.

Happens everyday, and we ignore it every day.

And George is back. Threatens wife and father-in-law and destroys the video evidence of his insanity. Another great tea party hero. Poor guy just can't seem to get a break.

WAR

First, a fine quote from Bertrand Russell:

"Killing an enemy in a modern war is a very expensive operation. We should now be much richer if war did not occur. If men were actuated by self-interest, which they are not — except in the case of a few saints — the whole human race would cooperate.

There would be no more wars, no more armies, no more navies, no more atom bombs.

There would not be armies of propagandists employed in poisoning the minds of Nation A against Nation B, and reciprocally of Nation B against Nation A.

There would not be armies of officials at frontiers to prevent the entry of foreign books and foreign ideas, however excellent in themselves.

There would not be customs barriers to ensure the existence of many small enterprises where one big enterprise would be more economic.

All this would happen very quickly if men desired their own happiness as ardently as they desired the misery of their neighbors. But, you will tell me, what is the use of these utopian dreams?"

Utopian indeed, but sorry, humans have not evolved to that state yet.

Senator McCain got an earful from a supporter about any military action against Syria. I do not think we will get involved in this; how many wars can we afford? And that's how it has to be framed, since killing civilians doesn't seem to ring a bell with so many Americans.

Happily it appears that we will give Syria a chance to comply with mandates to destroy their chemical weapons.

Whenever you hear about chemical weapons, and the need for war, remind them that President Reagan closed his eyes to Iraq's Sadaam using chemical weapons against Iran. That won't quell the blood lust of the incompetent, but will at least give them pause.

POLITICS

Texan republicans still wish to secede. Smitherman, another crazed, rightwing, low-hanging fruit, had this to say in an interview:

“We are uniquely situated because we have energy resources, fossil and otherwise, and our own independent electrical grid. Generally speaking, we have made great progress in becoming an independent nation, an ‘island nation’ if you will, and I think we want to continue down that path so that if the rest of the country falls apart, Texas can operate as a stand-alone entity with energy, food, water and roads as if we were a closed-loop system.”

Smitherman said he feels Texas officials must do what they can to prepare the state.

“This was one of my goals at the Utility Commission and it is one my goals currently as chairman of the Railroad Commission. That’s why I stress so vehemently oil and gas production, permitting turnaround times, and everything that enables the industry to produce as much as it can, as quickly as it can,” he said.

Oh please oh please oh please.

Florida, with the second highest rate of uninsured, (second to Texas, imagine that), has decided not to expand medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Hey, half a million kids without insurance is not such a bad thing, another war should clean up that mess.

WORK

Finally some good news. Indiana's "right to work" law has been ruled unconstitutional. Michigan jumped on that bandwagon right after Indiana passed their law, hopefully all states inflicted with these wage destroying laws will have them declared the same. 

With income inequality at an all time high and union membership at its lowest point since the depression, we need some legislative relief.