Here are some changes that progress is bringing to our lives you can believe in!
As sure as Apple et al are changing the way we live our lives, technologically speaking, genetic engineering will be changing the way our religious beliefs fit into our lives. Although Western-style religions have been able to successfully resist changing their basic premise over the millennia, church elders have been forced to make concessions to accommodate scientific advances since the days of Copernicus and Galileo.
Taken together recent advances in physics, biology, chemistry, nanotechnology, and medicine all have made the possibility of creating life a reality. Does that fact, in and of itself, mean we have reached the final stage of our evolution?
When we begin to clone ourselves, or at least to clone replacement parts, a procedure which will become a reality in the next 20 years or less, we can all stay at the peak of health indefinitely, at least theoretically. (Subject to cash on hand, of course.)
So where does this leave our religion? Religion has always served the purpose of answering the question; what happens to sentient beings after the body dies? My question is, "what happens to religion if the body never dies".
What if, as proposed 10 years ago, a lifespan is just a plumbing problem on a nano sized scale? If we solve the problem of the ever shrinking telomeres at the end of our genes, insuring cell reproduction can continue without degradation, can't we live forever? If we eventually correct that one minor flaw in our genetic make-up, and we can extend our lifespan to at least biblical proportions if not galactic spanning lifetimes, are we gods?
The advance of science will not be stopped so the probability of man's living a lifespan of hundreds of years, dying only when tired of living, will become a reality eventually. Are our Western religions like Christianity and Islam prepared to deal with that eventuality? Seems those religions are based more on dying than on living.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
How is this for a concept steeped in self-delusion? The American Dream.
The American Dream has been blown to smithereens over the previous decade and “the dream” shows no sign of reappearing anytime soon.
Supposedly John Q. Public is on the fence about whether or not to allow the tax benefits enjoyed by the top 2% of the nation’s income earners to expire.
Are You Kidding Me!
We are talking about those whose incomes have been above $250,000 per year, on average, for the previous several years. Is that you, or anyone you know?
Of course not! But that is the grand American delusion. We all think we are just a year or two away from having to consider how to manage our finances after a huge income tax increase comes down on our soon-to-be huger incomes.
The last thing we want to do is to put into place a tax code which might adversely affect our own future net incomes. Stupid. Stupid! Stupid!!
The top 25 hedge fund managers each earned over $1 billion last year. Each one of those incomes could have paid the yearly salaries and benefits of an additional 20,000 teachers, firemen, or police officers to the nations labor forces. And we are supposed to feel sorry for these people’s tax consequences?
I will say it again. How ridiculous! How stupid are we that we feel sympathy for the rich? Why are we crying for the only segment of our population that has managed to increase its wealth over the last decade? Let us not forget that most of these people were rich to start with, will never miss a meal in their life, and will continued to enjoy the best of everything regardless of whether they end up paying a few thousand dollars more in income taxes next year.
We vote and act against our own self-interest frequently because we believe that some kind of divine intervention will balance the scales of our lives some time down the road; at least in many versions of heaven. Unless we start sharing the wealth more equitably immediately and forget about down-the-road most people’s lives will continue to degenerate. We used to consider ourselves to be living in a land of equals but, in fact, nothing is currently further from the truth.
Supposedly John Q. Public is on the fence about whether or not to allow the tax benefits enjoyed by the top 2% of the nation’s income earners to expire.
Are You Kidding Me!
We are talking about those whose incomes have been above $250,000 per year, on average, for the previous several years. Is that you, or anyone you know?
Of course not! But that is the grand American delusion. We all think we are just a year or two away from having to consider how to manage our finances after a huge income tax increase comes down on our soon-to-be huger incomes.
The last thing we want to do is to put into place a tax code which might adversely affect our own future net incomes. Stupid. Stupid! Stupid!!
The top 25 hedge fund managers each earned over $1 billion last year. Each one of those incomes could have paid the yearly salaries and benefits of an additional 20,000 teachers, firemen, or police officers to the nations labor forces. And we are supposed to feel sorry for these people’s tax consequences?
I will say it again. How ridiculous! How stupid are we that we feel sympathy for the rich? Why are we crying for the only segment of our population that has managed to increase its wealth over the last decade? Let us not forget that most of these people were rich to start with, will never miss a meal in their life, and will continued to enjoy the best of everything regardless of whether they end up paying a few thousand dollars more in income taxes next year.
We vote and act against our own self-interest frequently because we believe that some kind of divine intervention will balance the scales of our lives some time down the road; at least in many versions of heaven. Unless we start sharing the wealth more equitably immediately and forget about down-the-road most people’s lives will continue to degenerate. We used to consider ourselves to be living in a land of equals but, in fact, nothing is currently further from the truth.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Has the day of the honorable man run its course?
After watching four decades of political leaders around the globe becoming embroiled in controversy, I am now convinced that very few, if any, of our public figures are less than a total cretins in disguise.
Prior to Bill Clinton's presidency there was no such thing as moral turpitude
when it came to public figures sitting in office. Nor, for that matter, were any of our nation's other leaders and public figures any better. John Kennedy was a closet hero when his relationship with Marilyn Monroe became public. Forget about Jefferson's legendary cross culture and public policy misadventures.
But times change and dirty laundry is in the air everywhere today. There is no limit to the number of “stains” exposed on a daily basis around the world and no concern to the degree to which these exposures offend every Nation’s morality, let alone what's left of any country's dignity. For more disgrace for example take the world's captains of industry, people like Tony Hayward, or the leaders of Enron, or Bernie Madoff. These people make the news, but they are by no means the only news of this kind.
How about the military endowment fund; A pseudonym for the military appropriations committee and its band of modern-day treasury looting Robin Hood's. You remember Robin Hood, king of a band of merry men who looted the king’s treasury, stole the king's fortune, and then waged war for profit with those gains. If times do change, it doesn't seem like much of a change over many centuries.
There are always, of course, people of outstanding character and integrity. These people seem to avoid the public whenever possible, and avoid public service with a passion.
I wonder why.
Prior to Bill Clinton's presidency there was no such thing as moral turpitude
when it came to public figures sitting in office. Nor, for that matter, were any of our nation's other leaders and public figures any better. John Kennedy was a closet hero when his relationship with Marilyn Monroe became public. Forget about Jefferson's legendary cross culture and public policy misadventures.
But times change and dirty laundry is in the air everywhere today. There is no limit to the number of “stains” exposed on a daily basis around the world and no concern to the degree to which these exposures offend every Nation’s morality, let alone what's left of any country's dignity. For more disgrace for example take the world's captains of industry, people like Tony Hayward, or the leaders of Enron, or Bernie Madoff. These people make the news, but they are by no means the only news of this kind.
How about the military endowment fund; A pseudonym for the military appropriations committee and its band of modern-day treasury looting Robin Hood's. You remember Robin Hood, king of a band of merry men who looted the king’s treasury, stole the king's fortune, and then waged war for profit with those gains. If times do change, it doesn't seem like much of a change over many centuries.
There are always, of course, people of outstanding character and integrity. These people seem to avoid the public whenever possible, and avoid public service with a passion.
I wonder why.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
When is the right time to reject...
False promises, phony science, religious dogma, racial prejudice, and anything else we are taught from birth?
Society has survived this far because we have learned to challenge what we were taught to believe from birth. If Galileo had not challenged the church position on what was, at the time, considered to be the center of the universe, we might still believe the universe revolves around Earth.
Lord knows the church doesn't change its position until told to do so. Lately, or for at least the last 2000 years anyway, communication between the church and God seems to be experiencing technical difficulties, especially where canon law is concerned. What priests do is frequently ungodly.
The old saw blade doesn't fit the new kerf profile carved in our new wave of future generations. Slices of society become thinner and thinner and overlapped and overlaid until the vectors which point to society's future direction now point in all directions.
We have lost our compass.
Where religious dogma once filled the herd instinct of humanity (come all yea sheep to my flock), the Internet now is, and has replaced and obliterated the blinders and constraints religious leaders once placed on society. Frankly, people are smarter, better educated, and less easily lured down the garden path than at any other time in the history of humanity. They are moving to a different drummer than a 250th generation, frequently morphed BAAL.
Putting laptops in the hands of every remote segment of humanity will have consequences far beyond commerce. This will spawn a new world morality eventually.
Hopefully, it will be a more humane one. Hopefully, we will grow to appreciate each other for our differences, not just our similarities. And, hopefully, we will not try to imprint a herd mentality on a sentient society based on a Neanderthal
heritage.
Society has survived this far because we have learned to challenge what we were taught to believe from birth. If Galileo had not challenged the church position on what was, at the time, considered to be the center of the universe, we might still believe the universe revolves around Earth.
Lord knows the church doesn't change its position until told to do so. Lately, or for at least the last 2000 years anyway, communication between the church and God seems to be experiencing technical difficulties, especially where canon law is concerned. What priests do is frequently ungodly.
The old saw blade doesn't fit the new kerf profile carved in our new wave of future generations. Slices of society become thinner and thinner and overlapped and overlaid until the vectors which point to society's future direction now point in all directions.
We have lost our compass.
Where religious dogma once filled the herd instinct of humanity (come all yea sheep to my flock), the Internet now is, and has replaced and obliterated the blinders and constraints religious leaders once placed on society. Frankly, people are smarter, better educated, and less easily lured down the garden path than at any other time in the history of humanity. They are moving to a different drummer than a 250th generation, frequently morphed BAAL.
Putting laptops in the hands of every remote segment of humanity will have consequences far beyond commerce. This will spawn a new world morality eventually.
Hopefully, it will be a more humane one. Hopefully, we will grow to appreciate each other for our differences, not just our similarities. And, hopefully, we will not try to imprint a herd mentality on a sentient society based on a Neanderthal
heritage.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Root of All Evil II -- The US Tax Code
Fellow Americans,
According to Paul O'Neill, former Secretary of the Treasury and CEO of Alcoa, our tax code is an "insult to intelligence", and a fundamental disaster for the country going forward.
Mr. O'Neill opines that a group of intelligent people would "design something that is sensible, that encourages savings and investment, and that fairly distributes the burden of public goods and services we need". In his opinion our current tax system accomplishes none of these.
The reason his suggestion for a fairer tax code is doomed to fail is because, well, it is fairer. At the core of power in this country lies a special-interest lobby which basically directs Congress to do its bidding. The last thing that cabal wants is a fair tax system. Those with the most have the most to lose under a fairer system.
Money talks, fairness walks.
According to Paul O'Neill, former Secretary of the Treasury and CEO of Alcoa, our tax code is an "insult to intelligence", and a fundamental disaster for the country going forward.
Mr. O'Neill opines that a group of intelligent people would "design something that is sensible, that encourages savings and investment, and that fairly distributes the burden of public goods and services we need". In his opinion our current tax system accomplishes none of these.
The reason his suggestion for a fairer tax code is doomed to fail is because, well, it is fairer. At the core of power in this country lies a special-interest lobby which basically directs Congress to do its bidding. The last thing that cabal wants is a fair tax system. Those with the most have the most to lose under a fairer system.
Money talks, fairness walks.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The only way to get attention is to step on toes.
Folks, the country is broke. We see millions of unemployed people losing their support lifeline over the past and continuing weeks because our government can't seem to find $34 billion. This small amount of congressional spending indigestion comes at a time when Congress is poised to approve another $60 billion, $33 billion of which is earmarked to expand the war in Afghanistan; a war which accomplishes absolutely nothing as far as the taxpayers in this country are concerned.
Congress deliberates on whether to extend the tax cuts for the rich. Fathom this:
Forbes list of 400 of America's wealthiest people pay a smaller percentage on their taxable income than our firefighters and policemen do. Make sense? Our national budget is 3.4 trillion and a huge percentage of that goes to pay interest on our skyrocketing budget deficits. Another huge portion of our budget goes to wage unpopular wars. Are these wise and necessary expenses?
We are being looted by our legislature easily because of our perpetual state of confusion, the public's ignorance of the truth thanks a biased media, and our own apathy. As our society becomes more polarized our ability to function as a society in any meaningful way continues to be diluted. Meanwhile, the pigs continue to gorge at the public trough while attempted reforms are gutted and proposed new laws are filibustered into the trash bin.
If the tea party accomplishes nothing other than getting incumbents thrown out of Washington it will have accomplished a great deal. It's time we the people get the representation we are paying for.
But nothing will happen if toes aren't stepped on.
Congress deliberates on whether to extend the tax cuts for the rich. Fathom this:
Forbes list of 400 of America's wealthiest people pay a smaller percentage on their taxable income than our firefighters and policemen do. Make sense? Our national budget is 3.4 trillion and a huge percentage of that goes to pay interest on our skyrocketing budget deficits. Another huge portion of our budget goes to wage unpopular wars. Are these wise and necessary expenses?
We are being looted by our legislature easily because of our perpetual state of confusion, the public's ignorance of the truth thanks a biased media, and our own apathy. As our society becomes more polarized our ability to function as a society in any meaningful way continues to be diluted. Meanwhile, the pigs continue to gorge at the public trough while attempted reforms are gutted and proposed new laws are filibustered into the trash bin.
If the tea party accomplishes nothing other than getting incumbents thrown out of Washington it will have accomplished a great deal. It's time we the people get the representation we are paying for.
But nothing will happen if toes aren't stepped on.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Capitalism, or the lack of it, is the reason the US is a failing enterprise.
Capitalism, by definition, is an economic system characterized by freedom of the marketplace. Private and corporate entities own the means of production and distribution and making a profit is the goal for every business.
With that freedom of choice, capitalists have chosen to relocate their means of production around the globe to achieve the lowest labor costs. Because of the disparity in wages between the East and the West the rate of migration of labor-intensive manufacturing to the East will continue and increase in the future.
Because people value their lives more than anything, duh, they are subject to extortion in the most perverse fashion by the healthcare industry. By artificially restricting the number of healthcare professionals and resources available (a subject for future discussions, I hope) healthcare costs have gone beyond ridiculous. This is causing the migration of millions of patients to institutions out of this country.
For example, the fact that our hospitals need $100,000 to perform an operation a hospital in India can do for $10,000 will simply increase the rate of exportation of our professional jobs to emerging nations.
Business cannot remain competitive when government expects an ever larger slice of gross revenues, which is another problem that capitalism is struggling with in this country.
Capitalism and greed are not the same, but greedy capitalists are destroying the distinction. Business has been able to replace capitalism (remember, freedom is the key word in capitalism) with rule by a financial elite. It is the members of this elite who determine market movements. By manipulating and bending our Congress and executive branches to the will of special interests they have effectively circumvented the markets from operating freely. Since nothing is really “free” about our economy in a capitalist sense, we can’t really consider ourselves living in a capitalist nation any longer.
It has been really amazing to have witnessed, over the past 30 years, the shift of capitalism from the US and Europe to, of all places, Communist China.
Capitalism, as a business model in this country, is in the wind.
With that freedom of choice, capitalists have chosen to relocate their means of production around the globe to achieve the lowest labor costs. Because of the disparity in wages between the East and the West the rate of migration of labor-intensive manufacturing to the East will continue and increase in the future.
Because people value their lives more than anything, duh, they are subject to extortion in the most perverse fashion by the healthcare industry. By artificially restricting the number of healthcare professionals and resources available (a subject for future discussions, I hope) healthcare costs have gone beyond ridiculous. This is causing the migration of millions of patients to institutions out of this country.
For example, the fact that our hospitals need $100,000 to perform an operation a hospital in India can do for $10,000 will simply increase the rate of exportation of our professional jobs to emerging nations.
Business cannot remain competitive when government expects an ever larger slice of gross revenues, which is another problem that capitalism is struggling with in this country.
Capitalism and greed are not the same, but greedy capitalists are destroying the distinction. Business has been able to replace capitalism (remember, freedom is the key word in capitalism) with rule by a financial elite. It is the members of this elite who determine market movements. By manipulating and bending our Congress and executive branches to the will of special interests they have effectively circumvented the markets from operating freely. Since nothing is really “free” about our economy in a capitalist sense, we can’t really consider ourselves living in a capitalist nation any longer.
It has been really amazing to have witnessed, over the past 30 years, the shift of capitalism from the US and Europe to, of all places, Communist China.
Capitalism, as a business model in this country, is in the wind.
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