(From Facebook.)
I just made a comment on Bill Flavell's post about attending an origin of life gathering in London which I wish I could attend. I hope the discussions will be made available online.
Anyway, abiogenesis is inevitable. Everything had to have a beginning somehow, someway, including any god people have dreamed up. Even that fiction about Jesus shows that. He had some father, and it certainly wasn't any supernatural being. I know how children are made and so do you, if you have been even minimally observant -- or complicitory, as have I.
Creationists and other daft devotees of superstitious nonsense have to push that abiogenesis back beyond the beginning of this universe and assume that something beyond comprehension for magnificence and all-everything power just magically happened and never had to evolve painfully and slowly as everything since then certainly has. (Technology is another example of the ievitability of evolution in producing anything.)
A particularly stupid ex-friend of mine who is also one of those incredibly dumb and irrational tea partyists had the balls to tell me god just always has been. He knows the universe hasn't always been, but his god could have always been. Of course, none of the equally implausible gods that preceded his christian religion, could and also always exist -- just his god dreamed up by warring hebrew tribes and desperate prelates ordered by Constantine to come up with a new religion for the empire or else. That god has to be real, because he just couldn't have grown up in a society and culture that got anything wrong. Everybody else can be wrong, but not him and his perfect in all things progenitors.
Yes, one of these days, we will advance enough to explain why life, including the life you and I possess and pursue, arose by abiogenesis and subsequent slow and steady evolution. It's just as inevitable as admitting the earth is not flat, that the heavens do not revolve around the earth, that the sun is not a god but a stupendous fusion plant, etc.
Suck on that, creationists!
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
PISSED OFF ME
It's a bitch to get old and even more so in a rethug dominated nation. Every day that goes by, I struggle with my declining physical prowess and the worries of expenses coming along that threaten to put us under. Month by month, everything costs us more, just like everyone else, but I have fewer and fewer options to blunt the effect
I went to look at a carpet job today which I was pretty sure was too much for me, even though the guy was willing to help out. It was a nightmare in the making of somewhere around 80 to 90 yards with no tack strip remaining in old flinty concrete and the idiot thought some fool was going to do it all for around $200 or he would be better off going with Home Depot's deal.
First of all, I'm not up to tackling a nightmare job like that, and I'm no damn slave either. I took the opportunity to slip in my feelings on politics and religion before I left. Don't know whether he appreciated them or not, and I frankly don't give a damn. I'm no longer one to hold my tongue on anything any more. I've replaced my grandfather's favorite statement about "that goddamn Hoover" with "those goddamn republicans." (That's only a convenient common way of saying something and not a recognition of any f=====g god, but I sometimes substitute that common word instead.)
What a difference in old Al in about five decades! I guess no more mister nice guy pretty well describes me these days. I'm mad as hell, as the saying goes, and I refuse to hide it.
I went to look at a carpet job today which I was pretty sure was too much for me, even though the guy was willing to help out. It was a nightmare in the making of somewhere around 80 to 90 yards with no tack strip remaining in old flinty concrete and the idiot thought some fool was going to do it all for around $200 or he would be better off going with Home Depot's deal.
First of all, I'm not up to tackling a nightmare job like that, and I'm no damn slave either. I took the opportunity to slip in my feelings on politics and religion before I left. Don't know whether he appreciated them or not, and I frankly don't give a damn. I'm no longer one to hold my tongue on anything any more. I've replaced my grandfather's favorite statement about "that goddamn Hoover" with "those goddamn republicans." (That's only a convenient common way of saying something and not a recognition of any f=====g god, but I sometimes substitute that common word instead.)
What a difference in old Al in about five decades! I guess no more mister nice guy pretty well describes me these days. I'm mad as hell, as the saying goes, and I refuse to hide it.
Friday, June 6, 2014
THE ECONOMIC TREE
While I was driving today, an analogy popped into my ever-active mind. Recently, I've seen a lot of pictures of trees ripped out of the ground by high winds and often sent crashing into homes, cars and people. It can be quite disastrous.
The similarity to economics flooded into my consciousness. An economy is much like a tree. We see the glorious part that waves around in the sunshine, rain and wind, but we tend to not consider much those all important roots that keep the whole thing tethered and flourishing. They'd better be sunk very deep into very solid soil. If anything stunts their development or weakens the soil in which they're anchored, disaster is on the way.
Our trickle down economic system is very much like one of those trees. Oh, it looks very stable and glorious if you happen to have a fat job and bank account. You can dazzle anyone who happens by and strut your stuff as someone special, gifted and important. A lot of people are dazzled by the prospect of being such a glorious success as they fight for advantage in our unbalanced system which tends to ignore both the soil and roots that make for a long-lasting, healthy tree. The consumer is constantly being deprived of everything that sustains the nourishment of that tree and firmly stabilizes it for the benefit of the opulent few joyfully cavorting in the economic breezes.
What they don't realize is storms are inevitable, and one of these days one is going to come along and uproot the whole unstable mess. It's inevitable that all will someday, and probably soon, come crashing down!
The similarity to economics flooded into my consciousness. An economy is much like a tree. We see the glorious part that waves around in the sunshine, rain and wind, but we tend to not consider much those all important roots that keep the whole thing tethered and flourishing. They'd better be sunk very deep into very solid soil. If anything stunts their development or weakens the soil in which they're anchored, disaster is on the way.
Our trickle down economic system is very much like one of those trees. Oh, it looks very stable and glorious if you happen to have a fat job and bank account. You can dazzle anyone who happens by and strut your stuff as someone special, gifted and important. A lot of people are dazzled by the prospect of being such a glorious success as they fight for advantage in our unbalanced system which tends to ignore both the soil and roots that make for a long-lasting, healthy tree. The consumer is constantly being deprived of everything that sustains the nourishment of that tree and firmly stabilizes it for the benefit of the opulent few joyfully cavorting in the economic breezes.
What they don't realize is storms are inevitable, and one of these days one is going to come along and uproot the whole unstable mess. It's inevitable that all will someday, and probably soon, come crashing down!
Sunday, June 1, 2014
NONSENSE EXPLORED
Ah, the inanities and insanities taught in religious faiths. The nonsense of heaven and hell first comes to mind.
Can you imagine the isufferable boredom of sitting around gazing rapturously at some god's face for eternity (what's that mean?) and endlessly shouting out praises to him (it's always a "him" it seems)? One day of that would get old -- but, an eternity? Says a bit about the mindset of the males who drempt up the nonsense, in my opinion. Their ideal existence is probably sitting around in their dirty skivies drinking beer, eating some dietary trash while their beer gut rumbles away and everyone in the vicinity competes to tell them how wonderful they are.
Then, how about an ever-burning hell which is supposed to afflict you when you are in a supposed state of pure energy with no physical pain mechanisms existing?
Ever-burning? Even stars don't burn forever. Give enough trillions of years and the universe will end up bleak and cold, unless there is some renewal mechanism we haven't yet fathomed.
Just some Sunday morning ruminations and thinking outside the ridiculous box people like to confine themselves and others to. I could go on, but there are other things waiting to be done.
Can you imagine the isufferable boredom of sitting around gazing rapturously at some god's face for eternity (what's that mean?) and endlessly shouting out praises to him (it's always a "him" it seems)? One day of that would get old -- but, an eternity? Says a bit about the mindset of the males who drempt up the nonsense, in my opinion. Their ideal existence is probably sitting around in their dirty skivies drinking beer, eating some dietary trash while their beer gut rumbles away and everyone in the vicinity competes to tell them how wonderful they are.
Then, how about an ever-burning hell which is supposed to afflict you when you are in a supposed state of pure energy with no physical pain mechanisms existing?
Ever-burning? Even stars don't burn forever. Give enough trillions of years and the universe will end up bleak and cold, unless there is some renewal mechanism we haven't yet fathomed.
Just some Sunday morning ruminations and thinking outside the ridiculous box people like to confine themselves and others to. I could go on, but there are other things waiting to be done.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
REALITY CALLING
I've made up my mind that I'm going to make an appointment with my doctor on Monday to discuss the problem with my right knee. I've been hoping my own measures would alleviate the problem, but it's not happening. It works rather well part of the time and then seems like it wants to lock or actually go backwards and hurts when that happens. Meloxicam doesn't help either. It looks like I'm going to have to give up the floor work altogether and I hate that as we need an extra few bucks now and then. That cane is seldom left behind anymore. I need that extra stabilization.
I guess I can't complain. Almost 80 and I've never spent a night in any hospital. Only dental and cataract surgeries and skin cancer freeze offs. I even escaped colds for several of the last few years but one got me last winter and sent me on my weight loss quest.
I'm trying to be philosophical about it, but the change is so radical compared to what I've enjoyed all my life. Such things always cleared up with time and care in the past, but I don't heal and repair like I used to. The drying up of those hormonal "juices" is very noticeable in its overall effect. The "machine" is in need of some major overhuals I'm afraid, and I guess it's getting pretty well plumb worn out.
I guess I can't complain. Almost 80 and I've never spent a night in any hospital. Only dental and cataract surgeries and skin cancer freeze offs. I even escaped colds for several of the last few years but one got me last winter and sent me on my weight loss quest.
I'm trying to be philosophical about it, but the change is so radical compared to what I've enjoyed all my life. Such things always cleared up with time and care in the past, but I don't heal and repair like I used to. The drying up of those hormonal "juices" is very noticeable in its overall effect. The "machine" is in need of some major overhuals I'm afraid, and I guess it's getting pretty well plumb worn out.
A BRIEF EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY
As a human creature, I'm an organized concoction of atoms that were born in stars intricately arranged into molecules and chemical compounds that work together in an harmonious state. Once in awhile things go wrong, and the older you get, the more that happens. Eventually, some malfunction will kill me. I know that, but I don't think about it too much. Living is just too interesting in the meantime.
Just like in the technological world, one improvement leads to countless others and we now have touch screen computing devices that make the first computer we owned look like a lumbering dinosaur in comparison. Remember those first clunky cell phones? Now, the only computer some people have is a smart phone they hold in one hand and it far oushines the first computers.
We recently found the missing link fossil (yes, missing link fossilss are all over the place) of a fish that had jointed limbs. That fish is in my genealogical lineage, and those apendages are the forerunners of the fingers that are clicking these computer keys.
That wonderful development took place eons ago -- eons that are virtually impossible for me to wrap my mind around. It was a far different planet then. The present world map didn't exist. Landmasses have moved around painfully slowly in the meantime. Oceans and seas have come and gone. Millions of species have thriven and perished. It's a miracle that just the right ones came along and led to ME!
Have parallel events transpired on other planets? Probably. But what stage are they in? Has anything comparable to us evolved out there somewhere? Maybe. Maybe not. It's doubtful I'll ever know. But, I can wonder.
Time to get on with the day and go outside to observe and wonder about all those other marvelous creatures (and relatives) that fill this wonderful world we seem to be hell bent on trashing and destroying for the sake of human invented wealth.
Just like in the technological world, one improvement leads to countless others and we now have touch screen computing devices that make the first computer we owned look like a lumbering dinosaur in comparison. Remember those first clunky cell phones? Now, the only computer some people have is a smart phone they hold in one hand and it far oushines the first computers.
We recently found the missing link fossil (yes, missing link fossilss are all over the place) of a fish that had jointed limbs. That fish is in my genealogical lineage, and those apendages are the forerunners of the fingers that are clicking these computer keys.
That wonderful development took place eons ago -- eons that are virtually impossible for me to wrap my mind around. It was a far different planet then. The present world map didn't exist. Landmasses have moved around painfully slowly in the meantime. Oceans and seas have come and gone. Millions of species have thriven and perished. It's a miracle that just the right ones came along and led to ME!
Have parallel events transpired on other planets? Probably. But what stage are they in? Has anything comparable to us evolved out there somewhere? Maybe. Maybe not. It's doubtful I'll ever know. But, I can wonder.
Time to get on with the day and go outside to observe and wonder about all those other marvelous creatures (and relatives) that fill this wonderful world we seem to be hell bent on trashing and destroying for the sake of human invented wealth.
Friday, May 30, 2014
ROME IN RERUN
A good man had to bite the bullet and resign today, not from anything he personally did but due to the deception and lies of people under him. I have to feel sorry for him, but that's the way with high office holders overseeing as best they can people under them and being lied to and betrayed. I can't help feeling that he's better off getting shut of the whole bureaucratic mess. At least the resignation of the White House Press Secretary was a voluntary decision made for overall career reasons that must have made sense to him.
It's a whole different world from that I remember just after World War II. We were a nation that really cared about each other then. The goal was the advancement of the nation and everyone in it.
Not anymore! What I see today disgusts me. It's a lie and a travesty to refer to ourselves as a democratic nation. We're a plutocracy, pure and simple, and the average person is nothing more than throw away garbage to those who hold the ultimate power.
I'd like to be optimistic and think this will all pass, but I'm also a realist and what I see coming is pessimistic in the extreme.
We're Rome all over again!
It's a whole different world from that I remember just after World War II. We were a nation that really cared about each other then. The goal was the advancement of the nation and everyone in it.
Not anymore! What I see today disgusts me. It's a lie and a travesty to refer to ourselves as a democratic nation. We're a plutocracy, pure and simple, and the average person is nothing more than throw away garbage to those who hold the ultimate power.
I'd like to be optimistic and think this will all pass, but I'm also a realist and what I see coming is pessimistic in the extreme.
We're Rome all over again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
