been a while

I have been spending considerable time reading and writing at one of the on-line sites for those that wish to hone their skills. I must say, I have a long row to hoe to be published, especially in this way.
The fire in San Diego reveals much of our arrogance and folly. 500,000 plus acres burned, thousands of homes and businesses destroyed, at least one alleged arsonist shot dead. Let us hope this the result of the convergence of natural weather with our own stupidity and not the work of those that would seek to exploit our obvious vulnerabilities to advance our total destruction. Military might and sophistication can't protect us any more. Truth and justice must be the American way. A new way(or an old one reapplied) is the only way to a united Earth. We should live so long!

if this math is correct, WTF are we waiting for?

Over at MOTHERJONES in an article Iraq 101, the statement was made that it is estimated that it will cost $20 billion to rebuild the oil industry in Iraq but only $6.6 billion to provide every home there with solar power. After Iraq can we save the US. from the evils of oil next? Oh, I forgot, capitalism means never reaching the point of economic freedom for the masses!

Technological Singularity, here or not here

Reading some articleshere, I asked myself a question. Is this event in our past or still in our future. Those that remember the movie "Colossus, The Forbin Project" know that this has been an eventuality for some time. While I do not fear the machines per Se, I am highly skeptical of the humans that wish a cyborg-like existence for all of us. There are those that foresee this event as coming somewhere between 2005 and 2030. But since there are entities(commercial, governmental, diabolical etc.)that have been working toward this for many, many years, it may have already happened but we have not been told. What ever the case, I do hope the AI uses itself more like Asimov's guardian of a radioactive Earth and not THE BORG on Star Trek, The Next Generation. BTW, the link above may take a few seconds to work, please be patient.

to change or not to change?

Sometimes change is good. Sometimes not. But change is life. And even things in our world that are not "animated" are described as having a life, The river, the mountain, the desert, etc. all have a cycle and thus a life. It is foolish and selfish to think that change in all things can be stopped or is not necessary. This applies to civilization as well. Since change will come anyway, it is a must for us to look ahead and see to it that it is of benefit to all.

It's the water, stupid!

Water is life. A children's show from a while back had a particularly intuitive set of words we would all be wise to learn. "The Earth's a big blue marble when you see it from out there...the sun and moon declare...our beauty's very rare!" The picture of the Earth taken from space showed, indeed, how beautiful and vibrant the Earth is. What makes it so you ask? Is it the act of Civilization? Politics? Religion? Capitalism? Communism? Conservatism? Liberalism? Feminism? No to all the above. It's the water. Life itself is all about water. This truth demonstrated to me again in a NYT's article about China. It seems the phenomenal economic growth it is enjoying is coming at the possably irreversible depletion of it's ground water. Water tables in the north are going down 3 to 4 feet a year. The whole of the water supply shows signs of 30% to 75% contamination. As anyone that visits CHINA, or India, or Africa or anywhere will tell you, the water stinks with our waste. I do not see civilization curbing the misuse of this planet even though we know we must if we are to survive here. That is why, in our heart of hearts, we also know we must find another home in the cosmos. Why? It's the water, stupid.

The US. military, not to be trusted to do a good job, even for and by themselves?

The use of private armies by the US. sends the message that our military is incapable of providing well trained personnel. Why is this true? Is President Bush saying that the brave souls he sends to die are not worthy of his trust. Is he saying that vast amounts of money can only be trusted to give satisfactory results when given to those that seek to profit from his intentions. We the People foot the bill in more ways than one, yet HE decides who will profit and who will just die.

Sputniik

50 years seems like a life time. Hey, for me it is. In the context of time, 50 years is but an eye blink. For me it is most of the time I will experience. But the last 50 years have ushered in either the end of the beginning or the end of it all. We have within our grasp nothing less than everything. Sure, much time and effort remains until the full utilization of space by us is so commonplace that it is no longer a topic. It will just fade into our lives as fire has done. But unlike fire, who's origins are lost to us, the time and date of Sputnik will be known and spoken of forever.