Other People's Troubles

Nothing helps take our minds off of
other people's troubles
quite so effectively as a steady, unblinking focus on our own.    

Earth Day Musings

An Earth Day thought:

It is arrogant to think human activities can destroy the planet, or even impose any permanent damage. 

We are certainly capable of making temporary changes to the thin, rather fragile layer we call the biosphere.  We are affecting the climate in ways we will not enjoy – but nothing like a collision with a city-sized meteorite - the effects of which the Earth has survived repeatedly. 

Our efforts may make the planet unliveable for ourselves, and most of our large land-dwelling peers, but time heals all – and the Earth has existed since time out of mind, and likely has as much time ahead as behind in which to recover.   Evolution is utterly indifferent as to its direction; in another 20-30 million years—not even a blink in geological time—it , it will not matter whether we conserved, and stewarded our biosphere during our brief sojourn, or greedily used up all we could acquire; poisoning everything we touched.  Whatever species then is dominant will likely be unaware that we ever existed – and if aware may view us with a combination of indifference, or gratitude for the mutations we triggered that made their dominace possible. 

It’s not the Earth we are capable of destroying – it is ourselves. 

Happy Earth Day!

Casual Friday

Looking at me with barely concealed scorn, he said, "Isn't it a little early for 'Casual Friday'?". 
To which I replied, "I normally work from home, but am in the office today.  I'm calling it 'Pants Wednesday' ". 

No Sidelines

There are no sidelines, folks,
and no grandstands.
The fact that you choose to just sit and watch
doesn’t mean they won’t be bowled over. 

It just means you’ll be surprised. 

 

Cold War vs. Sequester

The Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union was ‘cold’ because of the implicit understanding of MAD (mutally assured destruction); each side had enough retaliatory capacity to assure that any attack would be as deadly to the attacker as to the attacked – and there would be no winner.  As long as nobody pushed the button, we could all avoid global annihilation. 

The fundamental differences compared to current ongoing serial crises in national governance are: 

• Somebody had to push the button to initiate catastrophe in the Cold War; Now affirmative action has to be takan to PREVENT it.  Sins of omission are so much easier to commit – then disavow.  
• The destruction isn’t as immediately visible as the final scene from Dr. Stangelove.   Vulnerable people will feel the effects immediately, but the wind-down of the overall economy will take a little time.  
• Neither the US nor the Soviets actually WANTED global nuclear annihilation. 

Indian Team Names

I’m on board with the movement to change references to Native Americans from geographical features and sports teams. 

I just hope we will make an exception for the Sioux City Sioux. 

Burning Building

The experience of being rescued was like nothing she'd ever felt before; so warm, so secure, so loved. 

Hoping to feel that way again, she ran back into the burning building, and was lost. 

Getting Stuck

It's an ironic, but understood reality that driving a powerful four-wheel drive rig, with big, deep-treaded tires will not keep you from getting stuck;
It just increases the likelihood that you'll be beyond the reach of help when you do. 

I can't escape the idea that there are analogies for this all over the place: massive military power, high intelligence, great wealth, etc.