Winners & Losers

The Loser:

Uuugh, my sister gave a copy of Glenn Beck's book to my brother for Christmas. I warned him to take it with, shall I say, a GRAIN OF SALT. The title of the book is "An Inconvenient Book - Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems." While I try to keep an open mind I totally disagree with most everything he says. His manipulation of facts in the name of "truth" is most interesting. I'm glad the political right has a new hack — they need all the help they can get to perpetuate their fear-mongering, distortions, and downright lies.

So, tonight, I present to Glenn Beck the Golden Poop Award for twisting and manipulating "truth," in the name of truth.

The Winner:

Hurray! It made my week to see one of my heroes in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution — Ray Anderson, head of Interface, a Georgia-based carpet business. He is a national leader in the corporate sustainability movement and is working to reduce his company's impact on the Earth to zero.

As the story goes, in 1994 he read the book "The Ecology of Commerce" by Paul Hawken and then had a life-changing epiphany.

"It was like a spear in the chest," he says. "I had never given a single thought to what we were taking from the Earth ... I was convicted as a plunderer of the Earth, and I've spent the last 13 years as a recovering plunderer."

In recent years he has transformed his carpet company into a sustainable firm and a role model for all companies around the world. Unlike other businesses, he is doing more than just recycling — his firm is into restoration. In other words, "Let's put back more than we take. let's do more good than harm."

WOW, I love this guy. And for his great work I bestow upon him not the Golden Goose Award, but the Platinum Goose Award — the highest honor that I can give to any Earth-Saver.

Bless you Ray Anderson, for you give me and my family hope.

Oh, let me finish with another of his great quotes. This is how he defines sustainability:

"At Interface, [sustainability] means operating our pretroleum-intensive company in such a way as to take nothing from the Earth that's not naturally and rapidly renewable and do no harm to the biosphere. On the equity side, it means treating people fairly."

Awesome — that says it all. I LOVE IT!

The Goose




Ray Anderson, a great leader in the Sustainability Movement.

Two Goose Friends

Yes, Nero continues to fiddle while Rome burns. But let's take a break from all that. Tonight I'd like to give a "shout out" to two fellow Earth-Savers:

Growth Busters
http://www.growthbusters.com/

And another one:

Growth Is Madness
http://growthmadness.org/

These two sort of go together and are both operated by fellow Earthians from Colorado. Oh, and the GrowthBusters guy is working on a documentary that sounds excellent:










At this point (I'm totally exhausted) I should offer some rambling commentary about why we exist and why we are so determined to pollute and foul the planet just so that we can make money and be comfortable. Well, you know, I can't say anything about it because it's just plain stupid. Yeah, I know, I'm part of the problem. But I work from home and am laying off the meat, so my carbon footprint is pretty low. I really just need to give up electricity, grab some bear skins, and learn to survive in the wilderness. I know that I'll want to make a really comfy hut, and before you know it I'll be hooking up a dishwasher. Yeah, I know, the human race is screwed.

Genetically Modifying Civilization

Uuugh, right now as I type this my cat is walking over my face. Very interesting. See, for the past year or so I've been carefully watching the behavior of living creatures, including humans, my pets, and little bugs that crawl across my desk.

I conclude that we are all limited to the boundaries of our DNA. The behavior of both humans and pets are pretty predictable and everything operates within parameters.

See, saving the world is NOT about reinventing civilization, technological innovation, or changing public policy. Rather, it's about changing individual human behavior.

For instance, what makes us want lots of babies? And why are we so obsessed with amassing more STUFF? Oh, and why do we like to kill one another? And why do we build nukes that are designed to kill millions of us? Isn't all this sort of pointless?

Maybe the solution lies with genetics. That's it! Let's create genetically modified humans that don't destroy the Earth or each other. Maybe we can even reprogram ourselves to think that living in the Stone Age is FUN! After all, that was the most sustainable era of human history.

Maybe we can re-engineer ourselves to want less children and fewer things -- changing these two behaviors alone would be a massive help in saving our Planet.

Hmmm, I'm not sure how it would work. Maybe the men of the first generation simply need to give a little seed to a geneticist, who, in turn, modifies it. Then, his spouse is artificially inseminated. Future generations won't have to worry about the extra steps -- they'll already be mutated. Bingo, problem solved - Earth saved.

Okay, this is just the latest harebrained solution to pop into my head. Maybe next week I'll have a better idea. In the meantime, the Emperor Nero continues to light his garden with human torches (provided courtesy of captured Christian). Huh, did he really do that? Yikes.

The Goose

Open Letter To Gov. Sonny Perdue

This is in response to a prayer service held in Georgia where the governor asked God to break the drought. Yeah, I now, funny.

Dear Governor Perdue,

I wanted to thank you for praying for rain. The next day it rained a 1/4 of an inch at my house. Since you definitely get results, I was wondering if you could add a few more items to your prayer list:

• Pray that the state will keep its promise to allow hybrids to use the HOV lanes, instead of hassling them at inspection stations.
• That business, government, and environmentalists will all work as a team to promote water conservation.
• Help the state legislature to develop an environmental ethic (yes, I know that would be a miracle).
• Convict state and county politicians to focus on quality of life and long-term sustainability, instead of always keeping the growth pedal pushed to the floor.
• Pray that our state leaders, including yourself, will be given the wisdom to promote a regional mass transit system.
• That more cities and counties would adopt Cool Cities.

I know that you are busy traveling around the world trying to encourage more industry (i.e. more people) to come to Georgia. No problem, I understand, but if you could squeeze in my requests, I would be extremely grateful.

Sincerely,

The Goose

More added by my friend and colleague Jo:

• Make Ga. DOT continue to allow 2 person carpools as they try to widen 20 East and not kick them off, (which obviously will be most of the carpools) only allowing 3 person carpools. Help me to understand that this is just another way for the highway lobby with HOT ( paid) lanes and less carpools to make money while increasing the number of autos on the road, thus the demand for more roads.
• Help me to remember my own ignored and forgotten early Executive Order to conserve water in all state facilities.
• Inspire me to spend the "Go Fish," $18 million bucks to make sure there is some water to fish in, as in a real state water plan, as requested by Carol Couch, not just the cheap sham as proposed now.
• Help me to stop fiddling while Atlanta goes the way of the Anasazi and the deserted cities of temples, etc. in Mexico. Tell me how Atlanta is going to support twice as many people when the population doubles in 2030. According to the AJC, you must have already settled that with God, since Atlanta is not even preparing for losing its collapsing resource, which is already showing early signs of eutrophication, and demonstrating what will begin happening at the end of the the "life" of the Corps lakes. Ask God how much longer 50 year old lakes will last. (They all have a predicted life span when built and will silt up and die within 60 to 90 years or so.)
  
• Ask God to permanently provide enough money for tanker trucks of water for the present millions plus the expected additional millions. Ask him to make sure that we don't have to stand in line more than 2 hours a day and that we have enough old milk cartons to fill and flush our toilets once a day and to bathe at least once a week, etc., etc.
• Ask God to inspire Ga. Power to begin buying all its lake water power from the power grid instead of releasing (how much?) millions of gallons twice daily from our lakes for peak power production.
• Ask God if he is really going to provide all the water we need if we just keep fiddling and praying, or if we do a rain dance, too, if that will help, so we can just keep having our tax funded economic development agencies, with your help, keep beating the bushes to bring in more people.
• Please thank God for allowing you to predict that Atlanta's economy (waterless or not) is fine and will continue to be fine. That alone is a miracle, so you must have a direct line to him to allow you this miraculous vision.

Female Capture

Today I gave my population PowerPoint presentation to the Humanist Class at the Atlanta Unitarian Universalist Church. During my visit to the church, I met a really fascinating Italian philosopher. He is 81-years-old and has degrees in philosophy, theology, and mathematics.

One of the things he told me has stuck in my mind all day. He said religion originates from ancient days when myths were used to unite clans. This allowed clans to develop social order and military power so they could take over other groups. And for what purpose? Female capture. The idea was to steal your opponent's women (I'm guessing they just killed the males).

He said there are examples of female capture in the Old Testament, where God ordered the Israelites to take over another group and kill everyone except the virgins, which were to be brought back and made to carry little soldier babies.

The point he was trying to make is that religion served a specific purpose in our evolutionary history, and that now, perhaps, it has outlived its usefulness.

I have heard this theory before as an explanation to what makes some people so religious. Simply put, religious people beat out other groups in the natural selection process because religion provided the organization, order, motivation, etc.. that ultimately led to a military advantage. Thus, those ancient people who were less religious were eliminated through natural selection.

Well, this idea does help me to understand modern religious behavior. The reason why we have so many religious folks in the world is because THEIR RELIGION GAVE THEM AN EVOLUTIONARY ADVANTAGE.

That's all for tonight. The Goose is tired and is signing out.

It Is Noble ... Or Is It?

I keep reading and hearing about various aid projects in Africa. From creating new wells to providing safe houses for child soldiers, all these efforts are beautiful and worthwhile. Regretfully, no one has mentioned family planning. Without this essential component any good project is doomed to failure.

I was horrified by a recent editorial in the Atlanta newspaper that went on and on about water projects in Africa. It was written by the president of a local women's college. At least she talked about women's empowerment and education, which are two essential components to slowing birth rates. But she did NOT mention universal access to family planning, which is essential for any aid project to work in the long-term.

When you provide water and food without family planning, it is like throwing kerosene into a fire — the population simply swells. Sure, you've done some immediate good and you can feel good about yourself, but you are only setting up future generations for an even greater humanitarian crises. This is simple common sense, so I'm amazed that so many intelligentsia miss this basic point.

I applaud the good organizations like World Neighbors that do incorporate family planning into their programs. If you want to support a worthwhile aid organization, support them. Organizations like World Vision mean well, and do provide immediate relief, but in the long term they are likely doing more harm than good.

The Christian evangelicals don't like to deal with family planning. On the opposite extreme, I'm told that ultra left women's organizations are opposed to family planning programs because they feel it's a form of control. Thus, it appears that few people are willing to promote family planning and contraceptive use.

Ultimately, there are only two ways an individual can impact the planet — family size and lifestyle. As we continue to pack more billions of people onto Earth, it is essential that we all reduce our family sizes and adopt a more modest lifestyle. Eventually, we need to reduce human population to where it is permanently sustainable. I don't know what that number is, but it should be at a point where other species and the long-term viability of the Planet are not jeopardized.

The Goose

Thankfulness & Gentleness

My mother-in-law asked me to provide a list of accomplishments this year for her annual newsletter. As I thought about that request I realized that I have NO accomplishments for 2007, and I was sort of glum about that.

But this has been a great year of learning. I am learning to be content with what I have. I am also learning to be thankful and grateful for what I have. I am particularly grateful for my family and friends. I am blessed with friends who have mentored me and shared their wisdom this year, and helped me get a little higher up the learning curve.

I am especially thankful for one new friend I met this year, who has inspired and educated me. This friend has taught me that as an activist, I need to remember the importance of love and gentleness in my work. This is hard to do because sometimes I am frustrated by the denseness and indifference of my ideological opponents.

The following passage was written by my friend. This wisdom has served as a guiding light, and hopefully it will continue to guide me for many years to come.

From my friend (slightly edited):

... You once asked me what you should focus on... and I have been thinking about that ... may I respectfully suggest that you continue to educate the "masses," as many people as possible ... and focus on fine tuning the style of that education (re: population, environment, etc.). You know there is something that I have learned not too long ago ... leading with GENTLENESS. In order for people to hear you, you need to be "gentle" with them so as to win their (for lack of a better word) heart and soul. In fact, this is one of the skills I try to apply everyday at my work. Everyday I have to lead/provide ideas to resolve our humongous amount of problems and issues (some of which keep me up awake at night) and everyday I practice this very simple principle "leading with gentleness, reaching out and winning the other person's heart and soul," presenting ones ideas with the utmost sincere intent for the greater benefit. And you know what? After a period of time of doing this, I have gained a lot of friends and have gained a lot of people's trust in me.

This is what I suggest to everyone ... continue to educate with kindness, gentleness, caring ... and when the time is right for that person, that person will act or respond to it ... i.e., in the end it is up to any one and everyone's free will of choice and of choice to act or do something about anything.

We need to acknowledge and respect people's constraints. To condemn them for not behaving environmentally or ecologically responsibly, or whatever word one wants to use, is not going to get what anyone who is trying to get them to a destination or end result get there. In fact, it will backfire and have the very opposite effect.

Prayers for Rain

In regards to the serious drought that is gripping metro Atlanta, I feel that the following is a brilliant letter. It was published in last week's Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is in response to a prayer service the governor of Georgia led to pray for rain. I could go on and on, but the point is that most people around here simply don't "get it."

From my fellow activist Johnny:

First, repent of overdevelopment

I am all in favor of Gov. Sonny Perdue calling for prayer for rain. But at the same time, he needs to lead the state to repent of overpopulation and overdevelopment.

Water is a limited resource, and the state has simply outgrown the amount of available water. God can send all the rain He wants to send, and the real estate developers will just drink it up, pollute it and waste it.

The economy of Georgia creates the money we all need, but it rests on the ecology of the territory. History has proven time and again that when you destroy that base by breeding too fast, society collapses, regardless of the piety of the people. God won't reward stupidity and greed. When the governor demands a moratorium on development, then we will know his praying is not just posturing.

JOHNNY P

Atlanta Water Crises Is ALL About Growth

The metro Atlanta water crises continues to get worse. I'm afraid that Georgia's political leaders are handling the situation even more poorly than I expected. Not surprisingly, Georgia politicians are either too stupid or too scared to admit that the problem IS ALL ABOUT POPULATION GROWTH. Instead, our leaders are blaming the water shortage on the Army Corps of Engineers and those poor little mussels in Apalachicola Bay.

In my frustration a few weeks ago, I sat down and hammered out letters to my county water director and two local newspapers. Much to my pleasant surprise I got a response from the director and both of my letters were published.

According to the water director of Cobb County, GA, a building moratorium would be challenging due to the strong personal property rights provided by the State of Georgia Constitution. In regards to my idea to deny re-zonings that result in higher density, he said that was "on the table" with the Cobb Board of Commissioners. However, a few days later, my Commission Chair, Sam Olens, was quoted in the press as saying, something to the effect, that denying re-zonings was not worth the lawsuits.

So anyway, the politicians of Georgia are addicted to growth -- for them it is like crack cocaine. As for the citizens of Georgia, every time we conserve a gallon of water all we are doing is helping rich developers get richer.

Here is the letter that was published in my small town newspaper, the Powder Springs Messenger on Nov. 1:

Dear Editor,

While I am glad to do my part in conserving water, I find it troubling that city and county governments are continuing to issue new building permits and continuing to rezone for higher density.

Various elected officials are quick to blame the Endangered Species Act and the Army Corps of Engineers for our current water woes. However, the truth is that our water problems are the result of poorly managed growth and poor resource planning. Droughts are a natural part of nature, but turning north Georgia into a “concrete jungle” is not natural.

Now, we the citizens are asked to sacrifice and compromise our quality of life while the relentless development continues. This is not fair. All of us citizens should demand an immediate building moratorium until the water crises has passed. Otherwise, the buckets in our showers and the bricks in our toilets are only helping to provide for more growth.

The Goose

Here is my letter published in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution on Oct. 25:

Dear Editor,

I see that Chairman Sam Olens has joined the song and dance of other politicians by blaming metro Atlanta’s water woes on the Army Corps of Engineers [Feds must help us to weather drought]. What he fails to mention is that even if the Corps reduced their discharges, it would only delay the inevitable.

If the chairman is serious about conserving water he should use his positions as Cobb County Commission chair and Atlanta Regional Commission chair to promote a metro-wide building moratorium and deny any rezoning that increases density. As long as the metro area continues to explode in growth, all our personal conservation measures will simply be offset. The chairman’s statement that the region’s population growth is not the cause of our current situation is ludicrous.

We citizens have seen enough finger pointing — now it’s time to see local leaders who have the courage to make difficult decisions.

The Goose

Swat Me

The days just keep slipping by me one after another, and every day I say to myself, "What have I done today to help the world?" Each day I try to do a little, including a lot of volunteer work, but it's never enough.

Ten years ago, in October 1997 I was a young thirtysomething idealist who was foolish enough to try and save the world. I had this crazy notion that all you had to do was put ideas in people's minds and then the positive thoughts would spread like wildfire.

But at every turn, and at every attempt, I ran into a big, solid wall. For you see, the SYSTEM does not like change. HUMANS do not like change. HUMANS will NOT change unless their short term comfort and survival is at risk.

The environmental movement and volunteerism in general barely exists. Most people don't want to do anything except cater to themselves. As the world goes down in flames, people play complex denial games with themselves or else rationalize away everything that troubles them. Then, we humans continue on, really doing nothing, except popping lots of medication to extend our lives. None of this really makes sense.

We humans are the lost species of planet Earth. We are lost because we've never been able to find ourselves. We have no long-term goal. Our only goals are comfort, indulgence, self-gratification, and getting lazy and fat. This is the destiny of humankind.

I go through this life and nearly every day there is a new surprise, a new twist, or a new drama. Sometimes the events of the day are good, and other times they are bad.

My body surges with feelings and emotions -- powerful feelings about different things. The feelings are vivid and make me feel alive, but yet the feelings draw me into despair.

Species go extinct, yet the religious zealots don't care. The world is going to hell, much to the excitement of well-dressed Sunday worshipers, who fully expect to be whisked out of their shoes and taken to the land of golden streets, mansions, harps, and cuddly lions.

Humanity, my friend, is going insane, and we are killing the very world that supports us. Yet, each day, there is little that I do or can do. I am just another maggot wiggling around in the garbage of our society. Give me enough time and I'll turn into a fly and maybe I'll harass a few people until someone gets around to swatting me -- and then I'll be a flat, dead, nobody.

A More Perfect Constitution

Okay, this idea comes up a lot: Maybe the reason our country is so screwed up is because our government is BROKEN! I've been hearing this theory since the 1980s, and as you may know from reading my profile, I'm a big fan of the book Give Me Liberty by Gerry Spence, which also addresses this issue.

So, why can't our government do anything about energy independence, global warming, immigration, campaign finance, health care for the poor, reducing the federal debt, and eradicating the special interest influence over Congress? Well, in his book A More Perfect Constitution, author Larry J. Sabato says these things are happening because our government is broken. In his new book, he provides 23 tips for fixing it. These include new term limits, eliminating lifetime appointments for judges, reforming the electoral college, etc...

I do agree that our government is badly broken, but I'm not willing to blame it on the structure so quickly. Rather, I blame it on the soulless, money grubbing, power hungry, shallow, and worthless politicians that we elect. And I think these soulless and worthless do-nothings that make up the U.S. Congress are simply a reflection of the American people.

SMALL WONDER we can't get out of debt, save our environment, and become energy dependent. The bottom line is we don't do these things because we don't WANT TO! We Americans are a bunch of dumbed-down, obese, lazy, do-nothings. So, yeah it's not our government that's broken -- it's the general public. People would rather watch reality TV, read tabloids, and go to their escapist churches rather than deal with the serious issues of the 21st Century.

We are like Rome in the final days. We would rather drink wine, party, and suck toes instead of dealing with the world's problems. And we Americans put into office the same shallow and soulless opportunists that we are.

No, I don't think our government is broken at all. In fact, I think our government is a pretty brilliant piece of work -- our Founding Fathers did a great job. However, our nation's founders probably never anticipated what we would become. We are a disgrace to the flag. We are a disgrace to ourselves.

Look in the mirror, oh fat, lazy, spoiled, complacent American. The country that you so willingly send other people's children to die for is simply the rotted reflection of yourself.

How Do We Break Through?

This past week I've learned about two fascinating movies that follow my own personal themes about "saving the world."

Movie #1

I learned about this first film from a couple of forums I subscribe to:

What a Way To Go: Life at the End

I have not actually seen the flick yet, but I plan to purchase it. However, I did see the trailers and a fascinating interview. Here is a quick summary of the movie:

"What A Way To Go looks head on at our present global predicament, as oil depletion, climate change, species extinction and population overshoot converge in a 'perfect storm' of cataclysmic dimensions. Produced independently by Sally Erickson and Tim Bennett, this personal essay explores the cultural stories and assumptions that have brought us to this point, and provides a larger context for thinking about, and feeling our way through, our global situation."

I should also throw in that they interview many of the top environmental authors of our day, including one of my favorites — Daniel Quinn.

Movie #2

Then, this morning Ray, a friend on my Atlanta Leavers discussion list, announced his new movie:

The Stumbling Block: Killing Creation for the Love of the Creator (Click on THE MOVIE)

This Internet movie tells of one person's escape from his mind-controlling religion. Once he began to do intense reading and research he learned some incredible things about Christianity and prophesy. At the end, he calls for a revolution against the Earth-destroying and soul-destroying Machine. It is a great movie that I wholeheartedly endorse.

Ray calls for everyone to be a "Rebel Monkey," which he defines as:

"Rebel Monkey: n. Any member of the species homo sapiens sapiens who is in full defiance of the stubborn religious stance against evolution, proudly accepting the fact s/he is merely a member of the animal kingdom and rejecting the notion that the human species was meant to own and rule the planet. Many desire to go back to primitive ways of life that worked well for the human species, rather than sticking with the status quo of complicated and over-controlling laws, rules, commandments and religions that have served as a cage for an increasingly hostile mankind, knowing that the ways before were ways that humans evolved and sustained for thousands upon thousands of generations, while the current lifestyle of man is managing to destroy the life on this planet in just ten short millenia."

Ray hits the nail on the head when he talks about the separation from nature and denial of evolution. This, I believe, is one of the root causes behind our civilization's general apathy and disregard for the planet.

A final note ...

I remain puzzled by the indifference or even disdain that most people have for the environment. I find that most people are either ignorant, selfish, or just apathetic about environmental issues. Some people are hoping that someone or something else will "fix it," such as God, technology, or government.

Some people are so busy just trying to "save" themselves and their family — just trying to survive — that they don't have the energy or time to help save the world.

Other people love the environment — the beach, sunsets, the mountains — but they simply don't know HOW or know WHAT to do to save it.

What I hate to hear from people is "that's too political." That is the biggest cop out ever.

Blowing Your Top

Just Who Is Evil?

So, matey, a liberal is ya, eh? An environmentalist too? Surely ye will burn for that!

To all the world, I would like to say that I am extremely proud to be called an "environmentalist" and "liberal." Liberal comes from the Latin word that means FREE, as in free-thinker. As we continually see, the vast majority of the GOP are NO THINKERS. Rupert Murdoch keeps these folks pump up on mindless TV entertainment and hand spun news, turning their brains into mush. Our American education system, a servant to industry, also works to keep the population "dumbed down."

These no-thinkers are a giant clone army, and the men behind the curtain know just how to activate them to get them to the polls to elect more GOP opportunists. The formula is simple: Scream "abortion" or "gay marriage" to get the clone masses worked up and to the voting booths. Talk about electing moral, Christian politicians, who are actually the lapdogs of industry. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle are perfect examples of politicians who have exploited this formula. "I AM MORAL" they scream, "ABORTION IS BAD" they shout. Then the mindless masses vote them in, and they, in turn, give the keys of government to the industrialists so that the workers and the environment can be screwed even more.

The puppet masters continually work the fear button to manipulate the masses. First it's the terrorist scare with talk of sleeper cells, then there is the fear-mongering with immigration -- "Run oh ye Right Wingers, for the brown man is going to steal your babies at night" is
their insinuation.

All the while they talk -- and mix -- the love of God and country as they send our young men and women to the killing fields of Iraq, and they secretly perpetuate the war because war is good for the defense industry and international banking cartels.

So call me a LIBERAL and I will feel proud. What a joy it was to run into a group of GOP party members after I had finished protesting against the war rhetoric in 2002. There I was with my sign in hand on the sky bridge at the Cobb Galleria, and there they were -- terrified. For they had never seen a liberal before up close. Their spinmasters had told them that we are evil three-eyed monsters and now, there they were all alone with me. The terror in their eyes was priceless.

Wake up, America, WAKE UP. If you want to see the real enemy, look in the mirror, oh ye Righteous Ones.

Zeitgeist - The Movie

Okay, last week I watched this movie several times. All I can say is "wow."

This is one of the most incredible movies I've ever seen. The flick basically sums up things that I've found on my own from years of research. While Zeitgeist is a complex and powerful video, the one theme that stands out is how our institutions -- religion, government, corporations -- all lie to us and manipulate us. The Big Three institutions also work together to screw us -- the little people, and the world we live in.

As far as religion goes, I can't help but think that everyone would be better off if they didn't turn unproven stories into stated facts. Humans might be less dysfunctional if they shot straight, instead of playing religious mind games with themselves.

In regards to the suggestion that 9/11 was a conspiracy, I don't believe that. Although I'll say that our leaders may have "allowed" it to happen, and once it did happen, they certainly exploited it to the max. They used 9/11 to get us into two wars, and maybe more wars to come.

For me, perhaps the most poignant part of the movie is the last six minutes, where they talk about how we Americans are detached from the environment and how we are intentionally distracted with pop entertainment and "dumbed down" by a U.S. education system that is designed to keep us all ignorant. People like me, who have broken out of the shell and are looking around and going "What the f$*#," well, we will be the first ones to be rounded up and shot.

I do encourage everyone to watch Zeitgeist. If you think it is BS, please share with me the facts to dispute it. I'm checking some of the facts as well.

Global Warming Thoughts

At first I thought the recent column by Robert J. Samuelson was your standard issue tree-hugger bashing article. But the July 25 article, which appeared in The Washington Post, actually has some good points.

Firstly and most importantly, it's almost vain to talk about reducing greenhouse emissions when our human population is skyrocketing. As Samuelson says,

"Even if California achieved its 2020 goal (dubious) and the United States followed (more dubious), population and economic growth elsewhere would overwhelm any emission cuts."

You tell'em, tiger. It's amazing that all these global warming groups talk about compact fluorescent light bulbs and other ways to reduce energy use, but they RARELY mention population. You can get a Prius, insulate your house, give up meat, and install a wind turbine in your front yard, but if you have a bunch of children your savings will be offset -- especially in America where little children are super consumers.

So, I don't want to bore anyone so I'll get right to the chase. Here are three things that Mr. Samuelson says that Congress can do to REALLY help:

• Gradually increase fuel economy standards for new vehicles by at least 15 miles per gallon.
• Raise the gasoline tax over the same period by $1 to $2 a gallon to strengthen the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles and curb driving.
• Eliminate tax subsidies (mainly the mortgage interest rate deduction) for housing, which push Americans toward ever-bigger homes. (Note: If you move to a home 25 percent larger and then increase energy efficiency by 25 percent, you don't save energy).

I especially like the third point, and it's something I hadn't thought about before. Each day, all over America, air conditions are cooling millions of square feet of excess space. Americans have to have their trophy house, "bonus room" and an extra thousand square feet. What an incredible waste of energy. I'll take my modest 1,500-square-foot home any day. I have a few friends and relatives that have huge open spaces over their living rooms. What is the point? Why heat and cool a bunch of space that serves no purpose? That's just nuts.

Okay, you have to read the entire article to understand the last post. You can read it here, at least until they take it down. Now, for the grand hoorah:

"Prius politics is a delusional exercise in public relations that, while not helping the environment, might hurt the economy."

Well said, Robert. You are an all right guy.

The Love of Gun Violence

The strange thing is that I didn't feel much during the recent murders at Virginia Polytechnic. This is the society that everyone wanted — full of handguns and emotionally disturbed people. When you mix those elements together, you get horrible violence.

But I suppose that's what Americans want. So many people say, "Take away our handguns and only criminals will have guns." Well, many criminals STEAL their guns from legitimate owners. And many people get blown away by accidents, domestic rage, etc... So, when you add it all up, I wonder just how many lives are SAVED by making handguns easily accessible to the public.

So, according to today's newspaper, 16,400 people were murdered in the U.S. in 2005. The U.S. fatalities in Iraq are about to hit 4,000 deaths in nearly five years. But in the U.S., that's about how many people are murdered every four months -- most by guns.

Now, I'm not an extremist. I only want to outlaw all handguns, and not hunting or target rifles. And I want to make it harder for people to purchase a rifle.

I am amazed at the obsession people have with "gun rights." In addition to protecting themselves from criminals, folks also say handguns are necessary to protect themselves from their own government.

The funny thing is that the individuals who are the loudest gun rights advocates are typically conservative religious types. How people can reconcile guns and violence with Christianity is beyond me. Jesus said "turn the other cheek" not "reload your weapon." I suppose someone is going to say that Christians have a right to protect themselves. Whatever happened to the humble act of serving as lion food, like in the days of Ancient Rome? How about those Roman soldiers who accepted Christianity, denounced violence, and were executed for their beliefs? Don't believe me, read "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbons.

The bottom line is that the United States is a violent nation, and, obviously, many citizens and political leaders like it that way. We live in a country full of rage and hate and mentally sick people, and handguns are everywhere. This is the perfect formula for, well, lots of violence. Yeah, it's weird.

Fog, Smog, Blog

So, really. As I write this Atlanta, GA is in the worst heat wave that I can remember. Temperatures are hitting 100 degrees and a giant dome of smog is sitting over the city. Day or night, the heat is stifling -- it's terrible!

Little humans all around me are hiding in their houses and putting their air conditions in overdrive. The coal burning power plants that surround the city are breaking new megawatt records as they belch more soot into the sky to keep us comfortable. But the pollution only helps to trap the heat -- it's bad for our lungs, and it really only makes us more miserable.

Highway signs are flashing, "Red Air Quality Alert - Carpool, Stay At Home, Fuel Your Car After 6 p.m." Yet, no one really pays attention. I'm just amazed that no one really "gets it" or really cares.

People are still wanting to buy their big dream cars, apparently not realizing or caring that they are making the problem worse. Preachers still drone on about the Second Coming, yet they make no effort to encourage their flock to drive less.

Folks still buy their trophy houses way out in the countryside and make their 40-50 mile commutes to work, not realizing or caring that that they are part of the problem. Individuals still fuel their cars in the middle of the day. The politicians still do nothing about mass transit as the asphalt lobbyists slip another roll of bills into their hands.

All is normal in our overheated, polluted, dying world. No one really knows what time it is, and no one really cares.

What have I learned from this? I have learned that human behavior is very hard to change. We are locked into our habits and WILL NOT modify them for the common good, or our own good. Folks will still get their big car, trophy house, fuel in the daytime, and resist mass transit. And they won't buy low sulfur gas, carpool, or avoid driving.

So, I have a simple message: Those of you who ARE doing things to help combat global warming and air pollution, I respect you. Those who do nothing are simply part of the problem, and I do NOT respect you. Yes, I know your religion says that this is all part of the last days, but YOU created this problem, not God. YOU trashed God's Creation and now you expect God to come make a rescue mission. Well, let me tell you something buster -- your shoes are mine!

Back On Course

After reading the book "Blessed Unrest" for a while I thought I would try to address all social causes. But the euphoria of the book has wore off and I've decided to return to my two life callings: peace and the environment.

In regards to peace, it is an irony that my daughter has announced plans to join the Marines. As a citizen it is my duty to ensure that U.S. political leaders only use the military for defense, and that the current global adventurism won't be continued.

How Big Can You Get?

Yesterday I attended a family reunion at my cousin's house. He and his wife have just purchased a 6,500-square-foot home deep in the countryside. Outside their trophy house was a Ford Expedition. As I left the reunion, I turned back to the massive house and gas-guzzling vehicle, and I said, "The end is near."

Of interest is that my cousin is very religious. It totally amazes me how people can reconcile their worship of Christianity with their worship of Consumerism. To me, the two religions are in vast conflict, but I have found that people simply modify their beliefs to make them fit and feel themselves comfortable. Churches need to come down hard on America's addiction to materialism, yet they don't. Instead, the preachers rant and rave about the cozy "push button" issues like abortion and gay marriage.

So, what's wrong with having a big house and big car? Well, for one it's being wasteful of the Earth's limited energy supplies. Before long, Uncle Sam will be sending my daughter to fight in some oil war. Yes, I know, women don't go into combat, at least not yet.

Okay, my cousin has two children (I applaud him for having a small family). But, really, do four people need an eight bedroom house?

And it is a sprawl house -- building it tore up beautiful countryside to look at and enjoy. And it is a trophy house -- all about power and narcissism. So, where does the Christianity part come in? I mean, doesn't everyone get a mansion in heaven anyway for trillions of years? Can't folks just wait 30-40 years for their mansion, and in the meantime, give their excess money to the poor?

So, I know you will say that I live in a development too. My response to that is:

• I believe there should be People areas and Nature areas. I have no problem with development and construction in settled, urban areas.
• There must be a balance between humans and nature. Why is it necessary to dot the entire countryside with trophy houses?
• Yes, I live in a development too, but it's not in the boonies where I have to drive miles and miles to get anywhere.
  

Not that I'm being self righteous, I just think people should live in smaller, more efficient homes in areas that provide transportation options.

Okay, that is my rant for tonight. The humble, lowly, Goose has spoken.

On Turning 44 ....

Eeeeks! My birthday is in two days. I can't say that I'm "early 40s" anymore. But so what.

As I reflect on my 44 years of existence, the most DRAMATIC thing that strikes me is how little I've changed since I was 15.

What I'm beginning to see is that humans develop their personalities at a young age and really don't change at all. You can say, "Well I can think of people who CHANGED," but what has really happened is those people have discovered who they are.

One of the greatest challenges of life, I have discovered, is that from the moment you are born your family and community try to mold you. As soon as you come into the world, your religion, value system, and even goals are already picked out for you.

You are told to go to college, get married, have kids, drive a nice car, live in the suburbs, be a good Christian, be a loyal Republican, brush your teeth, and wear yuppie clothes from the mall.

Some people conform because it never occurs to them to question the lifestyle of their parents or community. For other people, maybe they really are yuppie robots, so they fit in perfectly. But other humans are trapped in a strange world and try to live a life that gains the acceptance of our parents, church leaders, and community. But we are never truly happy because we don't get to be ourselves.

Some famous lines:

• "Go to college, be successful, make lots of money, and you will be happy."
• "Climb the corporate ladder and you will find contentment."
• "Get married and have lots of kids."
• "Confess your sin and become heterosexual."
• "Be a good Christian, be a good American!"

Already, the mold is made for us, and if we refuse to accept it we are called, a "rebel," "back-slidden," "problem child," "odd ball," and whatever other name people can tag us with.

In America, we are programmed to become materialistic consumption machines. We are told to give our kids a nice Christmas to show our love, and if we don't have the money, we are told to "charge it." At the same time we are told to follow "traditional Christian values," and no one questions if Materialism and Christianity conflict.

"Go to church, get a gun, kill the terrorists, buy lots of stuff at Wal-mart," are all uttered in the same sentence, and we are suppose to say, "Yeah, great idea."

Little Jehovah's Witness kids come knocking at my door dressed in cute suits and dresses, with nicely dressed adults standing behind them. I just want to whisper in their ears, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO." It is not sowing seeds of rebellion, it's planting seeds of FREEDOM.

It took me much of my life to realize that I just wanted to be me, the little guy I was at age 15. So, seven years ago I just decided to start being me again, and I have loved it. No more ties, no more obsession with materialism, no more trying to impress people, no more faking how righteous or conservative I am, no more phoniness. Just me.

I guess you could say I "came out of the closet" in 1997. The person I found was a pitiful, pathetic wretch. The person had little money, a small house, and an old car. He believed passionately in God, but caught on to the clever, manipulating game of religion. He believed passionately in his country, but started to understand that democracy in America is a farce. He never believed in the corporate institutions, yet he found himself following their mantra of "BUY, CHARGE, SPEND."

The person I found buried under 22 years of social programming wasn't so bad. I'm sure there is something good about him, at least I think so. But what I do know is that this person is relatively happy.

To everyone reading this, I wish to say, "BE WHO YOU ARE." Question the institutions that try to force you into a mold and make you into someone you are not. And most importantly, LEARN TO ACCEPT OTHERS FOR WHO THEY ARE.

A good book to read:



Give Me Liberty, By Gerry Spence

Blessed Unrest

"Blessed Unrest" by Paul Hawken is a book I will probably be blogging about for a long time because it has given me so much clarity. I'm almost finished reading it, but what I can say now is that it is a direct hit on what is currently on my mind and soul.

How can we save the world?

Well, Hawkens says that what we really need to do is reinvent our civilization. The main challenge is how can we modify human behavior to stop screwing the Planet and the millions of underprivileged people who live on it?

He says we actually are taking action, in a million different ways around the world. He points out to the thousands of social justice and environmental organizations that ARE making a difference. He compares them to the body's immune system -- responding to a hostile pathogen.

Now, these are the most profound words that I will ever say:

We humans need to reinvent our relationship with the environment and to one another. That is the secret of our survival and sustainability.

In short, we need to live in such a way that we are not harming people, places, and other creatures. This is hard to do because we are so entrenched in our lifestyles, and we may not realize that each day, in a thousand little ways, we are hurting fellow humans and the Earth. This really hits the nail on the head of what my life's mission is all about. I thank author Paul Hawken so much for giving me this clarity.

Now, to begin the work -- at all levels. We need to continually pressure our institutions from the bottom up. Tomorrow I am going 90 miles away to another town to campaign for a green politician, going door-to-door. I really don't want to do it, but I've been lacking a little courage lately and need to face my fears. Most people, even highly involved activists, don't have the balls to do this. But I think of the people around the world who are risking their lives for their environmental or social cause, and I figure this is the least I can do.

I have to keep in mind that INSTITUTIONS THAT BENEFIT FROM THE STATUS QUO WILL RESIST CHANGE. Of course, the three big institutions in this world are government, religion, and corporations. All three are in urgent need of reform, and, once again, the pressure needs to be applied from below.

As for me, I am just a mass collection of cells. I am no better than my dog, any other living thing, or any other person. Maybe that's what Jesus was trying to tell us, but no one listened. Yeah, right.

Getting People To Play Nice

I continue to spend countless hours trying to figure the world out. I read the newspaper, read articles on the web, and read books. I go to a discussion group and I regulary have "deep thought" discussions with friends.

The point is that I AM making forward progress. But I am almost 47 years old, so I'm wondering if I will still be able to take action by the time I figure everything out.

One thing I'm learning is that all the issues I discover as "new" have probably been around for thousands of years. For instance, industry's exploitation of workers and the environment - OLD ISSUE. Or, religion's collusion with industry -- OLD ISSUE. Or, the fact that industry controls government -- OLD ISSUE. Or that the rich and powerful control the poor and weak -- OLD ISSUE!!!!

The challenge is not to wipe out the ruling capitalists, but rather to restrain them. Or better yet, educate and recondition them. The quest for profit at the expense of life quality is, well, senseless. Yet it goes on and on, all over the world.

So, the question is: How can you get people to change their behavior and put the greater good of the whole ahead of making a quick buck? Is it possible? Do we need a sort of restrained capitalism, which will both motivate people and also force them to act responsibly? Me don't know.

Goose

Darfur

The first genocide of the new century actually isn't a genocide -- it is a resource war. Survivalists should be watching Darfur closely because it's a great preview of things to come.

First, sub-Saharan Africa has some of the highest birthrates in the world, well above 3% annual growth.

Second, over-farming and other factors are causing the Sahara Desert to expand -- known as desertification.

The good religious groups that have tried to help the area brought their bags of grain and drilled the wells, but they forgot to bring the contraceptives and family planning education. Yes, I put the blame squarely in the face of religious aid workers for bringing on the first
major dieoff of the 21st century.

On one side of this war, you have the government forces and their nomad militia. In addition to their horses and vehicles, they have military aircraft. On the other side, you have the farmers, who with their large families and over-farming are slowly destroying the region. The government soldiers and militia, known as the janjaweed, have so far slaughtered up to 400,000 farming families, and have forced another 2 million to flee.

Aid groups, such as the Save Darfur Coalition, a religious coalition, continue to bring in food and medicine. But where are the contraceptives?

Nations with huge populations, high birthrates, and growing food deficits, will be prime candidates for social upheavel, extreme violence, and adjustment. In the next decades, the following nations will collapse first: Indonesia, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, and Mexico.

Often, the "adjustments" will manifest themselves in the form of terrorism, and we are already seeing plenty of this in the nations mentioned above.

Just like in the United States, collapsing societies will hold on to their religious fundamentalism as the world implodes around them. "It is the will of God, Allah, or Fill-In-the-Blank," they will scream. These people have no concept of taking responsibility for the Planet -- everything that happens is the will of their diety.

At 11 million people with limited fresh water, Georgia won't be a fun playground either. Before long, our population will be 20 million as refugees from around the world flood our humble state.

Okay, time to repeat a line from my favorite song: "Does anyone really know what time it is. Does anyone really care."

Speaking of the War

For years I've heard military leaders and others say that we lost Vietnam because their "hands were tied" by the politicians. So, when we went rolling into Iraq, the President and others proclaimed that the military's hands "would NOT be tied."

Well, it appears that it doesn't matter any way, since we lost Vietnam and now we are losing Iraq.

Now that the good Democrats are finally taking a stand on this insanity, they are becoming the scapegoat, just like Vietnam. The U.S. warmongers scream, "See, it's all your fault, you are trying to control the military and you are empowering our enemies."

Nonsense. The bottom line is that NON-DEFENSIVE WAR IS WRONG -- always has been, and always will be. When you engage in something that is morally and ethically wrong, you should not be surprised when it turns around and bites you in the ass. That is what is happening in Iraq.

See, I want our boys and girls home because I'm sick of reading the death reports in the newspaper each day. I know that some of them want to "finish the job" but I don't think it can ever be finished. We put our troops in a bloodthirsty region where people continually kill one another in the name of their clan, religious sect, political party, or just for fun. It's not right to put our troops in that situation.

IRAQ WAS AN UNNECESSARY WAR - No weapons of mass destruction were found.

Let's not forget that, boys and girls. Those who have wrapped themselves in the U.S. flag need to peek through the fabric that's over their face and see the deep mess we are in.

THE WAR WAS ALREADY LOST IN APRIL 2003

We just have to slaughter more Americans before we can come to grip with that. An Iraqi democracy and a stable government are a pipe dream. What government that does exist in this failed nation is corrupt to the core and completely infiltrated by clans and tribes who have their own loyalties.

The point of the story is that all humans need to EVOLVE beyond violence. We need to find a better way of doing things, rather than using force. Yes, I know the world is a crazy and brutal place, but those who revere peace can stand up against the rouge states and creatively use nonviolent tactics. There is a LOT we could have done with Iraq besides war.

Now, what have we accomplished? Now we must face an increasingly aggressive and belligerent Iran. The Iranians know how to deal with states they don't like, for we have taught them well.

On this Easter, I hope God will forgive the United States of America for its sins.

Save Me From My Cynicism

Today I'm thinking that the entire world is slowly going insane. My government, people in general, and everything is totally nuts. We have politicians that argue about everything and never get anything done. We have a "democracy" that is controlled by the rich -- nothing has changed since the days of Ancient Greece. We have millions of people who are ignorant or indifferent of the world's problems. We have more millions that are treating one of the Greek religions as hard fact, we have a president that needlessly sends men and women to die in an unnecessary war, we have a U.S. Congress that can't do nothing except vote itself raises.

Honestly, I think less and less about this country that I was born in. I really have lost respect for the ol' Red, White, and Blue. I think it would be more appropriate to put a big dollar sign on the flag. I have no idea what patriotism means anymore. The U.S. is a great world example for democracy, but I doubt we've ever had a democracy. Our government is simply controlled by the people with the big bucks. George W. Bush is a mindless puppet of the Neocons and Profiteers.

As far as "making it better" I don't know what the answer is. The whole government needs to be restructured. It really needs to be "For the People" instead of "For the Corporation." Most importantly, people must have faith in their government and the democratic process. Most people don't even bother to vote, and many of those who do are single-issue voters: gun rights, anti-choice, etc...

Maybe one day we'll make it better. But then again, maybe not.

Goose

It's All About Population

The bottom line is that most, if not all, of our environmental problems, as well as many social problems, can be traced to our exploding population.

The following is from Tom, a colleague in my Ishmael group:

People of our culture who procreate do so for many reasons, but they rarely consider the environment in their decision-making. I didn't. As decendents of the Great Forgetting, we do not respect the feedback that the Earth gives us and insist that we have the right and the might to "grow" as we see fit.

Breeders and non-breeders alike, most people think that growth is our destiny. In our business and personal lives, we are insatiable. Our religions teach us that ("human life is precious.") Business and technology insist on it (conquer disease, see the world, increase market share.) Our economists teach us that (GDP, young workers needed to support the aging baby boomers.) We want more for our kids, more for ourselves, more for our employers, more, more, more.

So, we continue to increase our population (and humanity's collective ecological footprint) and can continue to do so, until our cultural beliefs collide with ecological limits.

Let us redouble our efforts to convince enough people to stop the madness and find a new story to live, one that embraces the concept of "enough." If we don't, then Nature will impose new stories on us that may not be so pleasant.

This is so eloquently said that there is nothing more I can add tonight. The main thing is that there are dozens of environmental issues to work on, at all levels, and it's easy to get distracted. I have to keep my focus on the "mother" of all issues, even though at times it seems remote and unobtainable.Oh, and here is a great signature line from a population campaign:

"The Fate of the World is in Your Hands...And Your Pants!"

Classic!

Violence & Sustainability

All this time the two goals of my life have been to eliminate human violence and achieve global sustainability. But in the last month or so I've been thinking that maybe the two goals contradict.

Every day I read the news reports on Iraq and I get sick to my stomach. The folks over there simply LOVE murdering Americans, coalition forces, civilian contractors, each other, and any living thing they can get their hands on. They simply love to kill -- it's probably fun for them.

As I sit back and think, I'm beginning to realize that this is simply evolution at work. Violence is perfectly natural in nature, and to prevent humans from murdering and slaughtering one another is to prevent the natural flow of evolution.

What this violence accomplishes, I'm not sure. It will eventually prune out the aggressive genes in humanity. It will weed out the weak and those who are slower to draw a gun.

Maybe we just need to accept violence as part of life and let our murdering and killing pursue its natural course. Maybe this pruning of the flock will help to create a better, stronger human race.

But I keep thinking about what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said when he gave his Nobel Peace Prize speech. He said something about evolving BEYOND the violence. It always struck me strange that a preacher would use the word "evolve." But I think Dr. King was far more than a preacher -- he was a great global visionary.

So, no. As much as the Iraqis, Iranians, and gun-happy rednecks drive me crazy with their violent acts and threats, and their love for weapons, I cannot accept it.

What is the point of continued evolving, if we are only evolving ourselves to death? I mean, humanity desperately needs some goals, and I always thought "world peace" would be a nice one.

But then again, who am I to interfere with the natural process of nature? Isn't getting back in touch with our animalism a big part of sustainability?

Finally, I can't help but think that the Sunni and Shiite civil war is all engineered by the U.S. government. Maybe the Bush Administration is much smarter than we give them credit for -- maybe their goal is to let these two religious factions keep killing each other until all those aggressive young men are gone. Then Iraq would be less of a threat and the entire region would be easier to subjugate. I never put anything past those government neocons -- they are a slick bunch.

A New Religion

Whaaa, I'm not even two yet and I've already
determined that life sucks.

Let Us Think For A Moment .....

Over the past couple of years, I've spent a lot of time researching different religions and trying to find one that fits me better. See, most people just take the one handed to them by their parents, but the one I was given seems to have major shortcomings.

When I take those tests on the Internet to determine my faith, the following religions always top the list:


Liberal Quakers (100%)
Liberal Christian Protestants (95%)
Unitarian Universalism (91%)
Bahá'í Faith (78%)
Secular Humanism (75%)
Neo-Pagan (74%)
New Age (70%)
Reform Judaism (65%)
Mahayana Buddhism (63%)

I've also been fascinated with a new religion started by a young man in nearby Birmingham, AL that is not about faith at all, but rather focuses on logic and reason. It is called Universism and is similar to Deism and Agnosticism (not related to Unitarian Universalism). Even this so-called "religion" is not a good fit for me.

A New Religion

There are thousands of religions on this Planet, and many people insist that their religion is the RIGHT one. Often, people determine this not by analytic reasoning, but simply because they were BORN into a particular religion. It amazes me how people can simply accept their religion without putting it through rigorous examination. Of course, some people feel that God gets angry if they question their religion, which is a great self perpetuation mechanism.

I think we would have a much more peaceful and sustainable World if we simply threw ALL religions out the window. In their place, I would like to propose a new religion. I'll call it Making Others Less Miserable (MOLM).

The Religion of Making Others Less Miserable (MOLM)

See, my religion is based on the tenet that life is basically difficult and miserable. Whether it's financial, health, relationships, or just plain ol' loneliness, there is an abundance of hurt on this Planet. So, to practice this religion, all you have to do is go around and help other people. And, oh yes, I also extend my religion to all animals and nature.

Here are some easy ways to practice the religion of MOLM:

- Just love every human. Bring cheer into their life. Build their self esteem, give them encouragement, make them laugh. Spend time with them when they are lonely. Don't get so self-absorbed in your own pathetic life and pick up the phone and, instead, call someone who is going through a hard time.

- Practice random acts of kindness. Send a card, deliver a meal, or leave an extra large tip for a waiter who is having a bad day.

- Help the poor by finding a family in need and buying them specific items. Give to non-religious charities like American Red Cross.

- Think about everyone in your life — coworkers, friends, neighbors, family, and even strangers — and think about what you can do to lift them up.

Now, I know that you are going to say that a lot of religions practice MOLM, but there is usually a problem with this. You should not practice acts of kindness to get a bigger mansion in heaven or because it's the "Christian thing to do" (I despise that term). Rather, you should do it because it is the RIGHT thing to do, period. Unfortunately, when religions do their brand of MOLM, they often follow their good deeds by hitting you with guilt, fear, intimidation (you're going to HELL!), and coercion to accept their beliefs. Do they really want to make you happy, or are they just trying to grow their Church or religion?

Imagine

The song "Imagine" by the Beetles and recently re-made by A Perfect Circle, is one of the best songs ever. I think about it often. What a better world it would be if we didn't use our religions as an excuse and justification for hurting one another.

Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isn't hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

Diatribe

So, I'm sitting here on this third Planet from the sun, just in awe of how beautiful it is. More than anything, I love the trees. Ever since I was 10-years-old I've had a passion in my heart for the natural world. But at the same time, I realized how quickly humans are destroying it, and this has bumbed me out.

You see, without the air and clean water and good soil for growing food, we can't live. Yet, the natural world seems to be the furthest thing from most people's lives. See, I'm driving in traffic and everyone is in their SUV with a TV IN IT and no one seems to give a poop about nature. What's funny is many people around here are involved in a local church, so they bring their gas-guzzling, Earth-destroying SUV's to church, and they get their fill-up of "holy" and then they go back to their business of being indifferent and destroying the Earth.

The growth, damn I HATE growth, but it is relentless. I've lived here in this beautiful place called Georgia since I was a kid, and seeing the constant, relentless, rape of this habitat destroys my heart and soul. Just how many trees do we have to mow down for the bland subdivisions and those mind-numbing, unimaginative strip shopping centers that the make-thy-money-and-run developers throw up everywhere. They are garbage, but who gives a shit because the developer gets his yacht in Florida and the local government gets their fucking "tax base" so everyone is happy, so the rape and pillage continues. And the churches like it too because more growth means more money in the plate, and God only knows how much churches like money. So, the insanity goes on and on and on.

And then there's all this talk about "sanctity of life." Whew, WHAT A JOKE! If people really cared about life, they would limit their family size, limit their obsession with materialism, and reduce their impact (footprint) on the Planet that sustains us.

"Oh, little Canary, you are worshipping Nature instead of God, shame, shame, on you little boy."

And that is another disaster: The anthropocentric religions. What a mess. This whole idea that we humans are better than rats or any other living creature is wrong, wrong, wrong!

So, the innate robots of the world continue consuming, and continue to engage in "shopping therapy," and our weak, impotent, federal government continues to do nothing but move paper around, while they tax us to death. All in the name of God or the "One Right Way" or whatever.

The Bush regime, Pat Robertson, Dobson, and everyone who supports the indifferent politicians and the Earth-destroyers are all guilty of the greatest crime in history: The destruction of the Planet Earth and the extinction of the Human Species. Yes, Mr. Christian, yes Mr. Businessman, the blood is on your hands and you can't wash it off.

The preachers, the politicians, the lawyers, and all the other phony leaders provide elaborate window dressing, but they all live for one thing: Maximum revenue extraction. That is the legacy of humans, and it is pathetic.

Long live the people who have not sold out. Long live the people who still have a soul. And to hell with the sellouts, for you are damning God's Big Brain experiment. Homo Sapiens, as it now turns out, has become a silly joke. Go Islamic extremists, horde your oil and build your nukes. Go American, continue wasting your oil to support the "American way of life." Go, everyone, go. Continue enriching yourselves at the expense of your children. Continue running your country into deeper debt. Go, kids, go. No one cares, and nor do I. You have fucked your children, yourselves, your future, and your Planet. You reengineer your totally stupid religion and so-called patriotism to justify your foolish acts. It's a game you play, and everyone is the loser.

Enjoy your clothes, your nice car, your McMansion, and your pretty jewelry. Horde your wealth, throw a pittance in the plate to justify your existence, and then continue to horde, horde, horde. It's the American way.

God damn America!

Starting To Get It

Yeah, yeah, a big vision is starting to unfold in my life. The idea is to not leave the Earth "in as good of shape as you found it" but rather "in BETTER shape" than when you found it.

All of us humans need to live in such a way that is Zero Footprint, or better. This requires a big switch from the way we are living now. For instance, on the Ishmael discussion board we have been talking about composting our poop, and then composting our bodies when we die. Some will call this extreme environmentalism, but it's all starting to make sense to me.

But I'm really wondering if I have the balls to poop in a bucket and then take it out to my backyard garden. What will my neighbors think?

Anyway, my dear friend Chris gave me permission to post some thoughts on this topic. He is a true prophet, visionary, and the most UNhypocritical person that I've ever met. Here is his quote:

... All of us are trapped in an invisible prison of belief and cultural preconceptions. If we live in a 'normal' home with normal carpeting, bedding, children's toys, curtains, and so on, then yes, errant feces is quite unsettling. If we live however in tipis, bamboo cabanas, adobe apartments, or earthen cob hogans, and the like, the entire illusory perception of separateness from "nature" tends to evaporate. ... I am sure you know all of this intellectually. One of the personal challenges of my life is to transform an academic understanding of sustainability into an experiential one.

Does this quote rock or what? I just love it. However, making all the life changes needed to live in total harmony with the Earth will require a complete "mental retooling" for all of us. But we can do it ... we really have no other choice.

Goose

Theocons Wage War On Families

I read a great article in today's newspaper. Okay, let's see if I can get this straight. The thecons are always complaining about how the traditional American family has fallen apart, but it is their allies the neocons who are the cause.

See the neocons are the ones screaming about efficiency etc.. as all our jobs are getting outsourced and manufacturing continues to slip away in the U.S. The U.S. working class now live in a world of instability, with all the mergers, downsizing, etc... When your situation is unstable, it's hard to maintain a traditional family and marriage.

I do not have a problem with the changing job market in the U.S. See, other countries that grow their population with reckless abandon have provided an endless supply of cheap labor. That means American blue collar workers are competing with some guy who gets paid one bowl of rice per day with a fish thrown in on Fridays.

Furthermore, U.S. pro-population policies within our foreign policy have only made the problem worse. Cutting international family planning aid, restricting funding, etc.. only allows foreign populations to grow, grow, grow. Again, that means more labor, and more competition.

I love a free market -- it is simply evolution at it's finest. All I'm saying is that the theocons need to stop bitching about the breakdown of the traditional family because they helped create the problem.

We Americans REFUSE to acknowledge the population explosion, then we act dumbfounded when our job is shipped overseas. In parts of China there are multiple generations of families living in the same hut -- their overhead is cheaper than an American. Doesn't anyone get it?

Meanwhile, the theocons continue to wage war on a woman's right to choose (which creates more labor competition) and gay marriages (typically less fertility).

So, don't you see? The thecons are enthusiastically pro natal, at any expense -- even at the expense of the families they are trying to save.

This all makes me laugh. But every time I laugh I end up crying, so I prefer to just sit in my chair and do nothing. Meanwhile, the Newt Gingriches, Pat Robertsons, and James Dobsons of the world continue to wage war on the very institutions they pretend to support. Yeah, it's all real funny.

P.S. I heard James Dobson interviewing New Gingrich on the radio tonight. The incredible hypocrisy of their agenda makes me want to hurl my beans!

Back, Finally

February was a horrific month with long hours at work and several other environmental tasks on the side. Now that I'm through it all, I just want to say that ... I'm tired!

I have been at this volunteer work for nearly 10 years now and I feel that I've hardly made a budge in saving the World. I am really finding the limits of one individual, especially when family and job take up most of your time and strength. Other than going to the gym a few nights a week, for the most part I just work, day and night. If it's not job work, then it's Sierra Club work. It is work, work, work.

I want to be free, but I don't know what free is. I suppose free is being able to support yourself with out a demanding, long-hours, job. I suppose free is not having commitments, and not doing any volunteer work. Free is just being free.

The picture above? Oh, that's my hero and friend Ishmael. He provides inspiration and keeps me going through all this madness. He is my breath of fresh air.

Now that my month of fun is over, I guess I need to start going to meetings again and interacting with people, and coming out of my little home office. I really don't want to -- I sort of like being a hermit. It makes me feel sort of secure. Why do I drive across Atlanta or across the county to attend all these meetings? I really don't want to, but once I do I'm sort of glad to see like-minded people, and it's good to be exposed to new ideas and information. The more I venture out, the more I grow. But these days I just assume stay home.

Well, I'm not sure what direction I want to go in now. I haven't been sure for the past four years, so I just keep going in the same ol' direction. During my travels last week I had time to think. I think about making a big life change all the time, but I never really do anything. I just hang in limbo as the years pass by. I am not going to be that great leader who saves the world. Actually, I have no idea what I will be.

The Goose

The Worst Story of All

When I was a church leader we practiced a technique called "love
bombing." This is when you smother a newcomer with "love" and
integrate them into the organization. The goal is to make them a
"mature Christian," which I later learned was a euphemism for "good
tither."

The people attracted by this recruiting system are typically those
with serious problems -- health, addiction, financial, relationships,
etc... The goal is to stabilize them (make them "mature") and turn
them into good volunteers and revenue streams.

In regards to world problems, the flock is told that "We are living in
the end times" and that all bad things are "a part of God's plan."
This is called the Theology of Despair.

It came as a total shock to me when I realized that the evangelical
church actually WANTS to keep our world dysfunctional because it
supports their premise for existing. Unfortunately, U.S. policy is
strongly influenced by the conservative Christians, which explains the
indifference toward global warming and the lust for Middle Eastern war.

For the Christians, they are taught that God is going to destroy the
world after he lifts all the Christians into Heaven (I
will be left behind to collect shoes). The religion offers a great
"carrot and stick" package - say a three or four sentence prayer
asking Christ to "come into your life" and you spend billions of years
in a private mansion. Your days are spent petting lions and singing
hymns to Jesus. If you don't say the magic prayer, expect to spend
billions of years in the "lake of fire" where you are swimming around
with Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer while Satan pokes you with a pitchfork.

Needless to say, such stories keep many Americans mentally screwed up. And this is exactly what the religious organizations want. To be a "mature" Christian simply means you are more screwed up, as you are forced to believe illogical and conflicting nonsense.

Author Daniel Quinn says that if someone is to give up their "story" they need a better one - one that will inspire them.

Here is their story -

The Theology of Despair: Crime, corruption, famine, environmental
ruin, tribulation, nuking Persians, Paris Hilton, etc...

Here is the story I offer -

The Theology of Hope: Slower, peaceful, non-materialistic, greener,
lifestyle. Coming to grips with our animalism, stabilizing our
population, learning to live as part of the world, with a renewed love
and respect for indigenous peoples. Most importantly, zero footprint.

This is my dream, and this is the "story" I would like to present to
the world in general, and particularly to the right-wing Christians.