Wednesday, February 3
Banning Gas Powered Vehicles
Breana Noble, The Detroit News
West Coast Democrats this week introduced federal legislation that would ban U.S. sales of new vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035, despite electric vehicles accounting for less than 5% of sales last year.
The proposal is hailed as a measure to reduce pollution and protect U.S. manufacturing. It runs counter to the Trump administration's work in rolling back Obama-era fuel economy standards that the overall industry hasn't met since 2015. Meanwhile, consumers are buying up trucks and SUVs with gas prices sitting closer to $2 than $4.
"If we don't make things in America, we won't have a middle class in America," Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, who introduced the bill with California Rep. Mike Levin, said in a statement. "By moving aggressively and boldly now, we can help save Americans from the dire health and economic impacts of the climate crisis, and make sure American workers are the ones building the next generation of cars for the world."
The proposal comes on the heels of California Gov. Gavin Newsom last month signing an order seeking to ban new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Likewise, a recent report from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection suggests all new vehicles will need to be electric or hydrogen-powered by 2035 to meet the state's climate goals.
The federal standard proposed by the legislation would require that in five years, 50% of new sales would be zero-emission vehicles — with that figure increasing by five percentage points each year until 2035.
COMMENT:
Let's suppose that we do actually stop building and selling gas powered vehicles by 2035, we will still need to have oil production and refinement for the next 15 years... and, that reduction will involve not just involve gasoline for automobiles but for all the byproducts of oil... it will involve education, marketing, and changing industries related to the gasoline industry... like airplanes, buses, trains, NASCAR, boats, yachts, cruise ships, etc.
And... if we are doing this because of GLOBAL WARMING... our contribution won't mean a damn thing unless the rest of the world follows our example.... and, even if they agree to follow our example, will they we able to END EVERYTHING related to gasoline by 1935?
Petroleum Byproducts
FROM BRITANNICA
This is a list of products produced from petroleum. Types of unrefined petroleum include asphalt, bitumen, crude oil, and natural gas. (See also fossil fuel; hydrocarbon; oil; petrochemical; petroleum production; petroleum refining; pitch lake; tar sand.)
Fuels
Other Products
- microcrystalline wax
- napalm
- naphtha
- naphthalene
- paraffin wax
- petroleum jelly
- petroleum wax
- refined asphalt
- refined bitumen
This article was most recently revised and updated by Richard Pallardy, Research Editor.
Although crude oil is a source of raw material (feedstock) for making plastics, it is not the major source of feedstock for plastics production in the United States. Plastics are produced from natural gas, feedstocks derived from natural gas processing, and feedstocks derived from crude oil refining.
College Degree = Success = Happiness
In addition to one's education, one must be willing (more often than not) to violate their values, integrity, honor, and sometimes morals in order to achieve success and happiness... Yet, it is true that education opens the door... but, there is much more to it than that.
Successful people (not necessarily happy ones) put their FAMILIES SECOND behind their EMPLOYMENT and the company that employees them. Successful people (not necessarily happy ones) are willing to work 60-80 hours a week, including nights and weekends... and, in many cases are sent out-of-town on business trips at the drop of a hat.
Their family life is non-existent... Their vacations are oftentimes spent conducting business as well... and, many people enjoy combining business with pleasure but not all families with children are able to cope with this lifestyle.
My father's job for instance, took him away from the family for 9 months out of 12 and he allowed this to happen for about 10 years until he could find himself in a position where options were being presented to him. Those options were being presented ONLY BECAUSE HE WAS SUCCESSFUL at accomplishing a variety of goals at which many others before him had failed.
SO...
there is a new criteria to add to education and experience and that is SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES... If you don't there is no promotion and one could face termination of employment.
LIVING UNDER THESE CONDITIONS is not a good methodology by which one manages STRESS.
Additionally, many people are awarded PhD's and decide to teach for a living and even with that amount of education, teachers never become WEALTHY... They are financially well off, but never WEALTHY... and, if success and happiness is based upon WEALTH, then these people are never considered to be successful or happy.
I believe after working in a career for 45 years, I can say that the happiest I have ever been is when I had eliminated my stress... and, once stress was eliminated, I also felt like I was finally successful in life. Success and Happiness was NOT BASED UPON EDUCATION OR MONEY, but on living a life of contentment and wanting for nothing.
WANTING FOR NOTHING goes against the concept of GREED. Our entire economic system is predicated upon GREED. If and when Americans stop wanting more, life as we know it will become meaningless... and yet, that is exactly what one needs to achieve in order to be successful and happy. Many wealthy people do not considered themselves successful because there is more money to be earned... and, while these wealthy people have all sorts of toys, the fact that they want/needs more is an indication that they are NOT HAPPY.
Tuesday, February 2
What's Happening To This Country of OURS???
Chicago carjackings more than double in January, up 180% over last year; police say most offenders are teens
'We’re having 12-year-olds commit these acts now,' a police official said
Stephanie Pagones | Fox News reporting
Chicago saw more than 180% more carjackings in January than during the same month in 2020 -- and police believe most of the offenses are being committed by young adults and teenagers, some of whom are currently out of school due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Carjackings rose about 135% last year to 1,415 and continue at a high pace this year, police statistics show. Chicago Police Department (CPD) recorded 218 carjackings in January 2021 -- a staggering spike from the 77 reported during the same time last year, authorities told Fox News late Monday.
The startling pattern has grown to be cause for concern among police brass, who on Jan. 21 announced the creation of a team dedicated to finding those people responsible.
Officials said CPD arrest data show carjackers are most often between the ages of 15 and 20, but arrest records show they are sometimes even younger.
"We’re having 12-year-olds commit these acts now," Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said, "and we gotta do something together as a city to stop these actions."
CPD's new carjacking team consists of 40 police officers and four sergeants assigned to work across CPD’s five detective bureaus, the department said. But the program extends beyond just manpower to include public programs and collaboration with community groups and local, state and federal partners.
"This idea of our officers confronting a 13- and 12-year-old with a gun and the most unthinkable tragedy happens is one of our concerns, but our primary concern, I want to make this clear, is for the victim," Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said. "And so these consequences, whether you’re young or old, have to be significant in order to discourage this behavior."
Deenihan said pandemic-driven changes, such as civil unrest and the lack of fully-functioning school and court systems have contributed to the surge. He noted the lack of fear on the part of the carjackers, pointing to one involving a 12-year-old that occurred on Jan. 15, when a woman was parking her car in a garage. TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE...
On Being White, continued
Haper's Bazaar writer Ella Alexander writes:
"In order to understand the way privilege works, you have to be able to see patterns and systems in social life, but you also have to care about individual experiences," said McIntosh in a 2014 interview with The New Yorker. "I think one’s own individual experience is sacred. Testifying to it is very important—but so is seeing that it is set within a framework outside of one’s personal experience that is much bigger, and has repetitive statistical patterns in it."
Here, we share 20 of McIntosh's examples of white privilege based on daily experiences that we often take for granted, in the hope it offers a better understanding of this complex subject. Let us learn from this moment and to be less oblivious to unearned racial advantages.
- I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
- If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
- I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
- I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
- I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
- When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
- I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
- If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.
- I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods that fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
- Whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.
- I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
- I can swear, or dress in second-hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
- I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
- I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
- I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
- I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of colour who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
- I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
- I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to “the person in charge,” I will be facing a person of my race.
- If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
- I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.
Liberals versus Conservatives
ON THE SURFACE, there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving people FREE SERVICES but as with everything there are OPPORTUNITY COSTS as well as UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, the latter only showing up 5-10 years later so association is not that immediate or influencing or even cared about.
The biggest problem with FREE SERVICES is the DEBT that is created and like all debt it will eventually have to be paid off. Future Generations will pay off our debt and if you care about the future, those unintended consequences will serious impact our children's children as well as their children... but, we will be DEAD and will not experience these consequences.
The other issue facing the liberals is the fact that they believe in a SMALL MILITARY and in so doing can redirect money from DEFENSE into other SOCIAL PROGRAMS and while this might has been a good thing to do 20-30 years ago, it is not the best use of resources today... especially with the growth of CHINA, INDIA, the Middle East, RUSSIA, and North Korea who sole purpose in life is now to CRUSH the USA both MILITARILY and ECONOMICALLY.
Ever since WWII, the USA has been trying to FORCE DEMOCRACY down the throats of the rest of the world because pour AMERICAN POLITICAL LEADERS since 1950 have believed that DEMOCRACY is the only form of government under which one should live... consequently, the USA is RIGHT and the rest of the world is WRONG.
Ironically, THAT PISSED OFF THE REST OF THE WORLD... and, these countries have decided collectively that they should put the USA in its place... which is why the rest of the world HATES the USA even though they are will to take OUR MONEY, OUR AID, and OUR MILITARY SUPPORT if needed.
The Conservatives are willing to protect the USA with FORCE whereas the Liberals want to make PEACE with the rest of the world, allowing them to grow and build their defenses believing that they SOMEDAY they will attack the USA... and quite possible WIN.
If we ever reach a point in the USA where only one political party controls, we will certainly LOSE OUR FUTURE.
Monday, February 1
On Being White, continued
The U.S. election will be over soon but this year has surfaced deep human challenges that remain our callings — and possibilities for growth — for the foreseeable future. So this week and next, we’re taking the long view — first with journalist John Biewen, on the stories of our families and hometowns, what it means to be human, and what it means to be white. This conversation between Krista and John starts simply — tracing the racial story of our time through the story of a single life. It’s an exercise each of us can do. And it is a step toward a more whole and humane world, starting with ourselves.
John Biewen is audio program director at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies and host of the audio documentary podcast, Scene on Radio. In that series, John has explored whiteness, masculinity, and democracy. During a 30-year career, he has told stories from 40 American states and from Europe, Japan, and India.
Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.
On Being White
IN 0.63 SECONDS, I RECEIVED 4,480,000,000 RESULTS ON GOOGLE AFTER TYPING IN "On Being White."
I had WHITE PARENTS who were educated and who raised me to treat all people equally as long as their behavior suggested it... and, that is exactly how I lived my life.
My father accepted a DIPLOMATIC post overseas at an American Embassy and to tell you the truth, I have no idea if his bosses even considered a black man for the job... but, if there were no black men available, then it would have been difficult to hire a black man for the job.
Going to high school in Cairo, Egypt, I experienced NO RACISM or PREDJUDICE at all among the students with whom I attended this school... and yes, there were many people of color attending that school.
When I attended college in NC in 1966, that was the first time that I experienced racism and witnessed white people treating black people differently... including professors. However, once I enlisted into the US Navy, there was no racism expressed at all and I remember that my Communications Officer was a black man and I showed him the same respect that I showed all officers in the military.
After college, I had several jobs and I have no idea nor did I ask the person doing the hiring if I was competing with any black people. However, when I was Dean of a proprietary school, I hired both black and white instructors as long as they had the appropriate credentials and/or qualifications... and, in my experience, I was never put in a position where there was a white and a black equally qualified and I had to chose one over the other.
Whenever I was promoted inside the ranks of education from instructor to Assistant Dean and then to Dean, there WAS NEVER ANY COMPETITION for the position from either other whites or any blacks that were employed.
NOW...
I am being confronted with WHITE PRIVILEGE and how the WHITE MAN/WOMAN has always had the advantage over BLACKS...
I just don't see it... making it difficult for me to believe it exists... and yet, logically, I know it exists... but, NOT ALL WHITE PEOPLE have had a life of privilege... and, it is that distinction that pisses me off the most about blacks thinking I have had it easy simply because I am WHITE.
I had NO CHOICE in my BIRTH...
and I damn sure had no choice in my birth parents...
NO ONE DOES... unless they have a direct line to GOD... and believe that they can influence HIM.
Sunday, January 31
Saturday, January 30
Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE...
As a US Veteran, I am appalled by this action, even though this nominated came outside of the USA... it was still made... and, I am sure that it was made in good faith... but, without living in the USA where the BLM movement originated, then one does not fully understand or appreciate the actually violence that BLM has generated while offering the world awareness about racism. BUT... BLM is causing more racism that it eliminates, simply because it is trying to bring racism to the forefront of American Life.
The fact remains that OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT FORCE Americans to stop HATING each other... it can force employers to hire so many blacks and it can force public schools to accept so many blacks... and, it can force teachers to teach WHITENESS classes in the hopes that white will stop acting like they have privilege in this country...
BUT... that is where we are headed... If I HATE BLACKS... how to change my attitude and/or my behavior?
Friday, January 29
Our New College Student
Over my 45 year career, I have watched how EDUCATION has been diluted to accommodate those students who did not have natural mental abilities and talents and who, would never have been accepted into any reputable University or College unless they were dependents of alumni or of a generous benefactor.
One nasty concept that Universities and Colleges learned in the last 20-30 years was the concept that REVENUES were more important students retaining knowledge... AND... as long as 80% of their graduates knowledgeable and able to contribute to a company... the other 20% no longer mattered. In other words, they could admit 20% of their student body with applicants from people who did not possess the skills or have the academic foundation to go to college.
University Administrators than put pressure on the faculty members to give these students "C's" so that they could graduate even when they did not earn the "C".
This concept first started with the PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS then gradually made its way into to the smaller 4 year schools, not just in the Southern States but all over the USA. States that had COMMUNITY COLLEGES were authorized to admit EVERYONE as long as they could pay the tuition... and, in some States like TENNESSEE, COMMUNITY COLLEGES are FREE OF CHARGE...
Now you have students wanting to attend a 4 year College or University as a JUNIOR... and, it does not matter what kind of grades are made at the COMMUNITY COLLEGE as long as they are "C's" because ALL GRADES only transfer in as "C's" anyway.
If the student is a Business Major, English Grammar is no longer taught or even considered when grading papers... neither is science, biology, chemistry, history, political science, philosophy, psychology, etc.
And, if a student has gotten to the level of a JUNIOR, the odds are ALL FACULTY will make sure that this student graduates.
Thank God It's Friday
Just another Friday...
Just another weekend...
Just another day...
But... for some of us, it is a day to be remembered because this is the day that changed our lives.... that is to say, we woke up and saw the light... the light of awareness, understanding, and yes... enlightenment.
Government does not control us.
We control us.
Government sets up rules and laws by which we live our lives, but Government cannot tell us when to work or how hard to work or what company to which we make an application. Government cannot tell us who to marry, when to marry, or how many children to have. Government cannot tell us what house to buy, which State to live in, or which community to reside. Government cannot tell us what to believe or what not to believe.
GOVERNMENT INFLUENCES... but, it does not control...
SO...
while it may just be another FRIDAY... and, another day before the weekend, and for that matter just another day... it is a day where we as an individual understand OUR WORTH and our PURPOSE to live life as we want to live life...
Most governments LIE because they believe that the people cannot handle to truth of all that is going on in the world. LIES are LIES not matter who tells them or for what purpose... And... as parents, we have lied to our children for the same REASON government has lied to us... and, the same reason that our parents lied to us when we were young... and, we know how that lie feels when discovered.
Today, is the day that we take control of our lives... and, not count on the government TO TELL US WHAT TO DO AND WHEN TO DO IT.
Why Is There Existence?
You believe in the Big Bang
OR
You believe in creation
BUT...
there is a more fundamental belief that we all actually IGNORE which is not understandable at all and that is...
WHY DOES ANYTHING EXIST AT ALL?
- Why do we have the existence of a universe?
- Why do you we have planets, sun, moon, and stars?
- Why do we have solar systems?
- Why do we have galaxies?
- Why do we existence of mankind?
What was there before the big bang/creation?
And, why did it not stay around?
Obviously, these questions will never be answered but some, like myself, will still find it curious that we have existence at all when there is a possibility that everything could still be non-existent. And, what would be the point of anything, if it all were non-existent?
I remember sitting in Church when I was in high school thinking: why did God create a universe so VAST when HE decided to put mankind on earth? It seems like overkill... Mankind did not need the vastness of the universe and even if mankind developed space travel, it would still not be able to completely explore the vastness of space... so what was the point... other than the simple fact that GOD COULD...
Of course, I never shared my thoughts with anyone because I knew that I was not even supposed to have thoughts like these in the first place. Back in the 60's one did not question one's parents or one's elders... but we could disobey them... and, that is precisely what I did.
Pondering existence versus non existence in high school was not easy since all my peers were interested in making grades, drinking alcohol, and having sex with the ladies. None of our classes explored any type of philosophical debate unless it concerned what a writer might have written in a novel... and even then, philosophical debate was limited to the superficial.
The vastness of our UNIVERSE is EGOTISTICAL in nature as well as ARROGANT and until we learn otherwise, actually serves no logical purpose... especially since mankind is located on earth, in a solar system that is located in the Milky Way Galaxy. No other solar systems are needed for mankind... no other galaxies are needed for mankind.... and yet...
Thursday, January 28
Is This STUPID or What?
People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA, was mocked on social media this week for a tweet that argued calling someone names like a "pig," "chicken" or a "snake" is hurtful to the animals themselves.
"Words can create a more inclusive world, or perpetuate oppression," the animal rights organization wrote Tuesday in a tweet that was pinned to its page. "Calling someone an animal as an insult reinforces the myth that humans are superior to other animals & justified in violating them. Stand up for justice by rejecting supremacist language."
A chart in the tweet showed examples of animal-related insults that it felt were "harmful" and "inaccurate."
PETA MOCKED FOR CALLING 'PET' A 'DEROGATORY' TERM, SUGGESTING 'COMPANION' INSTEAD
It included "chicken" for a coward, "rat" for a snitch," "snake" for a jerk, "pig" for someone who is repulsive and "sloth" for a lazy person.
PETA also urged its followers to consider, in general, not insulting anyone – human or animal.
After that, the insults came quickly.
One Twitter commenter wrote, "Animals aren't oppressed by those words because they don't understand our language. And have no concept of words and their meaning."
Treehouses
Once both the cave and the tree house were completed, they became our club house... our club, at the most, was comprised of 6... and, there was no real leader... we just sorta made decisions together, simply agreeing with whatever suggestion was offered.
TREEHOUSE MASTERS is a show on cable staring Pete Nelson and his crew who travel the USA building treehouses for people for a variety of reasons. On average, the client pays Pete $275,000 for one of his custom built treehouses, but it can go as high as $400,000-$500,000. So, these houses are far from the ones that my lads and I built in the 1950's.
It would appear, based upon the photos below that many people are interested in tree houses outside of the treehouses built by Pete Nelson....
Philosophical Questions: 101-205
102. Your perception of the world is just what your brain constructs for you from the signals sent by your senses. Plus, there is a slight delay, so you aren’t even experiencing the simulation in real time. What would it be like if humans could perceive what the world is actually like and do it in real time? Also, what are the ramifications of every single person’s reality being a little different and unique to them?
103. If language influences how we perceive color, what other things could languages be changing our perception of?
104. Is a sense of humor a byproduct of consciousness or something else entirely?
105. Are intelligence and happiness tied together in any way? If you are highly intelligent, is it more likely that you’ll be more, or less happy?
106. Human memory has been shown to be incredibly unreliable. With that in mind, how do you know which of your memories are genuine and which have been altered or made up?
107. Different people and different organisms perceive reality in vastly different ways. With that in mind, what is real and what is just our perception of reality? Or does every organism live in its own personal reality?
108. When, if ever, is taking a human life justified?
109. Can animals have morals?
110. Without religion would people become more, less, or be equally morally corrupt?
111. If humanity was put on trial by an advanced race of aliens, how would you defend humanity and argue for its continued existence?
112. What rights does every human have? Do those rights change based on age?
113. Do animals have rights and do those rights extend to all animals or do the rights change based on the complexity of the animal?
114. Is justice a human construct or is it independent of humans?
115. Why do people expect a universe full of randomness to be fair?
116. With no laws or rules to influence your behavior, how do you think you would behave?
117. What’s the difference between justice and revenge?
118. If it was discovered that personality traits were partly genetic and could be removed with gene therapy, would it be ethical to edit out negative character traits that harm others like extreme aggression, compulsive lying, or cruelty?
119. If you could press a button and receive a million dollars, but one stranger would die, would you press the button? And if so, how many times?
120. What would be the most ethical way to give away five million dollars?
121. Are people ethically obligated to improve themselves?
122. Is privacy a right?
123. At what point is overthrowing a government ethical, considering all the violence a revolution usually entails?
124. Can morality ever be objective or is it always subjective? If it can be objective, in what instances? If it’s always subjective, how do we decide whose concept of morality is correct?
125. Are intentions or outcomes more important when judging whether actions are moral?
126. Should there be limitations on the right to free speech?
127. If it was discovered that most animals were conscious of their existence and eventual death, what would be the ramifications of that discovery?
128. Should euthanasia be legal? Why or why not?
129. If scientists could accurately predict who was more likely to commit crimes, what should society do with that information?
130. Do business owners have the right to refuse service to customers?
131. If babies are considered innocent, when do people cease to be innocent?
132. Why do humans often associate beauty with morality?
133. If you can save another’s life and don’t because doing so would break the law, are you ethically justified in your decision?
134. Are all individuals morally obligated to save another person’s life if they are able? What if that person lives in another country?
135. Is it just and right to deny entry to a country when doing so probably means death for the immigrant and their family?
136. Should we terraform planets if it means that we may be destroying undiscovered microscopic alien life?
137. Does anonymity encourage people to misbehave or does it reveal how people would choose to act all the time if they could?
139. What is the most fertile soil for hatred? Fear, ignorance, jealousy, or something else entirely? Is it possible that some people are genetically predisposed to hatred?
140. If doing something good for others makes us feel good, can there ever be such a thing as pure altruism?
141. What is your definition of evil?
142. Do all people have equal value regardless of their actions or is a person’s value based on their actions?
143. Why are humans so fascinated by mass murderers if their actions are universally considered evil and vile?
144. As people, we feel our moral obligation weaken with physical as well as emotional distance from individuals in need. For example, you’re more likely to help someone dying of hunger at your feet than someone dying of hunger in another country. How does this human trait of morality dependent on distance shape our world?
145. If I steal a loaf of bread from you and eat it, when does the bread itself cease to be yours and becomes mine?
146. How much effort should an individual put into not offending others?
147. If you could start a country from scratch, what would it be like?
148. Would a government run with algorithms, A.I., and statistics be better or worse than the government we have now?
149. Would the world be a better or worse place if everyone looked the same?
150. What causes the most harm in the world, but is completely avoidable?
151. How far should governments go to prevent its citizens from causing harm to themselves?
152. Do people in wealthier countries have a moral obligation to help those in poorer countries?
153. What should the role of a government be, what boundaries and limitations should it have?
154. Is poverty in society inevitable?
155. How should we measure the productivity of a society?
156. What would a utopia be like, how would it function and continue to exist?
157. Do you think there will ever be a global government? If a world government did come to power, assuming it wasn’t particularly cruel or evil, would it be a good or bad thing?
158. What is the biggest threat to the social contract in our country?
159. Is it more or less difficult to be successful in the modern world than it was in the past (10, 50, 100, or 1,000 years ago)?
160. Could societies exist without a way to transfer value (i.e. without money or a barter system)?
161. What would happen if a maximum income of was implemented?
162. What will the economy of wealthy countries look like in 50 to 100 years?
163. What do you think the long-term effects of so many people being glued to their screens will be?
164. If all humans want the same basic things, why is there so much violence and strife between people?
165. Is the human tendency to create groups an overall positive or a negative trait in terms of general human flourishing?
166. What would happen to a society in which no one had to work, and everyone was provided enough food/water/shelter/healthcare for free?
167. Is the cultural trend of individualism and the rejection of collectivism a beneficial or detrimental trend?
168. Considering that the technology exists to enable a real democracy, would a true democracy (every single person can vote on every single legislation) be advantageous or detrimental?
169. If everyone said what they were actually thinking, what would happen to society?
170. What are the benefits and drawbacks of diversity in society?
171. Under our government are there any rights that you have but shouldn’t? How about rights you don’t have but should?
172. What is the most important right our government allows for?
173. Has social media been a net positive or a net negative for our society? Why?
174. How would society change if men were able to get pregnant and men and women both had an equal chance of getting pregnant?
175. Why have many societies begun to place such a high value on emotions and being emotional?
176. Is it right or wrong that everyone seems to be accustomed to the fact that all of humanity and most of the life on Earth could be wiped out at the whim of a handful of people?
177. In an ideal government, what should a good citizen provide to their government and what should that government provide that good citizen?
178. Should tax payers have the option to explicitly say what they don’t want their tax dollars spent on?
179. Can a society exist without laws?
180. Will humanity ever be able to escape tribalism and the creation of in and out groups? Should it?
181. How much privacy are you willing to sacrifice for safety?
182. How would the world change if there was an accurate measure of aptitude?
183. Is hierarchy necessary for all successful human communities?
184. Is some degree of censorship necessary?
185. What are the biggest moral dilemmas your country is facing now?
186. Was the agricultural revolution and the explosion of civilizations that came from it an overall good thing for humans or a negative? In other words, would it have been better or worse for people to stay in small tribes?
187. What will be/are some of the by-products to society of everyone having the ability to take pictures or a video at any time?
188. Does marriage as an institution need to be updated or is it fine how it is?
189. If you were given the ability to reform how your country’s leaders were chosen and how they serve, what would you change?
190. At what point is a technologically enhanced human not a human anymore?
191. Does the modern age make global conspiracies more or less feasible?
192. Is technological advancement a net positive or a net negative?
193. Is technological progress inevitable as long as humans exist or can it be stopped?
194. Is true artificial intelligence possible with our current technology and methods of programming?
195. What scientific breakthrough would have the biggest effect on humanity?
196. Why did technology progress more slowly in the past than it does now?
197. Will we keep leaping to even greater technological and scientific breakthroughs that radically change society, or will the rate of progress slow and humanity’s progress be limited to incremental improvements?
198. If a robust and cheap genetic engineering industry existed, would you have your genes edited? If so, what genetic changes would you choose to make? If not, why not?
199. Assume that in the future there will be huge leaps in human augmentation. Given a scale from completely human to completely machine, how far would you choose to augment yourself with robotics? What parts would you augment and why?
200. If the transporters in Star Trek existed and you used it, your particles would be disassembled and then reassembled, do you die every single time? Are you ever alive at two places at once? Are you ever completely dead?
201. Should full access to the internet be a fundamental human right?
202. Has the invention of the atomic bomb made the world a more peaceful place?
203. Do you think the singularity will occur? If so, what time frame do you think it will happen in?
204. If emotions are the product of biochemical reactions, then in the future we will be theoretically able to control them. If we could control emotions through technology, should we?
205. Is there a limit to what humans can create through technology and science?
Wednesday, January 27
COVID Norms
But... with that said, the cost to the American Taxpayer was high... because our Federal Government gets it money for the most part from taxes.
Now, we are facing new problems even with the vaccine because it will take another year before everyone in the USA has received the vaccine and some of our school teachers in grade levels K-12 are still very nervous about going back to work and risk catching the virus. Consequently, some of our school children are missing out on their educational futures and could very easily fall behind academically a good 2 years unless their parents have been home-schooling them... and, while home-schooling is a viable alternative it may not be appropriate for everyone.
While COVID still prowls over our country, we have an increase in violence prowling over our larger cities... like New York City and other cities of a relatively similar size... Most of this violence is in the Northern part of our country, but violence has a way of relocating to other areas and if violence needs to go somewhere, it will no doubt travel south. However, violence is usually restricted to the cities proper and if it were to move South, it would not move into those rural areas because of our SECOND AMENDMENT and the fact that MANY SOUTHERNERS own multiple firearms and keep their usage certifications current... especially since HUNTING is one of SOUTHERNERS favorite past times.
Older folks are more susceptible to COVID than younger people but younger people can be infected with the virus but display no symptoms making it deadly for older people to spend a lot time in public without wearing protection... although, wearing a face mask does not protect the wearer of the face mask but other people... so, the only way for older people to protect themselves is to not be around people who are not wearing face masks.
Healthcare workers have informed me that the wearing of facemasks is likely to be the NEW NORM for several years out into the future...
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