The Bald Eagle And The Cat, Domestic Cats Outside Suffer And Kill Wildlife

There was a video posted on the news regarding a bald eagle bringing back to its nest a dead cat to feed its young. The question was raised whether domestic cats belong outside. Rather then tackle this emotionally charged issue head on, the timid conservationists and so called called animal advocates danced around it. Viewers were warned that some might be disturbed and offended because it was a cat the eagles consumed, instead of a less important creature to many humans such as a rabbit, squirrel, raccoon, and so on. Cats really should not be outside, was the weak knee conservationists' response. One organization, which I consider to be a marketing and money making machine and maximum exploiter of animals with minimal to nothing to show for the millions upon millions of dollars they collect, advised that their organization is full of good ideas how to keep cats entertained indoors, completely ignoring the millions of cats that already live or spend significant time outside, including the millions of house cats whose owners insist roam outside, and feral cats which includes tnr (trap,neuter,release) cats. There is always the fear to not offend donors. The gutless crowd will not be forthright and tell it like it is- cats must not be outside. It is not that they should not be outside; it is that they must not be. They are decimating wildlife. And life for many cats living outside is pure hell. So for wildlife, expect this from humans- we will continue to grow our population unchecked, which means we will continue to develop, decimate and destroy the habitat for wildlife. And we will continue to poison and pollute this planet. We will continue to wage senseless religious wars that destroy lives, waste resources, destroy everything, because we do not have the courage to tell those that kill in the name of religion that we are sick and tired of their stupid excuses for violence and killing and we no longer want, or will allow, them to shove their religion down our throats. We will continue to unleash onto the natural world the nonnative domestic house cat, one of the world's greatest predators, into habitats where the wildlife never evolved defenses. The domestic house cat is wiping out wildlife, and no amount of hysteria from the cat loving crowd will change this reality. If someone really loves animals, they should want the domestic cat safe indoors out of harms way, and not outdoors where they suffer, spread disease to humans and wildlife, and worst of all, kill by the billions song birds and other wildlife. Every time I have raised these points, I get an emotional response, not a fact based response. The name calling and insults get hurled. Grown ups make choices. You are not choosing no kill when you leave cats outside. Instead, you are choosing what should be killed. Leave cats outside, and you are choosing the killing of wildlife. Humans already inflict enough harm upon wildlife. Outside domestic cats, whether feral, part of tnr, or house cats left to roam, should not continue to be an additional, major threat and killer of birds and other wildlife.

Most Israelis Are The From The Middle East And N. Africa; They Are The Forgotten Refugees From Muslim Jew Haters

The majority population of Israel are Jews that came from, or are the descendants of, Jews from the middle east and N. Africa. The false narrative continues that Israelis are all of European descent, and that Israel's creation was a European invasion of an indigenous Arab population. There were more Jewish refugees from Arab Muslim lands than there were Arab refugees from Israel. Jews have always lived in what is now Israel and the west bank, although they were driven out from the west bank in places like Hebron during a series of anti-Jewish massacres before the state of Israel was created. After Israel was created, Arab Muslim middle east, North African, and other Muslim non European countries forced out their Jewish populations and sent many of them fleeing for their lives, having to leave behind all of their possessions, to the state of Israel. Go to your own country, they were told. Now that they are in their own country, they are told, leave your country- it belongs to Arab Muslims. Hamas and Hezbollah, Arab Islamist organizations, makes it clear that all of Palestine must be ruled by Muslims and all Jews must be murdered or at best driven out. In short, Jews were expelled by Arab Muslims in the past and forced to flee as refugees to Israel. Now that they live in Israel, and it is over 65 years later, they are told by Arab Muslims and others that they must leave Israel, and that only Muslims can have sovereignty over that land. Does anyone in their right mind honestly think that the Israeli descendants of Jews from Muslim majority lands will return to places such as Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, non Arab but Islamist Iran, and many other places, where they will face certain persecution or war? A two state solution is the way to end this conflict. A state for Palestinian Arabs alongside the state of Israel. But this does not mean being blind to the fact that there are many that seek the complete destruction of Israel and of the Jews. Arab Muslims gave Israel its majority Jewish population. Arab Muslims purposefully made sure that Palestinian Muslim Arab refugees were never absorbed by any of the Arab Muslim countries that drove out their Jews. And of course, Muslim countries like Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, only too happy to keep the flames of war and hate alive in regards to Israel, can be counted on to not accept desperate Syrian, Yememi or Iraqi Muslim refugees. Jews are the scapegoat of Islamists and the world, and if the Israelis should ever lose Israel, they can be assured of the slaughter of their people and the raping of their women and girls, which is exactly what Islamists are now doing to Yazidis. Religious minorities such as Yazidis, middle east Christians, Bahais and other religious minorities are suffering greatly under the thumb of Islamists. The only reason Jews of the middle east have not been mass murdered and their young girls and women raped is because they have a country of their own, regardless of how much the world despises and wants to destroy that one small country. It is unfortunate that middle east Christians, Bahais, Yazidis, Kurds, also do not have their own small countries in the huge vastness of lands that were given to Arab Muslims. The Islamic world and many others want yet another Arab Muslim country for Palestinians Arabs(but continue to deny statehood for Muslim Kurds) which even many Israelis accept, but this will be a mistake if it becomes another Islamist state that seeks only Jew killing and infidel killing and the positive creation of nothing.

Humanity Will Not Be Saved By Mindless Worship, Religion and Fanaticism

What happens going forward in this world will not be determined by the degree of religious mindlessness, worship and fanaticism that humans display. If the delicate web of life that holds this planet together begins to unravel, as it is already, religion will finally take second fiddle to reality. Most of the world's oxygen comes from the oceans. Destroy the oceans, and life is destroyed. Change the acidity of the oceans, and invertebrates may no longer be able to create their hard, calcium carbonate protective shells. Life will not survive if humankind keeps contaminating and poisoning this planet, and no amount of religion will change that.

Climate Change Is Not About Its Messenger

It is too bad if the person most associated with climate change is self serving and greedy. It does not mean that the problem is not real.

A Stagnant Educational System That Continues To Bore And Fail Millions

The American educational system that has already failed vast numbers of children remains unreformed. Making education relevant, challenging and interesting seems impossible in a cesspool of stagnation. Simple things can be done for starters. For example, many children might find science far more interesting if they get to learn hands on about the natural world. It is truly appalling how many children and people of all ages completely lack any understanding of the natural world and the environment, including the birds and animals they may encounter every day. Many children will learn far better if they can experience hands on about science, such as spending time outside and discovering firsthand the world around. When it comes to other fields such as history, what is the point of going into great deal about events that have passed, while we raise generation after generation of children that are clueless regarding events that are taking place right now. Millions of Americans and American school children are clueless regarding nature, the political and economic system in which they live, who are their elected officials, other countries in this world, and so much more that directly impacts their lives and would help them be informed, educated citizens. Why is it important to maintain, for whatever dysfunctional reasons, a boring educational system that continues to fail millions instead of making education challenging, interesting, and engaging?

Why The West And Russia May Not Win The War Against Islamists

There are a number of reasons the west and Russia may not win the war against Islamists. First, the poor relationship between the west and Russia clouds their judgement, and so they are both choosing warring Islamists on one side or the other over cooperation with each other. Second, far too many people and countries hate Jews and Israel to such a degree that they will willingly back the Islamists, even though it is against their own survival. The world witnessed a similar phenomenon with the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, in which people chose death and destruction just to see Jews perish. Third, political correctness mindlessly demands complete acceptance of the incredible brutality and political incorrectness of the Islamists. Islamists want the world, and the world is too afraid or timid to stand up to their aggression. Fourth, people want to hide from the truth and not face the fact that Islam can be a religion of peace or it can be a religion of war and intolerance. The basis for both can be found in the Quran and in Islam itself. The need for sugar coating reality and self deception only strengthens the Islamists. Islamists are not an aberration. Their interpretation of Islam, which is found in the Quran, is the same as what Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and some other oil rich nations aggressively promote. The west and some Muslims keep declaring that Islamic violence is not Islam. No one gains from ignoring reality. As already stated, there is in the Quran verses that support peace and tolerance, and other verses that support war and intolerance. The Muslims that support peace and tolerance have been losing footing against the oil rich Islamic nations that promote violence and intolerance. Peace, tolerance and diversity in Islam will not prevail by pretending the opposite does not also exist in Islam. The challenge is to support the former, but not by denying or ignoring the existence of the latter. Fifth, the west and Russia do not want a religious war. Yet the Islamists are already giving them a religious war, whether they like it or not. Instead of ignoring the war that the Islamists are waging, Russia has instead chosen to align itself with Shia Islamists, thereby choosing a side in the sectarian war between Sunni and Shia. This is a bad mistake. Islamists are fanatical, intolerant, imperialistic and bloodthirsty. Russia and the west should not be supporting any of them.

The Islamists' Agenda - World Domination And Submission By All To Islam

The Islamists have an agenda, and it is world domination and the submission of all of humanity under the banner of Islam. And so they wage war and terror all over the globe, and it is Muslims that suffer in the greatest numbers. The Islamists take no responsibility, and blame the west and Jews for everything. But it is they that have created millions of refugees, millions of lives lost and destroyed, untold numbers of girls and women taken as sex slaves and daily raped, countries driven into complete ruin and poverty. And still they fight, having already destroyed Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Darfur, S. Philippines, S. Thailand, Gaza, Iraq, and a thousand other places. Just do not expect the politically correct west to stand up against them, or the Jew hating cowards that support the Islamists because of their shared Jew hatred.

The Pathological Need To Demonize People And One Nation In Particular

Many people feel compelled to criticize and ridicule someone else because it gives them power and they enjoy watching someone squirm in discomfort. This sadism also applies on a larger scale, where people and nations feel compelled to ridicule, diminish and demonize another group or a particular country. There is legitimate criticism, but when only one country is constantly singled out in a world full of enormous evil and wrongdoing, it is no longer about legitimate criticism.

The Pandering Professor Who Indulges His Anti-Israel Animosity

There are people that obsessively focus on every wrong Israel commits, real or not, and pander completely to Arabs, especially if they are Palestinian. A professor in particular finds no responsibility ever by Palestinian Arabs and other Arabs. This person is a darling of the anti-Israel crowd, eager to legitimize their animosity. This Professor ignores the clearly stated intent of Islamist organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, the nation of Iran and others that strive to completely destroy the Jewish state and its population, safe as this professor is in his or her N. American city apartment. But Israelis do not have that luxury. And most people do not have the time, luxury and leisure to spend their lives as the professor does obsessively seeking out every perceived ill and wrong from one side of a complicated conflict, while completely pandering to the other side.

When "Scholarship" Conceals Personal Motives

Professor X, Your obsessive focus on only one particular country in a world full of evil has everything to do with your own deep seated pathology, and not the pathology that you think is unique to that country. It is too bad how personal motives are so easily concealed. In your case, under your extensive "scholarship'"

Mayor Emanuel, Is The Chicago Police Dept. Professional? What Professional Police Departments Must Do

Professional police departments must do the following: First, no fictitious meritorious promotions. Make sure that promotions truly are merit based, not a ruse for cronyism, nepotism, and clout. There needs to be an independent standard and guideline to define meritorious. After this is achieved, all meritorious candidates should only be evaluated by competent people that have no connection whatsoever to the candidates. If this cannot be achieved, then make all promotions test based. The practice of promoting cronies have provided certain police departments with some of the laziest, most incompetent police officials imaginable. Second, end policing by the numbers game. The numbers game is not only childish, but it encourages laziness and the lowest, most unprofessional quality of police work. The numbers game, to be as brief as possible, is when officers, usually from tactical and specialized units, are held accountable and evaluated by quantity of arrests, not by quality and by other measurements. Third, stop allowing upper management and certain privileged people on police departments to be exempt from work. Everyone, from the lowest ranking officer to the highest ranking officer, needs to put in a full days work. Rank and position should not be an excuse for a free ride. Fourth, put the legions of healthy able bodied paper pushers on the streets. (Getting rid of the numbers game will help reduce the endless stream of meaningless numbers some police departments like to produce). Fifth, do not allow departments to become top heavy with management and administrative positions. The primary responsibility of a police department is to patrol and protect, not to be a sanctuary for layers of people in unnecessary administrative and do nothing supervisory positions. (An aside- there is nothing worse than a do nothing supervisor with too much time on their hands that like to abuse his or her power).

Islam Can Be A Religion Of Peace Or A Religion Of Violence And Intolerance, Saudi,Iran,Qatar Choose The Latter

There are verses in the Quran that, if followed, are the path to a peaceful, tolerant life full of compassion and goodwill. There are also verses in the Quran that, if followed, are the path to a life of the opposite. Islam can be one or it can be the other, as the world is now witnessing. Islam can be a religion of peace and tolerance. But it can also be a religion of intolerance, bigotry and violence. It is too easy, too expedient, to dismiss those that act violently and cruelly in the name of Islam as being not true Muslims. The violent, out of control jihadists level the same charges against Muslims that reject their interpretations and choose the path of peace and tolerance. Simply put, there is in the Quran the verses that support peace and tolerance, and there is in the Quran the verses that support war, violence, intolerance, and the superiority of Islam and the justification for the oppression and demeaning of other religions and beliefs. What makes matters terrible are that the wealthiest oil rich Islamic nations are promoting the harshest interpretations of the Quran and of Islam. The violent, psychopathic worldwide jihadist movements that are destroying this world did not come out of a vacuum. They have long been funded, nurtured, and sponsored by oil rich nations such as Iran on the Shia side, and by so called American allied Sunni Islamic nations such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. This support comes either directly from the governments of these countries, or from their private citizens, or both. Children all over the world right now are being indoctrinated in Saudi funded schools and mosques that guarantee the next generation of jihadists. Peaceful movements in Islam that practice peace, tolerance, diversity, are being crushed. We have to stop making the misleading arguments that the violent jihadist groups are not Islamic. Instead, we need to recognize the duality that exists in Islam, including that which is written in the Quran itself, and stop closing our eyes to those countries and organizations that promote intolerance and violence. People do not need some so called scholar or apologist to explain away what anyone can plainly read for themselves in the Quran. If people, if governments, if religious leaders, promote violence and intolerance, then the world will stay washed in blood and misery, and it will only get worse. If people, if religious leaders,if governments, promote the message of peace and tolerance that can also be found in the Quran, then the world will be a far better place. Pretending both messages do not exist in Islam and in the Quran is simply delusional and wishing away reality. Imagine if the oil rich Islamic nations of the world used their wealth to spread peace, nonviolence, compassion and tolerance, instead of the harshest, most violent and intolerant interpretations of Islam. Imagine how different and better the world would be.

There Will Be No Final Epic Islamic Or Religious Battle

There is no longer time left for humanity to save itself if it has its energy drained in an endless religious war. We are poisoning and destroying this planet beyond a point of repair. Nuclear weapons proliferate. Biodiversity is collapsing as species after species cannot endure the human assault against life. Instead of addressing the unfolding catastrophes, we delude ourselves into thinking only our religious and political battles are paramount, and that the fate of humanity rests on that and nothing else. There will be no final battles between one religion and another. One religion will not be victorious in the end. The world will not make it that far if we continue as we are.

Many Jewish Activists Fail To See The World As It Is From The One They Desire

Many Jewish activists want the world to change for the better by political and social activism, but fail to recognize that a vast part of the world could care less about their deeds, values and beliefs- it just wants them dead.

The Timid, Politically Correct Environmental Movement

The environmental movement ignores the political and religious realities that exist in this world, in which a large part of humanity could care less about what happens to this planet because they think the fate of this world is unimportant, and all that matters is the "afterlife" or next world. There are huge numbers of people that believe they have no obligations other than to procreate, and spread their religion, including, for many, by force. Untold millions or billions of people could care less about the environment, and only care about pleasing God in the manner in which they were taught. This lack of regards for this planet needs to be challenged, not endlessly ignored by timid politically correct environmentalists that do not want to offend or disturb the religious sensitivities of others. And so they stay silent on issues such as overpopulation or violence in the name of religion. Is earth in serious trouble or is it not? If it is, then act like it is.

An Islamic "Religious" Leader Teaches Only Islam Is Correct, And Why Any Muslim That Leaves Islam Must Be Punished

A so called religious leader with a large following defends punishment for those that leave Islam because he states only Islam is the correct religion, and all other religions are wrong. Here is his logic- only Islam declares itself the right and correct religion. No other religion does that, so therefore only Islam is right and correct. He goes on- if a math teacher teaches 2 plus 2 is 3, no one would stand for it. Therefore, he reasons, because only Islam is correct, and all other religions are wrong, no one should be allowed to leave Islam without punishment. Are there any responsible leaders paying attention to the idiocy and false logic by which millions continue to be indoctrinated into a hate cult of religious superiority, and intolerance for other faiths? I will not point out the many failed states and places that are choking on Islamic fundamentalism, and that are mired in poverty and war. But of course this so called religious leader has an answer for that - Muslims are victims and are not responsible, and all blame and responsibility gets placed elsewhere.

Everything Is Perfect In The Islamic World, Only Israel Is Bad

Typical day...typical story regarding Israel. Today its from the Qatar state sponsored international media outlet, which is unceasing in its criticism and anti Israel bias.... Is there never any news out of Qatar? Of course not. Everything there is perfect. Unless you criticize the government, the monarchy, or Islam itself. Things are far from perfect for the hundreds of thousands of imported third world temporary workers. Do not expect Qatar to settle any of the millions of Muslim refugees, even though Qatar is incredibly wealthy. Qatar, fat and rich from all the oil it sits on, has helped spread Islamic fanaticism all over the world. Not Islamic tolerance and moderation, which is what it should be doing if it wants the stability it enjoys to stay within its borders, and not have the chaos and violence it helps promote outside of its borders come home. Israel is an imperfect nation. There is much to not like about its present government. But the goals of Qatar/Iran supported groups like Hamas is not regime change. It is complete destruction of the Jewish state. There is already too much state sponsored hatred,intolerance and violence in the Islamic world to sit idly by and not question why the Islamic world finds every fault they can, every reason imaginable, to hate and despise the Jewish state, and never put a spotlight on themselves. Religious minorities are being crushed in the Islamic world. Yazidis are being mass murdered, their women and children taken as sex slaves, middle east Christians are being murdered and crushed, Bahais are being destroyed. Untold numbers of Muslims are being murdered and made refugees, not by Jews, not by Christians or Hindus, but by Muslims. Israelis and Arabs have to learn to live side by side, preferably with a two state solution. But this will never be possible if there is the continued failure to stop the demonizing, no matter where it comes from, and to see each other as fellow human beings. Islam needs to examine its own failures instead of having Israel and the Jews as its endless fall guy.

Chicago Police, Racism, Parenting, Better Policing

Racism can be used as a way to avoid responsibility. It can be manipulated to fulfill certain political agendas and ideologies. The high level of violence in black, minority, and low income communities of any color, will never be seriously addressed until irresponsible men start being held accountable for their own lives, and more importantly, for the children they father. Poor parenting and poor fathering ensures continued violence and the breakdown of communities. Racism should not be the excuse to let fathers and parents off the hook. Also, poor structural policing practices should not continue to be ignored. Racism exists, but it should not be the excuse to evade responsibility.

Why The City Of Chicago Animal Care And Control Facility Should Not Be Made "No Kill"

This is in response to recent efforts to turn the City of Chicago public animal care and control facility into a "no kill" shelter. This is an idea that appeals to people's emotions, but if implemented, will cause a great deal of suffering besides being costly and impractical. I remember past efforts to lower euthanasia rates in which the animal care and control facility quickly became overcrowded, and dogs were doubled up in cages that were designed for only one, not two or more dogs. There was insufficient space to house the increased numbers of dog and cats, and insufficient manpower to properly care for them. Dogs and cats were covered with feces and urine, as were their cages. Many became sick and diseased. Eventually, the overcrowded, filthy facility had an outbreak of disease that necessitated many of of the animals in the shelter being euthanized. Until the facility was sanitized, animals were turned away. Dogs and cats already die by the thousands each year in Chicago because there are not enough animal control officers to remove them from the streets. Having dogs and cats already die on the streets out of sight, out of mind, and having dogs and cats in an overcrowded facility live in filth is certainly not humane. No kill is a feel good concept that ignores reality, and has already caused animals an enormous amount of suffering. If people truly care about animals, they should insist that the city has a sufficient number of animal control officers so that animals do not suffer on the streets. They should also insist that there is an appropriate and broad based police response to animal cruelty, not with an ineffective small token police team, and certainly not with highly ineffective humane investigators from private animal organizations. Finally, each animal that does find its way into the City of Chicago animal care and control facility should be guaranteed to not have to live in filthy, overcrowded conditions, which is what what happened before when the city tried to lower euthanasia rates by bowing to outside pressure. Unless the budget strapped city plans on vastly increasing the size of the animal care and control facility, and hiring far more staff than it presently has, no kill must not be implemented. There is an enormous amount of dog fighting and real cruelty that takes place in the City of Chicago, and that continues to be ignored or exploited. Humane euthanasia is an unfortunate reality, but it is not cruelty. How unfortunate that the so called "no kill" advocates latch on to the one issue of euthanasia, and disregard or exploit everything else. Every time the city bows to the so called "no kill" advocates, the city animal care and control facility becomes an overcrowded, disease ridden, filthy mess.

Increased U.S. Military Aid And Presence In The Philippines Will Not Stop China In The South China Sea

The United States is increasing its military aid to the Philippines, apparently in response to China expansionism in the South China Sea. In addition to increased military aid, the United States will now have use of a number of Philippine military bases. Who will benefit? It sounds cliche, but the military industrial complex. Also, a select group of contractors and a select group of Filipino politicians and business people. In typical United States fashion, the United States thinks military first, no matter how much it bankrupts the United States, no matter how much it drains its treasury, no matter how ineffective the military first approach might be. We have bases we can ill afford all over the world. We rush into wars we cannot win and that drain our resources. And this does not even take into consideration death, wounds, and disabilities that result from war. Even if the United States conducts daily war games in the Philippines( U.S. war games in South Korea have done nothing to deter North Korea), doubles military aid to the Philippines, establishes U.S. bases back in the Philippines, it will not stop China. The military first option will do absolutely nothing to stop what China is doing in the South China Sea. What will stop China, economic action, no one wants to do. Certainly not corrupt politicians and business people in the Philippines that have sold out their country in the interest of profit. If the Philippines stops China development projects and Chinese mining in the Philippines, that would have an impact. Not more helicopters, warplanes, warships, that everyone knows will not be used to attack China in the South China Sea. Instead of business as usual, the Philippines should insist on no business with China until the South China Sea dispute is legally resolved. And the United States should for once learn from its past and understand there are options other than military ones that at times work best. Meanwhile, Chinese development of the coral reef islands and shoals of the South China Seas means the last healthy fisheries of the South China Sea are are being destroyed, and that people will go hungry. This is an urgent matter that cannot wait for the United States to pump the Philippines full of useless military aid.

China Turns South China Sea Coral Reefs Into Dead Zones-What The Philippines Can Do

When China develops coral reef islands and shoals, as it now intends to do with the Scarborough shoal, what this means is that healthy coral reefs and fisheries become dead zones. China may see a military benefit in such action, but all it is doing is destroying vital fisheries, the livelihoods of countless fishermen, and in the end even China must realize that military power is not something you can eat. The only way to counter this reckless destruction is by economic leverage. China has many development and mining projects in the Philippines and elsewhere. The Philippines must stop catering to greedy politicians and business people that are selling out their nation, and stop allowing China unfettered access to the Philippines if it continues to grab and destroy the coral reefs of the South China sea.

Animal Cruelty Is Not Criminal Or Violent Crime For Many Animal Organizations

If animals could talk, they would be able to communicate how ineffective and often harmful are the so called animal cruelty investigations conducted by a number of animal organizations and their humane investigators. If animal organizations truly believe animal cruelty and dog fighting are violent crimes, why would they not be at the forefront to ensure public law enforcement responds broadly and appropriately to these crimes? Why would they want to be an incredibly poor substitute for public law enforcement and an excuse for public law enforcement to continue to do little to nothing (small token forces fielded by some police departments are also a poor substitute for broad based enforcement). Selling the perception that an organization is actually doing something about animal cruelty can bring in a fortune in donations and grants. Animals are voiceless, and so the pathological dynamic continues of minimal enforcement by police and maximum exploitation by animal organizations. Imagine if drunk driving, domestic violence, or any number of other crimes were left in the hands of nonprofit organizations. There are reasons public law enforcement, not private organizations, respond to crimes, especially violent crimes. Animals need true defenders, true voices on their behalf, not this continued exploitation.

Why The Academic World And Others Need One Little County To Hate

Many people in this world are too burdened, too weighed down with difficulties, to spend their life agonizing and obsessively focusing on someone else or some other group of people. Not so for many in the academic world. This privileged, often pampered class of people do not have to live in the real world. They have the luxury to be obsessively destructive if they so desire, and can have a razor sharp focus on a target of their animosity. History can be selectively distorted to make a point or argument. And so there are those that ignore all the misery in the world, all the pain and suffering, to eagerly join the bandwagon that focuses only on one country. And while this razor sharp focus, this magnifying glass, looks at every flaw of a single country, not missing a single mistake, real or not, terrible things happen in the rest of the world that completely get ignored. Like mass rape and genocide in the Congo, in which over 6 million people have been killed. Or Darfur, Somalia, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, and a thousand other places. All kinds of terrible governments get left off the hook, and in fact gladly join the hate bandwagon against that one country, because having a scapegoat is a sure way to mobilize people and direct attention elsewhere. Demonizing this one country ensures that its enemies will never have to compromise, and so the conflict will drag on endlessly, thereby ensuring pain an misery for many, and perhaps joy for those that need a target. Legitimate criticism seeks to ameliorate suffering for all sides. Demonizing wants the object of hate to suffer, no matter how many suffer, no matter the cost. The cost has already been a heavy one. Not only in the prolonging of a conflict, but in the the way so much other suffering has been completely ignored, disregarded, and allowed to continue.

Deer Overpopulation - When Feeling Good Trumps Suffering

There is a small nature area, a rare place in a big urban area, that was home to a few deer. As time went by, the deer proliferated in the absence of any predator. A biologist in the area warned that deer overpopulation results in degraded habitat, a reduction in other wildlife that could no longer survive in the deer caused overgrazed degraded landscape, and ultimately starvation, disease and suffering to the deer because their needs outstripped the available food resources. When it was decided to cull the deer population, this received an enormous outcry from people that were never around watching deer become diseased, starved, and hit by cars, but all of sudden wanted to save the deer. Their arguments included that deer were there first, before people(people arrived hundreds of years earlier to the area), and therefore the deer had the right to stay. Now of course no one was going to tear down their house to increase deer habitat, and even if they did, it would only be a quick matter of time before the deer overran any increase in habitat size. Because of pressure, the deer population was not culled, and the deer were left to die of disease and starvation. Meanwhile, the park service fenced off more areas in the park to protect vegetation, and thereby deprive the deer of even more of their limited food source. And so the deer suffered, especially in the cold winter when food is limited and their already underweight bodies could not adequately protect them from the cold. Some deer were hit by cars. There was no end to this sad state of affairs. What would it take, one person lamented, before the public acted responsibly? The spread of disease to humans caused by deer from such things as Lyme disease? A car accident where someone was badly hurt by running into a deer? The so called deer loving animal lovers, blind to any argument regarding the spread of disease, suffering to the deer, hardship to other wildlife populations that results directly from deer overpopulation, disappeared from the scene, having won their hollow victory. Proving once again that the worst friend an animal could often have is a so called animal lover. It is their need to feel good that comes first, not the welfare of animals or an ecosystem. And of course, no animal organization took a stand, always aware of the need to keep donations flowing and never rock a boat. Interestingly, two expensive ideas raised by the so called animal lovers, transplanting deer populations(which studies show results in poor survival rates for the transplanted deer)and sterilization(costly, complicated and not effective but better than nothing) were ultimately rejected because the "save the deer people" were unwilling to foot the bill. In the end, the deer were left behind, out of sight, out of mind, to starve and suffer.

Over Six Million Slaughtered, Silence Again About Genocide - The Congo

One day in the future, if humanity survives the carnage it inflicts upon the planet and each other, and if in the wake of that human caused misery somehow a better human emerges, maybe then humanity will consider how over 6 million were killed and no one lifted a finger. Rwanda had its terrible, preventable genocide in the 1990's, when hundreds of thousands of people were hacked to death by machetes because of their ethnicity. The Democratic Republic of the Congo became the next stage for genocide. Many countries had a hand, including Rwanda, Uganda, the west and others, in which rival militias and invading armies proceeded to murder and rape on a mass scale. And all the while the people of the Congo, and the Congo itself, were being destroyed, few to no one lifted a finger to stop the genocide and mass rape, let alone even report to the world the terrible events that were unfolding. The Congo is the world's second largest rain forest. It is, like the Amazon, the lungs of the plant. It is home to incredibly rich biodiversity. Three of the five great ape species, not including homo sapiens, live in that rain forest, although they too are being decimated. In one of the richest places on earth live some of the world's most impoverished people. In one of the richest places on earth exists one of the most unsafe place for women. Millions have been slaughtered, millions have been raped, and barely anyone even knows about it, let alone tried to stop the carnage. Rape and murder in the Congo continue. The forest and its wildlife continues to be destroyed. The world continues to ignore the Congo. Meanwhile, the minerals that fuel the high tech explosion continue to be extracted by Congo slave labor. The minerals that fuel the high tech industries of the west, of China and elsewhere, still finances warlords and murderers. Logging and the bush meat trade continues to destroy the forest and its wildlife. The Congo is being destroyed, its people exploited, murdered, raped. The often low tech mining extraction of the minerals the high tech world needs relies on some of the most exploited workers in the world. The nightmare of the Congo does not stop.

Vaquita Porpoises - A Conservation/Wildlife Organization's Success Story?

A major conservation organization listed vaquitas as number 6 of their 15 success stories for the year 2013. Now, less than three years later, with perhaps less than 30 vaquitas left, the survival of this species is even more at doubt. This year alone three vaquitas were found drowned in fishing nets. That is an enormous loss for a population that is already so greatly diminished there may be no hope for recovery. How is it that a conservation organization measures success? Were people lulled into a false sense of hope that perhaps prevented more serious interventions to be implemented in time to prevent extinction? When conservation/ wildlife organizations list their alleged successes, is there anyone that questions the validity of these claims, and will we ever hear about their conservation failures? If 2013 was a conservation success story for vaquitas, how is it that things look so dismal for vaquitas less than 3 years later?

Leaders That Choose Hate Lead To Ruin, Not Success

Imagine leadership that does not capitulate to evil as did Nelson Chamberlain, but at the same time will do everything they can to secure peace and not resort to war. Leaders that choose war as the absolute last course of action. Leaders that do not seek scapegoats or an enemy to despise in order to be liked by the people and in order to unite them. Leaders that choose hate lead to ruin, not success.

Imagine True Public Servants As Leaders, Not The Existing Pack Of Thieves

Imagine how much better the world would be if the world had leaders that do not, and will not, allow themselves, their friends, their relatives, their associates, to become enriched by virtue of their being in public office. Imagine if they make this commitment not only for the time in which they hold public office, but also for when they leave public office. They are thereby ensuring themselves and the public that they are true public servants, and that they will not use public office to enrich themselves or their friends,family, and associates in any way whatsoever.

World Leadership By Kleptocracy, Further Confirmed (Finally) By Panama Report

Public office should be the place where dedicated people go that want to serve the public. Instead, it is attracting thieves. Many people in power receive salaries and benefits, including retirement pensions and benefits, far in excess of what most people will ever receive. If the salary and benefits are not enough, aspiring leaders should do the world a favor and seek employment elsewhere. But because many leaders and aspiring leaders are so enamored of themselves, and in that they often have out sized egos, are insatiably greedy, with insatiable appetites for wealth, luxury,extravagance and power, they assume that they do not have to be humble men and women servants of the people. Instead, in their minds, the people are there to serve them. They are good at deflecting attention away from themselves, such as by blaming foreign elements, or by manipulating religion and playing on ethnic and religious tensions. It also does not help that they have legions of cronies, apologists, and lackeys covering up for them. There needs to be more leaders living a humble life unencumbered by extravagance and an obsession for things, and that do not accumulate wealth in excess of his or her salary. There is a long list of leaders, past and present, alive and deceased, that have become, or became, wealthy by virtue of kleptocracy. There have not been enough spotlights shining on these shameless people.

Live And Let Live Continues To Elude, But Not Bullying And The Hell People Create For Each Other

Bullies pick as their target people they think are weak, inferior or afraid. Bullies can be a teenager, or an employer that relishes the power he or she has over subordinates. It can be any relationship where one person feels they can or need to step on another. Sadism is built into bullying. Live and let live continues to elude humanity.

Oil Rich Islamic Nations That Spread War, Hate, Intolerance But Will Not Help Muslim Refugees

How many Muslim refugees have been taken in by oil rich Islamic nations, like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, that have been at the forefront of spreading Islamic fanaticism, intolerance, bigotry, hate, war, violence and terror?

A Good Thing About The Trump Presidential Run

Maybe people will stop worshiping the wealthy, famous and powerful, and stop bestowing onto them undeserved power and authority. Regardless of wealth, status or position in life, all human beings have flaws, weaknesses and frailties. Mindless, uncritical following has led humanity into disaster after disaster.

Lemurs,Madagascar,Third World Conservation Failures And A Better Approach To Conservation And Wildlife Protection

A recent news story about the results of a study conducted in Madagascar regarding lemur conservation painted a dismal picture. A variety of conservation interventions do not appear to have worked. I have not read the study, and can only rely on what the news reported. It has been my experience that conservation and wildlife protection fails, especially in the third world, the place richest in biodiversity, for the same reasons it is probably failing in third word Madagascar. It fails primarily not because of people's attitudes, or whether or not ecotourism takes off, or whether or not people learn to appreciate the endangered species in their midst and stop eating them. The main reasons for the massive, worldwide conservation failures are that habitat is not properly secured and protected. Securing habitat and adequately protecting it requires enormous sums of money, resources and commitment. (This is especially true in rain forest type habitats that are harder to patrol and protect than nature areas that lack heavy vegetation.) This task has been left in the hands, far too often, of private non profit conservation and wildlife protection organizations that are completely not up to the task, and that have done a tremendous job masking and hiding their many conservation failures. Habitat that is rich in biodiversity and/or that is home to endangered species needs to be made into protected nature areas, such as a national park or wildlife refuge. Setting aside the land is not enough. There are many protected nature areas that are essentially dead zones, where most wildlife has been wiped out by uncontrolled human activities such as hunting, logging, trapping, or even improper recreational use of the land. It takes a great deal of money to properly train and employ sufficient manpower that can adequately patrol, secure and protect nature zones. So often the story remains the same- there are not enough rangers, there is not enough manpower, to keep a nature area protected, and so the wildlife keeps getting decimated. It is meaningless to create a national park, declare victory, and then have the park ravaged in the years that follow by not adequately protecting it. I doubt the national parks or nature areas of Madagascar are any more protected than other nature zones or national parks that I have personally seen destroyed in third world countries by the failure to properly secure, fund and protect these areas and their wildlife. If we want to save what little is left of nature, including the highly endangered lemurs and other unique wildlife of Madagascar, conservation needs to move fully into the hands of non corrupt, conservation minded countries and away from ineffective, at times corrupt, self serving so called nonprofit organizations. In the same way that serious concerns are not left in the hands of private nonprofit organizations, such as defense, conservation needs to be treated likewise. The defense and survival of mankind depends on the defense and protection of our habitat and environment. Another huge threat to biodiversity, nature and wildlife is uncontrolled human population growth and poverty. Poverty stricken women in third world countries, just like everywhere else, need to have access to safe family planning. Self serving money grubbing so called conservation/wildlife protection/animal welfare organizations are the last ones that will address a potentially controversial need such as this. But countries such as Norway, which is one of the lest corrupt countries in the world, along with other non corrupt countries, can properly assist in providing family planning to third world countries. A coalition of conservation minded countries can help impoverished third world countries secure nature zones, provide the manpower to properly protect the nature zones, and provide proper family planning. Overpopulation is a big part of the conservation/biodiversity crisis. Family planning reduces poverty, and helps ameliorate environmental degradation. If we do not become serious about conservation and wildlife protection, the collapse of biodiversity will be a crisis far worse than anything we can imagine.

200 Years Or Less Of Human Existance

As species after species nears extinction or falls into it, humans will keep ignoring this human caused crisis and instead focus on the other humans they hate. If only we can get rid of the Jew or some other hated group, all will be well people delude themselves into thinking. Yet it ultimately does not matter how many minority religions, people and cultures the majority and dominant religions and cultures of the world destroy, because all human life now hangs on a thin edge from the collapse of biodiversity and the proliferation of nuclear weapons and material. 200 years or less, if the present course continues, and human life will be no more, or will be a mere remnant surviving in the worst of conditions in a poisoned world. Humans are a predatory species. But unlike many other predators, humans make each other prey. Religion, instead of taming the worst in human nature, now unleashes it. There should be no marriage between religion, hate, intolerance and violence. But there is. And so, as we lose nature, wildlife, biodiversity, everything interesting this planet has to offer, we instead have in its place mindless mobs in demented worship and murderous zeal.

The Soft Drinks,Junk Food Gift - Obesity And Preventable Disease Crisis

A recent report said that obesity is a worldwide health crisis, and that one in eight people are now obese. The question was asked as to how can the world cope with the enormous looming health crisis that will result from obesity and poor nutrition. A doctor from Mexico interviewed on the radio recently stated that the high consumption of sugary drinks in Mexico was contributing to an epidemic of diabetes and premature deaths in that country. All over the world, billions of people are eating and drinking cheap foods that are high in sugar and/or salt and/or saturated fats, and that is low in fiber. In places like Mexico, where access to clean water is a problem, many choose soft drinks. People need access to clean water, not soft drinks. Choosing soft drinks is a sure way to rot teeth, and to contribute to diabetes and an assortment of other diseases. People actually pay to consume a product that rots their teeth and that can cause harm. Mexico has started taxing soft drinks. All nations, especially third world countries that have no way to pay for the "looming" health crisis that is here now, should start taxing soft drinks. Diabetes, cancer, heart disease, are epidemic. In many third world counties, poor nutrition and diet means millions of people shorten their lives and develop preventable diseases. The soft drink and other junk food companies will resist all efforts to either tax their garbage or to provide impoverished people in third world nations with healthier, still affordable foods and drinks. These companies are not there at the clinics or emergency rooms of the hospitals in third world countries that turn away millions of sick and diseased people that do not have money for medical treatment. The health crisis is here now, and it is destroying the lives of millions, and impoverishing millions of families that spend every last penny helping a family member that is sick and needs medical care that the family can ill afford. Preventative medicine could prevent so much disease and suffering, and it starts with the simple premise that junk food is junk, and so are the companies that make it.

Iran's Leader Chooses Missiles And The Way Of The Jungle

The religious leader of Iran, a man with complete and absolute power, announced that missiles, not negotiations, are the right way. He added that missiles are the way to keep the jungle at bay. He does not see how powerful people like himself that choose the sword, in this case missiles, are the ones that create the jungle.

President Obama's Nuclear Proliferation Summit And Will A Nuclear Armed Iran Be His Legacy?

President Obama just held a conference regarding nuclear proliferation. Most people in the world can do nothing about this issue except wring their hands in worry and perhaps wonder how much longer it is before we destroy ourselves. A summit regarding nuclear proliferation is an okay thing, but meaningless if it results in nothing concrete. In the years to follow, if Iran becomes a hostile nuclear armed nation, this will be the sad legacy of the Obama presidency. And humanity will be that much closer to its own annihilation.