Southwest Florida's Gulf Of Mexico Is Becoming A Dolphin Graveyard

    37 dead dolphins have washed ashore since November 21, 2018 (less than a week), in two counties alone in Southwest Florida.

    Well over a hundred dolphins have washed ashore in less than a year on the southwest coast of Florida. The number of dolphins that simply died and disappeared into the ocean will never be known. 

    Many of the deaths are from red tide. Red tide is a naturally occurring algae bloom that is toxic and smothers ocean life. Agricultural runoff, fertilizers from lawns and so forth are like giving red tide steroids. They make red tide far more widespread, dangerous and persistent than it would ever be naturally. Now it is out of control.

   What is being done to stop the agricultural, lawn and other runoff that is killing dolphins, manatees, other marine life and the Gulf of Mexico?

   Oh, that is right. Nothing. Nothing as usual. 

   People get hysterical if you insult their God, or insult one of their inflated prophets. But destroy God's earth? No one cares.

          

    If people want to live near the ocean, then stop this destructive love affair with green, completely unproductive lawns. Green grass requires enormous amounts of water. It requires enormous amounts of fertilizers and chemicals, much of which runs off into the Gulf, fueling red tide and poisoning the ocean. Native plants and a different vision for lawns will significantly help the Gulf.

    Do not allow cats outside anywhere near the coast by miles. Cat feces runs off into the ocean and is extremely harmful to marine life. Make sure dog owners clean up their dogs' feces. 

    The Gulf of Mexico is simply not designed to be the recipient of agricultural run off and waste. Natural water flow must be restored, which means choosing the Gulf of Mexico over a few wealthy sugarcane and other agricultural interests. Destroying the Gulf of Mexico means destroying countless jobs and much of the Florida economy.

     When the red tide passes one day and many of the dolphins and other marine mammals are forever gone, along with countless shorebirds and seabirds, countless fish, invertebrates and sea turtles, people may look at the sunset and marvel at the view.

      But for those who have known the abundance and beauty that may be forever lost, they will see the sun setting over a graveyard.

      Those moments when dolphins happen by along the coastline are an incomparable sight. If the bottlenose dolphins of Southwest Florida are lost forever, living next to their graveyard will be a sad place indeed.

     

        

Freedom And The Right to Reject And Criticize Religion

     Freedom of religion is a basic human right. This includes the right to reject religion, and the right to criticize religion. In the same way people should not be persecuted because of their religious beliefs, no one should be persecuted because of their rejection or criticism of religious beliefs.

Ex-Muslim Somali Accused Of Being Sell Out Neocolonialist

      A Somali that chose to no longer follow Islam has been accused of being a neocolonialist sell out. Putting aside that free will and freedom of religion includes the right to reject and criticize religion, let us address who are neocolonialists. Arab Muslims and other Muslims were imperialistic and ruthless just like Christian Europeans. Both enslaved millions of black Africans. Both committed ethnic cleansing and genocide. Both invaded and colonized other lands. Both violently subjugated the people of different religions.The fact that Christianity and Islam also had voluntary conversions does not erase the fact that many conversions were forced. Fortunately, conversion by the sword no longer exists in Christianity.
      To this day, religious minorities in many Islamic majority places are relegated to second class status at best.  Enslavement, rape and murder simply for not being Muslim has not ceased to exist. Conversion by the sword and the violent expansion of Islam by jihad is a nightmare that continues.
      Leaving Islam or any religion is a personal decision. Free people must never be denied this right.
     

Sentinelese Don't Need Jesus, Don't Need Mohammad. They Only Need What They Already Have

     The Sentinelese people have existed on their small island for tens of thousands of years. Some put the figure as high as 60,000 years, while others assert the Sentinelese people have been on their island for at least 30,000 years. Tens of thousands of years on an island, and still the island sustains them. Modern mankind, convinced of its own greatness and perfect religions, severely degraded much of this planet. Plastic trash and other garbage are everywhere. So are all kinds of pesticides, heavy metals and other poisons. Wars, killing, religious hatred and other bigotry are abundant.
      The young man that gave his life intending on converting the Sentinelese to Christianity was misguided. As many articles already point out, his mere presence on the island could have exposed the Sentinelese people to pathogens for which they have no immunity, and that could have wiped out the entire Sentinelese population. He was aware that the Sentinelese do not want visitors to their island, and that by going there he risked being killed. Unfortunately and tragically, that is what happened.
       There are not many tribes left anymore that are out of the reach of so called modern civilization. The few uncontacted tribes remaining appear to make every effort to stay away from modern civilization.
       Who are more advanced? Tribal people like the Sentinelese who sustain themselves from their environment, without destroying that which sustains them, or modern mankind that has ruthlessly destroyed much of the planet? Modern mankind with nuclear weapons that are one step away from destroying most life on earth, or the uncontacted tribal people that have managed to survive on this planet for tens of thousands of years without destroying their environment or each other?
        Is modern mankind more advanced, with sheep like followers convinced that only their religion is the path to heaven, while all the nonbelievers will rot in hell? Only my way is the right way when it comes to religion has ensured the deaths of millions. Millions of native people have been wiped out by the aggressive expansion of two religions in particular. Christianity, which killed millions in its often violent expansion and conversion by the sword, and Islam, which also killed millions in its often violent expansion and conversion by the sword that tragically continues to this day.
      A world of one religion, which too many people try to establish, is a boring, sterile, horrible place. The world is better and more interesting when there is diversity in religion and thought, and when people have the decency to respect the beliefs of others and not shove their beliefs down someone else's throat.
      These uncontacted tribes live without doctors and dentists and all the trappings of modern civilization. They have an advanced knowledge of the plants and animals in the areas where they live that even the most knowledgeable scientists lack. They know what plants heal, what plants harm, and how to successfully live off of the land.
      The civilization called modern rapes and pollutes the land and wages endless war. Modern man would have overpopulated and destroyed the Sentinelese island within a century or two at most. The fact that the Sentinese have successfully survived there for thousands of years puts modern civilization to shame.

       

85000 Children Starve To Death In Yemen, While The World Turns Its Back

     It was recently in the news regarding how 85000 children in Yemen have starved to death because of the war raging in that country. An even greater number of Yemeni children have been violently killed. Millions of Yemenis face starvation. Starvation is excruciatingly painful.

     Yemen is caught between the Islamists on the Shia side, backed by Iran, and the Islamists on the Sunni side, backed by Saudi Arabia. No matter how many children are killed or starve to death, there is virtually no outcry. It has been made clear that when Arabs kill Arabs, when Muslims kill Muslims, many Muslims, many on the left and many others could care less. They only raise their voices if somehow Israel or Jews are involved and they can score political points or raise religious fervor. Otherwise, they treat life as if it is cheap.

     If there is any decency in this world, and unfortunately there is very little if any, there will be a strong demand for an immediate cease fire. Put this stupid, senseless war on hold for six months at least, during which time food and medical supplies will be allowed into Yemen to prevent further starvation and catastrophe. During the six month ceasefire, all parties to the conflict must sit at the peace table and negotiate an end to the war. One possible solution, divide the nation into two Yemens, just as there was before. This time, make it Shia on one side, Sunni on the other. 

      It is unfortunate, but intolerance in the Islamic world is only getting worse. Yemen is ground zero for what happens when Sunni intolerance meets Shia intolerance. Two of the world's most intolerant nations, Iran and Saudi Arabia, are neck deep in Yemen. Both are responsible for the horrific casualties and mass starvation of children. 

      An immediate ceasefire must be demanded by whatever remains in the world of civilized nations, during which time starvation and disease are addressed. After which, human right abuses common in Yemen, like child marriage, must be abolished.

Norman Finklestein: Keeping Alive The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict

     People that make careers demonizing Israel easily find an audience for their vitriol. There are enough people that hate Israel or Jews that gladly lap up every word of the inciters. The Finkelstein narrative is wrong, simplistic and commonly spun: Israel is a criminal nation, while the Islamists and jihadists that oppose Israel are innocent peace loving boy scouts. No matter how often, through words and actions, Islamic jihadist groups like Hamas, like Hezbollah, made it clear that their goal is the complete destruction of the State of Israel and the ethnic cleansing or genocide of its Jewish population, Finkelstein will find reason to cast all blame on Israel.
     There is a big difference between opposing the government of Israel, and seeking the complete destruction of the nation. The effort to destroy Israel, through war, violence and terror, has led to nothing but misery, displacement, and suffering on all sides. Absent from Finkelstein's narrative is  how Arab Muslim majority lands ethnically cleansed themselves of their Jews. These Jews and their descendents now form the majority population of Israel. The rights of these Jews from Muslim majority lands are completely ignored. Their rights and claims are no less valid than that of Palestinian Arabs.
      A two state solution means two separate states. It does not mean flooding the small State of Israel with millions of Palestinian Arabs demanding the right of return. Do the Israelis from Arab Muslim majority lands have the right of return? Can they go back to such places as Syria, Libya, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Egypt, Algeria, and more, where they would surely be persecuted or slaughtered? Will Finkelstein leave North America for good and help return the land to the original native people, or continue with hypocrisy and the myth that in the entire world, only Palestinian Arabs have the right of return? No other native people have this right, including Jews, aboriginals of Australia, native peoples of North and South America, Sikhs, Yazidis, Hindus, Buddhists and millions of others displaced by war and religious imperialism, including by Christian and Islamic imperialism (fortunately, Christians no longer seek conversion by the sword).
      Finkelstein and others obsessed with hatred for Jews and/or Israel pander to Islamists and jihadists. No matter what the jihadists do, it is justified, excused or ignored. Even the Charlie Hebdo murderers found Finklestein making excuses for their crime. Religious blasphemy is never worthy of murder. In Finkelstein's infantilizing world, Muslims can only be victims. Of the many Islamic nations, some are the richest nations in the world with huge oil reserves. Most of the worst oppression of minorities and many wars comes from Islamic intolerance, including but not limited to the following: the recent slaughter of Yazidis and the taking of Yazidi women and children as sex slave captives, of which many are still captives. The treatment of the Baha'is in Iran. The treatment of Middle East Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere by jihadists. The treatment of Coptic Christians in Egypt. Boko Haram's war against Christians and Muslim moderates in Nigeria. The mass slaughter in Yemen by Shia and Sunni Islamists. The treatment of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Islamic jihadist wars in South Philippines and South Thailand. Jihadist war in Somalia and Libya. Jihadist war by Afghanistan's Taliban. Genocide by Sudanese Arabs against the black Muslim population in Darfur. The never ending effort to destroy Israel and kill its Jewish population, backed by phony leftists worldwide and other Jew haters.
      In Turkey, where Finkelstein has taught his one sided narratives, the Armenian genocide by Turkey has yet to be acknowledged. Any Kurdish effort for independence or equal rights, including outside of Turkey in Syria and Iraq - where the Kurds are the driving force that destroyed Isis and did the world a favor- is met by war and violence by the Turkish state.
      If Israel retreats tomorrow to the indefensible 1967 borders, the war and terror will not end. When Hamas fires rockets, Finkelstein declares they are mere firecrackers. Hamas is not a peace movement. It is a dime a dozen Islamic jihadist organization that wants what all of these organizations want: domination by Muslims and the subjugation, ethnic cleansing and even genocide of non believers, especially if they are Jews.
      If Finkelstein really cares about Palestinian Arab lives, he will quit his pandering to the most reactionary forces in the Islamic world. He may call himself a leftist, but no true leftist supports religious tyranny and violent religious reactionary forces. He will stop purposefully ignoring, excusing and justifying the genocidal words and actions of Islamic jihadists. He will quit inciting hatred and contempt.
      Unfortunately, there are many in this world with hatred so deep they thrive on inciting the blood and violence they pretend to oppose. Israelis and Palestinian Arabs are not going anywhere. They have to learn to live with one another. The expression, "Blessed are the peacemakers", are what far too people preach or practice.
     

Rethinking Fashion; Clothes, Microplastic And The Oceans

      Besides all the styrofoam, food wrappers, packaging materials, plastic bags and so forth that are visible forms of oil based waste entering and harming the oceans, there is an enormous amount of microfiber contamination coming from synthetic clothing. Much of the clothing people wear comes from oil based synthetic materials, including spandex, nylon, polyester, and acrylic. When this clothes is cleaned or washed, it sheds microfibers that are not captured by municipal waste treatment facilities (many places in the world do not treat wastewater at all, and it goes directly into rivers, lakes and seas).  A single load of laundry can release hundreds of thousands or even millions of microfibers from synthetic clothes.These microfibers, like other plastic particles, are not only harmful, but are virtually indestructible.

       Since the world population is huge and growing, microfibers from synthetic clothing is not a problem that is going away. When something that looks good causes harm and ugliness, how can that be fashionable?  Wear less, wash less is a start. Wearing less means owning less clothes, and making sure the clothes worn have the least negative environmental impact possible. It should not put people's minds at ease knowing that already we are consuming, through what we drink, eat and breath, thousands of these plastic microfibers and microparticles in a years time or less.  

Nancy Pelosi And The Superior Human Being Syndrome

     Far too often people in power or that have great wealth that gives them power think they are a superior kind of human being. Power and wealth too often breeds arrogance. Nancy Pelosi is just one in a long line of people that believe the world is incapable of operating without them. The world would be better off if there were fewer leaders and people in power that make themselves permanent structures, and that believe they are God's gift to humanity.

The Right To Criticize Religion And The Assault On Free Will

     Freedom of religion includes freedom to criticize religion, otherwise there is no freedom. No religion should be held on a pedestal free from scrutiny. Especially when the religion insists only its way is the right way and that those that believe differently can be subjected to persecution, or will be treated as second class people. Too often, people become mindless slaves to a religion or doctrine and cease to think for themselves. Just because they become slaves does not mean everyone else has to mindlessly conform out of fear. The whole concept of blasphemy is an assault on human free will. One person's religion can be nonsense to another person. Neither the believer or the disbeliever have the right to harm the other for what they believe. Religious violence, bigotry and intolerance, instead of being universally condemned and opposed, is selectively tolerated or ignored. Accepting blasphemy as a crime is in itself a crime.

Social Media Companies; Giving Hate A Platform

     In the not too distant past, mere decades ago, hate mongers did not have the broad platform they have now to spread their idiotic messages. Some of these hate obsessed people passed out pamphlets or other printed materials that hardly anyone saw or read. Social media made it possible for hate mongers to spread their messages and reach a far greater audience. It does not have to be this way. Private sector corporations are under no obligation to give hate mongers and half baked lunatics an audience. All over the internet, including in the comment sections of news articles and in videos,  unadulterated hate finds its home. Social media companies eager for money have given hate mongers and bigots a reach and platform they never had before. Free speech does not mean an obligation by these companies to give hatred and bigotry a platform. Even though some of these companies are starting to reign in some of the bigotry and hatred they have allowed so freely to spread, it is too little too late. They need to start spending some of their easy to obtain riches on hiring people to put a check on the poison they have allowed to spread. No one should be surprised when the outcome of dehumanizing, degrading and demonizing other people leads to actual acts of violence and death.

Screw The Optics, A Coward Is Going In, The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting And Its Aftermath

     Before the man that entered a synagogue shot and murdered 11 people and wounded others, it is reported that he posted the message, "Screw the optics, I am going in".  An armed man shooting defenseless people in prayer is nothing but a coward. There are people that believe their hate, their beliefs, give them the right to kill. How does a society protect itself from hate filled cowards determined to murder?

      Synagogues and other places of worship may consider armed guards and metal detectors, depending on funds and other considerations. Places of worship vary in size and financial resources. Security guards instead of off duty or retired police might be more affordable options for many places of worship. Other options, including for places of worship that lack funds; find retired law enforcement or appropriately trained people that would consider volunteering their time or work at a reduced pay rate. These people may come from the congregation or community.
      The school shooting in Florida in which an armed deputy refused to enter the school and confront the shooter is an example that even a trained law enforcement officer may not be up to the task should the moment arrive. No one knows how they will act under fire until they are actually under fire. 

       

       

Jew - Preferred Target Of Black And White Racist Leaders

   
       The Jew is the most socially acceptable target to scapegoat and hate, and therefore hatred of Jews faces the least resistance compared to almost any other target. It is politically incorrect to demonize most other minorities. But because there are some Jews that are rich and powerful, even though most Jews are not, standing up against the Jew gives the appearance of standing up against the rich and powerful in warped, malleable minds. Never mind that in any religious group, including Muslims and Christians, there are plenty of rich, powerful people, including multi millionaires and billionaires. By going after the Jew, there is the false appearance of going against powerful interests because of the widespread stereotype that Jews control everything. People that oppose what seem to be powerful interests appear powerful themselves. Opposing the Jew makes a demagogue appear powerful in the eyes of their followers, even though the whole thing is based on a lie.
       The Jew hater, like any bully, seeks easy targets. The Jew, living in most places without an army of their own and as a tiny minority, is often highly vulnerable. They are a people following an ancient religion that puts great emphasis on education and service to others (which is the reason there are many Jewish academics, teachers, doctors, scientists, and so forth). Historically, they have been a vulnerable minority living under the thumb of Christian and Muslim majorities, in which they lacked any means of defending themselves. Jewish history would be vastly less bloody if the majority religions had a history far less replete with bigotry, violence and intolerance.
       The United States has been a land of religious tolerance. It is one of the few places where Jewish persecution has been minimal, and where Jews have been allowed to live free. American Jews have much to be thankful for. But narrow minded bigots on the left, on the right, that are black, that are white, that often profess to follow Christianity or Islam, are determined to bring back the darkness.
       Jew hating leaders act like they are unconcerned with what others think or feel. But they are pandering cowards that feed their audience the hate message the audience wants to hear. Like it or not, plenty of people enjoy dehumanizing, debasing and degrading a scapegoat. The Jew hating leader knows there is rampant Jew hatred in the world, and that by tapping into that hatred, there is fame and fortune to be made.
       Hitler mobilized Germany by using the Jew as the scapegoat and target of hate. The path of hate led to the  genocide of Europe's Jews, world war, the deaths of over 50 million people, millions of wounded and shattered lives, and Europe in ruins. In the United States, there are white and black Jew haters using the same hate, the same tactics to mobilize people of their race. The black and white racists may hate each other, but they hate the Jew, who gets blamed for everything, even more. The hatred they preach and teach does not free their followers. Hatred and bigotry makes people dependent and weak. They may scream, appear angry and militant, but that is  the sign of weakness, not strength. Strong men and women are not bigots.