my tree house and other matters at cox .org

My Flowers in the garden

2011-08-02T23:59:00.000+01:00

One of the most amazing young pianists I've ever seen

2011-05-10T05:51:00.001+01:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uE1xsuEywQ&feature=player_embedded

YouTube - The Story of Bottled Water (2010)

2011-04-21T10:48:00.001+01:00

YouTube - The Story of Bottled Water (2010)

BBC science programs on the net.

2011-03-03T14:06:00.000Z

BBC Science

My ugly Mug

2011-03-01T14:32:00.001Z

Glider flight at Shelbourne Glider Club

2011-02-28T00:03:00.000Z

Glider flight at Shelbourne Glider Club

2011-02-27T23:55:00.000Z

Shell energy scenarios to 2050

2011-02-27T07:12:00.000Z

Shell's Jeremy Bentham explains latest energy predictions

2011-02-27T07:08:00.000Z

JESUS COMPLEX: Is Jesus God?

2011-02-16T11:37:00.001Z

JESUS COMPLEX: Is Jesus God? - Page 10

My answer to this question is as follows.

Interesting article however, Bono is not a good source to quote. He has religious belief obviously but at least one of his statements are way off.

It is highly possible for a person to be 'mentally unbalanced', and to be perfectly coherent. Mentally unbalanced is a modern definition, and a very slippery concept, being actually defined by a persons deviance from what is the common perception of 'sane', 'normal' (whatever that is ?) 'consistently rational', etc.

Many say Hitler was 'insane', and Stalin. However they both had their own strict rationality from which they did not deviate. I am not comparing Jesus to either but only in relation to insanity, consistancy, devotion to their one cause etc.

As I believe there is no God, nor is one necessary to explain (most of) 'reality', I cannot believe that Jesus WAS God.
Believing in the necessity to believe in both, to be able to be a 'good christian', is false, both logically and philosophically.

A Good Christain does not need to actually believe in God. He/she can stick to all (as far as is possibe) the tenets of his preaching, without accepting that his claims to actually BE God were true. After all if Jesus was himself convinced that he WAS GOD, (falsely because he was 'mentally unbalanced', i.e. not comforming to the commonly held belief that no MAN could or should make such a claim, but also because he had a false belief that such an entity actually existed even though he was convinced, or had convinced himself that it did, and that he was the personification of 'it', and therefore possibly 'insane', certainly in the then current Jewish belief system). Paradoxes can tie you up in knots !

There is a paradox here as outlined on your article and recognised by many philosophers, including Lewis.

Paradoxes, by their nature, cannot be answered, and I believe that Jesus was well aware of this and their presence in his teachings. After all Christain preachers spend an awful lot of their time attempting to interpret Jesus's teachings, and always fail as there is NO complete, consistant or entirely rational interpretation of them (because they contain paradoxes).

Paradoxes are of course imbedded in all belief systems, purely because no belief system is 'perfect', so therefore must contain paradoxes.
QED.

Socio-Economics Mali: A Gift Economy

2011-02-11T21:17:00.000Z

Socio-Economics Mali: A Gift Economy

Legalizing Pot -- Is It Just a Matter of When? | | AlterNet

2011-02-04T17:18:00.000Z

Legalizing Pot -- Is It Just a Matter of When? | | AlterNet

Antineoplastic activity of cannabinoids. [J Natl Cancer Inst. 1975] - PubMed result

2011-02-04T16:55:00.000Z

Antineoplastic activity of cannabinoids. [J Natl Cancer Inst. 1975] - PubMed result

Medical Marijuana Cured: A Cannabis Story

2011-02-04T16:52:00.000Z

Medical Marijuana Cured: A Cannabis Story

Taxes

2011-02-02T14:32:00.001Z

Here are a few of my current thoughts on Taxes.

Firstly lets consider what they actually are and where they may have originated.

My feeling is that they have been with us forever. When you get more than one person together in a 'group' I think you get a form of taxes, as follows. One could even say that one person also may 'tax' him/herself. This goes back to my previous comments about 'profit', 'saving', and 'surpluses'. Anything that is put aside could be thought of as a tax because it is removed from circulation or immediate use and intended for use later for whatever purpose. In the case of an individual operating in isolation, for example on an island without companions, they would sensibly put aside some supplies for more lean times and so probably limiting their current consumption. This is effectively a Tax (on their current consumption). In this case this is an individual decision and only has an effect on that individual, both now and in the future.

Now imagine that there are two people on this island. The same act of 'saving or taxing' of current consumption would be sensible. The difference is that a decision has to be made as to what when and where etc. must be taken. Of course there are several ways this decision could be made but nevertheless if saving (taxing) is to be done then a method for making these decisions must be arrived at.

Now scale this up to a group of more than two present on the island and you can see emerging a set up that mimics our present situation. Unless anarchy is to reign, a leadership will emerge. The 'Taxing' will likely become more organised and 'rates' of taxation will be set. e.g. so many fish from each persons catch to be set aside, dried and put into store, perhaps rated on the individuals skill in fishing, his age, how many in his family etc.etc.

Labour would probably be taxed as well so that community projects could be built and tasks undertaken - in other words a system of contribution to the groups 'good' from an individuals earnings according to an agreed set of rules. Beneficeries would also be part of the set up. In times of individual or group need, food from the store (Exchequer) would be given to those in need in accordance both with the amount in store and their need. Perhaps in line with their contributions or other qualifying criteria.

Now there will arise a situation where some may disagree with either the whole concept or parts of it and they must have a remedy, or a path to one. That is where wise government comes in. combined with the involvement of the people.

The link to the discussion thread on the third Zeitgist Film (onion)

2011-01-29T08:12:00.000Z

LINK

My response to the third Zeitgeist Film

2011-01-29T08:09:00.001Z

A very thought provoking film. I have now watched all three of the Zeitgist productions and always have my ideas challenged and my thought processes stimulated by the ideas presented - however !
There are of course many things to say about the ideas put forward. The analysis seems sound and the problems are well identified but I fail to see that the solution fits the bill. At least the ending was a sort of happy one with us all burning our money but I thought the final scene showed the root of the problem - one man puts his arm out to prevent another from carrying out an action (undefined). The one prevented from carrying out that action stops, makes a choice not to proceed but bow to the others restraint, changes his mind and proceeds in another direction in concert with the first man.This is what the films message is, encapsulated - forget individual action for self interest but instead co-operate and act in others interests (which turn out to be in our own, albeit necessitating the dismissal of our own interest temporarily). A laudable aim no doubt, but ??
I believe that Darwin showed that even though altruism is an essential part of our make-up, it cannot be considered a primary one, and is moderated by many other drives, desires, motivations, each determined by our need to adapt to an ever-changing environment over which we have limited control (influence).
The film says that we must first set up a controlled environment, closely moderated, and becoming ever more perfect by means of technological change. It admitted to being perhaps guilty of the charge (accusation) of Utopianism, or at least raised the possibility.
The fear I would have is that it does this and even more, mimics the world shown to us in the series of ‘Matrix’ films, a Dystopian view of our future.
My gut feeling is that the ending will be not the Policeman dropping his helmet but the opposite; his opening fire on the throng. After that ??

Page 22 of 22 « First < 20 21 22

The Profit Motive

2011-01-23T14:56:00.003Z

One of my main worries is the fact that we are all basically insecure and fearful of the future and so organise our lives so as to have a surplus always on hand and maybe a god who will 'provide' if our insecurity proves correct. We live paycheck to paycheck but still strive to have a little bit left over so as to ward off the feeling of insecurity. Think of it in terms of a garden in which we grow all our sustainence, and means of shelter for us and our families. The whole family works toward having a surplus so as to see us through the winter or drought. This is the 'profit' or growth and is seen by all as good, it makes us feel good safe and secure. Take away the profit and we feel exposed and will surely go hungry or freeze. Added to this is our religious belief in the next life that is free of want, where a magnanimous but also vengeful and jealous god will sustain us and protect us or punish us if we fail to worship him and bow down to him. All this makes us almost bound to grow a surplus or profit, to expand our realm and 'conquer' nature in pursuit of security from the future which is essentially unknown and unknowible. A bind indeed !

Do incentives at work work ?

2011-01-15T08:01:00.001Z

Another video from Daniel Nacero in a different forum on Personalised Energy

2010-12-24T13:04:00.002Z

Michael Angelo Batio Double-Guitar Solo

2010-12-23T07:37:00.001Z

This man is a virtuioso.

Probably the best Guitar player I've ever seen. Showy or what.

Daniel Nocera’s Gift - The Emergent Fool

2010-12-22T13:11:00.002Z

YOU MUST WATCH THIS

This discovery will change the world.

I reckon it could be the second coming - know what I mean ?

Daniel Nocera’s Gift - The Emergent Fool

Fox News is spreading misinformation - survey after survey proves it

2010-12-15T10:06:00.000Z

FOX NEWS MAKES YOU STUPID

settings

2010-12-12T15:13:00.002Z

have adjusted my settings a bit so hope the blog is more accessable

Comments on Richard Heinberg's Museletter

2010-12-07T10:30:00.001Z

I'm a 'fan' and have enjoyed and benefited from your writings etc.. Thank you. I look forward to the book. I saw an interesting video the other day of an MIT Professor lecturing on his group's work on 'artificial photosynthesis' & a fuel/power system based on that. His view is that this system, one which could allow each of us to generate our own fuel (presumably propane or butane) plus electric power for our own homes & businesses, may be the answer. As I understood it, it involves a solar collector using this new lithographically printable photo-voltiac sheet (80% efficient, natural photosynthesis being 100%), providing power to a fuel cell which splits water into H2 & O2, the H2 in a semi-solid form, essentially a hydrocarbon, then into a usable gas, & at the same time producing electricity. I think I have the essence of it but not being either a scientist or a chemist, may have it wrong. His delivery was 'typically professorial', so difficult to understand fully. He claims that the system could be mass produced cheaply (fuel cell for example for $100 if done in the 100's of thousands), and if widely used would consequently 'do away' with the need for the billions of dollars required to build a 'smart grid', as well as doing away with transport fuel delivery systems in the (theoretical) future. He agrees that nuclear is a false god, coal will become too expensive, oil will also, & all the other 'alternative' sources will be too small to make the difference we need. I was overall very impressed with his approach & wondered what you might think. You will surely know of him but I don't have a note of his name unfortunately.

my tree house and other matters at cox .org

My Flowers in the garden

One of the most amazing young pianists I've ever seen

YouTube - The Story of Bottled Water (2010)

BBC science programs on the net.

My ugly Mug

Glider flight at Shelbourne Glider Club

Glider flight at Shelbourne Glider Club

Shell energy scenarios to 2050

Shell's Jeremy Bentham explains latest energy predictions

JESUS COMPLEX: Is Jesus God?

Socio-Economics Mali: A Gift Economy

Legalizing Pot -- Is It Just a Matter of When? | | AlterNet

Antineoplastic activity of cannabinoids. [J Natl Cancer Inst. 1975] - PubMed result

Medical Marijuana Cured: A Cannabis Story

Taxes

The link to the discussion thread on the third Zeitgist Film (onion)

My response to the third Zeitgeist Film

Join Our E-mail List

The Profit Motive

Do incentives at work work ?

Another video from Daniel Nacero in a different forum on Personalised Energy

Michael Angelo Batio Double-Guitar Solo

Daniel Nocera’s Gift - The Emergent Fool

Fox News is spreading misinformation - survey after survey proves it

settings

Comments on Richard Heinberg's Museletter