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Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 3:32am

There’s a Lot of Conjecture Flying Around

Seems like everyone is talking about COVID-19. COVID-19 in the Big House, that is. Almost everyone I encounter. Gasping for air? When was the last test? Will he die? Lung x-rays are confidential? Kabuki? Reality TV? You decide. (Is he our president or does he just play one on TV?)

~
[video: https://youtu.be/GU0d8kpybVg?t=62]
.

Lately I only read the headlines if they have anything to do with the man in the Big House. (Hats off to those of you who can. I count on you.) I have no control over any of the drama and little hope that much will change, though, having said that, it is apparent that many lives could have been saved from COVID-19 if protocols were observed and the proper equipment provided.

At this point there are too many loose ends to be able to do anything of import: the climate crisis, shrinking biodiversity, racism, a failing economy, and the coronavirus pandemic and last but not least, the election drama and upcoming supreme court appointment.

And, wait, why not add to this list, fascism. h/t evening blues

These Christian fascists understand the deep sickness that infects American society. They know how to exploit the moral and physical decay, as well as the despair it causes, to lure its followers towards their brand of tyranny.

They are not wrong when they lambast the cruelty, corruption, emptiness and hypocrisy of the ruling elites, especially the liberal elites. They are not wrong when they mock cultural relativism, the idea that good and evil, right and wrong, truth and untruth, do not exist. It is part of the sad irony that the Christian Right effectively exploits this cultural relativism to seize power. The failure of the liberal Christian Church to denounce the Christian Right as heretics, in the name of tolerance and cultural relativism, has given the Christian fascists religious legitimacy. At the same time, the Christian Right seeks to delegitimize the liberal church as apostates. History has shown that it is unwise to tolerate the intolerant.

The Christian fascists, like all fascist movements, creates its own truth. It discredits verifiable fact, science, law and rationality. It promises a new, glorious world of moral renewal and prosperity.

I find this very scary, especially in the midst of the rest of this great execrable mess.

[Trump’s] Christian Right appointees, including Pence, DeVos and Pompeo, regularly use biblical strictures to justify an array of policy decisions including environmental deregulation, war, tax cuts and the replacement of public schools with charter schools, an action that permits the transfer of federal education funds to private “Christian” schools.

The Christian fascists are not finished. Brick by brick they are building a Christian fascist state. Barrett fills one more hole in the wall. They will do this with or without Trump.

Not my favorite Kabuki play.

Peace

It's your open thread, now...

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Comments

Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 4:50am

A hard hitting climate conversation

between long-time activists. Worth sifting through.

Talk between Sam Carana (SC), Guy McPherson (GM), Kevin Hester (KH) and Pauline Schneider (PS) for Nature Bats Last Show, October 6, 2020.

http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2020/10/nature-bats-last-show-october-6-...

One of the biggest dangers I see is that a cool freshwater lid is growing on top of the surface of the North atlantic, near the Arctic Ocean, and that this is sealing off hot water underneath the sea surface from the atmosphere.

Slowing down of AMOC will result in an increasing amount of hot water accumulating underneath the surface.

As storms grow stronger, chances increase that a sudden inflow of hot salty water will enter the Arctic Ocean and reach sediments at the seafloor that contain huge amounts of methane.
...

Politicians and news media are often ignoring the temperature rise, or downplaying the dangers. Instead, the precautionary principle should be applied, and this should be applied on three dimensions to issues such as methane eruptions from the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean.

The first dimension is a matter of magnitude and severity. A vast amount of methane is held in sediments. If just a tiny part of this methane will erupt, this could wipe out humanity, if not make all life on Earth go extinct, due to the huge immediate global warming potential of methane, and due to the numerous feedbacks.

The second dimension is probability. Methane hydrates destabilize as temperature rises. So, as temperatures continue to rise, the likelihood grows that such eruptions of methane will occur.

The third dimension is imminence. The longer we wait, the more urgent the threat becomes, as the temperature rise doesn't wait for us.

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Submitted by Lookout on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 7:36am

Don't worry, politicians will come to the rescue

@magiamma

2014, Berlin by the artist Isaac Cordal..png

2014 Berlin, by the artist Isaac Cordal

The cascade of catastrophes can be overwhelming, but we can only do what we can do. All I can say is treasure every day, find joy in nature and friends, help people and the planet when you can.

Thanks for the OT. Peace.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by QMS on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 8:19am

Ha! Nero fiddles

@Lookout

While Rome burns...

—

question everything

Submitted by Lookout on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 10:50am

Those are good

@QMS

Bernie's line was Nero fiddled, Trump golfs.

according to https://www.history.com/news/did-nero-really-fiddle-while-rome-burned

In July of 64 A.D., a great fire ravaged Rome for six days, destroying 70 percent of the city and leaving half its population homeless. According to a well-known expression, Rome’s emperor at the time, the decadent and unpopular Nero, “fiddled while Rome burned.” The expression has a double meaning: Not only did Nero play music while his people suffered, but he was an ineffectual leader in a time of crisis.

It’s been pretty easy to cast blame on Nero, who had many enemies and is remembered as one of history’s most sadistic and cruelest leaders—but there are a couple of problems with this story.

For one thing, the fiddle didn’t exist in ancient Rome. Music historians believe the viol class of instruments (to which the fiddle belongs) was not developed until the 11th century. If Nero played anything, it would probably have been the cithara, a heavy wooden instrument with four to seven strings—but there is still no solid evidence that he played one during the Great Fire.

The Roman historian Tacitus wrote that Nero was rumored to have sung about the destruction of Troy while watching the city burn; however, he stated clearly that this was unconfirmed by eyewitness accounts.

When the Great Fire broke out, Nero was at his villa at Antium, some 35 miles from Rome. Though he immediately returned and began relief measures, people still didn’t trust him. Some even believed he had ordered the fire started, especially after he used land cleared by the fire to build his Golden Palace and its surrounding pleasure gardens.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 2:07pm

thanks lo for the art

@Lookout
Indeed. It keeps accelerating. These guys, (admittedly end-spectrum Guy McPherson) all of whom have been into climate deeply, think it could implode as soon as 2026. Sam Carana, Arctic News. Methane. It is what it is. Nothing to do but keep on. Was thinking this morning of a friend who is a zen monk and Shakuhachi flute player - only white guy with Japanese stature. He moved there. Has a family and does his zen thing. So I think he's just ignoring the many crises. Maybe that is the answer. Right? Just sayin'. Certainly having a good time out in the swale of things. Like you say, love the one's your with. Take care.

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Submitted by Lookout on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 1:55pm

it is imploding now

@magiamma

I'm sorry to say. Guess your swale will get a test this weekend. They've reduced our expected rainfall to an inch (from 3-4) from Hurricane Delta. We need it so I'll be glad. I think this is our 4th or 5th hurricane this season in my corner of NE ALabama. Pretty odd.

On Monday night, Tropical Storm Beta made landfall in Texas, making it the ninth named storm to directly hit the United States mainland. That’s only happened once before, in 1916.

Colorado State University meteorologist researcher Phil Klotzbach said it’s just one of the many records observed or broken during the 2020 season.

It tied a record for having three named storms form in 24 hours. It’s the earliest seven storms have made landfall. But perhaps the most notable record is 2020′s total number of named storms which recently hit 23 - the most ever recorded in a season through the end of summer.

That’s six more than the record set in 2005 with 17 named storms by Sept. 21, Klotzbach said. And hurricane season runs until Nov. 30.

The season’s high production of storms was forecast before the June 1 start of hurricane season, when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted “an above average” season suggesting 14 to 18 tropical storms. An average season has 12

.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/weather/hurricane/os-ne-hurricane-season...

Be well and happy.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 2:12pm

jet stream is swinging north to south more now

@Lookout
and there are the fires here and the water sneaking under Thwaites and in the not to distant future maybe an ice-free Arctic. And that's just of the top of my head. Dunno. Front row seats. Funny how so few people have the big picture. Lots do, but not enough yet. Don't worry, be happy.

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Submitted by randtntx on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 9:51am

I was finally able to make the time

@magiamma to listen to that conversation that you linked at arctic-news. You are right, it was good. I had not visited that blog 'Nature Bats Last'. It looks interesting for further exploration. The worry about the methane bomb and the ensuing abrupt release of methane has been something that Guy McPherson has been pointing out for a while. This could happen at any time and would be the end of us. The problem seems to be that people don't want to know.

I did like the statement someone in the conversation quoted:

It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted in a profoundly sick society.

Thanks magi, best to you.

Submitted by magiamma on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 10:25am

Hi randtntx

@randtntx
McPherson is a bit radical and his ‘thing’ is the methane bomb. Not to say it’s not real. But the others have also been working on global heating for a long time. Thought it was interesting to hear them together. McPherson was not the main focus thankfully. The fact that the planet could migrate to be like Venus was shocking to me even though I have had that thought myself. There are several places on the planet that have already warned two degrees. Being here now more and more. Gives me hope. May all be well with y’all.

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Submitted by randtntx on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 11:43am

It does help

@magiamma , "being here now more and more." I would like to use that phrase if I may. I am amazed at myself at how much more I've been noticing and at the same time appalled at how unobservant I have been in the past. I never really noticed bees and butterflies and bugs unless they hit me in the face or bit me. Now I get true pleasure out of watching them.

Submitted by magiamma on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 11:03am

of course

@randtntx
be my guest and thank ram dass. heh

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Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 5:55am

Good morning, magi ~~

Our weather is changing - that's for sure. We didn't have our monsoon season and we had a lot of heat. We've already had freezes, which finished off our garden. I do believe the earth is busy healing herself, though, in spite of us. She should have her way, in the end, imho.

Hope all are well and enjoying life, which is always challenging, but then again, that's why we're all here.

Enjoy your challenges!

—

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 2:13pm

grand morning ra

@Raggedy Ann
Things are changing. She will have her way in the end. But probably without us it seems. Here it looks to be much dryer. So maybe more drought. The swale idea is good for catching rain when it comes. They are doing a lot of this in AZ. https://www.harvestingrainwater.com/

We are here now. Be well.

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Submitted by enhydra lutris on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 10:18am

Good morning magi, need to run out shortly, because

"lockdown", heh.

Christofascists, of all the fascists, have been a major concere of mine since high school, and the "cultural relativism" hobgoblin is largely horsecrap. There may well be a few seemingly immutable perennial and perpetual wrongs, like, say murder, or murder for profit, but that is hot their concern. They love murder and murder for profit and the entire history of the church and of "western civilization" is proof of that. What they are freaking out about is hem lengths and hair lengths, how (and how often) one prays, premarital sex and divorce and homosexuality. Their concerns, their rights and wrongs, are all cultural, and a narrow-minded, puritanical, patriarchal, authoritarian culture that they see as god ordained. Their complaint is that theirs isn't the only allowable culture, but even when it was they disagreed on many things and killed and tortured each other over the details.

Looking at the climate ctastrophe objectively, given the human propensity, and especially the capitalist and or neo-liberal propensity, for deferring any action that doesn't generate profits and wealth I see nothing but doom. One has to wallow in hope and keep trying and ding what one can, but it isn't looking good. Nonetheless, onward, I guess.

be well and have a good one

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by travelerxxx on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 1:20pm

Yep.

@enhydra lutris

Christofascists, of all the fascists, have been a major concern of mine since high school...

Likewise here, el. Of all the strains of fascism, American (usually) Christofascists worry me most. Their potential for unmitigated cruelty and their smug satisfaction with the hate that permeates them (which of course they deny) is unmatched.

Seems the more I am able to distill down the problems with our nation (and often the world), the more I see these rise to the top of the vat. For me, they are truly Public Enemy Number One.

Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 1:53pm

morning t3x

@travelerxxx
They are organized and have mucho money. They have been ramping up for years and I think they smell blood. heh. We could learn much about organizing from them I think. But critical thinkers tend to move more slowly and look more deeply, a good thing. The whole article is worth reading and rereading. And passed around. Thx. Have a good one.

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Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 1:49pm

couldn't have said it better myself

@enhydra lutris
Moi aussi. Since just after high school. Tried to join the uber society but just didn't sync with me. Take good care out there.

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Submitted by WoodsDweller on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 3:59pm

Hottest September

Earth just had its hottest September, experts say 2020 could break all records

Oct. 7, 2020, 6:11 AM MDT

This year's September was the hottest ever according to new data, suggesting 2020 could become the warmest year since records began.

The global average for the month was 0.05°C (0.09°F) warmer than 2019 and 0.08°C (0.14°F) warmer than 2016 — the previous two warmest Septembers ever recorded — according to the latest data from the European Union's Copernicus climate monitoring service.

It's the third monthly record to be broken this year: 2020 has so far registered the hottest January and May on record, leading scientists to believe it could be the hottest year on record.
...
The last five years have themselves been the five warmest on record

—

"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 4:38pm

afternoon wd

@WoodsDweller
Seems like it's happening faster and faster. Shaking head.

Here's an assessment from Arctic News

Take good care.

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Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 4:26pm

covida

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tZVnbDq9B4]

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Submitted by Anja Geitz on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 4:49pm

While I’m not a big fan of the Lincoln Project

@magiamma

That video was spot on. Can’t wrap my head around the danger he willfully put his secret service detail in because he’s a selfish arrogant moron.

—

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 7:12pm

hola a g

@Anja Geitz
nobody matters apparently. If the votes were counted he would loose. He even said that. I'll be glad when it's over. Take good care.

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Submitted by RantingRooster on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 6:18pm

Okay, I'll be the crazy

lunatic to say it, ban organized religion all together, full stop.

I mean Jesus fucking Christ...

My goodness, if one reads the bible, it's GOD sponsored genocide all around. Remember, God did engage in planetary genocide with the great flood after all! Right? Gee, I guess that was all part of the grand plan we're to ignorant to understand? A moral lesson in the mass genocide over all life on this planet, except for a "chosen" few. (Crony capitalism I'ld say... lol)

And then there's GOD commandments...

Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT)

Death for Cursing Parents
1) (Proverbs 20:20 NAB)
2) (Leviticus 20:9 NLT)

Death for Adultery (Leviticus 20:10 NLT)

Death for Fornication (Leviticus 21:9 NAB)

Death to Followers of Other Religions (Exodus 22:19 NAB)

Kill Nonbelievers (2 Chronicles 15:12-13 NAB)

Kill False Prophets (Zechariah 13:3 NAB)

Kill the Entire Town if One Person Worships Another God (Deuteronomy 13:13-19 NLT)

Kill Women Who Are Not Virgins On Their Wedding Night (Deuteronomy 22:20-21 NAB)

Kill Witches (Exodus 22:17 NAB)

Kill Homosexuals (Leviticus 20:13 NAB)

Kill Fortunetellers (Leviticus 20:27 NAB)

Death for Hitting Dad (Exodus 21:15 NAB)

Kill Followers of Other Religions.
1) (Deuteronomy 13:7-12 NAB)
2) (Deuteronomy 17:2-5 NLT)

Death for Blasphemy (Leviticus 24:10-16 NLT)

Kill False Prophets
1) (Deuteronomy 13:1-5 NLT)
2) (Deuteronomy 18:20-22 NLT)

Infidels and Gays Should Die (Romans 1:24-32 NLT)

Kill Anyone who Approaches the Tabernacle (Numbers 1:48-51 NLT)

Kill People for Working on the Sabbath (Exodus 31:12-15 NLT)

Gee, kind of seems more like do as I say, or die kind of thing at it's root!

[video:https://youtu.be/FVVo036N9OY]

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Submitted by magiamma on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 7:09pm

hi rr

@RantingRooster
I never could figure that out. Thou shalt not kill. Unless you are part of the MIC, the church, oh and law enforcement, the humane society?, street gangs, mafia, the list goes on...

Thanks for the Carlin and the list. Have a good one.

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