Beliefs or images of reality, as distinct from reality
I have never been much for ceremony. Neither Michael Phelps leading the U.S. team into the Olympic Stadium nor the pomp and circumstance of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympics interested me. I marveled at both the individual and team efforts, especially those of the Brazilian and the U.S. teams. As always, … More Olympic Teamwork and the Ugly American
The fate of the planet is now in the hands of either a narcissistic billionaire sociopath or a corrupt corporate Democrat. … More The Charlatan, the Huckster, and the Fate of the Planet
The irony of the catastrophic crises of our time is that they offer unprecedented opportunity to shape the New Great Transformation of humanity. The alternative is our extinction. … More The Irony of Crisis and Opportunity
The climate crisis will not wait for anyone. Unfortunately, the widely praised Cop 21 UN Climate Conference agreements this past winter failed to take committed action of adequate urgency. Instead, it accomplished what many thought impossible: it gained agreements from most nations to standards for voluntary actions to reduce carbon emissions by the 2%. That … More International Trade Emissions: Shipping and Aviation Overreach
As world population passes 7 billion, straining planetary resources, aging populations in industrial nations may not be a problem if economies are reorganized to serve human needs, not return on capital.
… More New Demographic Transition: Is the Aging Global Population a Problem?
Our national politics has fully descended into the gutter at a very perilous time. The Republicans have ostensibly nominated a narcissistic buffoon. The Democratic Party establishment continues its attempts to force the only popular candidate with genuine ideas out of the race by anointing the candidate of empire. Essentially, the rich and powerful are fighting … More Is a Left-Right Coalition Against Trump Viable?
Renewable energy production will not reduce carbon emissions from over-production and excessive consumerism. A new Great Transformation is needed to limit global warming to livable levels by reconfiguring the economy to harmonize with ecological systems. … More Energy Waste Almost Everywhere
Chances for the survival of the species Homo sapiens beyond the next few decades are diminishing rapidly. Reducing the accelerating risk of extinction will require massive intervention to change our present trajectory of the global economy and change it fast. Each week, new data are reported on rapidly accelerating impacts of global warming. Multiple positive … More Calculating Survival: How to Avoid Human Species Extinction
Climate action: can we do it ourselves? If we recycle everything we can, take shorter showers, and install some solar panels, will that prevent the looming climate chaos? We could buy an electric car and low-emissions consumer products, maybe even go “off the grid.” But would that be enough to avoid climate catastrophe? Sorry. Absolutely … More Individual Climate Ethics and Social Action
Bloomberg News reported on February 3, 2016, that a new report from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts wonders whether currently very high corporate profit margins can be sustained. They are at near record levels, despite a stagnant real economy characterized by record low wages and listless job growth and declining opportunity structures. Well, according to … More Questioning Capitalism: Goldman Sachs on Corporate Profit Margins
