The Glorification of Stupidity

Who really benefits from the dumbing down of society?? Does corporate America love dummies?? Do they buy more junk??
Whoever wants it to happen is doing a mighty fine job. In the not so distant past, a sign of status was a grand library or bookshelves full of books. Now the "must have" item has become the big flat screen TV. It has become the grand center piece of many American living rooms-- the bigger the better. Nobody seems the slightest bit embarrassed that not even the best educational programs provide any serious cognitive benefit or mental exercise the way a book does. It used to be considered low-class to even admit you had a TV in the living room, now it's the status quo.

As the adults in our society embrace easy entertainment over educational pursuits, their children are inundated with messages from music and videos glorifying only parties, gang-banging and money. Is it any surprise that "nerds" get bullied? They are seen only as weak and futile, while some rapper with a bullet wound is something to aspire to.
Even our presidential elections are screwed by nerd-phobia. Didn't most people admit that Al Gore came across as too stiff and nerdy?? While good old "Dubya" was the people's man, never held accountable for his inability to articulate simple thoughts.

Alaska Wolf Pups in Peril

A very disturbing article was recently printed in the Anchorage paper (1/19/2008). It seems that a remote Native community is advocating for its right to kill wolf pups in their dens. There is even a term for this activity- "denning". The Alaska department of Fish and Game has begun seriously considering such proposals as well.
The argument is two fold: again, folks are concerned about low moose populations. And secondly, this particular Native community is claiming that "denning" is actually an old cultural tradition.
Native I am not, so I can not factually confirm or deny the history of this activity. However, various sources report that this a stunning new claim, without much credibility.
Regardless of the historical significance, wildlife management and hunting practices have evolved and changed dramatically in recent years. The most significant change being the relative ease with which one can hunt via snowmachine (snowmobile) or ATV. This leads to more access and higher kill rates. Of course how many moose are actually killed in remote areas is often under reported. This is definitely a more serious threat to moose management than the wolves.

I do hope that the story of the wolf pups makes the national media. A ton of outrage is needed to stop this barbaric activity from returning to Alaska. The Alaska Wildlife Alliance (www.akwildlife.org) is a good contact for more info, as are letters of complaint to the Governor of Alaska (www.state.ak.us)

Buy, Buy, Buy....

So they say we'll save the economy if we just get off our butts and buy some more crap. Of course in a perfect world that is a beautiful concept--I go to Smith's General Store, buy some of Farmer Bob's wheat and Mary's ribbon candy, and we all win right? I have my goods, and they make some money.

Too bad the General store and farmer Bob's fields were all plowed over to plop the mega Wal-Mart down. And our Wal-Mart dollars go where--to China?? That's good for the Chinese economy of course. It may also support the truly American concept that your status is defined by the square footage of your house. Because you certainly need all those square feet to stuff reams of plastic kiddie toys, multi colored sweater sets, and flimsy furniture.

The biggest loser in the economic pyramid scheme is actually the environment. All these items we are encouraged to buy are made in Third World countries fueled by coal powered energy. Not to mention the lax environmental laws (like in China) that do not discourage dumping chemical waste or who knows what got logged to make that $29.99 end table... Then on top of it all, your giant McMansion needs to be continuously cooled & heated to protect all that fantastic stuff you've acquired.

At what point will the president simply say: " my administration has invested in national storage units. It is each American's responsibility to fill it up with Payless shoes, Little Tykes bikes, salad spinners, lazy boy chairs and big screen TV's. Thank you and good night. "

Again With Those Lightbulbs

I really can't get over the push for compact fluorescent light bulbs. As someone who cares about Global Warming I should applaud these sickly, dim inventions. But I can't and I won't. First off, the Libertarian in me can't believe a law can be passed banning incandescent bulbs in 2012. Secondly, this isn't even a good ban--for the alternates are actually slightly dangerous. Halogen lights are ok, but fire hazards. And those compact fluorescents contain mercury, not to mention their visual ghastliness.

I still can't believe the logic that somehow the happy, warm lightbulb is to blame for brutal storms, floods and famine. How did coal-fired power plants get off the hook so easily?? Isn't every freakin sweater or toy purchased in this country made in a Chinese factory powered by coal????? And what about our obsession with three car garages and heating McMansions?? But of course we don't really want to disrupt the economy, just annoy consumers with weird lightbulbs until they start lashing out at those darn greenies....

Of Monkeys and Polar Bears

What do the monkeys in India and the Alaskan Polar bear have in common? More than you might think. They are both well-loved animals looking for a new place to live.
Recently an Alaskan Polar Bear wondered into a Native Village looking for food. There is no debate that this happened simply because the Bear is quickly losing its habitat--the polar sea ice. It needs to look for food on land now, and obviously the Village dumpsters are a good choice.

The monkeys in India have a similar dilemma. As the Indian economy grows, the human population can afford to build houses in former wilderness habitat. With the sprawl, the monkeys lose their natural home. So the logical course of events has been for them to become city-dwelling monkeys. Living among and harassing their new human neighbors.

Unfortunately for the Alaskan polar bear, he was shot and killed, simply because he came too close. The Indian monkeys are painstakingly relocated, to ever dwindling habitats, only to return to their city families.

It seems to me that people have a hard time understanding these connections. As we continue to cheer our economic development, we keep ignoring its byproducts. Be it the loss of sea ice due to warming or the loss of forests for our animals as we expand our homes. It is simply impossible to sustain suburban lifestyles for every inhabitant on earth. The animals need to go somewhere. Some folks may like a world filled only with shopping malls, but that world is not for me.

How Green is Your Greed??

The USA is built upon the premise that the free-market, capitalistic system is best. Simply put, the idea is the acceptance that humans are greedy little buggers, and are most functional when they are working for their own individual well-being.
Fine, I understand that. Now along comes the "green" revolution. Which to me, as a wilderness junky, is an idea whose time has come. Of course, most folks aren't fundamentally too concerned of the paving of the world--(Old Navy vs. forest, Old Navy wins) But the idea that those pesky storms and droughts are something we have a hand in, has gotten some folks attention.
Yet, this brings about the biggest challenge, which I will call green vs. green. In other words, this nation understands our love of "green money", but how will they replace that with the love for a "greener" environment? Some may immediately argue--but why do these have to be mutually exclusive ideas? Well I'll tell you why: for every hippie bicycling to work, at least five more people are dreaming about their big trucks, big houses and new furniture sets.
The next outcry would be: well we have green building and hybrid automobiles! And I agree, beautiful choices--but how long until the masses buy into that notion? And even if they did, could you feasibly steer them towards real change? As in: owning only one hybrid car or building a smaller green house???
I just don't know how it's possible unless we somehow re-wire ourselves. So many folks experience what I call the "castle syndrome". We can't help but want to live in a big pseudo-castle, full of fine furnishings to prove that we have "made it". Chalk that up to so many of our ancestors envying the castles of our leaders, it's in our blood to want to be king.
Even scarier, is the developing world's economic progress. A great thing for human kind, but how will the "green movement" handle all these new consumers? They too want cars, air conditioning, bedroom sets, countless shoes--it's now their time to be king of the castle.
The only answer is a global societal shift in the definition of "status". Kudos to the celebrities who recognize this, by flaunting their new found passions for green houses & cars--but again, these aren't exactly small houses, and could very well be multiple houses...
Which too brings about the sad but obvious point--when the world's economy is based on us buying more stuff and consuming more oil, will a new system replace it based on sustainability????
Thus the battle rages on: green vs. green, thy swords are drawn.

That's Right--Guns Don't Kill People

Just a few days ago, here in Alaska, a young man went on a random shooting spree in Anchorage. He did take a quick catnap in the woods, but then awoke and proceeded to shoot a few more people. Then today, the news reports another young man in Omaha wasn't too happy with his life, so he thought he could at least become famous by assassinating some Christmas shoppers.
What these two young men had in common were that they were both disturbed & angry individuals. They no longer cared about their own lives, nor the lives of others. So on a whim, decided it was time to simply shoot a few folks down.
I'm sure plenty of nuts out there are screaming how you should "lock them up faster" or "death penalty " yada, yada.....
But my question is, how does the death penalty prevent the next upset & suicidal individual from taking out a few people?? And when it comes to incarceration, treatment centers, etc... who can really make a 100% accurate call as to someone's potential to be dangerous in the future?? Hitler thought he did--why he was simply going to eliminate anyone that even had a whiff of non-conformity to them.
So to make a long story short, unless we are going to set up concentration camps for the eccentric or angry (and then still miss the pissed off teen in some high school in Anytown) wouldn't it be easier to just ban assault weapons??
Let the police have their pistols and the hunters their rifles, but the rest of us---keep 'em away!