What's not Conservative about Conservation?

I haven't been paying much attention to the likes of Sarah Palin and her ilk, the Teabaggers. However, it's next to impossible to ignore them. Thanks in particular to the "lamestream" media they purport to disdain. In my estimation they consist largely of a group of ill-informed, semi-literate, paranoid-delusional types, which unfortunately make up a significant minority in this country. I'd throw the words racist and xenophobic in the mix as well, but I'll suffice to say paranoid-delusional covers such attributes. Logic is obviously not one of their strong suits, so any attempt at dialogue is in vain.

But supposing for a moment it were possible to have an elucidative conversation with one of them, there is one question on my mind that I'd love to ask. "What's not conservative about conservation"?

I keep hearing how these folks won't give up their S.U.V.'s. They brag outright about how "big" their carbon footprints are, as if they were high school jocks in a locker room comparing dick sizes! They claim that climate change is a hoax, regardless of the profusion of scientific evidence that proves it. Regardless of their fear of "foreigners", they continue to support Big Oil. Do they not know where most petroleum is drilled? It's enough to make one cry out of irrational exhaustion.

What part of conservation do they not get? Do they not understand how this benefits them? Save your money, do not be wasteful. Keep the environment pristine. Theses ARE conservative values! It's just insane!

Happy Good Friday?

Good Friday today. Not that it has any particular spiritual meaning to me anymore. Yet I find myself reflecting upon it. Jesus was more than likely a slightly deranged character who ran afoul of the religious and political authorities of his day. Apparently the majority of his friends and followers abandoned him in the hour of his greatest need (many of us can relate). He was tortured, mocked and publicly executed in one of the most horrific ways humanity has ever imagined. It is a terrible and sad story. It is also something that humanity has repeated millions of times over hence. As a matter of fact, the Church in particular had developed such torture and execution to a bit of a fine, albeit evil art during the centuries of the Inquisition. And of course the Jews, or Christ killers, were selected as a special group for society's derision. So it is of little surprise that Catholics are almost obsessed by this day where at least subconsciously they express their collective guilt.

Of course, we simply wait three days for the good news that Jesus actually didn't die on the cross and is alive. Pretty impressive. Now later on theologically speaking, it is determined that Jesus actually went on a little foray and descended to the depths of Sheol to offer forgiveness and redemption to all the souls of the departed before he popped back up to Palestine to eat some fish and socialize with his friends before being "beamed up" into Heaven where he currently sits upon a throne next to his Papa Yahweh to judge Heaven and Earth at the end of all Time. Now that's just beyond incredible! (and also why the study of Theology eventually led me to atheism).

Nonetheless, it is worthy of reflection that humanity is capable of doing horrible things to one another. The Jesus movement of his day could have posed a threat to the authorities — and that's just something you don't do unless you have a tinge of a Messianic complex! Jesus was really a rather harmless fellow who taught some pretty crazy ideas — many of which are certainly worthy of debate — such as selling off all one's possessions and leaving one's family! Yet many of Jesus' words were kind and wise advice. Yet one wonders if he were to come back today if we wouldn't kill him again? Indeed, metaphorically speaking, we have in the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr. and so many others. We don't like the message of peace and brotherhood, so we simply shoot the messenger. Maybe in the future some religious sect will wear little golden handguns around their necks?

I'm Back!

Been away for a while. But I plan on slowly easing back into the blogging thing. I think that I will likely expand upon the Carfree theme, and include whatever I find interesting. So this will be more like therapy. I figure my readership is virtually nil, so I'm not doing this for any other reason than my own personal edification. If others find it attractive and wish to drop by and comment, that would be nice yet unnecessary.

1958 - Global Warming - It's NOT newly known

Fifty years later, and the answer is offshore drilling!

David Byrne's Bike Racks

Car Free Streets

Not only is this young lady adorably cute, she also manages some decent improvisational lyrics and dance moves!

fast train - ave renfe - alta velocidad españa - spain

Yet another reminder that we are so far behind the rest of the world. What's going on?