Just How Different Are We?

monkey monkeys

Genetically speaking we aren’t very different from them, and if you question this I recommend taking a closer look at those photos, but it’s that little bit that makes a lot of difference. I can’t speak for all monkeys or the other great apes because we humans haven’t yet been able to devise a way to communicate with them as they communicate amongst themselves let alone read their thoughts, so what follows is just my anthropocentric presumption.

It seems we humans unlike other apes, monkeys, and animals in general have the ability to take not just one or two but a few steps back in order to get a bigger picture of the reality beyond our individual existence along with the ability to see not just far enough into the future to know when a tree will be fruiting and when we should return to it, but far enough to imagine what life might be like hundreds or even thousands of years into the future.

It’s these unique abilities which allow us to understand the long-term consequences of our actions and overcome instinct to adjust our patterns of consumption and the rates at which we reproduce accordingly. Whereas other animals without these unique abilities would probably just go on consuming and reproducing until nature finally by way of famine, disease, or resource scarcity induced conflict painfully brought their levels of consumption and population down to that which the biosphere could support.

On second thought… now that I look around and see the tribal mindsets, over-consumption, and overpopulation that threatens to end our evolutionary journey I begin to think… maybe we aren’t that different. On the bright side we are moving in the right direction, the only problem is will we move fast enough in order to meet new challenges and prevent future catastrophes, or will we continue as usual making it increasingly likely that future generations will be born into a noose of our tying?

Voice Your Opposition to the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline.

If you don’t want to see the US and the rest of the world go further down the dirty dead end road of extracting and burning fossil fuels, especially those refined from tar sands oil which is even more polluting and even harder to clean up than conventional oil, then voice your opposition to this pipeline. By opposing the construction of this pipeline we make it more likely that this sludge stays in the ground and show the world that the US and its citizens are serious about climate change and protecting the biosphere.

Your Senators Contact Information (call or email it only takes a minute and means a lot)

For more information about this pipeline check out the National Resource Defense Council’s website where you’ll find a concise 5 point article and a 3 minute video.

Conservation and Innovation

Humanities number one problem is a rapidly deteriorating biosphere and this needs to be adequately addressed from both sides of the solution: conservation and innovation. There are many people working on the innovation side of things which is understandable because the cutting edge of science and technology is an exciting place to be and great monetary rewards await those who can best innovate.

However while there are people working to promote conservation there aren’t enough. Perhaps because it isn’t very fun or exciting to teach people common sense, e.g., not to waste things, nor are there any great monetary rewards for doing so. In fact you’re more likely to get a dirty look or be told to mind your own business but don’t let that deter you from speaking up in the name of our planet and future generations when needed.

We must not bet the biospheres future on technological advancements which may never come and as advances in science and technology do come we must remember that neither can save us from ignorance and apathy as billions go about their daily bad habits thinking that some authority will intervene before things get really bad. Things are already really bad however they can be made much better if we all do our part.

One Tip for Better Blood Sugar Control: Stop Drinking Alcohol.

I’ve never had alcohol so I can’t share any personal experience but I can recommend a link: New Scientist: Our liver vacation: Is a dry January really worth it?

How an adult could have never consumed alcohol” You might be thinking if it’s true they must have grown up in some cult or on some alcohol-free compound. Well I can assure you that it is true and that I didn’t grow up in a cult or on a compound. Rather by observing others who drank alcohol I noticed they became dumb, clumsy, and often puked. Therefore as a person who has always wanted to be smart, agile, and doesn’t like puking I simply avoided alcohol all my life and intend to continue doing so. I’m all for people being free to do what they want to themselves provided they don’t burden society and/or the environment with the consequences however I still hope you take good care of yourself because you’ve only got one body and one life so it’s best to make the most of them.

Minute by Year

Minute by year another birthday draws near while it still seems like the last one was just here. The older we get the faster time moves take a look back and this is easy to prove. Once a year seemed like a lifetime and now it seems more like a half-time. Life’s short live with this in mind and seek to make the most with your remaining time. Regardless of whether you’re in your hundreds, teens, or somewhere in between don’t settle for second best or give up on your dreams.

Pricing Carbon

Today I received an email from the White House regarding the 2015 State of the Union address asking me what I’d like to see accomplished during the Obama administration’s final 2 years in office. I encourage any US citizens reading this to visit the link for themselves, select an issue, and perhaps provide them with some suggestions. Here’s what I sent. Maybe it’ll give you some ideas, maybe you’ll resend it in support to make sure it gets read, or maybe you’ll improve upon it and send it as your own which you are more than welcome to do with anything on this site.

With elections out of the way, the economy on solid footing, and gas prices the lowest they’ve been in a long time I hope the Obama administration, as well as all other administrations and global citizens, will do much more over the next 2 years to address climate change, environmental degradation, and the daily loss of precious biodiversity starting with how he presents these interlinked issues in the 2015 State of the Union address. Addressing climate change, safeguarding the biosphere, and preserving biodiversity are challenges that must unite us as a nation and as a global community of nations.

In his speech I hope that the President helps people in the US and around the world better understand the current and potential consequences of a slight but rapid rise in the earth’s temperature and mentions that regardless of how much humans are responsible for the undeniable rise in global temperatures releasing more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, whether it be from consuming energy or eating meat, will only make matters worse and not just for future generations but for us and especially for our children and grandchildren. So lets start doing things that help ensure humanity stays safe and stop doing things which set it up to be sorry like denying climate change is even an issue and obstructing the legislation needed to combat it.

Speaking of legislation one suggestion I’d like to voice my support for is, as part of a broader carbon tax scheme, setting base prices for fossil fuels, e.g., a gallon of gas. This will allow us to take advantage low oil and natural gas prices to raise revenue to address the health and environmental issues related to the extraction, transportation, and burning of fossil fuels while helping incentivize consumers to conserve and companies to innovate. Where to set the price and what to do with the revenue needs to be debated, however regardless of whether it’s used to invest in clean energy, public transportation, or refunded evenly on a per capita basis the important thing is to disincentivize the burning of fossil fuels.

The power the US has by way of it’s positive example is far greater than any power wielded by it’s military might so I hope in this century, despite the poor start, the US will fully utilize this power for its own good and the good of the world. The US implementing a bold carbon tax scheme is what the world needs right now especially as other nations prepare their own environmental commitments ahead of the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference whose outcome will in large part determine what kind of a planet we’ll be leaving to future generations so lets set a good example.

To Climate Change Skeptics

Even if climate change wasn’t the critical issue it is wouldn’t it still be nice to shift to clean and renewable forms of energy and not have to deal with all the negative health and environmental implications, e.g., oil spills, air pollution, premature death, et cetera, associated with extracting, transporting, and burning fossil fuels sooner rather than later?

Please be a cautious freethinker and not a reckless contrarian especially when so much is at stake. I thank you for your attention and applaud you for your ability to change positions on this extremely important issue or to at least take precautions which help make humanity safe as opposed to continuing to do things which set it up to be sorry.

Fuel Prices

Despite all the talk about “cheap” gas burning fossil fuels is as costly as ever. If anyone’s really looking to save money on gas they should consider car pooling, taking public transportation, riding a bike, or perhaps simply walking. Regardless please take the true costs of things into consideration before deciding whether or not to make a purchase. Thanks for living like you care.

Self-mastery

Self-mastery is about being the person we want to be. Even if this seems impossible we should continue doing what we can while we can like a tree growing towards the sun knowing that it will die long before it ever reaches it but until then it just keeps on reaching. The path to self-mastery is an endless road of self reflection and walking alone with something to record new realizations with is a good way to remember new ones or review and further ingrain existing ones. Here are a few that have made their way into my notes.

Life’s too short for a bad day and things could always be worse.

Entertain or educate, induce laughter or learning, there’s rarely any other reason to speak.

The only reason to point out or repeat anything negative is if it can lead to something positive.

Work hard and see where it gets you rather than thinking about working hard and thinking about where it might get you.

Lower the bar and then raise it incrementally instead of raising it to the point you balk every time you go to clear it because what matters isn’t where you start but where you end up.

Don’t wait for opportunities create them and don’t search for paradise build it.

On the road to increasing self-mastery there will inevitably be some obstacles so rather than seeing stumbles as complete failures we must see them as important parts of the self-improvement process. Some people may progress two or three steps at a time while others may fall back a step or two for every two or three they take. Regardless those who stick with it will inevitably end up in a place much higher than they were when they started.

Better World

Let’s step back and take a look at where we’re at beyond nations, politics, and all of that. We’ll see a world overpopulated and heavily polluted, infatuated with consumption and morally diluted with many if not most lacking concern or a desire to learn as oceans rise and rainforests burn.

A population immersed in marketing designed to exploit instincts and capitalize on greed, many now consume what advertisers tell them to rather than what they need. Too many people look to the TV to construct their reality where mindless programming only serves to make them hollow, turning off their minds and setting them up for the ads that follow. Sports stars and celebrities who sell out at the drop of a dime, advertising junk food and soft drinks to children in their spare time. Anything for a dollar, anything for a plug, just tell them what to holler and where to place their mug.

It doesn’t take an anesthesiologist to numb’em up and dumb’em down like this because processed food and television does the trick, it’s got many going through life deaf, dumb, blind and sick. It’s how we’ve ended up with a population too sick to think and too tired to blink, just barely getting by on prescription drugs and caffeine filled energy drinks. Addicted to salt and hooked on sweets, congested on dairy and constipated on meat. Junk food marketing preys on the weak and prime time television’s got them glued to their seats.

Where processed food and prescription drug ads play in succession only adding to their anxiety and deepening their depression. People start thinking they’re suffering from the disease they just saw advertised on TV when what they’re really suffering from is an inability to see that the reason they’re ill is a direct consequence of the way they live. So before they go looking for a partial fix with inevitable side effects to mix they ought to take a pause and get to the root cause by looking at their diet, lifestyle, and personality flaws.

A better world starts with me and you and that’s the reason why I live the way I do. From rise to rest I do my best to let a positive example shine through. It’s sad to see what our world is when one knows what it could be as between ideal and reality lies a sea of discrepancy however complaining won’t do much and complacence won’t do a thing so lets get informed get involved and see what each of us can bring.

Handshakes: Unsanitary and Unnecessary

Under some circumstances I think a handshake is justified and serves a purpose. For example if representatives from two tribes came together to sign an agreement a handshake between them could serve as a symbol of cooperation and unity. Under circumstances like these I have no problem with the handshake, however where I do have a problem is when people, particularly people you don’t even know, feel the need to reach out their sweaty palm for a sturdy embrace of hands. What’s up with that?

What purpose does it serve to shake somebodies hand? Do people think that if they shake somebodies hand that that person becomes less likely to lie to or harm them? Do they think if they shake the hand of a rich or famous person that some of that persons traits will literally rub off on them and that they’ll increase their own chances of becoming rich or famous? Has the average person even stopped and thought “Why do we shake hands, what are the benefits and what are the detriments?” ?

Handshakes under normal circumstances are not only unnecessary they are also unsanitary. Just think about all the door handles and other things that person may have come into contact with just before shaking your hand. Perhaps they just finished blowing a runny nose or perhaps they’re just returning from the bathroom. Did they properly wash their hands? Did they even bother to wash their hands at all? Will you remember to wash yours before you touch your face or put food into your mouth?

Fortunately there are a number of far superior alternatives to the handshake for example people could simply make eye contact and nod, they could bow with their hands down as they do in Japan, or “wai” by placing their palms together, raising them up, and slightly bowing as they do in Thailand. If physical contact was needed a more sanitary fist bump could be used in lieu of a handshake. In conclusion, I’m not trying to abolish the handshake entirely however I don’t think it should be overused like it is.

Five Tips for Better Blood Sugar Control and Introduction to a Near-vegan Diet

These tips were written to be applicable to everyone regardless of what they eat, however I hope this article encourages everyone reading it to consider eating more plants and less animals because doing so is not only likely to reduce ones risk for developing diabetes it will also reduce deforestation rates, biodiversity losses, greenhouse gas emissions, and the chance of new antibiotic resistant pathogens developing along with the risk of more animal pathogens making the jump to humans by way of mistreatment and/or consumption of animals carrying these diseases.

Just remember it’s not all or none and that a near-vegan diet can also be a healthy and environmentally responsible alternative to eating animals everyday. As for non-vegan foods I’d say the best options are insects, invasive species, and eggs provided they’re from animals allowed to live in accordance with their natural needs and not from animals fed unnatural diets and drug regimens designed to keep sick animals alive and able to endure the abuse of not living in accordance with their natural needs long enough for them to be slaughtered.

Once people get the hang of eating more plants and began experiencing the benefits of a near-vegan diet they can then decide if they want to eliminate animal foods from their diet or continue to eat them once or twice a week, or month, rather than once or twice a day. I can not emphasize the importance of this issue and the lack of attention it gets. Most people know how bad it is to cut down rainforests, burn fossil fuels, and waste water, but few people have the knowledge and/or courage to link these issues to the way they choose to eat. Sharing this article can help change that:   https://dpage.org/?p=914

1.) Always be hungry before a meal.

Access to appealing food and some room in ones stomach is not a valid qualification for eating, only hunger is.

2.) Always be physically active just before a meal.

Pre-meal bursts of moderate to intense physical activity help prepare our bodies and particularly our muscles to absorb the energy we’re about to provide via our food.

3.) Never rush a meal no matter how eager you are to refuel.

Chew well and eat as slowly as comfortably possible perhaps turning what could be 10 or 20 minute meals into 20 or 40 minute meals and consider eating while walking or standing and swaying rather than sitting because sitting is probably the most dangerous thing you’ll do today.

4.) Never eat more than you need to at any single meal.

Eating a big meal so you can skip or skimp on the next one hardly ever works and finishing a meal slightly less than satisfied is always better than walking away regretting those last few bites. As for not finishing a meal most of us have access to reusable food boxes and refrigerators for that.

5.) Always do some light physical activity after your meal.

Walking, biking, or running some errands after a meal will help your blood sugar return to pre-meal levels much sooner than will sitting in a chair and should seem like the natural thing to do provided you’re eating a healthy diet which gives you energy rather than take it away.

In just one month by applying the above tips while eating a vegan diet of over 85% carbohydrate with most of it in the form of sugar via ripe sweet fruits, eating a little less than usual while maintaining a moderate level of physical activity, and reducing my total fat intake to below 10% of total calories I was able to drop my fasting blood sugar from 100mg/dL (pre-diabetic) to 76mg/dL (great) and HbA1C from 6.2% (pre-diabetic) to 5.1% which is surprisingly good considering that it had only been a month since the last test

While some people such as those with type I diabetes do have serious issues with their pancreas even they can greatly improve their blood sugar control by improving their diet and lifestyle. So for those of you who’ve been told you have pre-diabetes or type II diabetes, which is simply medical jargon for high blood sugar, don’t panic. While high blood sugar can be dangerous and even moderately elevated blood sugar can be detrimental for most it’s easy to bring down by eating a little less, keeping active throughout the day, and perhaps trying a low fat vegan or near-vegan diet.

Learning, Living, and Loving Language

The better our species can communicate with and understand each other the better our prospects for a peaceful, prosperous, and laughter filled future will be. Learning a new language increases the amount of knowledge and information we can access as well as the number of people we can share our knowledge and information with. Additional languages also allow us to step outside of our native language, culture, and to a certain extent ourselves, and view them as an outside observer which can provide us with new perspectives and invaluable insights. Furthermore learning language in itself is a great way to exercise the brain and stay mentally sharp as we age.

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Stress

One of the biggest obstacles to cultivating a healthy mindset is stress and although stress can be invoked by an unlimited number of things the one thing all stress has in common is that it is self-induced. That isn’t to say the reasons for being stressed are self-induced, although they oftentimes are, but that allowing one to become stressed over them is. When problems do arise we’re best off using our time and energy in positive and productive problem solving rather than in generating negative and unproductive stress because such stress not only undermines our health it also reduces our ability to deal with whatever is causing us to produce it. In maintaining an overall healthy state of mind the key isn’t in managing or relieving stress but in not allowing it to develop in the first place and to do this it helps to better understand some of the more common sources of stress.

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Clean and Clear

Why would you cause yourself such harm? I mean the bad breath and cough alone should set of an alarm, moreover black lungs and nicotine fits aren’t all you’re looking to get. Heart disease and lung cancer kill from the inside and smoking is one of the closest things there is to slow motion suicide.

Dying’s not fun and death is no joke so take this into consideration before you buy your next pack or take your next toke. Know that each drag moves you one step closer to a body bag. One step closer to becoming the next fool tobacco industry tool that goes from nicotine slave to corpse in an early grave.

I prefer to maintain a clean body and a clear mind because it’s in this state that I find my brain waves move at the speed of light enabling new ideas to continually take flight and all this freethought helps me see beyond the barriers and over the obstacles that stand between our world and where it ought to be.

I never took a sip, never took a smoke, never took a hit, never took a toke because that poison just isn’t for me, clean, clear, and fully conscious is how I strive to be. So the drugs and junk food are out and the fresh fruits and vegetables are in. The TV is off and my mind is on and as a result I get smarter by the day while I figure life out and find my own way.

Practical Fitness

As I roasted under the Southeast Asian sun this afternoon lugging two reusable bags of fruits and vegetables along with my loaded backpack and skateboard a thought occurred to me again and this time I have a platform to share it… rather than driving to a gym to use the lights, air-conditioning, and electric fan as you pedal on a stationary bike or run on an electric treadmill please consider biking or running to where you need to go.

Fitness is great but practical fitness is even better and this kind of fitness comes from doing things that need to be done and using your plant fueled body to do them, e.g., carrying groceries and taking the stairs. There’s nothing wrong with targeted workouts designed for specific purposes however we should do our best to make sure that most of our daily exercise is obtained by getting things done without the use of climate destabilizing fossil fuels.

Two Phrases That Need Replacing

Languages belong to the people who speak them and since I’m typing this and you’re reading it that means us. Therefore rather than accepting the way things are said we should ask ourselves if there’s a better way to say them and if there is we should start using it. Here are two phrases that I think are harmful to society and would love to see fade from the English language. Preferably by way of world peace which would make them irrelevant but until then lets use different phrases.

“Killing his own people”

First off are they really his own people? Do people belong to unelected dictators, elected politicians, or anyone for that matter? Second why imply that it’s worse to kill people that are of the same or similar race and ethnicity or of the same nationality than it is to kill someone that is of a different race, ethnicity, or nationality? Instead of talking about dictators or governments that “kill their own people” I suggest we use phrases like “killing innocent people” or “killing civilians” instead.

“Boots on the ground”
First “collateral damage” as a euphemism for innocent victims of what is oftentimes criminally negligent manslaughter and now this. Military euphemisms are dangerous because they make war seem less repulsive than it really is therefore we should all oppose their use. Therefore I suggest we replace this term with “troops on the ground” or even “sons and daughters on the ground” in order to show what’s really at stake because boots can be replaced, people can’t.

Good People

Good people come and good people go,
As for when and which will leave us first,
None of us can ever really know,
As the order doesn’t always depend on ones age or ones health,
Because the end comes in many ways and often in stealth,
So lets make the most of this precious time and endeavor to thrive,
Each of us embodying what it means to be alive,
May each of us continue to love, learn, and grow,
And may we continue to do so until it is our own time to go.

Nature: Respect and Protect