$93,000,000,000!

Let’s go to the moon!

Let’s ignore the people on THIS EARTH who are suffering from lack of food, housing, medical care, etc. and instead, let’s spend $93 BILLION on a rocket designed to eventually carry a spacecraft –with astronauts– to the moon.

AND BEYOND!! 

As most of you know, it was on this date (August 29, 2022) that NASA launched the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to the moon in its first steps towards human exploration of deep space. And going along for the ride was the Orion spacecraft, designed to carry up to six astronauts, which will/may eventually serve as the springboard for a trip to Mars!

While many feel this is an exciting time and look forward to what the future holds in the way of space travel, I can’t help but wonder how and why this fascination (and extravagant spending) of the otherworldly has usurped our concern and care for the planet we all live on.

For centuries, EARTH has sustained the human race and, for all intents and purposes, it is still our HOME. Yet over the past several years, its natural resources and aesthetic values are suffering because some humans seem unable to contain their relentless drive for MORE!

And now, instead of facing the error of our ways and making the necessary changes so the earth can heal, we have turned our attention –and monetary resources– to other planets in the desperate hope of finding another human-receptive paradise.

And if/when we do, I can’t help but wonder how many ages will pass before it too is spent and the search must begin again.

NOTE: I just read where the project has been delayed.

Dogs Rule!

On a lighter note from today’s earlier post, I wanted to let everyone know that today is …

INTERNATIONAL DOG DAY!

This special (dog) day is celebrated every year on August 26th, and was originated by Colleen Paige, an animal welfare activist.

Since all of us dog owners are fully aware of the unconditional love and affection our dogs have for us, it seems only reasonable that we should spend a little extra time with them today and let them know how special they are to us. Right?

And to further celebrate this Very Special Day, here is your opportunity to share stories about YOUR dog(s)! 

Feel free to say as much or as little as you want. After all, they deserve all the praise and love we can give them! (Pictures are welcome.)

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Photo by novorafael form PxHere

“Humanity’s Last Chance”

I watched this documentary over the past couple of nights and found it … disturbing. Although many of the events and conditions presented are common knowledge for those of us who are paying attention, there were others that I personally had not considered. Perhaps this will be the case for you as well.

While I am in full agreement with the contents of the video (with some reservations about the ending), I’m well aware there are many individuals who deny, dispute, and/or simply ignore the signs and events that are discussed.

And it makes me wonder what it will take to wake people up.

As always, I will be interested in your reactions and comments.

(Sidenote: I’m quite certain Ark will especially enjoy this video. Those of you who know him will discover why as the video progresses. 😋)

Warning: The narrator has a rather unpleasant voice, but since she’s the producer, one must bear with it.

“Atheist” Is Just A Word

In general conversation, the word “atheist” is, in itself, irrelevant. A non-starter.

In fact, the only time the word comes into play is in religious discussions when it is often used derisively to describe folks who simply live life and accept things as they come — individuals who see no need to attribute events or actions to any “thing” or any “one.” IOW… people who are generally content with the idea that “it is what it is.”

No special identifier required.

Yet there are multiple blogs and other online media that carry on extensive and lengthy discussions to discredit this tangential word.

For example, it is the claim of religious believers that “atheists” are prone to ignore the glorious wonders all around them. They adamantly contend it is more than obvious that everything humans see and experience is the result of some phenomenal guy-in-the-sky. In their view, there simply is no other way to explain who we are and why we exist.

By contrast, those who refute the existence of this “celestial” entity/being are far more inclined to view life as a result of natural forces present in the Universe. And based on this perspective, they tend to live each day without expectation (or testament) of any preternatural events.

Further, the claim by religious believers that there is something beyond this life is viewed by the “atheists” as an inherently unproven event. And any tales of “near death” experiences are instinctively filed under “Fiction.”

This is why scores of non-labeled individuals find joy and happiness in their daily living. They fully recognize and accept that their presence in this world is based on a combination of circumstances that came together at an opportune moment. They feel no need or reason to either credit nor acknowledge any extraneous “source” for their good fortune.

Ironically, however, while these same folk find no substance in the claims of the religious, some have discovered the benefits of following the advice offered by a fellow named Luke:

“Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”

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Image by Thomas Mühl from Pixabay

Abortion Workaround

TO MY MALE READERS:

What are your thoughts related to mandatory vasectomies to prevent women from getting pregnant and (potentially) bearing an unwanted child?

Sidenotes:

A vasectomy reversal is a minimally invasive procedure and is successful in most cases, depending on various factors that would need to be discussed with one’s physician.

Depending on the age of legal consent in each state, the youngest a person can be to have a vasectomy is typically between 16 and 18.