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miscellaneous postings by Lawrence R. Spencer

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HUMAN SYMBIOSIS

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symbiosis

On a tiny, remote planet a Mythology has been conceived and taught that one relatively minor species of life form are “superior” to billions of others with whom they share the planet, and upon whom they depend for sustenance.  Factually, all life forms exist in a perpetual state of interactive interdependency called “symbiosis”.

Symbiosis comes from two Greek words that means “with” and “living.” It describes a close relationship between two organisms from different species. It is sometimes, but not always, beneficial to both parties.  Ironically, the life form that is NOT required for symbiotic survival on Earth, and without which the planet flourished for billions of years, is the species “homo sapiens”.

If insects or bacteria (two small examples) disappeared from Earth, most other species, including homo sapiens, would perish quickly.  However, if homo sapiens became extinct, nearly all other life forms would flourish, and return to a natural state of symbiotic abundance upon which the fragile, parasitic species of homo sapiens depends utterly.  With the exception of a few domesticated animals humans would not be missed on Earth.

It has been observed that the Microcosm (relatively small) is a reflection of the Macrocosm (relatively large) in the physical universe.  Human beings conceive themselves to be the “highest” form of life and most intelligent.  Yet, when viewed in the context of stars, galaxies and universes, homo sapiens are infinitesimally insignificant, except in their own minds.  This begs the question: “Are their beings in the universe for whom humans might provide symbiotic value?“   The final scene from the popular film Men In Black offers one example. Do humans exist symbiotically in an existential game played by beings who we make imperceptible by our Narcissistic Mythology?

...and other stuff, BULLSHIT, LIVES

WORLD PEACE: Nuclear Weapons and Global Arsenals

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Are you relieved to know that a few lunatics who recently predicted the “End of Days” got the date wrong? Not to worry. The end it still coming. It’s already been planned, built and paid for by YOU and your “LEADERS”. The human race has developed enough nuclear weapons to turn every living creature on the planet into a lifeless chunk of charcoal more than 50 times over.  YOU AND I VOTE FOR THE CRIMINALS POLITICIANS WHO PASS LAWS TO GUARANTEE THAT THIS LUNACY CONTINUES. In case you haven’t been paying attention since 1945 when the first A-Bomb was tested, the human race is still racing:  toward total destruction of all life on Earth.  Here are a few facts to bring you up to speed on the real “End of Days”:

Globally there are now  approximately 23,000 nuclear warheads.
(Upated as of October 2009)

Russia 13,000
United States 9,400
France 300
China 240
United Kingdom 185
Israel 80
Pakistan 70-90
India 60-80
North Korea <10

Estimated Total:  23,375

This total is from the Federation of American Scientists source: http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/nukes/nukestatus.html
Consequences of Using Nuclear Weapons by Dean Babst and David Krieger, 1997 

Nuclear Overkill

Since humanity can only destroy itself once, nuclear overkill serves no purpose, wastes billions of dollars in maintenance costs, and increases the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons by terrorists, or by accident, miscalculation, or misunderstanding.

Russia has a nuclear weapons destructive force of 2,900 megatons, which is an ability to destroy humanity 29 times. Russia, which is in terrible financial shape, is wasting vast sums of money to maintain far more strategic nuclear warheads (7,150) than it can use without destroying itself.

The United States has a total nuclear weapons destructive force of 1,800 megatons, which is an ability to destroy humanity 18 times. While struggling mightily to reduce deficit spending, the U.S. is spending some $27 billion annually to maintain far more strategic nuclear warheads (7,250) than it can use without destroying itself.

While the total nuclear destructive power of the United Kingdom, France and China represents only a small part of the world’s nuclear weapons destructive force, it is still enough to destroy the world several times. Each of these countries is struggling with great difficulty to pay for their nuclear weapons.

The destructive power estimates are conservative since they only include the power of strategic nuclear weapons. If tactical nuclear weapons were added, the overkill capability would be even greater.

Israel, India and Pakistan also have the ability to produce and deliver nuclear weapons. As global awareness grows that nuclear weapons use is likely to be massively destructive, including self-destructive, hopefully these states, too, will reevaluate the appropriateness of maintaining nuclear arsenals.

Global Mental Block

Why does humanity waste vast sums maintaining far more nuclear weapons than are needed to destroy itself? In an earlier study we discovered the main reason for such illogical behavior is that there is a worldwide reluctance to think about what the consequences would be if nuclear weapons were used — a mental block. We discovered that virtually nothing is being published anywhere in the world on the self-destructive consequences of the use of nuclear weapons despite the great peril they present to all.

An example of this mental block was recently reported by General Lee Butler (USAF, Ret.). When General Butler became head of the U.S. Strategic Air Command, he went to the Omaha headquarters to inspect the 12,000 targets in the former Soviet Union. He was shocked to find that dozens of warheads were aimed at Moscow (as the Soviets once targeted Washington). General Butler said, “We were totally out of touch with reality.”(20) U.S. planners had no grasp of the destructive power of nuclear weapons. One small nuclear warhead alone could destroy a major city.

While it is understandable that people are reluctant to think about how terrible the consequences of nuclear weapons use could be, this reluctance has allowed humankind to place itself in danger of self-annihilation, and to spend some $8 trillion over the course of the Nuclear Age doing so.”

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Compiled and commented upon by Lawrence R. Spencer.  https://lawrencerspencer.com

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/phatpugs_herb/5703571074/in/photostream