Peaceful Primates?

Dick Martin passed me an interesting article, called “A Natural History of Peace” which appeared, in of all places, FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Summary: Humans like to think that they are unique, but the study of other primates has called into question the exceptionalism of our species. So what does primatology have to say about war and peace? Contrary to what was believed just a few decades ago, humans are not "killer apes" destined for violent conflict…

To read more
click here

Localization As The Solution

In “Ireland: Energy Scenarios and Beyond…”
localization and thus decentralization of the economy is seen as the only viable means to overcome the impending crisis brought on by Peak Oil.

More Info On The Petroeuro Threat To US Imperialism

“Current geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran extend beyond the publicly stated concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear intentions, and likely include a proposed Iranian “petroeuro” system for oil trade.” Click HERE to continue this story by William Clark taken from “The Energy Bulletin”

Climate Change And Human Society

There is a growing body of evidence that climate factors played a major impact in human social evolution. The book, SAHARASIA
shows how authoritarianism and class society developed from destertification.
The latest findings in Africa show how drought drove humans out of that continent to populate the rest of the world. See the following
BBC story

The State Socialism Of the Rich – Again

See George Monbiot’s latest
Guardian article on how corporations get more in government handouts than the profits they make. Ah, free enterprise…

SELF-TRANSCENDENT PASSIONS

We need self-transcendent passions. They don't have to be artistic or intellectual. Could be golf or skiing - anything that consumes you, takes you out of yourself. Something you would rather do than anything else and no excuse will stop you from doing it. The passion lives thru you. You are never bored if you have that passion. Nor are you ever alone. Others share your passion and thus your life. The people with passion are the ones who make the world go round, while the passionless are the voyeurs, the followers, the sheeple.


All children are passionate. They attack life with fervor. The root of this fervor is imagination, a faculty all are born with. For many people the imagination is crushed early in life and the passion dies. Imagination and therefore, self-transcendent passion, is strangled by authoritarian parenting, the boredom that is skool and the emptiness of Korporate Krap Kulture, day and night shoved down the throats of children. But some of us always escape and maintain that childlike imagination and energy throughout our lives.

People who don't have a self-transcendent passion are wrapped up in themselves. They need to be entertained, and by other people. Their needs cannot be filled from within. The passionless do not understand the passionate. "Why does she go to meetings all the time and not stay home and watch TV with me?" "Can't he think about anything but fishing?" In their passionless ignorance they seek to control and even destroy the passionate. "You want to be an artist? Don't waste your time - get a real job!" "There's no money it what you are doing, you know!" "Put down that book and do something useful!"

You can't blame the passionate for at times feeling like Gulliver tied down by the Lilliputians.

IRAN MOVES TO EUROS

“Preparatory measures taken to sell oil in euros TEHRAN, Dec. 2 (MNA) - The Chairman of the Majlis Energy Commission, Kamal Daneshyar said here, on Friday, that preparatory measures have been taken to sell oil in euros instead of dollar, adding that such a measure is quite positive and should be taken as soon as possible. Speaking to the Persian service of Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), he went on to say that Iran should at the first phase sell its oil in both Dollar and Euro, and then gradually move toward Euro. as the mere source.” Quote from
Mehrnews

The beginning of the end for the Yanqui Dollah? Perhaps if other countries, say Russia, Venezuela and Mexico move to Euros.