Letters to the Editor
ELYDOG
Published Letters: 712 Editor's Choice: 52
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Human Survival
[Read the article: The atheist delusion]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]At this point in the evolution of the human species, the question of religion is not a private affair. Quite literally, not believing in science will get many of us killed or destroyed, and leave the biosphere in tatters.
This war of 'memes' is actually a war for survival. Atheism and agonosticism have to win out in order to justify and strengthen scientific thought. There are the 'smaller' matters like AIDS, in which the Catholic Church and the Protestant fundamentalists howl against condoms in Africa while millions die. Or religious wars and massacres and terrrorism that afflict so many areas of the globe...wars which at bottom are about oil.
Then there are the 'larger' matters which the government is busy ignoring - science is pointing to peak oil and global climate change as huge challenges to human society. Without heeding science, a human die off of a large part of the earth's population is very possible, just as species after species are falling by the wayside right now.
Evolution teaches that the stronger, more adaptable physical and social features lead to survival of a species. Just as Darwin posited the need for an opposable thumb, social skills and tool-making abilities for human existence; reasoning and science are the only other 'modern' things we have to survive the future. Religion and magical thinking will lead us into a new dark age, quite literally.
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Go fly a Kite Flyer
[Read the article: The atheist delusion]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Your letter was full of content-free insults against atheists and a content-free defense of the Catholic churches policies. And you are the adult here? I'm 55 and I find that amusing.
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Ethanol Addiction
[Read the article: The fuel on the hill]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I doubt that the small adjustments ethanol plants are making in double-using the ethanol by-product for feed, or switching to shit-fired instead of coal-fired plants will make that much less of an impact, thoughtful as those ideas are.
Corn ethanol is both a Republican and a Democrat solution - it is a perfect mirror of what is wrong with politics today. Even Mr. Positive, the Obama, sings it's praises at every stop in Iowa.
Cutting down forests for biomass, raising food prices because of bio-mass is pursuing the 'eight track tape' solution to global warming and peak oil.
The fine print here is that the oil companies still get subsidies after Pelosi's 'historic' bill, the ADMs of the world still get subsidies, wind and solar get short shifted again, water gets overused, and Detroit has to do what it should have done 25 years ago. Even when Al "The Environment" Gore was Vice President, he did not make any kind of push to up CAFE standards...not until becoming a person out of government.
These events are profoundly disturbing, and are too slow and inadequate to stop or reverse global warming and peak oil.
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Stinger Missile Violence
[Read the article: The atheist delusion]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yes, this string might be the longest in Salon history. Who's keeping check?
Stinger, religions have been supporting whatever war that comes along for many years. Human nature can be violent as well. The problem is that many religions, 'most' of the time, seem to justify or accelerate violence. Religion can also be a direct cause of violence, though I think social factors are at botttom of what is going on.
For many years, the violence in Northern Ireland was dressed up as a conflict of 'religions,' when really it was an upper class of Protestant businessmen who wanted to control the Catholic working class population, and prevent them from joining the South, where other businessmen were in control. I.E. religion was used as a cover for domination.
However, what made it fly with working class Protestants was that the Protestant 'religion' was an ideology they could agree with. And so some of them joined the upper class Protestants in opposing Catholic rights or a united Ireland. And the English ruling class just smiled. I think many times religion is really another form of politics.
As to the anger issue, Stinger Missile, environmentalists are angry today about the recent environmental bill passed by our 'betters.' They should be. Peace activists are angry about the Iraq quagmire. They should be. Atheists are angry about the influence of religion in U.S. politics. They should be. Welcome to America, 2007.
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Fed Reserve Private Agency
[Read the article: Death to the Fed! A Ron Paul manifesto]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]My understanding is that the Federal Reserve is a private agency controlled by individual banks through the Board. This Board is pretty secret, and is not a government agency.
So we have 'privatized' an essential part of our monetary controls. Whatever President Roosevelt might have thought about how it would 'remove' business control, I think it acts in favor of business.
Recent example is the lowering of credit costs to help the banks through the sub-prime losses. Also it's lack of oversight of the mortgage industry, as it was run by a disciple of Ayn Rand, an extremist capitalist, who believe con artists have a legitimate place in capitalism.
So Ron Paul calling for it's abolition is 'close' but no cigar. We need a board controlled by the legislature of the country, or better yet, by the 'interest' holders - the consumers and workers.
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Every bit helps
[Read the article: How to get better gas mileage]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Eco-driving might be a non-sequitur, but since most people drive, it makes sense to drive differently when you do.
I have started driving like an old man. Besides saving gas, it is more relaxing. The real problem is that traffic demands high speeds at times, especially on single lane roads, so I do it most when no one is around... or is way behind. But if more and more people start doing this, it might slowly catch on. A sign in the back saying you are a 'himiler' or 'drive slow for the environment' might warn people.
I live in Minnesota, so driving in snow with bicycles or motorcylces can't be done all year around (though many bicyclists do!). But I think getting a scooter or small/medium motorcycle is a quick and inexpensive way to get higher miles. I don't drive a car when I can ride my Triumph. And you will enjoy it far more than any car!