Monthly Archives: August 2015

The Game of Evolution

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Sept 2012 007

How are you today? Really. How we feel each day is depended on so many factors. We usually feel better in good weather. Looking in the mirror with a positive result usually means you are going to have a pretty great day. It also helps to be in the know. Who is it that says information is power? Well I’m going to pass on some interesting factoids. So please make yourself comfortable and listen up.

Here are some percentages of genetic similarity between humans and animals.

(This information was gleaned from the Internet)

Chimpanzees are 96% to 98% similar to humans.

Cats are 90% similar to humans

Cows are 80% genetically similar to human beings

The timid mouse shares 75% of its genes with humans

The humble chicken on your dinner plate shares 60%

The ubiquitous fruit fly also shares 60% of its DNA with humans

 

Now that you are thoroughly confused and or insulted, remember that we human beings are the dominant species. We are not the fastest or the strongest, the biggest or the toughest on this planet. I would question if we are even the smartest. We are the sneakiest, the meanest and the most dishonest of all the species. Perhaps that’s why we are dominant.

If we share so much DNA with the animal world then why is it that we are doing our best to eradicate that part of the planet? In our defense, there are lots of good people fighting to ensure that we do not destroy our world and ourselves. But what other species spends so much of its time in attempts to commit slow suicide? We’re constantly fighting and killing others of our kind in an attempt to gain, what?   We fight for land, for money or for a perceived insult. We allow others like us to starve to death because of greed or complacency. Does this sound like dominance is working for us? It is, but only for small portion of the world.

We have created such incredible wonders. We have created masterpieces of art and architecture, literature and legacy. But still, does any of that matter?

We live longer in the first world countries and with more comforts. What of the second and third world countries? They do not have the excesses that we do.

No one, no child in this world should ever go hungry and yet millions do. No one should ever die of a curable disease and yet millions do.

Some days I am very sad that I have so much and there are others out there who by virtue of where they are born have so much less than I do. I am grateful for what I have and I do not loose sight of the fact that there are those who do not. If we are the dominant species then we have a responsibility to the others who share this planet with us.

I hope that one day we will all recognize that we are not alone, that we need each other.   So the next time you crush a fruit fly beneath your Sunday newspaper remember, you are related!

Water and Words

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August 2013 015

 

Words flow like water

To caress and to care

They nurture and suckle

But sometimes beware.

 

They can hide or expose

In a sentence or stream

Meandering avenues

Could it all be a dream?

 

A death is a beginning

The start is an end

A babbling brook

Belief to suspend.

 

Drowning is possible

With the words and the wet

It could all wash away

All gone on a bet.

 

Remember the words

The water as well

And never forget

This gentle with wee spell.

 

Words flow like water

To caress and to care

They hide and expose

But then just beware.

 

21 Days and counting . . .

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IMG_0795

When I sit down to write a post I usually have a list of subjects in front of me. When an idea lands in my brain I quickly try to write it down so I won’t forget it. This week was no exception. I had lots of ideas, unfortunately.

I was going to write about Urban Wildlife. The wild animals I see when I’m out for a walk is amazing. I have seen squirrels, chipmunks, Geese, Bitterns, Ducks, Rabbits, Coyotes, raccoons, deer, muskrat (I think) and of course the ever popular teenager.

Then I was going to write about 21 Days. That’s it that’s all I had: 21 Days. I thought about taking over a country in 21 days. Way too messy. Lose weight in 21 days. Nah, too much like work. I just couldn’t get a handle on this phrase. So I decided to plug it into Google to see what it had to say. Yep, there’s a whole website devoted to changing your life in 21 days. Okay, it’s been done.

Then a friend said I should write about the origins of Pratology. I promised to give her a shout out, so Rebecca this one’s for you! What you ask is pratology? Well we were being silly and thought this was a made up a word about talking or prattling on as we sometimes do. However I decided I needed to do a little research and plugged the word into Google. Yep, you got it: already in use! There is a Facebook page of someone, perhaps in Spain. I think it is his name! There is a jazz song using the word. Pratology by Robert Burke is actually quite good! I also found a blog post from 2008 called Pratology. Ok moving on.

Sometimes it seems as if there is no more originality in the world. Movies all tend to be sequels and remakes. Songs are fighting over who came up with the notes first. Everything has become too much the same as something before. Are we becoming too complacent? Are we too set in our ways for original thought?

I strongly believe that originality, an original thought is simply a synapsis connection away. Each one of us is an individual and that makes us unique. We live in a world where too much is pre-packaged for us. We accept it because it makes our lives easier. But what do we lose in the meantime. Human beings are not yet prepackaged. We are not programmed. We have the ability to choose, to direct our lives. We just have to actually do it.