Greenwashing

"Many companies try to appear environmentally friendly without making a real difference, a strategy that’s been dubbed 'greenwashing'. So, is calling a product or service 'eco-friendly' just a ploy of companies to get more money out of us? What are the consequences for climate change? And how can we spot those fake claims? That’s what we’ll talk about today."

Click on the link below for another excellent video by Sabine Hossenfelder, this time presenting the pros and cons of corporate efforts to address environmental problems:

Greenwashing: How common is it, and how can you avoid it?

Another Example Of Republican Inconsistency

Recently, the Republicans have been attacking both Hunter and Joe Biden regarding their supposedly terrible, illegal, and impeachable actions. However, the FACTS surrounding the issues debunk the Republican Claims: 

Why Hunter Biden wasn’t charged with felony tax evasion after years-long probe

Hunter Biden Got Special Treatment — Especially Harsh

Meanwhile, the Republicans, per usual, are notably dismissive of the truly serious new charge against their Leader:

Some Trump defenders respond to a new indictment in the worst way

Christian Theology Does Not Support A Non-Material Soul

To hear conservative Christians, and even most liberal Christians, speak of the Soul or Spirit, one would assume that the Bible supports an immaterial quality to such. In fact, the Old Testament is clear that the Soul or Spirit is associated with the material "Breath." In addition, Jesus preached this same concept of the Soul. Click on the link below for a video on the matter, which, once again, debunks apologist William Lane Craig:

Why We Shouldn't Believe in a Soul

Ocean Currents: They ALSO Are Affected By Climate Change

"A vital system of ocean currents could collapse within a few decades if the world continues to pump out planet-heating pollution, scientists are warning – an event that would be catastrophic for global weather and 'affect every person on the planet.'"

Click on the links below for some information you probably have not been exposed to that is vital for understanding the complete effects of climate change:

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current – of which the Gulf Stream is a part – could collapse around the middle of the century, or even as early as 2025

Let's talk about AMOC

The Current State Of Cosmology

"Adam Frank is a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Rochester. He joins Preet to discuss some of the biggest questions in science. Is there extraterrestrial life and how might we find it? Is Earth the only place in space where humans can survive? And, would the Universe exist without us humans?"

Click on the link below for an in-depth podcast looking at the continuing exponential increase in knowledge primarily due to advancements in computer technology. It includes what experts think about the probability of extra-terrestrial life, whether intelligent life can survive its hubris, and the humbling enormity of the known universe:

Life, the Universe, and Everything 

Litigation Funding: An Answer To Corporate Power?

"Litigation funding involves the agreement of a third party (with no prior connection to the litigation) to finance all or part of the legal costs of certain litigation, in return for a percentage of any damages recovered should the funded litigant be successful."

Click on the link below for a "60 minutes" segment presenting the pros and cons of this recent attempt to help the "small guy" in corporate legal disputes:

More investors fund lawsuits, as rules and transparency lag behind

The Sixth Mass Extinction

"A mass extinction is a short period of geological time in which a high percentage of biodiversity, or distinct species—bacteria, fungi, plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates—dies out. In this definition, it’s important to note that, in geological time, a ‘short’ period can span thousands or even millions of years. The planet has experienced five previous mass extinction events, the last one occurring 65.5 million years ago which wiped out the dinosaurs from existence. Experts now believe we’re in the midst of a sixth mass extinction.

"Unlike previous extinction events caused by natural phenomena, the sixth mass extinction is driven by human activity, primarily (though not limited to) the unsustainable use of land, water and energy use, and climate change." (link)

Presently, the Earth is experiencing its highest temperature in 120,000 years. To put that in perspective, at that time, most modern humans (Homo Sapiens Sapiens) were only living in Africa and had human cousins to deal with. If you think that this is no big deal, you are not listening to science experts dealing with the state of the Earth and humanity. Click on the links below to get a perspective regarding THE existential crisis facing our reality:

What is the sixth mass extinction and what can we do about it?

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

Earth's sixth mass extinction event underway, scientists warn

How humans are driving the sixth mass extinction

The Scariest Thought You Could Have?

"Over the years, we’ve heard hundreds of times about how we have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world. But is that actually true? Could we actually destroy all life on this planet? We crunch the numbers and see exactly how bad it would be if every nuclear weapon in the world went off at once. And learn a little something about Robert Oppenheimer along the way."

Click on the link below for a science-based analysis of this nauseating subject:

What If Every Nuke Went Off At Once?

The USA 20 Years In The Future?

"The United States is changing. In the next 20 years, I think there will be some extreme changes to the United States and the people. I think the economy, real estate, The US map, and how people work and get healthcare will transform aspects of life in the United States of America.

"The US state map could actually change in 20 years."

Click on the link below for the predictions of one person about how the USA will look in 20 years:

10 Unbelievable Changes For The USA In 20 Years

Cryptocurrency Exposed

I have posted several times on the facts surrounding Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Click on the link below for one of the clearest exposes of this vapid financial scheme:

Crypto Represents the “Golden Age of Fraud”

9/10/2025: Is Bitcoin a Good Investment?

Is Stretching Part Of Your Exercise Routine?

"Stretching is a pleasant ritual for many people, myself included. It’s simple, it feels good, and we believe — or hope — that it prevents and treats injuries. For many others, athletes and couch potatoes alike, stretching is also a bit of a drag: a duty that weighs on the conscience, one more thing to make time for. And yet they still do it, counting on the benefits.

"Can all these people be barking up the wrong tree? Yes. In fact, stretching is not an important part of fitness and wellness. Stretching’s primary goal — flexibility — does not have any clear value to anyone, not even most elite athletes, let alone the average fitness nut. It’s also easily achieved with other kinds of exercise that are more beneficial for fitness in other ways: strengthening can also improve flexibility.1 Most stretching is simply a waste of time, its reputation completely undeserved."

Click on the link below for more:

Quite A Stretch

The Criteria For A Prophecy Being True

Christians talk about how Jesus was prophesized in the Bible but is that true? The list of criteria for a prophecy to be true, according to the counter-apologist Paulogia, is as follows

• It was made clearly and demonstrably prior to the events predicted.
• It was intended to be a prediction.
• It was a non-mundane claim.
• It was answerable only by a single, transparent, and verifiable occurrence.
• It is not open to interpretation.
• It is not something that people are actively attempting to fulfill. 

In analyzing the above criteria, as well as pondering noted Biblical scholar Bart Ehrman's opinion on the subject (here), it is clear that the claims of the Bible prophesizing Jesus as "The Savior" assists in stretching Christianity's credibility to the absurd.

Affirmative Action: What It Is, And How Important It Is

"Today, we take a look at the history and unceremonious end of affirmative action for college admissions that were an attempt to correct the compounded impact of hundreds of years of systemic racism."

Click on the link below for an in-depth presentation of the history and importance of Affirmative Action in the USA to rectify centuries of injustice:

Understanding what we lost with the repeal of affirmative action

"Big Pharma": The Bad And The GOOD

"Valid criticism of the pharmaceutical industry often snowballs into demonization, leading conspiracy theorists to promote an alternative that is simply hypocritical."

Click on the link below for a balanced presentation of the drug industry, with its warts, but also its tremendous good works:

What the "Big Pharma" Accusation Gets Right (And Wrong) About The Drug Industry

The Truth: Immigration Is A Net Positive

If one is deluded by conservatives, one probably is thinking that immigration is a great negative for workers and society at large. Click on the several links below for the reality:

Immigrants are vital to the US economy

Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants Would Boost Economic Growth

Immigrants and the Economy

Immigrants Provide Huge Benefits to US Taxpayers

Ten Ways Immigrants Help Build and Strengthen Our Economy

Undocumented Immigrants

Positive impact of illegal immigration on the US economy

Transitioning To Electric Vehicles

In the last few years, the media promotion of electric vehicles has seen a noticeable increase. However, what are the facts and realistic expectations regarding such? Click on the link below for a concise evidence-based analysis of the issue by Sabine Hossenfelder:

How realistic is the transition to electric vehicles?

Toxic Masculinity: A Major Negative Force In The USA

"Toxic masculinity is a set of certain male behaviors associated with harm to society and men themselves. Stereotypical aspects of traditional masculinity,^[1] such as social dominance, misogyny, and homophobia,^[2]: 716 can be considered "toxic" due in part to their promotion of violence, including sexual assault and domestic violence. Socialization of boys often normalizes violence, such as in the saying "boys will be boys" about bullying and aggression.

"Self-reliance and emotional repression are correlated with increased psychological problems in men such as depression, increased stress, and substance use disorders. Toxic masculine traits are characteristic of the unspoken code of behavior among men in prisons, where they exist in part as a response to the harsh conditions of prison life.

"Other traditionally masculine traits such as devotion to work, pride in excelling at sports, and providing for one's family, are not considered to be "toxic". The concept was originally used by authors associated with the mythopoetic men's movement, such as Shepherd Bliss. These authors contrasted stereotypical notions of masculinity with a "real" or "deep" masculinity, which they said men had lost touch with in modern society. Critics of the term toxic masculinity argue that it incorrectly implies that gender-related issues are caused by inherent male traits.^[3]

"The concept of toxic masculinity, or certain formulations of it, has been criticized by some conservatives as an undue condemnation of traditional masculinity, and by some feminists as an essentialist concept that ignores the role of choice and context in causing harmful behaviors and attitudes related to masculinity."

(Wikipedia)

- - - - - - -

Other links:

‘Toxic masculinity’: what does it mean, where did it come from – and is the term useful or harmful?

Unlearning Toxic Masculinity

Artificial Intelligence: What's Ahead Is Going To Be A Revolution

Click on the link below for one of the best interviews on what our children and grandchildren will be contending with, good and bad, regarding AI:

Artificial Intelligence Revolution

Health Among The Amish

"Health among the Amish is characterized by higher incidences of particular genetic disorders, especially among the Old Order Amish. These disorders include dwarfism,[1] Angelman syndrome,[2] and various metabolic disorders, such as Tay-Sachs disease,[3] as well as an unusual distribution of blood types.[4]" (Wikipedia)

Any cult/closed community may have a high risk of genetic disorders but also may have some positive social traits.  Click on this link for more.

Overpopulation: Is It The Real Issue?

"Today, we take a look at the dubious, ideologically-driven debate between overpopulation being a danger to the future of humanity and it being a dangerous myth obscuring the real issue of over-consumption."

Click on the link below for insight into the issue:

The overpopulation debate is more philosophical than empirical

Sex/Gender: The Science, Not The Pseudoscience

 "As with most things in science, the concept of boy versus girl is more complicated than it appears at first glance. It’s not a simple dichotomy. We, humans, like to classify everything into neat pigeonholes, but Nature’s inventiveness outsmarts us at every step.":

Many factors combine to determine sex and gender, and not one of them is simply black and white.

- - - - - - - 

"Antiscientific sentiment bombards our politics, or so says the Intellectual Dark Web (IDW). Chief among these antiscientific sentiments, the IDW cites the rising visibility of transgender civil rights demands. To the IDW, trans people and their advocates are destroying the pillars of our society with such free-speech–suppressing, postmodern concepts as: “trans women are women,” “gender-neutral pronouns,” or “there are more than two genders.” Asserting “basic biology” will not be ignored, the IDW proclaims. “Facts don’t care about your feelings.”

"The irony in all this is that these “protectors of enlightenment” are guilty of the very behavior this phrase derides. Though often dismissed as just a fringe internet movement, they espouse unscientific claims that have infected our politics and culture. Especially alarming is that these “intellectual” assertions are used by nonscientists to claim a scientific basis for the dehumanization of trans people. The real-world consequences are stacking up: the trans military ban, bathroom bills, removal of workplace and medical discrimination protections, a 41-51 percent suicide attempt rate, and targeted fatal violence. It’s not just internet trolling anymore.

"Contrary to popular belief, scientific research helps us better understand the unique and real transgender experience. Specifically, through three subjects: (1) genetics, (2) neurobiology, and (3) endocrinology. So, hold onto your parts, whatever they may be. It’s time for 'the talk'":

Stop Using Phony Science to Justify Transphobia

The Dark History Of The Information Age

 "You’ve probably encountered phishing emails or computer viruses. Or maybe one or more of your accounts has been hacked or compromised. How and why do hackers hack and what are they generally seeking? Our guest this week points out that understanding the answers to those questions is essential for making sense of the psychological, economic, political, and social motivations for and effects of cybercrime. Scott Shapiro is a Southmayd Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy at Yale Law School. He is the author of a new book called, “Fancy Bear Goes Phishing: The Dark History of the Information Age, in Five Extraordinary Hacks.” The book dives into five historical examples, one of which involves its namesake, Fancy Bear, a Russian cyberintelligence unit responsible for hacking the Democratic National Convention. Shapiro joins WITHpod to discuss some of the biggest inflection points in the history of hacking, why the internet is so vulnerable, the role that generative AI may place in future cybercrime and his thoughts on if we should really be concerned about cyberwar."

Click on the link below for the podcast and transcript:

Decoding the Information Age

A Tale Of Two Houses

Once Upon A Time, there were two houses built in a nice neighborhood. They looked alike from the outside but their owners differed in how to manage and improve their homes and neighborhood. One owner (the Arrs) thought that they had all the answers to taking care of their home and didn't care what was happening to the neighborhood at large. They refused the help of neighbors and, when needed, the advice of experts when things broke. The other owner (the Dees) realized that they needed help in maintaining their home. When they needed help, they consulted their neighbors, and experts if such were needed. They also wanted to help the rest of the neighborhood to be as well-maintained as their house. 

As time passed, this is what the two houses looked like:

This lesson is hard to understand if one is not thinking critically, and with empathy.

Entropy 101

 Click on the link below for a video presenting a clear way to understand energy and entropy:

The Most Misunderstood Concept in Physics

A Sober Look At The USA On The Celebration Of Its Birth

"While Americans grill burgers and hot dogs, enjoy a dip in the pool, and await the annual July Fourth fireworks display, I remain happily surprised that this day of communal patriotism is still widely accepted and generally celebrated," Lewis argues. "To be blunt, it feels like the country is coming apart at the seams and lacking some shared purpose. And I'm not alone in feeling this way." Click on the link > (America is 'coming apart at the seams' as the 'nationalist' far right goes full 'authoritarian': conservative)

AI, Consciousness, And Intelligence

"Artificial Intelligence continues to be the talk of the town, but how intelligent are they really? Come to think of it, what do we mean by "intelligence" anyway? In this video, we'll look at IQ tests for humans and for computers and see how current AIs have scored."

Click on the link below for an interesting video analyzing the concepts of intelligence and consciousness:

It's not AI consciousness that worries me, but their intelligence

Free Speech: It's Complicated

"Suzanne Nossel is the CEO of PEN America, a non-profit dedicated to protecting free speech at home and abroad. She’s also served at the highest levels of American foreign policy, first as the Deputy to the UN Ambassador under Richard Holbrooke, and later as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State under Hillary Clinton. Nossel joins Preet to discuss the recent rise of book bans, the Biden administration’s human rights record, and how to balance the value of free speech with other progressive values, like diversity and inclusion."

Click on the link below for an interview with an informed person regarding the nuances of free speech:

Book Bans & Free Speech

More On The Struggle of Indigenous Nations In The USA

"Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Haaland v. Brackeen Supreme Court decision, which upholds the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act. They put the case into context with past struggles by indigenous communities to define their place in the American story, from Tenskwatawa’s 1800s quest for representation to the consequences of the 1887 Dawes Act to the 1960s origins of the American Indian Movement."

I have had the opportunity to visit several indigenous nations in my travel across the USA and have learned much about their struggles. Because of such, I have posted a few times on them (link) in the recent past. Click on the link below for another history of their plight:

The American Nation and Indigenous Nations: Sovereignty & Struggle