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Showing posts from September, 2016

We're polluting the depth of the ocean

Sadly, human pollution is shaping regions of the earth no human can inhabit. "There appears to be no environment on Earth that has escaped plastic pollution. Indeed, despite the distance from land, plastics are ubiquitous in remote marine environments, including polar regions. These plastics are known to cause impacts to terrestrial and marine ecosystems both at the macro- and micro-scale." More at this scientific report published here by Nature.com  There are alternatives to our widespread use of plastic. I am not one who fears global catastrophe, though I do worry about how future generations (and how we) will reap what we have sown with overuse, misuse, and abuse. We can do better and survive.  Perhaps we can do better and thrive! Toward eupan ~ ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.

Your Blue Jeans may be 6000 years old Peruvian Cloth!

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"Many people, however, remain mostly unaware of the important technological contributions made by Native Americans . . ." A single line in an article about your most recent pair of Levi's ! :) We tend to take our current technology for granted.  It was constructed by others - many indigenous or "foreign to us" people. Just weeks ago I learned that vanilla, which I love as Ice Cream or as a flavoring spice in many cooked goods, comes to us as the result of an Indian Ocean Island boy named Edmond Albius . These are reminders to me today of our need to value Peruvians and natives of the Islands of the Indian Ocean.   And, our need to value indigenous persons and people from all regions of the world. Toward eupan ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.

The Principle of Compassion - Charterforcompassion.org

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The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.  It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.  We therefore call upon