THE TWENTY–NINTH DAY

I heard a very interesting and enlightening way of thinking about the effects of global climate change and why it is so important to act on it now.
Imagine a nice tranquil lake. One day a single lillypad appears on the lake. The next day there are two lilypads, the day after that, four. then on day five there are eight, and on day six there are sixteen and so on and so forth.

(day 8;128, day 9;256, day10;512...)

And they keep doubling every day. There is still plenty of room, so you hardly notice the problem.

(day13 =4,096, day14 =-8,192, day15 =16,384. . . )

Now, the lake will be completely full (you don't want that to happen, it will choke off and kill the lake!) on the 30th day.

(day19 =262,144, day20 =524,288, day21 =1,048,576. . . )
Assuming you will not notice a problem developing until the lake is at least half full, . .

(day24 =8,388,608, day25 =16,777,216, day26 =33,554,432, . . .)
Once the lake is half full, how many days will you have left to try to avert the disaster? On what day will the lake become half full?

(day 27 =67,108,864, day28 =134,217,728,. . . )
The answer; the lake will be half full on the twenty-ninth day!

(day 29 =268,435,456,. . . DAY 30 =536,870,912. )
A good example of how things can accumulate,how quickly it can overwhelm and get out of control. Just like the destruction of the environment, once it's obvious there is a problem it's too late to stop it. But if you look closely, you can see the warning signs before it is too late.

© C. Erich Dunne. . . . september, twenty-thirteen.

AIR FOIL

These profiteering corporate robber-barons who think people have no right to clean fresh water have given me an idea. If Neestle™ can extract million of gallons of Canadian water for free, then bottle it up and sell it back to them and around the world i should be able to do something similar. So to that end;
I hereby give public notice that from now forward, I now lay claim to all current and future mineral rights in the atmosphere of the planet Earth.
This means all of you free loading air breathers who have been inhaling my oxygen over they years had better start paying up! If you don't I'll drag your sorry leeching asses into court.
I think ten dollars (American) a day is a fair price to start but I reserve the right to increase rates as I see fit, Starting in January you overweight people will have to pay an additional two dollar 'Excessive heavy breathing' fee. This gives you three and a half months to lose weight if you do not wish to pay the additional charge.
I am prepared to forgive past air consumption and not level any charges of late payment fees for air already breathed.
I will be phasing in 'burning charges' in the next year. (Can't have a fire without oxygen you know.) these will include, trash and brush burning, fireplaces, cook outs, arson, and the use of internal combustion engines.
Failure to pay will result in heavy fines. addition delay will be penalized with to installation of a atmospheric blocking device ( Plastic bag pulled over head and secured around neck with a zip tie.) the device will only be removed after all charges and fees have been paid in full.

Thank your for your attention in this matter.

© C. Erich Dunne. . . .september, twenty-thirteen

FAIR AND BALANCED DIET

What a load. Fox "news" has gone from just being a joke to actually being dangerous. The rampant mischaracterization in this piece is astounding.
The one SNAP recipient they show is a supposed 'cheater' who they say 'feasts' on sushi and lobster. Not on what you get from Snap you don't. (and of course you use inflammatory rhetoric  like 'feasts'  and use the most expensive foods as examples to maximize the outrage for no good reason ).

In a news story about Republicans wanting to cut forty billion dollars from the food assistance program, this is the only side they show. The most despicable loser they can find (if they didn't make the whole thing up) to enrage tax payers into blaming the poor for our nations problems. Again. I thought John Roberts had some integrity but I was wrong.

So your fair and balanced reporters couldn't find one elderly retiree or disabled person to show the majority of the people who get assistance? Couldn't find one of the millions of low paid working single mothers who are trying to feed their children, huh? Or the family of a deployed soldier who had to give up their good paying job to serve their country? Not a single one huh? then they deliver this pack of lie to Congress just before the vote. The funny thing is their audience is mostly seniors and poor red state republicans who make up a large segment of SNAP recipients. Hold on, need to make a phone call. . .

Phone dialing. . .Phone ringing, . . .Phone ringing. . . Hello? Leg warehouse? Fox needs something to stand on. . Really? You have nothing? .. .Well, thanks anyway.

Sorry Fox, you have nothing to stand on.

If these people call themselves Christians one more time, I'll kick their asses.

(Stole the phone bit from "How I Met Your Mother.")

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/09/19/fox-runs-defense-for-gops-attack-on-food-stamp/195975

 

© C. Erich Dunne . . . . september, twenty-thirteen