Message Forum

John,

I wonder if I could prevail on you - one of my favorite techno-illuminatti - to explain to us - the great unwashed - about what this new, so called "Meta Verse" is all about?

Of course we all know it must be some sort of blessing to mankind since it is the brainchild of that widely respected poster boy for honest, wholesome, public goodwill - Mark Zuckerberg.

I am all a"twitter" as I await your "insta(nt)" gram of advice.

11/01/21 10:09 PM

#10114

MM’s previous post (“Wealthy technocrats arriving on private jets…” ) on the climate change summit is another example of how when you lose the substantive argument about the scientific consensus on climate change (and your cupboard of “ideas” is otherwise bare) you forsake rational arguments and shift the subject by turning to culture war/grievance politics. Would the authors of the tweets cited be happier if Biden rowed himself across the Atlantic to attend the G-20 summit and the Glasgow climate conference?

Their resentment of Biden and other world leaders attempting to deal with this problem has absolutely no bearing on whether climate change is real or not. The scientific community, the private sector (by that I mean the overwhelming majority of private companies), U.S public opinion (which now favors action by a 70-30% margin), and governments all around the world have made it abundantly clear that they accept the reality that climate change is real and serious.

Seriously - is the private jet argument the best they’ve got?

11/01/21 10:11 PM

#10115

Dave, I consider myself an expert on the “metaverse” since I heard about it all of a week ago when Zuckerberg announced to the world that Facebook was changing its corporate name to Meta.

My extensive research (which consists of reading several sentences in news releases) is that Facebook envisions the metaverse as an even more “immersive” online experience of Facebook and its sister offerings (Instagram, WhatsApp, etc). But I also know that key to making their offerings more immersive is a company they bought named Oculus Rift that makes augmented reality headsets that combine what you see around you with other very realistic enhancements that Facebook will offer.

This has the laudable goal of making Facebook users ever more addicted and happy to spend most of their waking hours consuming Facebook content and clicking on more and more ads. Sounds like a win-win, don’t you think?

But, as I frequently do, I will defer to Andy Borowitz who always manages to strike just the right balance:

Mark Zuckerberg Changes Name to Mother Teresa

MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA (The Borowitz Report)—Mark Zuckerberg has legally changed his name to Mother Teresa, Mother Teresa confirmed today.

In an official statement, Mother Teresa said that he had changed his name to better reflect his mission of charity and kindness.

“The name ‘Mark Zuckerberg’ did not accurately describe my function: to be a force for good, spreading love and kindness throughout the metaverse,” he said.

11/02/21 01:19 AM

#10116

John,

Thank you. How utterly gratifying.

As their revenues grow into the tragillions of dollars, it is rumored they might even consider paying their fair share of taxes,,,,,,,,,or,,,, maybe not.

But we can all rest assured they will be extra carefull to maintain safeguards for their pre-teen users.

Right.

11/02/21 10:31 AM

#10117

John....Of course, the hypocrisy of the climate change summit jet setters whose carbon emissions to this one event exceed by the thousands anything I have used or will ever use in the remaining time I have here on this earth, is not "all we have"! That comment is a deflection. Why can you not just acknowledge that, by their own examples, these leaders cannot possibly be genuinely serious about the imminent disaster that will befall the world if the "common folk" do not accept their zero carbon plan for us? It obviously does not apply to THEM!

11/02/21 10:33 AM

#10118

On another note: https://wp.me/p2cTBs-13U

11/02/21 10:52 AM

#10119

Michael McLeod

You are buying into a lie, MM.

It's that simple.

The deflection isn't John's. He's dead on. The deflection is a massive one, an info-war being engineered by the people who have something at stake, and misleading people is their way of preserving their money-making status quo. It's a battle they will lose, inevitably. But the rear-guard action is slowing the pace - at your expense, at the expense of all of us.

I know it's futile for me to say this to you. I know you won't listen. But as they say, maybe somebody will. As a journalist I've seen this nefarious-ass game go on for years with great success. You may not appreciate those of us who point it out, but perhaps the folks that come along long after we're gone will be grateful for the effort.

Lordie. It's bad enough that there are people who refuse to address their own health. The money-grubbing people who don't give a crap about the only planet we've got - special place in hell, as Dante would say.

Or as my sainted mama would have put it: Turpis lucre gloria. For the sake of filthy money.

11/02/21 11:33 AM

#10120

So now Mike, you are calling into question my psychological status??? UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

11/02/21 11:40 AM

#10121

Well, I see Mike that you had the decency,, while I was preparing my response which I finally decided to pare down, to edit your initial post by deleting the wording that I was "psychologically" incapable of listening. It truly tells me what you think of me & others who try to share deeply held & thought out convictions.

11/02/21 12:16 PM

#10122

Regardless of one's beliefs on the many factors that are involved with climate change, it does have the appearance of hypocrisy when so many choose to fly on private aircraft to a conference mostly directed toward the carbon issue. For what gets accomplished at these meetings it would seem greener to hold them virtually over the internet.

Jim

11/02/21 09:27 PM

#10123

Jim, I’m really skeptical that, for important things, virtual meetings invariably accomplish as much as face to face ones. The informal after-hours and casual get-togethers are just as important (or maybe more so) than the formal meetings.

You’ve spoken a number of times about the limits of telemedicine and mentioned you always make it a point to put your hands on the patient at least once (that impressed me). I’ve had a couple of virtual visits with doctors in the past year or two and they are just not the same (through no fault of the doctor). I’m guessing the situation is not much different with any kind of human interaction, including climate diplomacy.

11/02/21 11:22 PM

#10124

Does the fact that there are in fact, hypocrites flying private jets to conferences mean that the issue of climate change does not exist?

What is the explanation for the drastic loss of snow caps on the world's major peaks - Kilamanjaro, Aconcagua, or the Matterhorn for example, in the last century?

What is the cause of the slow but steady death of the world's corral reefs?

What can communities like Norfolk, Virginia do to stop the increase in flooding of it's streets near the harbor?

What will happen to most of the world's sea level island nations in the near future?

Why are the major casualty insurers (and re-insurers) growing so concerned over their liability exposure on cities like New York and Miami? (hint: could it be about the billions of dollars of subways and basement mounted HVAC systems in major East Coast cities)

What will Phoenix (and eventually, Los Angeles, Tuscon, San Diego, etc.) do after this first ever decrease in Colorado River water allottments? Will there be more cut backs? And if so, what will the Arizona and Southern Caifornia farmers do?

We could go on.

11/02/21 11:29 PM

#10125

P.s.

I lived in the "Mile High" city Denver for over 17 years. One needs only to drive down from the mountians (while driving the kids home from the ski areas) into the city, and see the sickening health hazard known as the famous Denver "brown cloud" hanging about a thousand feet over the entire city.

It's something ugly to behold!

11/02/21 11:40 PM

#10126

John J.,

I couldn't agree with you more about the importance of human interaction. You know well my feelings about the importance of touch in the patient doctor relationship. It is not only part of the diagnostic process but the therapeutic one as well. And individual patients - as you seem to have discovered - notice the benefits.

President Biden apparently believes that a Climate Crisis demands his presence even though some of the heads of state of some of the worst carbon offenders chose not to go. Perhaps, virtual would have worked better for them.

It would be nice if the President would consider his presence helpful by a personal visit to the crisis on our Southern Border and meet with CBP and other law enforcement officers, or at a meeting with the thousands of unemployed oil pipline (and other oil industry) workers as we approach an energy and inflation crisis, or with the families of the 13 service members killed by a suicide bomber outside the Kabul airport and the friends and families of those Americans and helpers who are trapped by - and being killed and tortured by - the Taliban in Afghanistan. These would require much shorter trips on Air Force One.

And maybe, just maybe, they would result in some quicker and more impactful change for individual lives.

Jim

11/02/21 11:45 PM

#10127

I gotta add this today.

While I am on the subject of Denver, today I am officialy in mourning - sick in the heart at the Broncos trading Von Miller to the Rams. One of the best players and great community action guys to ever wear the "Bronco Orange"

A goofy, upbeat Texas guy who spent millions buying thousands of Denver kids glasses (and showing them that glasses were cool) at his annual "Von's Vision" clinics right before each training camp.

I guess you'd have to be a Denver fan to get the full effect. He and his funny cowboy hats will be missed.

(his greatest moment - from Super Bowl 50)

11/03/21 10:18 AM

#10128

Jim, climate change is a slowly unfolding catastrophe that will dwarf all of our current problems if we don’t get a handle on it soon. An example - if you think the situation at the border is bad now, just wait until already obvious climate effects kick in with a vengeance in the countries to our South. And those of us who are safely north of the Southern border have had a summer of hellish weather catastrophes that will look mild ten or twenty years from now.

The last major climate conference was in Paris six years ago so for an American president to attend another conference now is hardly excessive.

Exxon and other companies used to fund “studies” by “experts” (mostly in the pockets of the fossil fuel industry) questioning the reality of climate change. But the scientific consensus is now so overwhelming that they no longer have the nerve to do that. And the private sector (not usually known for engaging in "groupthink") now fully accepts that climate change is real and serious and they need to plan for big changes – a perfect example is all the major auto companies, domestic and foreign, who are abandoning further development of models fueled by gasoline and are instead putting all their development dollars into electric vehicles.

Although they won’t admit it, people on the right know that the scientific debate is over. So, since they have no substantive arguments to make, they resort to sniping about world leaders flying to climate meetings on “private” jets (like Air Force One).

11/03/21 11:41 AM

#10129

Maybe someone could explain why the climate disaster fear mongering has been never-ending since 1969. Please just pick one of the extremely dire predictions that did not ever materialize. https://cei.org/blog/wrong-again-50-years-of-failed-eco-pocalyptic-predictions/

If you really believe multi-billionaires do not have to change their lifestyles to fit their climate disaster narrative........then convince me why millions of us less fortunate should be forced, through taxation and the banning of any fossil fuels, to keep their thermostats set at the politically correct temperature, get rid of their trucks and SUV's (by the way Biden's climate entourage was reported to be driving 85 SUV's and limos), move out of their large homes and into smaller homes/apartments, do away with the suburbs by taxing the number of miles a person drives/day, thus limiting their freedom of movement. What about social credit scores that keep track of what you own and what you purchase and how that comports to the politically correct agenda. Not in line with the designated agenda, forget about getting a loan from a bank to purchase a car/a house/a business, etc. All one has to do to confirm these initiatives fueled by the dictates of the climate change agenda is to.check out Agenda 21 or the World Economic Forum's agenda or Klaus Schwab's Great Reset. Look at how they used the pandemic to lockdown the world and force out small businesses, and keep kids out of school, and prevent people form worshipping God in their churches. It has been far worse in places like California, Oregon, New York City, Chicago, Australia, Canada. These attacks on our freedoms continue because people have been conditioned for two years to live in fear of one another. When the populace has been coerced into becoming fearful and their fatih in God has been diminished, they will by nature look to the governments of men to provide for them. That has never worked out for any people anywhere in the world....ever.

11/03/21 01:18 PM

#10130

Joseph D. McCarthy

A sign seen in a store window:

You can choose not to

wear a mask.

Then you must also remove

all your clothes

to enter.

It's all or nothing. It's about choices.

Thank you.

The Management MeWow

11/03/21 04:51 PM

#10131

Mary Margaret,

You left out one about anti-vaxing.

On February 5th, 1777,General George Washignton (you remember him?) was so concerend about smallpox ravaging our troops, that he ordered a mass innoculaton of his Continental Army. Otherwise we would have most likely lost the war to the British.

(I hope you are not wasting your time getting flu shots - somewhat less effective than the Pfizer or Moderna Covid shots. )

-------------------

And in your link about projections that have NOT come true, you gave no answer to my questions about what is going on in a few (of many) situations that we can all see and verify. They were NOT projections - they are actually happening - now.

11/03/21 05:32 PM

#10132

Dave M.,

Please don't mislead our classmates that flu shots are a "waste of time"! Influenza, especially in us senior citizens, can be very disabling and fatal. No vaccine is 100% effective and, although the COVID vaccines have a higher percentage of preventing severe disease, that should in no way deter someone from getting a flu shot.

All of this year's flu vaccines are quadravalent and this year is predicted to have a higher rate of influenza than last year. We certainly do not need another pandemic, this time with influenza!

Jim

11/03/21 05:39 PM

#10133

Mark Schweickart

This has nothing to do with the current postings being discussed, but humor me and let me offer an interlude for a moment, something a little lighter that I stumbled across yesterday. As you may know, I became quite involved with the swing dance craze that swept through the world back in the 1990's and 2000's – a time when many were suddenly embracing dance moves form the 30's, 40's and 50's, having tired of the disco 70's and the always present (since the 60's) improvised moves one does while pretending to have rhythm as we dance, more or less partnerless, just doing one's thing, and hoping to not look too ridiculous.

What I wouldn't have given to have anything approaching the style of these two in the video below. What an amazing display of smooth athleticism, and beautiful timing to the music! As you can tell from the setting, this seems to be taking place at a country-western amatuer dance competition somewhere from fifteen or twenty years back. But damn, it's really fun to see that these young dancers could move like this.

(I googled this couple only to sadly learn that Jason passed away unexpectantly in 2009 at the age of 31. What a shame.)

Anyway – enjoy a little honky-tonk song and dance:

11/03/21 06:02 PM

#10134

Dave, In Washington's time, the ony way to protect against smallpox was variolation, a procedure involving obtaining smallpox scabs from those sick with the disease, making a small cut into a healthy person's arm and then inserting the scab into that cut.

Most variolated people would get a mild form of smallpox and become immune, although a certain percentage would get full-blown smallpox and become immune. Smallpox killed many of the people it infected and its 30% mortality rate justified Washington's drastic order.

Covid-19 is another story. It has 97% and 99.75% survival rate and there are multiple safe, effective treatments to be given early in the symptom stage. This does not equate with any reasonable claim warranting the government to mandate vaccinations for every American man, woman and child regardless of whether they had Covid already and therefore, have natural immunity, or their personal risk vs benefit health status.

I am not against vaccines in general, but I do believe that as every single person now, from age 5 -105, can obtain a free Covid vaccine in this nation if they so choose, then the government should have no Constitutional right to mandate it for everyone under present conditions.

11/03/21 10:39 PM

#10135

Mark,

If you try to make some of those swing dance moves on the dance floor at our age, you will make a lot of orthopedic surgeons an physical therapists very happy!

Jim

11/03/21 11:11 PM

#10136

Jim,

I always get myself into trouble with my sarcasm. I was being sarcastic about not getting the flew shots. I just got my flew shot and my new shingles shot at my nearby VA clinic last week. However, from what I read, flu shots are a guess from year to year with maybe three different strains thown in, and having efficay rates in recent years down around 50%

Mary Margaret,

You should quote your percentages to the 1,500,000 children worldwide who have been orphaned by parents choosing not to vaccinate. I still beleive your reasoning to be completely irresponsible in light of the rigorous testing that the Pfizer and Moderna went through (no comment on the Johnson and Johnson) - and the dramatically larger populations we now have compared to Colonial times.

11/03/21 11:15 PM

#10137