Ugly Bags of Chemical Cocktails

Quote of the Day:
"Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there." ~ Thomas Fuller ~

Does anyone remember the episode from the original Star Trek where an advanced alien race calls the crew of the Enterprise "ugly bags of mostly water"? Although i never watched the series when it was on prime time, this episode, caught as a rerun, really made me laugh. At the time I was studying anatomy and physiology and, lo and behold, actually understood exactly what the aliens meant. On the show, the crew needed an explanation from good ol' Doc McCoy the yes, the human body was mostly water. Well, I knew that and, as childish as it now seems, it felt good to be a bit ahead of the advanced civilization know as The Federation. Yep, it felt good, which brings me to the subject of today's blog.

The BBC has reported on an experiment being conducted by the Oxford Center for Science of the Mind which will attempt to discover if religious faith has any bearing on how a person tolerates pain. A painful stimuli in the form of heat will be applied to the back of a subjects hand. Religious symbols, such as the Virgin Mary, Jesus and crucifixes will then be shown to the subjects to see if there is any change in the perception of pain. The study hopes to see a change in brain scans which might lead to how 'consciousness' interacts with the physical experience. Dr. Alyson Gray, of the Royal College Psychiatrists, says people with strong faith have been selected as test subjects because "We know anecdotally that religious believers can tolerate great pain when there is a specific purpose, and I would speculate that this would operate via endorphin release. Religious practices such as prayer and meditation release endorphins and would in theory increase the pain threshold." Although the tests of believers may prove to be inconclusive, the study could also be applied to 'survivalists' or Special Forces to identify people with high pain thresholds.

Another view of this story, found in Yahoo News, highlights the ability of fundamentalist beliefs to influence the ability to choose a direction or come to a conclusion which defies logic. "What is it in the brain that, in the presence of evidence, refutes that evidence?" asks Dr. Susan Greenfield, the founding director of OXSCOM.

Back in the seventies, neuropeptides, also known as ligands, were discovered. These substances, the chemical messengers of cellular communications, were found to be a sort of chemical lock and key to certain physical responses. In particular, they act to effect emotional or physical responses to stimulation. There are hundreds of known neuropeptides and each of them acts to support functions which are usually beyond conscious control. There are documented techniques, such as biofeedback, meditation, and yoga, which can be applied to enhance physical control. Prayer or faith can be easily be added to the list.

It is really easy to confuse an emotional response with consciousness. However, the chemicals which instigate emotions only reflect what a person perceives in the world and are not consciousness. Consciousness is defined as "an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation." Please note the word cognitive in the sentence. Cognition is related to thinking and the application of knowledge and to be cognizant is to be aware or understand something. In other words, the quote from Renee Descartes which says, "I think; therefore I am" is not the same as I feel, therefore I am. Emotions are a reaction to a thought or a perception which stimulates a chemical response.

Do dogs laugh? Some might think so, myself included. Can the consciousness of a dog be compared to a human? If we don't know what consciousness is then who is to say whether or not the consciousness of a dog is equal to or lessor than a human? In some instances, you could say that the dog is superior to humans. At least the dog doesn't commit genocide. While dogs may not be as 'conscious' as a human, they seem to have a greater conscience.

The average person is a captive of the chemical cascade which causes emotions. Using some of the tools mentioned above, including prayer or 'faith' does not really change consciousness. The thought of fear or pain persists. It is the reaction, being influenced by another stream of chemicals, which changes. We flatter ourselves by thinking we have more 'consciousness' than animals. Yet, we can not even choose a flavor of ice cream without being influenced by these infernal, internal chemicals.

People fluctuate between what they like and what they don't like based upon a chemical process. It is almost like flipping a coin. When an incident or a situation occurs our systems function automatically. Like a mechanical robot we either snort or smile. If insulted, we could attack the perceived origin in order to protect our precious identity or belief system. Religion and politics are, in my opinion, two of the biggest Sacred Cows on the face of the earth. Both of them can be used to whip the emotions into a frenzy. Maybe they could wire some Fundies in the United States, play the 'my god's better than your god' song and show pictures of the "man" who lives in the White House, GW Bush. I bet that would give them some great results.

Think acid/base reaction, vinegar and baking soda, chemical volcanos. Yep, religion should provide some fascinating study material. Add politics to the mix and you could get a brew almost nuclear in nature.


People whose choices are based upon their faith often view the reality of the world from their safe and comfortable perspective. If what they believe does not match what they think they see, they often times give up any reasoning or thinking and attribute it to 'The Will of God' or 'Satan.' Thinking of God makes them feel good. Thinking of Satan is unpleasant. It's a decision based upon endorphins and opening the gates of that particular neurochemical can chase away any pain or experience of unpleasantness in a jiffy. So, what exactly is the study of faith going to reveal when applied to consciousness?

Deciding to see the world for what it really is can expose exquisite beauty and revolting rot. Most people are not inclined to wake up to reality. They will do everything in their power to continue to blindly believe in what ever cold, composted muck is thrown their way. The decision to choose is made even more difficult by the addiction to the chemically based emotions swirling around in our bodies. Our consciousness, if it exists, remains enthralled to the triggers which drive us like machines and remove any ability to consciously choose.

I think that the researchers will find something but not necessarily the 'consciousness' they are looking for. Images from brain scans will show what part of the bran is being utilized to process the information. If this is consciousness then maybe heaven can be created and distributed in pill form to all the nonbelievers. Wouldn't that be great? Then all the ugly bags of mostly chemically infused water know as humans could sing the 'so happy together' song while the world burns.

Have to go. My dog just asked me to let him out. He is so polite. He even says thank you.

A Rant and the Scent of a Lie

Quote of the Day:
"Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound."
~ James Allen ~

Last night, I wrote my very first rant. It was a catharsis of sorts which detailed the numerous lies and manipulations of the Bush Dynasty and the Neocons. Here is a snippet of what was written:

In 1979, the US National Institutes of Health found that about 200,000 people consulted with a physician for a loss of the sense of smell. This disorder, known as anosmia, is usually temporary but, in some cases, can become a permanent condition. It appears that amosmia has become wide spread and reached epidemic proportions in the United States. My conclusion is based upon the incredible lack of interest in the latest, final report in a long line of stories that NO Weapons of Mass Destruction were found in Iraq and the "man" who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC, who has killed and maimed thousands of innocents, essentially says that he doesn't care.

The smell emanating from this story, this "man," and his comment is strong enough to drop a rampaging elephant. It does not seem to phase some people and the 51% 'majority' which GW Bush says endowed him with a blank check to do as he pleases are thrashing about like a bunch of landed trout, or frothing at the mouth in ecstasy while repeating the words spoken by their "man" of the year as if it were a guaranteed ride to heaven.

Well, that's enough. Suffice it to say that others have spoken much more eloquently and intelligently than what was ranted out last night.

Instead of the rant, I thought to put up a test for amosmia. Can you detect the scent of a lie? What does the Truth smell like? If you experience odor fatigue while reading these statements just skip to the answers and websites at the bottom of the blog. You may find that when the Truth conflicts with your own personal belief system, it can smell every bit as rotten as a lie. It is, however, not the Truth that smells; it is the lies we tell ourselves. The Truth will remain the Truth no matter how unpalatable it is to a personal belief system.

Can you tell which statement is True and which statement is False? If you have been paying attention to objective reality the answers will be easy.

1) The blueprint for current US foreign policy was originally written by Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz in 1992 and finalized in 2000.

2) Major fighting in Iraq ceased on May 1, 2003.

3) "It really doesn't matter that WMDs were not found in Iraq. Obviously, Saddam was too smart to leave them lying around in a nation about to be taken over by U.S. troops."

4) GW Bush supports all veterans as defenders of the American Dream and understands the hardships they and their families endure in the name of freedom.



1) True http://www.bushpresident2004.com/pnac.htm
The Project for the New American Century (PNAC) is a Washington think-tank founded in 1997 to advance the power and influence of the United States throughout the world. The ideological birth of PNAC was a February 1992 draft document entitled "Defense Planning Guidance" authored by Paul Wolfowitz, then working for President George H.W. Bush's Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney as Under Secretary for Policy.

PNAC's vision is detailed in its September 2000 report entitled "Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources for a New Century." Among other suggestions, this report calls for the United States to:

• Withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, stop the reduction of nuclear missiles, develop new nuclear weapons, and deploy a national missile defense system.
• Increase defense spending to a minimum 3.8 percent of gross domestic product (up from the 3 percent spent at the time of the report).
• "Fight and decisively win multiple, simultaneous major theatre wars" as a "core mission."
• Warns that "we cannot allow North Korea, Iran, Iraq or similar states to undermine American leadership," and American military preeminence rests on the ability to "[remove] a dangerous and hostile regime when necessary."
• Keep all peacekeeping and rebuilding missions within the power of American political leadership rather than that of the United Nations.
• Use key allies, such as the U.K., as the "most effective and efficient means of exercising American global leadership."
• Take military control of the Persian Gulf region through the establishment of permanent bases.
• Take control of cyberspace, otherwise "[America] will find it difficult to exert global political leadership."

In this 2000 report, PNAC predicted this more assertive defense policy would come about slowly, unless there were "some catastrophic and catalyzing event, like a new Pearl Harbor.


2) False http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/30/politics/main614998.shtml
It was May 1, 2003, a year ago Saturday, when the president spoke to the nation beneath a massive banner reading "Mission Accomplished." At that point, 138 U.S. troops had been killed in Iraq. This past month alone, 131 have died. In total, 734 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq, 596 of them since the president proclaimed major fighting completed.

This article was written and published in April of 2004 and mentions only US soldier deaths. Antiwar.com reports a minimum of 15,365 Iraqis have been murdered since the beginning of the invasion. http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/index.php#iraqi

3) A bit of Truth wrapped up in a lie. http://www.dailyillini.com/news/2005/01/18/Opinions/Column.No.Wmd.So.What-834145.shtml?page=2
US troops *did* take over the country. This article was written by a sophomore at the University of Illinois. Try reading the whole two pages, then do your own reaserch and see if you can spot all the rest of the lies it contains.

4) False http://www.mfso.org/
"The sacred trust that I, my husband, and all Americans had with our government has been destroyed. My life has been turned upside down not out of absolute necessity but rather to further the aims of a very few elite politicians. My husband has been ripped from his home not to fight a threat to our survival but to enrich a few powerful individuals."

http://www.vetsforjustice.com/join_us.htm
"America's Military are victims of ongoing Fraudulent Enlistment Tactics by the United States Government in which those enlisting in military service, and/or sometimes being drafted to serve, are given specific promises, such as pensions, lifetime medical care, being taken care of if they fall in battle, and sometimes other items to "entice" them into Military Service, and/or, serving a certain number of years in an enlistment to "earn" certain retirement benefits."

The Compost Files

Quote of the Day:
"By daily dying I have come to be."
~ Theodore Roethke ~

A compost pile can be built anywhere by anyone. All you need is a shovel, container or bin, water, chopped organic refuse like weeds, manure, vegetable scraps, grass, leaves, hay and soil. A pitchfork comes in handy for turning the pile over. Turning should be done at least once a week to aerate and encourage decomposition of the materials. The whole mess should heat up, 'cook', and eventually become great soil.

You maybe wondering how a compost pile can be the inspiration for a blog. After working with compost, I think I can honestly say that tending a pile of this 'stuff' is a lot like doing the work needed to clean up the beliefs and programs which shape our view of what is called "reality." Manure from the Sacred Cows, the bits and pieces of what we eat and swallow as the truth, the emotional water we pour on the pile, all of this and more builds an inner compost pile which can either stick to high heaven or, if tended with Truth and Objectivity, produce some wonderful fertilizer for the nascent soul or real personality.

Most people would be very insulated if you told them they were being compared to compost. They think of themselves as people who have individual thoughts, beliefs, opinions, a culture or heritage and all those other labels which we carry around like medals. What they don't realize is that all of these things are really just learned behavior that we all are exposed to from birth. They are not conscious choices. When a person begins to take an honest look at their own compost pile they can then make a choice as to what type of compost they would like to make.

There are two types of garden composting: cold composting and hot composting. People seem to have similar ways of composting themselves.

In cold composting a person throws a lot of different parts of themselves into a pile and lets it sit. There is no work involved in this form of composting. Most of the time the pile just slowly rots. If any action takes place it is usually because a shock to the system upsets or turns the pile over exposing the garbage underneath. Cold composting is passive and takes a *long* time. It also smells terrible. The majority of people seem to be involved in cold composting. They often protect their pile by gathering with similar piles that have identical ingredients or mindsets. They rarely make a conscious choice of the ingredients which they incorporate into the pile and sometimes even accept other people's garbage as their own.

Hot composting is work and involves making a choice to exam the personal compost pile. It involves taking a very objective look at the material used in composting, discarding the garbage and getting down to the Truth that can make a compost pile heat up. A messy and sometimes painful business which involves taking control of the process, hot composting requires attention and constant turning in the form of shocks. Watering the compost with emotions can speed up the action. In fact, emotions are essential to good compost. They help to roll the pile around and provide a form of heat which makes the compost change from garbage to a rich mixture of good soil. It is important not to 'water' too much by dwelling on the mess. This could turn to self pity and produce a mushy, cold compost.

Looking around at the compost in the world and how it relates to personal composting should make for interesting reporting. It might even be interesting to read! Who knows what will turn the pile over and what will be exposed? It is an adventure and an experiment.