I don't have much truck with people searching for UFO's, claiming to have seen UFO's, or abducted by UFO's. I'm not much interested in conspiracy theories concerning old air-force sites, crop circles or things of a similar ilk. If their observations were in any way measurable, then scientists would long ago have begun to seriously investigate.
On the other hand, I am interested in the SETI project (a genuine scientific endeavour) and the search for potential life-supporting planets in distant solar systems in the our own Milky Way. And I am especially interested when a person of Stephen Hawking's intellectual stature ventures a comment on the matter.
Prof. Hawking said that our search for alien intelligence may well be misguided as the folks we do contact(assuming that happens) might turn out to be nasty. The reasoning goes that any life-form that can retrieve and understand our communications and is able to traverse the vast distances within our galaxy will also, inevitably, be hugely advanced technologically on us. So really, anything is possible and it is naive to assume that they will be benign in intention.
Hawking has done the math on the probability of life existing elsewhere in the universe and his thoughts need to be taken seriously, in my estimation. Though what conclusions we should draw are open to discussion.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
a closer look at the national 2010
I mentioned a few posts ago that the choir I am a member of, Crowd Around Community Choir, made it to the finals of a Motown Competition at the National Folk Festival in Canberra. I think the video does us some justice but I'm posting a larger still by request to give an idea of how the choir looked at closer range. We were rehearsing in the car park area just prior to going backstage for the show. My son Tom is in full practice mode too, I see.
looking at the old with new eyes
Have you been thinking about buying a second or third flat screen for other rooms in the house. A laptop to replace the slightly outmoded one sitting on your desk? A second car? Another gizmo that does something a little better than your last one?
I don't think that there has ever been a time when consumerism has been so rampant, so blatant and so unnecessary, as our own time. It's almost as if the spending impulse has replaced some ancient, though now redundant one. You can analyse why it happens and how it happens from many perspectives. Social commentators like Hugh McKay are already doing a fine job. Some academics build whole departments based upon aspects of social analysis that try to evaluate (or rather deconstruct) the phenomenon of consumerism.
There are vested interests whose existence is predicated upon you continuing to spend - the list is rather long - but includes the political class, manufacturers, advertisers, media outlets,shop keepers, ordinary employees and so on. Turn off the spending and you have an economic crisis. Japanese Governments have been trying to get folks to unloose their savings for twenty years now without success, resulting in what commentators call 'two lost decades.' Only the ability of big Japanese companies to export goods has staved off a more serious crisis.
How should we live then? Continue to spend into the future, heedless of the social and environmental cost? Re-think our ways and accept a reduction in living standards? We are in-twined with the system in so many ways and voluntary change will be difficult. After all, there is a psychological part to consuming(eg:the empowering aspect) that may be hard to break. And there are many naysayers and deniers of all stripes, some of whom are not into sacrifice.
As a starting point, may I suggest this. If you don't really need something (need = important for actual survival) then have another good look at what you are planning to buy. Turn it in your hand and study it. If it's big like car, do the same thing mentally. Break it into its component parts. Most likely it isn't a need at all, but a thing desired. Ask yourself why you want it? Is there a part of your life that this purchase is trying to fill, even for a short time? If so, what else could you reasonably do to change the way you feel? This is just the beginning of a journey to de-consumerise yourself.
And a part of looking at the old in a new way. Perhaps as if for the first time.
I don't think that there has ever been a time when consumerism has been so rampant, so blatant and so unnecessary, as our own time. It's almost as if the spending impulse has replaced some ancient, though now redundant one. You can analyse why it happens and how it happens from many perspectives. Social commentators like Hugh McKay are already doing a fine job. Some academics build whole departments based upon aspects of social analysis that try to evaluate (or rather deconstruct) the phenomenon of consumerism.
There are vested interests whose existence is predicated upon you continuing to spend - the list is rather long - but includes the political class, manufacturers, advertisers, media outlets,shop keepers, ordinary employees and so on. Turn off the spending and you have an economic crisis. Japanese Governments have been trying to get folks to unloose their savings for twenty years now without success, resulting in what commentators call 'two lost decades.' Only the ability of big Japanese companies to export goods has staved off a more serious crisis.
How should we live then? Continue to spend into the future, heedless of the social and environmental cost? Re-think our ways and accept a reduction in living standards? We are in-twined with the system in so many ways and voluntary change will be difficult. After all, there is a psychological part to consuming(eg:the empowering aspect) that may be hard to break. And there are many naysayers and deniers of all stripes, some of whom are not into sacrifice.
As a starting point, may I suggest this. If you don't really need something (need = important for actual survival) then have another good look at what you are planning to buy. Turn it in your hand and study it. If it's big like car, do the same thing mentally. Break it into its component parts. Most likely it isn't a need at all, but a thing desired. Ask yourself why you want it? Is there a part of your life that this purchase is trying to fill, even for a short time? If so, what else could you reasonably do to change the way you feel? This is just the beginning of a journey to de-consumerise yourself.
And a part of looking at the old in a new way. Perhaps as if for the first time.
Friday, April 23, 2010
so long, for now.
Today we said goodbye to little Gracie. I thought that I would never make it through the service, especially when the coffin was borne in to I can see a rainbow. I'm especially thankful that the ceremony at Leura was lead by a Salvation Army Major, whose words of hope and joy supported everyone through such a difficult process. At the end there was sunshine and balloons, the latter shimmering into the towering blue above.
And I am so thankful to God, for being God. And for loving this little girl.
And I am so thankful to God, for being God. And for loving this little girl.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
rest in peace little one
After a five month struggle, Gracie passed away yesterday. It is hard to see little ones dying so young, harder than the sadness we reserve for those much older. And truly, she was a little light amongst us while she lived.
The light goes out. Memory remains. For Carmen and Steve, a terrible agony.
God bless you and keep you, Gracie.
The light goes out. Memory remains. For Carmen and Steve, a terrible agony.
God bless you and keep you, Gracie.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
canberra national folk festival 2010
We have been to Canberra as a choir a few times now to perform informally in street shows. Outdoors is not the ideal place to sing unplugged a capella, and is positively difficult when competing with ambient sound from crowds, street markets and fellow itinerant performers. And folks who are plugged in in nearby venues! But it's better than nothing and we get a free weekend pass for two sets of 40 minutes. Pretty generous really.
This year was a little different though, as we also entered a Motown competition, blessedly, an indoors event. Mikes, lights, techies everywhere. What's more, we qualified from our heat to reach the final 10. I think that is remarkable for an unauditioned amateur choir like Crowd Around and especially since our competition was largely professional musicians. We didn't win the final but I am posting the performance as I think it shows the discipline that(almost all) the choir exhibited. There is a short intro by our choir director, Kate, prior to our singing Smokey Robinson's Tracks of My Tears. My son, Tom, makes a tiny cameo right at the end from stage left.
This year was a little different though, as we also entered a Motown competition, blessedly, an indoors event. Mikes, lights, techies everywhere. What's more, we qualified from our heat to reach the final 10. I think that is remarkable for an unauditioned amateur choir like Crowd Around and especially since our competition was largely professional musicians. We didn't win the final but I am posting the performance as I think it shows the discipline that(almost all) the choir exhibited. There is a short intro by our choir director, Kate, prior to our singing Smokey Robinson's Tracks of My Tears. My son, Tom, makes a tiny cameo right at the end from stage left.
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