In the Humble Opinion of LittleBill, Socialist, Atheist, and Humanist
Open Thread for Little Bill

I have bad news to share. Little Bill has fallen while on a dog walk yesterday. She's recovering and expects to be back soon. In the mean time she wishes that none of her readers forget to stop by and leave a comment once in a while. And she has three words she wanted me to leave you with:

Impeach the Beasts!

Stem Cell Research






When Bush gave his victory speech about why he chose to veto the stem cell reseach legislation again on the basis of his personal religious beliefs, he was surrounded, as usual, by adoring invited fans who clapped approvingly at his decision.

It might have been more balanced in this great Democracy of ours if he had included the loved ones of those who have died of diseases that stem cell research might have saved, and who, therefore, were not able to be present.

6/20/07

Beyond Hope

This is just about the best article I have ever read about environmentalism and activism. One of the most interesting and well-thought-out you will ever read. It should remind each and every one of us that we have responsibility.

Overpopulation Solutions as I See Them

Overpopulation Solutions as I See Them

It is both encouraging and alarming that there are so many letters and articles these days about overpopulation—encouraging because of growing awareness of the problem, and alarming to realize that it may already be too late, that human beings are breeding themselves to extinction and taking the rest of the world’s creatures with us.

War, hunger, illiteracy, disease, violence, mental illness, and hatred between groups and nations are not discrete problems. Overpopulation is the BIG problem. It is worldwide, and it is a web in which we are all enmeshed.

Let’s start with some irrefutable facts:

1. The earth is of unchanging size.
2. The earth’s resources are finite, and rapidly being depleted, especially by the developed and developing nations, the United States leading the pack.
3. Human beings, like all creatures, do not live forever. We die at different ages from different causes—some old, some young, some ill, some healthy—but we will all die.

Envision two cows in a corral with barely enough food to keep one alive. Obviously, one will die. Almost certainly both will eat some of the food, so both will die.

Some humans live in big corrals with plenty of food for the body, the mind, and the soul. But millions are living in tiny corrals with little or nothing to sustain them. And as the numbers of each increase, they draw ever closer to each other. Folks, it just ain’t gonna work.

There is only one possible solution. Humans will have to start dying faster than they are being born. Following are my suggestions for partial solutions, written for this nation, but imperative in some form for all:

1. In the future the number ofchildren per family should be limited to one for all those on public support and two for all others, irrespective of religious belief or personal wealth, and it should be strictly enforced. Birth contnrol should range all the way from abstinence to abortion and sterilization. The method should be the prerogative of the woman, and it should be fully funded by the government for those who cannot afford it.

2. The Hippocratic Oath (first do no harm) should be rethought, both for the benefit of the people involved and for their caregivers. The evolution of scientific knowledge with regard to prolonging life can frequently result in more harm than good.

3. Babies born with no chance for any quality of life should be allowed to die mercifully at birth, at the request of their parents, and with their consent.

4. All adults should be made aware of and sign a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (or similar legal document) stating how they should be cared for in case of catastrophic injury or illness. In the case of children, or adults who have left no instructions and are beyond the ability to do so, their families or their surrogates should be allowed to make the decision for them, rather than having them drag on forever unable to make the decision for themselves.

5. Suicide should be relieved of its stigma, and the humane means of accomplishing it made available to those who want to choose that course for any reason, physical, mental, or emotional.

And then, of course, there is the final solution, of unending war, pestilence, starvation, and violence of every sort, marching over the face of the earth as I write—the option-of-choice of the compassionate religious right.

6/16/07

Laughter is the Best Medicine, Sicko!

For many of us, it's the only medicine!

Click on the above item and you'll see the trailer; afterwards, you'll see more options at the bottom of the frame!

Good night, good luck and good health to you! Otherwise. . . .

Sandy Claws

T'was six in the morning and I was in bed,
When I heard a commotion that filled me with dread.

There came the growl of a cat, which my cats never do,
So I rushed to the bathroom to see what was new.

In the tub the black cats whirled like water in a sink,
Or skateboarders racing in a skateboard rink.

And what to my half- awake horrified eyes should appear
In the tub in my house with my cats was a mouse, poor dear.

First I grabbed Mercury, threw her out, slammed the door
Then back for LittleBill to finish the chore.

He couldn't believe it was something I?d do,
So he wrapped around my hand and started to chew.

I finally got him out, went back to the tub,
Where the little mouse was OK, not even a rub

I rushed to the storeroom for the have-a-heart trap,
Which he thankfully entered. It was a snap.

To the backyard I took him and set him free.
My blood is cleaned up, so don?t worry about me.

So it's sweet dreams for me when I go to bed.
One more little creature still alive, not dead.
6/11/07ARW