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Daily Archives: February 23, 2015
Its not f*cking Space Aliens, Okay?!
Its not f*cking Space Aliens, Okay?!
Feb 16, 2015 5:09pm PST by jared the bassplayer
Can we just put this one to rest? I’m getting seriously agitated with these “Ancient Alien” theories and TV shows and blogs that are trying to peddle the idea that humans could not possibly have built the pyramids, Stonehenge, Mexico City, etc. As a guy who executes blueprints, this kind of thing really insults me and drives me crazy. People weren’t stupid 6,000 years ago. Okay? They were us.
This guy should never be taken seriously under any circumstance:
Yes, I blame the producers over at The “History” Chanel. What history? Space aliens didn’t build the freakin’ pyramids! That is not historic at all- that is dumb.
Well okay, smarty pants! If space aliens didn’t build these ancient structures, how did they get there?
Now this is where it gets crazy, so you may want to sit down and possibly buckle yourself in. People. People built these ancient structures. Without help from space aliens. How do you make giant pyramids from stones that were quarried far away? You get 50,000 of your buddies, get them liquored up and you make it happen. You float the stones down the Nile on barges, you build scaffolding and use ramps, levers and pullys and an official sh*t-ton of elbow grease.
Stonehenge? Same deal. Beer was around back then, too! No space alien intervention required. How do you line these huge monuments up to the solar equinox? How do you make sure that a certain star is visible through a shaft in Pharoh’s burial chamber? The same way we do it today.
Survey crews.
These are the guys. If they messed up, we wouldn’t be marveling in awe thousands of years later. The Nazca lines? Yep. That was some crack ancient Peruvian survey crew marking out where the lines were to go. I promise that these guys were able to do all of it without the aid of space aliens. They were simply competent and adept with mathematics and their surveying equipment.
The whole space alien construction managers thing just drives me crazy. How is it that space aliens built Machu Picchu and the Sphinx, but not the Roman aqueducts or Notre Dame? Why is it such a stretch to think that the Inca had some damn fine engineers among them?
No space alien supervision required. I promise.
People are smart. People are really good at building things. People did not need space aliens to teach them how to build things. Lets put this to rest.
If, however, I’m completely wrong about all of this and there is some intergalactic construction firm that got all the contracts back in antiquity, I’ve got a pretty good-sized glazing project in downtown LA I could use some pointers on. I’ll be the guy pretending space aliens aren’t there giving me tips.
6:28 PM PT: Thanks for the rec’s! You guys are great. The comments are hilarious!
Did ancient space aliens build antiquity’s most iconic landmarks?
- No. Don’t be daft. 61%
- Well, maybe not ALL of them. 10%
- I saw it on the TeeVee! Ancient aliens built all of it! 3%
- I am a space alien and can offer you pointers on the job in downtown LA you’re working on. 25
http://m.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/16/1364672/-Its-not-f-cking-Space-Aliens-Okay?detail=email
Truthout Daily Digest | Sunday, February 21,2015
I read the article in the Buzzflash section below that is the latest in the witch-hunt propaganda against the anti-vaccine movement. I’m disturbed by the repetitive propaganda vilifying people who have concerns without ever once addressing those valid concerns.
If I could find documentation that toxic preservatives had been completely removed and banned legally from being used in vaccine preparation- I would be overjoyed.
The dangers the pro-vaccine propaganda discuss are serious. I’m sure every educated parent who avoids vaccines due to things like thimerosal (because mercury is a well documented neurotoxin that should never be injected into children! ) is losing sleep and sick with stress over such a heart and gut wrenching choice.
If we weren’t being treated as slaves to the corporations and the 1% it would be self evident that such pertinent information as to the formulation and regulation of vaccine manufacturing should be in EVERY article about the subject.
I personally believe that people with the genetic basis for autism are often more sensitive to toxic exposure. This would explain the correlation that the pro vaccine propaganda say is not causative.
It doesn’t matter if the toxics used in vaccine formulas specifically “cause autism”. The significant point is that there is no good reason to endanger children by exposing them to known neurotoxins at such fragile ages.
We can use other less toxic preservatives! Why is that not obvious?
If we as a society decided collectively that mandatory vaccination was necessary then the first order of business should be to ensure beyond a shadow of a doubt that the formulation and regulation of their manufacture were absolutely safe.
Which the laws that say parents cannot sue manufacturers for damages when children are harmed make very clear is NOT the case.
We have, as our Constitution makes clear, certain inalienable rights. Even had the U.S. Constitution never been written, all human beings still would have these rights. It’s instinctual even in single celled organisms to avoid harm to the self. Most animals, including humans, will also fight to prevent harm to their children.
It’s unconscionable to override this for profit.
I hope this issue, like the issues of corruption, money controlling politics, GMO’S and other clean food issues, can unite us. We do have much in common across the heavily programmed boundaries that supposedly divide all Americans into two sheeplike herds ever butting heads.
In the end we are all human beings. We have basically the same needs. We have more in common than different-even two people who appear incredibly different.
If we could just let go of fear, anger and hatred. If we could just open our hearts to one another, feel one another’s struggles and difficulty. We could move beyond fake teams to genuine caring and understanding. Then, together, we would be unstoppable.
I know “American Exceptionalism” is bunk. We are not somehow born special. Much of what makes our country great comes from the mixture. It comes from people of all different countries, races, religions and worldviews finding ways to work together and solve problems effectively. We have done this in no small part by overcoming the fears and hatreds that could divide us.
The public health problems caused by infectious diseases will never be solved by force. They cannot be solved by crushing some to benefit others. They must be solved by making people accountable.
If corporations CEO’s are held personally accountable for harm due to their negligence, if corporations are held financially accountable for harm their products cause then we can expect products to be safer.
If governments want to mandate vaccination then they must also mandate vaccine safety.
And once those necessary steps are accomplished only then is it reasonable to hold individuals and families accountable for their choices in regard to vaccination.
I don’t think many people would choose to avoid vaccination unless it was a medical issue, or a serious conflict with their religious beliefs-IF the vaccines were guaranteed to be safe.
Blessings,
ohnwentsya
Evaluating Police Psychology: Who Passes the Test?
Candice Bernd, Truthout: With no national standards for screening police applicants, specialized psychologists may rely on tests unfocused on predicting aggression, and incumbent officers’ personality profiles are not typically re-evaluated post-hire. Meanwhile, the mental and emotional consequences of policing leave entire communities with deep psychological trauma.
Nancy J. Altman: Expand Social Security Now
Mark Karlin, Truthout: Nancy J. Altman, co-founder of the group Social Security Works, debunks many myths about Social Security and calls for its expansion in a Truthout interview.
Central America “Aid” Won’t Slow Migration
Jane Guskin and David L. Wilson, Truthout: The US government’s new aid plan for Central America will only deepen the economic and human rights crises that led refugees to flee in 2014.
Happy Birthday RW Johnson! A Legacy
Kathleen Sharp, Truthout: There are too many similarities between the heyday of quack remedies and today‘s crisis in Big Pharma.
Profiles in Courage: The 38 Democrats Who Publicly Broke With Netanyahu’s War Polemic
Robert Naiman, Truthout: Proposals for action that the right-wing Israeli government might disapprove of have generally had about the same effect on Democrats as proposals for action that the National Rifle Association might disapprove of. In such a context, the Democrats who have so far distanced themselves from Benjamin Netanyahu are courageous.
Amy Goodman | As Extreme Cold Engulfs Eastern US, Fossil Fuel Mishaps Leave Disaster Areas on Fire
Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!: “Climate policy and energy policy are not usually discussed together in this country,” says Stephen Kretzmann, executive director of Oil Change International. “Climate change means that we need to transition away from fossil fuels, sooner rather than later.”
Watch the Video and Read the Transcript
Kathy Kelly, teleSUR: “As drone warfare proliferates, as the stings of the drone become more lethal and terrifying, the peace activists hold a newsworthy message. I’m glad CODEPINK members continually interrupt high-level hearings.”
Kirsten Weld, North American Congress on Latin America: Edward Snowden’s 2013 revelations about the NSA’s global surveillance practices sparked outrage around the world, but nowhere more than in Latin America, where US efforts to project its influence have long been concentrated.
When Your Armed Neighbor Comes Knocking
Mitchell Zimmerman, OtherWords: Craig Hicks, who murdered three Muslim-American students in Chapel Hill, carried one of his many guns to their door. What kind of country do we live in, where it’s legal for a man to bring a weapon to a noise complaint?
What Are We Doing to Our Children’s Brains?
Elizabeth Grossman, Ensia: The numbers are startling. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.8 million more children in the US were diagnosed with developmental disabilities between 2006 and 2008 than a decade earlier. Environmental chemicals are wreaking havoc to last a lifetime.
Richard D. Wolff | Economic Update: Free Enterprise System Defects
Richard D. Wolff, Truthout: This episode provides updates on Europeans’ struggles against austerity policies. We also respond to questions about how workers’ self-directed enterprises solve various problems, especially financing and uneven skill levels. Finally, we give an in-depth critical discussion of the “free enterprise” system.
BuzzFlash
Bill O’Reilly Accused of Falsely Claiming Heroic War Coverage
Mark Karlin, BuzzFlash at Truthout: It should be no surprise that Bill O’Reilly – who was once a TV reporter and is now a bloviating television pundit espousing a caricature of jingoistic “Christian” virtues – is being accused of embellishing his war-reporting record.
Solar Industry Prepares for Battle Against Koch Brothers’ Front Groups
How Spies Stole the Keys to the Encryption Castle
Read the Article at The Intercept
As the Rich Get Richer, Unions Are Poised for Comeback
Read the Article at Bloomberg News
“Children Do Not Migrate – They Flee”: Striking Photos From Poverty-Ravaged Guatemala
Read the Article at Mother Jones
What the Anti-Vax Movement Doesn’t Tell You About Measles
Read the Article at The Nation
Rudy Giuliani: Obama Had White Mother, So I’m Not Racist
Read the Article at The New York Times
David Swanson: Where Do US War Dead Come From?
Read the Article at War Is A Crime
Spirit In Action 