Why Social Security "disappearing" in 40 years doesn't worry me.

I won't need it. Simple answer - technology. In 1900 the average age was 47.* Today greater than 75 in America. The world changes. By the year 2040 I am thinking that at the age of 71 I will be going strong and I won't tap into my $$ until I am ready to retire around 85 or so. Cus I will still have another 15 years to jack around playing golf after that. At least. Additionally, the quality of the medical help will be of a different sort as we learn to use robots to do the busy work and allow our professionals to really take care of the people and the pressing needs. The quality of life is always improving. We learn to do things better all the time.

I do actually believe in a small central government and strong state governments, as our states are now turning into mini economies all their own (CA would be the WORLDS 6th largest). The variety is what allows for growth and change and mix. The freedom to move among is what keeps it fresh.

*Source: The Mercury, 11 November, 1997, p.26-27

Civility among "animals"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16094301/

Bshary and his colleagues followed fish around by snorkeling. They found groupers often visited giant morays resting in their crevices and rapidly shook their heads an inch or so from the eels to recruit them in a joint hunt. At times this call took place after a grouper failed in its hunt because prey escaped into a crevice the grouper could not get into but a giant moray might.

The System at Work

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1962643,00.html

Wow. On a very certain level, the cynicism of my personal natural state of being says that this is how the world works...I sorta shake my head and then I continue on as best I can trying to ignore that ever returning thought of impending implosion. If an individual human life becomes valueless, truly a statistic, where does that line that separates any one of us from being that same statistic get drawn? Do we have any influence? Is there any value in the individual?

"Lalo bought the quicklime used to dissolve the flesh of the first victim...But the Department of Justice told them to proceed."