You ARE what you eat

A new study suggests that sugar may be addictive. It even says,

A "sugar addiction" may even act as a "gateway" to later abuse of drugs such as alcohol, Hoebel said.

Visit allaboutagave.com for more information about agave nectar, a healthy, vegan alternative to traditional sweeteners. Because it is not derived from bees, proposers of animal rights are the main consumers of agave since we are not stealing the food that bees harvest for themselves. Agave is derived from cacti.

People who suffer from diabetes, obesity, high colesterol and other health problems may also benefit from consuming agave nectar instead of sugar and honey.

Wooly Mammoth making a comeback

I had read that scientists were going to try to bring back the wooly mammoth by implanting DNA from fossils that had been found in Russia in the wombs of elephants. Over a couple of generations, one could conceivably produce a new, modern branch of the wooly mammoth.

Then I saw this video of a baby wooly mammoth fossil that was found in Siberia almost completely intact. In theory, they should be able to extract enough DNA from this specimen to be able to clone him.

I would argue that cloning should be considered moral and entirely appropriate, perhaps even the right thing to do, if the species is extinct or in danger of becoming extinct, perhaps in part due to hunting done by humans.

As a side note, there is also talk of bringing back dinosaurs by using large flightless birds known as emus, from Australia, and arresting their avian development, in effect producing a more primitive, saurian version of it.

Genetically engineered pets are also not just a matter of science fiction anymore. I was shocked to see the genpets.com webpage ... and relieved to find out it's a hoax (or, as the webpage author calls it, it's art).

“Remember, Jesus would rather constantly shame gays than let orphans have a family“

— Steven Colbert

Call for a Boycott of Mormon Businesses

As I read a Newsweek editor's essay entitled How Getting Married Made Me An Activist, it occured to me that it is illegal for a non-profit organization with tax exempt 501c3 status to get involved in politics and that it would therefore be appropriate for the Mormon Church to lose its tax exemption, since they decided to get involved in the politics of gay marriage in California, where only 2% of the population follow their absurd religion.

By the way, just as a side note: the Book of Mormon teaches that when people do bad things their skin tone turns dark and when they do good things their skin tone turns white. Their religion fully endorses the Mark of Cain doctrine, which affords Black people an inferior status. This doctrine was used by the Catholic Church in places like Brasil during slavery, to produce a theology that legitimized the domination of blacks by the white race. Here are some quotes on race from the Book of Mormon:

“...wherefore, as they were white, and exceeding fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a SKIN OF BLACKNESS to come upon them.” - 2 Nephi 5:21

“And the skins of the Lamanites were DARK, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which WAS A CURSE upon them because of their transgression...” - Alma 3:6

“...for this people shall be scattered, and shall become a DARK, a filthy, and a loathsome people, beyond the description of that which ever hath been amongst us...” - Mormon 5:15

The Book of Mormon (which you can read for yourself, from Mormon sources, here, however, predicts that the Indians will repent of their sins and become white:

“...and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a WHITE AND DELIGHTSOME PEOPLE.” - 2 Nephi 30:6

According to the realmormonhistory.com website where I found these quotes, "the word "WHITE" was changed to "PURE" in later editions of the Book of Mormon". Blacks were not even allowed into the priesthood until the late 70's.

Mormonism also originally embraced poligamy, but then abolished it under pressure from the government. Joseph Smith, the founder/inventor of Mormonism, headed a poligamous family with numerous wives and concubines.

And so Mormonism is not, in any way, a sophisticated ethical philosophy. It has a long history of racism and bigotry and it is an ideology that promotes inequality. It shouldn't come as a surprise that they want to take away gay and lesbian citizens' right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness", and every person of reason should denounce Mormonism as a false, bigoted religious doctrine.

In the great progressive tradition of non-violent resistance which was championed and shown to be efficient by both Ghandi and MLK, it was shown that non-violent resistance was efficient if it was intelligently organized. In all these cases, boycotts were used as the main and most efficient tool by the resistance movements.

For centuries, churches have enjoyed a privileged tax status as non-profit organizations, even when they have been bastions of cultural, racist and homophobic bigotry and hatred.

Racketeers like the so-called 'Jesus Christ man', a Puerto Rican who lives in Florida and claims to be Our Lord and Savior, have effectively used religion as a very lucrative enterprise. His followers earn huge profits via legitimate side businesses and then claim those profits as 'donations' to his ministry on their taxes. His church claims to be God's government on Earth, and it is: in effect, they are paying taxes to their God, not the bona-fide secular government.

People like Jerry Falwell made a lucrative career in the so-called 'non profit' sector by saying things like: "AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals. To oppose it would be like an Israelite jumping in the Red Sea to save one of Pharoah's chariotters."

And then there's the Catholic Church which has spent more than two billion dollars (at last count) in legal fees and under-the-table bribes to silence the victims of sexual abuse, money which was "earned" via their tax exemption privilege.

Is it right that organizations which not only render no tangible service to society, but are instead producing iniquity, generating a huge amount of unnecessary suffering and promoting bigotry, should enjoy a privileged tax status?

According to this article on the Utah Boycott, The church had said in a separate statement after Tuesday's vote that "no one on any side of the question should be vilified, intimidated, harassed or subject to erroneous information."

:) What nerve they have!

Another blogger called for the boycott of all Mormon owned businesses who tithe to the Mormon Church. He says:

I recommend we boycott Marriott Hotels, owned by the Mormon Marriott family, and so devout that every Marriott hotel has a Book of Mormon in the drawer, along with a bible. In today's depressed travel market, there are plenty of competitors to Marriott and plenty of people can avoid it if they want.

Also boycott Doug Manchester's hotels. http://www.boycottmanchesterhotels.com/

RIP Miriam Makeba

On this day the voice of a great African performer has been silenced. I pray for her progress in the spirit world. Here is my favorite song by Miriam Makeba.

Obama wins!

By labeling anyone who cared about the working class and about the poor 'a socialist', the Republicans alienated the people who were concerned about losing their homes and the people who (like myself) lost our jobs in the midst of the Bush nightmare.

It does not take a socialist to care about the working class and the lack of jobs, or to care about the people who lost their homes and those who lost the chance to retire when they had hoped. It only takes a bit of compassion. Today I welcome change!

W.A.T.C.H

Stop and observe.

- Lord Buddha

Watch your Words
Watch your Actions
Watch your Thoughts
Watch your Character
Watch your Heart

- Sri Sathya Sai Baba