Speaker @ MindSay

While in D.C. , I went to a presentation at the Library of Congress titled "Avoiding the Fate of the Mayans". The speaker was a man named Tom Sever whose job title was NASA archeologist.  He talked about using satellite imagery in the non-visible range to identify the "footprint" of past civilizations.  The jungles of Central and South America do not lend themselves to easy exploration by land in search of ancient ruins.  It is now believed that the Mayan empire included a population far larger than previously believed- millions....   They found a way to manage the water supply in this area, farm the swamp lands, and divert water into collection areas to protect against years of drought.  This allowed them to survive the eventual climate change that they created through deforestation... for many years beyond what a population that size could endure today.

The current deforestation in this area is visible as razor-sharp political boundaries between countries that allow it and those that protect the rainforest.  The climate change is evident again.  The talk was fascinating.

The statement that haunts me, though, came at the end of this speech....
Mr Sever told of how he was asked to teach a class at a university... how he was sure it would be overlooked, convinced that young people would not be interested in this new realm of archeology and ecology.  Quite the contrary, however, he found that the of few people who took his initial class- half changed their majors to environmental studies and the popularity of the class exploded to where he is now teaching four sections.  He says that it reminds him of the 60s- of the enthusiasm for making a difference through the impact we are having on our planet- on our futures.

People our age (my age), he said, often have an optimistic, unconcerned view of the situation... an attitude he attributed to a lack of investment in more than a foreseeable future- the 20 years or so they have left here.....
young people, on the other hand, see the importance and urgency of making a difference for the many years they have ahead of them!

I HAVE been relatively unconcerned... convinced, I thought, that human intelligence will see us through whatever dilemmas we find ourselves facing... that we will find a way to correct and move on.  I saw this optimism as one of experience and confidence in the human race.... is it, instead, a product of my own subconscious sense of mortality?  Do I discount the impact I could have on a new generation ready to spring into action because I am not concerned for change in my lifetime?

In my classes I have seen students approach environmental issues with a nonchalance and lack of interest.... they look at the information as one more thing to "remember".  I have been discouraged at the challenge of convincing them that the green movement is worth their time.   The "me" generation seem unconcerned about carbon footprints or potential remedies.

Perhaps I need to devote more energy into sparking the realization that they can each make a difference- that the condition of the world in their lifetime depends on what we do NOW. 

Maybe I need to be more concerned about what I can do to make the world a better chance for my grandchildren.....   Maybe I need to rethink my optimism.

      Life not going anywhere? Feel as though you just want to die? What if you are just too lazy to do anything with your life? Well let me tell you there is something you can do. You, Yes you, can help save hundreds of people with out doing very much at all. All you will be required to do is sit there, just as your doing now ,and as you do so you are saving lives.

 You are probably asking yourself "How is it I can do this?"
Well just follow our simple 2 step guide and in no time you too will be saving more lives then you can count.

Step 1
    A) Go to the nearest place that you store your chemicals (I promise you this is all the walking you'll be asked to do). Now search this area for some chemicals that use compressed gas. You will need a few of these. Now once you acquire about 30 cans of compressed gas stick them in your mouth, one at a time, press the button and inhale. You may feel lightheaded, nauseous, sleepy, quickened breaths, Your voice range may change slightly for a few seconds and unconsciousnesses but do not freight this will all pass in time. Just keep up the inhaling. Now after/if you get threw all of that. Sit back at watch let the chemicals kill your mind off. If you can move properly Call 911 after about 20 minutes have gone by. Congratulations you have become brain dead. Or
     B) Find a brick and slam that into your head till you pass out. If you wake up do it again. Repeat till you "sleep" for a very long amount of time but make sure you don't die, that would ruin your goal. We just need you to simply go into a long-term coma. This option is slightly more painful then the above option "A".

    Now your thinking "Wtf man when do I start saving people". Keep reading.

    Step 2
     Now you are in a state where your body is just that a body. You are just laying their cant feel shit and all but worthless to the world but wait here is hope for you yet: Platelet donation Hair donation Blood donation Marrow donation Kidney donation (If female) egg donation (If male) sperm donation This next segment for any one who was too much of a wimp and only went as far as option B of step 1 .You are now in a long term coma if you sleep for a good 10 years (thats a small long term coma) how much money will you make as you save/help lives? Lets do some quick math people. Alright so you can give platelets twice a week for 50 bucks. There are about 52 weeks in a year. You are gone mentally for 10 years. Thats 520 weeks. At 100 dollars a week thats 5200 bucks just for platelets. Lets say your female. Your eggs go for about 300 bucks a pop. Lets say you have about 30,000 eggs total. Thats 9000000 that plus your platelet is now 9005700 bucks, and think of all the lives you helped. Once you wake up you will have a nice pocket of money to start a new life in the future.
    Now for you people who really want to save lives and went for option "A" of step 1, the full brain function loss. Then you can help really any one who wants it. Every one of your bady parts can be donated. You can now donate both your arms both eyes your lungs and a kidney and you would still be fine, need to be on an artificial lung, but besides that fine. If you factor in all the new advances of science, why you could donate your entire face if someone would take it. All the time pumping out blood and marrow, all the stuff that keeps growing back. You can just lay there and help out society.

    See even your worthless life can have a purpose. But next time you think about killing yourself. Stop and think about the children, the elderly, and the sick. They need your blood and marrow. Lets not forget our favorite Cancer kids who need hair. So lets not be selfish. The needs of the many is greater the the needs of one. Be a marter to the cause be the first on your block to help sociaty, start a trend. So come one and come all and do as so many people have done before. Waste your brain. You know your not using it. Its only stopping you from really helping people.

-Sal

Part 2
    I had some people who thought they would try to disagree with me. Let me fix any details that you might not of understood or maybe I thought people were smart enough to assume but they didn't.
    First off, Ive had some people tell me that this idea was insane. Its not insane. Its a perfectly thought out process just a bit radical for most people. So just because you think its a bit over the top does not make it wrong.
    Secondly, There are also a few individuals who thought it out, just not enough. They came to me with "Think about the stability of a person that would do something like that. They must be under the influence of drugs or insane to do that so people wouldnt want there blood" You people are wrong. Crazy people can still donate. About the druggys well we can have their bodies on filters for a few months. It will eventually come all out and there bodies will be just fine.
    Lastly, A fairly interesting point was made by myself as I thought about it. Aids and other harmful incurable Diseases. I had to think about this one long and hard . How can these people help if they wanted to? The answer is simple. Go kill themselves. That way they can't infect any one else. Im sorry but if you are dieing of problems related to a Diseases go die because the rest of us dont want to. Your going to any way. Why not do it now ,and save the rest of us some problems.

So again thanks for living

-Sal

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