Friday, March 8, 2019

№ 547: The Rime Of The Plastic Uncarers (the bright side of pollution?)

Microplastic pollution revealed ‘absolutely everywhere’ by new research


Contamination found across UK lakes and rivers, in US groundwater, along the Yangtze river and Spanish coast, and harbouring dangerous bacteria in Singapore

Microplastic everywhere —
the Yangtze, the U.K., the U.S.
Even in the rain in Spain.
Then there's that Singapore mess.

It's in our rivers, lakes and seas.
It's flowing to our oceans.
Scientists say it's getting late
for us to find solotions.

Drowning in plastic bits. . .
well, it makes ya think.
Is it e'en in Diet Coke
Donald doth drink?

Fact is, we do not know
the dangers plastic entails:
wee microscopic invisible bits
in every body’s entrails.

Really! We are at a stage
that calls for some action drastic.
Perhaps we can develop ways
to feed poor people on plastic.

Hopefully, it would prove to be
that plastic is nutritious.
And if it’s not, well then so what,
the poor are all seditious.

Getting them to die en masse
would not be inauspicious.
(And far cheaper, to be fair,
than letting them get Medicare.)

Thursday, March 7, 2019

№ 546: Wail To The Thief (platitudes with attitude)

Teething by chewing his grand pappy's Luger,
Donnie showed aptitude for Dunning-Kruger.

He hides his school grades because he missed all
of his classes. He is a pistol!

He shoots his mouth placating THE SOUTH:
the Confederate States love race baiting opiates.

His ignorance makes him feel proud.
He is never right, but he is always loud.

He thinks he is shrewd. 
We are so screwed.

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

№ 545: After Protagoras


Are We Really the Smartest Kid on the Cosmic Block?

It’s unlikely, and if we keep thinking otherwise, we might be missing some important clues about the existence of extraterrestrial life

. . . this attitude may be one sign that our intelligence isn’t very impressive—that the human race as a whole suffers from the Dunning-Kruger effect, in which those with mediocre abilities insist that they’re unusually talented or smart.

This attitude: man is the measure of things —
government, climate change, Buffalo wings —
smacks of what the Greeks meant by hubris.
The result, I expect, will not be salubrious.

Our very best scientifical thinking
clearly shows we haven't an inkling
of reality, space, time and matter
which we can't relate to pitter patter
baby steps of each little feat
we mistakenly think makes us elite.

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

№ 544: The Real World

Politics is a most thankless job.
Both “winners” and “losers”
agree, “We wuz robbed!”
Though many people
think this confusing,
there's not much diff
'twixt winning and losing.
Set aside your giddy euphoria.
Win or lose sic transit gloria.

Monday, March 4, 2019

№ 543: Incredulous Witness

I don't know about you,
but I find it odd —
this misconception,
this transcendent God.
This infinite being,
all good, all powerful,
making a universe,
which is — at best! — dourful.

If you believe
please explain why
God chose a peculiar
number for π
and why Earth's year
inconveniently has
364.2422 days.
Such imprecision
implies lack of vision.

God's Christian followers
somehow conceive
that their God loves them.
Hard to believe.
Given God's “history”,
WHICH THE BIBLE CITES,
no court would grant
God visiting rights.

Face facts, my friends,
there's no need to atone.
Just a natural accident,
we're home alone.
This God notion
must cease and desist.
Still, we could act
as if God exists.

Of course, we will not.
Never have. Never will.
We'll carry on
believing God swill.

Sunday, March 3, 2019

№ 542.1: EXTRA! Send In The Drones

On Friday Trump ranted for over two hours.
Does he now think he's Fidel
who famously went on for up to seven —
he, too, never got a Nobel.
This is, I suspect, the natural way
those who speak longest have least to say.

[corrected 3/3/2019 11:50 pm]