Malevolence – The Daily, July 17, 2020

Destruction from nature’s fury knows no boundaries, holy or otherwise

“Man is the cruelest animal.” 
― Friedrich Nietzsche

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” 
― Maya Angelou

Scams are everywhere these days, more so than ever. Any request for your personal information should always be regarded with the utmost scepticism, and anything that requires you to click on a link on the internet is probably up to no good. Be careful and think before you take any action.

If you are offered something that seems too good to be true, don’t allow a desire to get something for nothing cloud your better judgment and allow you to fall for a scam. These are professionals who have studied human psychology and are good at presenting their offer in a way that will ensnare many an unsuspecting victim. If you are offered a chance to get money or a product or anything for free, or for a small fee, recognize the desire that may rise within you to accept it. It is your own naïveté that will put you where your intellect knows you don’t belong.

Breathing – As we all adjust to life wearing masks, and are aware that respiratory disease is not something to fool around with, we are confronted with an issue that continues to be a widespread problem. Carbon emissions are temporarily down because of reduced air and vehicle transportation, but methane levels continue to rise. From Science Daily; “Global emissions of methane have reached the highest levels on record. Increases are being driven primarily by growth of emissions from coal mining, oil and natural gas production, cattle and sheep ranching, and landfills.”

Why does this matter? “Between 2000 and 2017, levels of the potent greenhouse gas barreled up toward pathways that climate models suggest will lead to 3-4 degrees Celsius of warming before the end of this century. This is a dangerous temperature threshold at which scientists warn that natural disasters, including wildfires, droughts and floods, and social disruptions such as famines and mass migrations become almost commonplace.”

At the same time, a new study suggests that with the current trend towards fewer people having children, the world’s population will likely peak in 2064 at around 9.7 billion, and then decline to about 8.8 billion by 2100, or about 2 billion lower than some previous estimates. It’s still a lot of people who will have to deal with a more hostile planet.

One of the biggest contributors to methane gas? Globally, fossil fuel sources and cows are twin engines powering methane’s upward climb. “Emissions from cattle and other ruminants are almost as large as those from the fossil fuel industry for methane,” Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth system science in Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences said. “People joke about burping cows without realizing how big the source really is.”

Just food for thought as you reach for that hamburger.

Thought of the Day – The New Moon is almost here, so get the plans ready for the next two weeks of activity. The rest of July could bring untold rewards to you if you lay the groundwork now. The Moon’s square to Neptune this afternoon can point to some listlessness or a temporary dip in inspiration, so go with the flow. It’s a day to honour your desires and take steps towards fulfilling them. Have a blissful day.

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speak or act with an evil thought, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the beast that draws the wagon…. If a man speak or act with a good thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.” 
― Gautama Buddha