Hey, Geoff, you may or may not remember me as the ole doc who keeps warning anyone planning on having children that "too many humans are using/depleting too many natural resources and producing too much pollution, including GHGs and climate collapse". No? You and I know damned well that this coming El Nino will greatly exacerbate the crop failures and starvation already baked (sic) into the coming months. Too many humans, but soon to be many less. Malthus was right. Have a blessed evening.
Oh contraire, I remember you. My purpose when I started out here was to concentrate on climate change. Circumstances force me to consider alternate routes to our demise. Yes, El Nino is on my mind as is the heat wave landing in the western states as I write. I want to write about Antarctic melt, but feel forced to write about some of the horror this article attempts to grapple with. Yes, Malthus had it right. Every improvement leads to more consumption rather than restraint, an unsustainable model.
Geoff, IMO, a tax revolt will be added to your "they don't care" list. I respect the courage of those who choose that route but US debt stands at 39 trillion and they'll keep printing dollars until it all blows up: https://www.usdebtclock.org/
>>> Too many humans, but soon to be many less.
I agree with Greeley.
The fifth stage of grief, acceptance, is a tough one. Good luck.
Oh, I agree with Greeley, too. I already called game up for the Arctic and Greenland and am well-acquainted with overshoot. The Amazon is hanging by a thread. Climate scientists seem unwilling to say we're cooked, but I have.
The reality of the horror of soon-to-be far fewer humans, the brutality of that unfolding process is the part for me that's difficult to accept. Bearing witness to Gaza has been more than enough.
Humanity is succumbing to the same thing any organism can potentially achieve, outstripping its environment as a result of too much success. The better thinkers saw the environmental predicaments we have created 50 years ago. Other better thinkers saw our behavioral problems that have gotten us here long before that.
I was bullied as a kid and forced to learn to fight. I would simply like to see people fight back. Minnesotans have shown this can happen. The passiveness and unawareness in my immediate life is alienating. Thanks for weighing in.
The survival instinct has manifested in all the wrong ways. We were nowhere near mature enough as a species to handle the technology we created and every comfort it has bought came with a high price. Those with the money are the most deluded and destructive of the lot.
Trees hang heavy under a cloak of fresh snow, like silent witnesses, the hazy sun a halo lurking behind a bone white sky.
We stand still on frozen lake, wondering how we got here. Some of us look at each other. Then a sound. The birds hear it first. A crackle, like a twig snapping. A flutter of wings. Our breaths float around us. Our hearts beat, but not in unison. Another sound, louder now, followed by a low deep murmur. We feel it through the soles of our feet. We look down at webs spreading across the ice. Again we glance at each other. So many of us.
No one remembers how we got here.
I look down. A face glides past me under the ice, its eyes stare at the sky, its mouth agape contorted into a frozen scream, eye sockets like sinkholes, skin of alabaster and ash, lips the colour of decaying deadly nightshade. A hand floats behind it, as if reaching for light. More bodies float silently by, so many more, most are staring at the sky, staring at us, uncomprehending, staring at the ones who let it happen.
Thank you Geoff, and you are right, it's all darkly overwhelming at the moment, although we know that life is precious and in the main wonderful... Will be writing about that soon!
Crap, you got me, Rob. Thanks for destroying my legitimacy as a writer, lol. I'll correct that. No doubt Porky is sick of playing second fiddle to Bugs.
The American ostrich is an invasive species that resides in various habitats throughout the Americas, mostly in the continental U.S. and Alaska. The American ostrich is easily identified by an electronic device with a small screen attached to one of its appendages. Its main form of locomotion involves moving from one position to another as the appendage swings in unison with the motion.
The device generally displays a form of video, often featuring young, nubile female American ostriches. The American ostrich can also be seen furiously tapping on the device with its fingers as a form of communication. The purpose of communication varies depending on the mood of the creature. Sometimes, the communication involves rage, which may be related to its other form of communication, a strange mating ritual that scientists are still trying to understand. This invasive species is extremely destructive and has been known to destroy its habitat within hours of establishing itself.
Also, the least liked bit of fiction of all the fiction I've posted to Substack is about predictive policing in the sort of distant (but maybe not) future. It might be because people think the story sucks, but it might also be that people just don't care about much of any of these things, because the American ostrich has achieved full dominance.
I appreciate the sarcasm. A self-made situation of this magnitude deserves it.
The device could have been used for good or bad, but of course massive disinformation well preceded the device. The device merely expedited what was already embedded. Same with the Trump Reich. A Harris administration would have slowed the inevitable a tick, probably no war with Iran. Regardless, that administration would have been nothing more than window dressing for those who pull the strings. The difference? Now they can parade openly.
"The Device" is the new soma. A Harris admin would be genuinely zionist, while tRump is held by kompromat. An H. Clinton admin would have bombed Russia in the first 100 days. Behind the curtain is the zionists, behind that curtain is ones such as Rothschilds. re the Ramadan War, see https://theuaob.substack.com/p/burning-the-lifeboats-to-keep-the
Lol. Now Sue, I didn't call YOU inane. I'll check out the clip a bit later on my iPad when I'm trying to fall asleep. Whoops. Did I just insult you again?
"Love, American Style" just happened to work out for this essay. It's an interesting time capsule that overlaps the Vietnam War almost perfectly. While so much horror was going on there was both awareness and escape, just like now.
You call for people to realize their potential, so do I with much different voices. The stakes are much higher now 50 years later, and although we all need to relax I believe TV and entertainment have been destructive overall, with certainly many notable exceptions. Being a passive consumer in front of a box rather than an active participant in a village around a fire is inherently alienating.
No doubt that community around the fire had issues, too. Humans are unfinished business. We need a miracle at this point for time to improve.
Are you starring in this clip? Can hardly wait. Now stop rattling my cage!
Geoffrey, this is an excellent summary of the bigger picture around this war of choice. Adding to all of this is the devestation of our one-and-only livable planet. I overview that here. https://cylviahayes.substack.com/p/war-on-iran-war-on-earth.
Cylvia, I read your article and left a comment. It was good, but you need to understand the reasons renewables won't be realized. Sorry. I can provide you with some compelling evidence.
Geoff, thank you. This past weekend, 85 mph winds were sent through Northeast Ohio, and a meteorite accompanied by a sonic boom was heard and jolted me from my sleep. 3 days without power and freezing temps made me incredibly sad for what so many people across the world endure every day. The sonic boom was heard clearly from the meteor, which entered the atmosphere 48 miles away from where I live. It sounded like a bomb and was extremely disturbing. The war is exacerbating all of the horrible realities we face on a global basis.
Hey, Geoff, you may or may not remember me as the ole doc who keeps warning anyone planning on having children that "too many humans are using/depleting too many natural resources and producing too much pollution, including GHGs and climate collapse". No? You and I know damned well that this coming El Nino will greatly exacerbate the crop failures and starvation already baked (sic) into the coming months. Too many humans, but soon to be many less. Malthus was right. Have a blessed evening.
Oh contraire, I remember you. My purpose when I started out here was to concentrate on climate change. Circumstances force me to consider alternate routes to our demise. Yes, El Nino is on my mind as is the heat wave landing in the western states as I write. I want to write about Antarctic melt, but feel forced to write about some of the horror this article attempts to grapple with. Yes, Malthus had it right. Every improvement leads to more consumption rather than restraint, an unsustainable model.
Geoff, IMO, a tax revolt will be added to your "they don't care" list. I respect the courage of those who choose that route but US debt stands at 39 trillion and they'll keep printing dollars until it all blows up: https://www.usdebtclock.org/
>>> Too many humans, but soon to be many less.
I agree with Greeley.
The fifth stage of grief, acceptance, is a tough one. Good luck.
Oh, I agree with Greeley, too. I already called game up for the Arctic and Greenland and am well-acquainted with overshoot. The Amazon is hanging by a thread. Climate scientists seem unwilling to say we're cooked, but I have.
The reality of the horror of soon-to-be far fewer humans, the brutality of that unfolding process is the part for me that's difficult to accept. Bearing witness to Gaza has been more than enough.
Humanity is succumbing to the same thing any organism can potentially achieve, outstripping its environment as a result of too much success. The better thinkers saw the environmental predicaments we have created 50 years ago. Other better thinkers saw our behavioral problems that have gotten us here long before that.
I was bullied as a kid and forced to learn to fight. I would simply like to see people fight back. Minnesotans have shown this can happen. The passiveness and unawareness in my immediate life is alienating. Thanks for weighing in.
How unfortunate that the least fit of humanity, has all the money.
The survival instinct has manifested in all the wrong ways. We were nowhere near mature enough as a species to handle the technology we created and every comfort it has bought came with a high price. Those with the money are the most deluded and destructive of the lot.
Trees hang heavy under a cloak of fresh snow, like silent witnesses, the hazy sun a halo lurking behind a bone white sky.
We stand still on frozen lake, wondering how we got here. Some of us look at each other. Then a sound. The birds hear it first. A crackle, like a twig snapping. A flutter of wings. Our breaths float around us. Our hearts beat, but not in unison. Another sound, louder now, followed by a low deep murmur. We feel it through the soles of our feet. We look down at webs spreading across the ice. Again we glance at each other. So many of us.
No one remembers how we got here.
I look down. A face glides past me under the ice, its eyes stare at the sky, its mouth agape contorted into a frozen scream, eye sockets like sinkholes, skin of alabaster and ash, lips the colour of decaying deadly nightshade. A hand floats behind it, as if reaching for light. More bodies float silently by, so many more, most are staring at the sky, staring at us, uncomprehending, staring at the ones who let it happen.
The cracks spread outward.
Welcome to 2026.
Good work. Like the writing I do, I bet this is not the poem you wish to write, but the one you must. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Geoff, and you are right, it's all darkly overwhelming at the moment, although we know that life is precious and in the main wonderful... Will be writing about that soon!
Beautifully written, a stark reality with dire consequences. Thank you for sharing your poem!
Small niggle, but as a boomer who probably watched every Loony Tune cartoon made it was Porky Pig, not Bugs who said “that’s all folks “
Crap, you got me, Rob. Thanks for destroying my legitimacy as a writer, lol. I'll correct that. No doubt Porky is sick of playing second fiddle to Bugs.
The American ostrich is an invasive species that resides in various habitats throughout the Americas, mostly in the continental U.S. and Alaska. The American ostrich is easily identified by an electronic device with a small screen attached to one of its appendages. Its main form of locomotion involves moving from one position to another as the appendage swings in unison with the motion.
The device generally displays a form of video, often featuring young, nubile female American ostriches. The American ostrich can also be seen furiously tapping on the device with its fingers as a form of communication. The purpose of communication varies depending on the mood of the creature. Sometimes, the communication involves rage, which may be related to its other form of communication, a strange mating ritual that scientists are still trying to understand. This invasive species is extremely destructive and has been known to destroy its habitat within hours of establishing itself.
Also, the least liked bit of fiction of all the fiction I've posted to Substack is about predictive policing in the sort of distant (but maybe not) future. It might be because people think the story sucks, but it might also be that people just don't care about much of any of these things, because the American ostrich has achieved full dominance.
I appreciate the sarcasm. A self-made situation of this magnitude deserves it.
The device could have been used for good or bad, but of course massive disinformation well preceded the device. The device merely expedited what was already embedded. Same with the Trump Reich. A Harris administration would have slowed the inevitable a tick, probably no war with Iran. Regardless, that administration would have been nothing more than window dressing for those who pull the strings. The difference? Now they can parade openly.
"The Device" is the new soma. A Harris admin would be genuinely zionist, while tRump is held by kompromat. An H. Clinton admin would have bombed Russia in the first 100 days. Behind the curtain is the zionists, behind that curtain is ones such as Rothschilds. re the Ramadan War, see https://theuaob.substack.com/p/burning-the-lifeboats-to-keep-the
"Homo sapiens frontal lobes attached to opposable thumbs was an evolutionary mistake." A good one.
But I don't know about that analysis of Love American Style. I've been called a lot of things, but inane is a new one: "Love and the Wild Party" https://youtu.be/DMn5c6BTsYE?si=xz-KekKMKgC-SwGe&t=298
Lol. Now Sue, I didn't call YOU inane. I'll check out the clip a bit later on my iPad when I'm trying to fall asleep. Whoops. Did I just insult you again?
"Love, American Style" just happened to work out for this essay. It's an interesting time capsule that overlaps the Vietnam War almost perfectly. While so much horror was going on there was both awareness and escape, just like now.
You call for people to realize their potential, so do I with much different voices. The stakes are much higher now 50 years later, and although we all need to relax I believe TV and entertainment have been destructive overall, with certainly many notable exceptions. Being a passive consumer in front of a box rather than an active participant in a village around a fire is inherently alienating.
No doubt that community around the fire had issues, too. Humans are unfinished business. We need a miracle at this point for time to improve.
Are you starring in this clip? Can hardly wait. Now stop rattling my cage!
Geoffrey, this is an excellent summary of the bigger picture around this war of choice. Adding to all of this is the devestation of our one-and-only livable planet. I overview that here. https://cylviahayes.substack.com/p/war-on-iran-war-on-earth.
Looking forward to checking it out after a bit of decompression. Thank you.
Cylvia, I read your article and left a comment. It was good, but you need to understand the reasons renewables won't be realized. Sorry. I can provide you with some compelling evidence.
I am there with you. I just responded.
Geoff, thank you. This past weekend, 85 mph winds were sent through Northeast Ohio, and a meteorite accompanied by a sonic boom was heard and jolted me from my sleep. 3 days without power and freezing temps made me incredibly sad for what so many people across the world endure every day. The sonic boom was heard clearly from the meteor, which entered the atmosphere 48 miles away from where I live. It sounded like a bomb and was extremely disturbing. The war is exacerbating all of the horrible realities we face on a global basis.