Amazing fact: our lovely moon is by far the largest moon in the solar system in proportion to the size of its planet. Not only that, it's exactly the perfect size and distance from earth to create a total solar eclipse. And that eclipse happens on the only planet populated with beings who can view and appreciate that eclipse. That's like a bleeping miracle!
Very cosmic. If you were lucky enough to see the eclipse, I hope you and your animals enjoyed it.
And speaking of Cosmic...
DO WE HAVE FREE WILL?
I ask this because I just listened to a mind-blowing podcast where it was clearly explained that (a) the evidence for NOT having free will is overwhelming, and (b) once you accept that, the only rational response is greater compassion.
It's a beautiful, brilliant, occasionally funny, and easy to follow discussion by physicist/astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson and his guest, biologist/neurologist and Stanford professor Robert Sapolsky on the podcast "StarTalk." If you're even slightly interested in the subjects of compassion or free will, I think you'll get a kick out of it.
If you've heard me in concert lately you've probably heard me sing a semi-new, semi-humorous song called "Free Will." If you're interested, I've included the lyrics down at the bottom.
THE HAPPIEST COUNTRY!
Once again Finland has been voted happiest country in the world.
And once again - I can't help myself - I offer without commentary the observation that the Finnish language is the only language in the world that has a word - kalsarikännit - that means "sitting at home alone day-drinking in your underwear."
* Evidently those Finns don't have any free will either.
LOVE YOURSELF A LAWYER!
April 9 is International Be Kind To Lawyers Day. This reminds me of my favorite lawyer joke:
A guy walks into a lawyer's office and asks, "How much would you charge me to answer three questions?"
The lawyer says, "Five thousand dollars."
The guy says, "That's an awful lot of money for three questions, isn't it?"
The lawyer says, "I guess so. What's your third question?"
FREE WILL
(Greg Tamblyn, Richard Helm)
I can choose to refuse, this piece of chocolate cake
But what mind is behind, this decision that I make?
Conscious, or unconscious, am I a puppet of my soul?
It's free will, until, something takes control
Chorus:
Advertising, programming, addiction, DNA?
Karma, dharma, evolution, destiny, or fate?
My heart or my mind, or my little inner voice?
I believe in free will, ‘cause I have no choice
Verse 2
I can't stop loving you, or maybe I just won't
My funny valentine, I need you, want you, or both
My reproductive urges make me ask, when life begun
Would I be another person if a different sperm had won?
Chorus:
Advertising, programming, addiction, DNA
Karma, dharma, evolution, destiny, or fate?
My heart or my mind, or my little inner voice
I believe in free will, ‘cause I have no choice
Chorus Extra:
My cool cerebral cortex can't always take control
My reptile brain takes over, when it's fed testosterone
I've tried to do the right thing, except when I forgot to
I believed in free will, till I decided not to
©2009 Ramblin' Tamblyn Music BMI, Taylor-Helm Music, BMI
Seen at a recent concert:
© 2024 Greg Tamblyn