Hi Dave
 
This tread proved to be very enlightening. I appreciate the openness  all 
have shown even when there has been disagreement.  
 
To that end, I ran across the following quote recently but  unfortunately 
don't know who to credit. 
 
"Understanding is a three-edged sword. There's one side, then the other.  And 
then there's the truth." 
 
The truth is really what I trust everyone is seeking but the  truth is not 
always quick to show its face. If it is unveiled slowly, we  may not perceive 
the motion, making it easy to argue against it. 
 
We can clearly see that much of the "truth" of the former  centuries is very 
different from the truth as we know it today.  Some former truths, we can see 
clearly now though the prism  of time, were nothing short of absurd.  
 
However, the stakes are much higher today, or so it seems from what I  read. 
Failure to recognize the real truth in a timely manner, it appears could  have 
some rather significant consequences, perhaps not for ourselves but in  times 
to come. 
 
If it proves that we are the cause and do not act appropriately,  I wonder 
out loud here (with tongue, somewhat in cheek) if the earth's  "natural 
defenses" might not kick in, perhaps in the form of a  pandemic that will wipe out the 
casual blight. That's a dreary  prospect, to be sure.   
 
Finally, I thought the following quote from Eric  Hoffer to be an 
interesting, if not  universal, touchstone when trying to access certain motives in  
contentious times.  
"You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the  means he uses 
to frighten you."  
In the present case it seems that some fear the messages, some  fear the 
messengers... 
Very best,  
Joe



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