Welcome!

The expressions "all things are connected" and "we are all related" acknowledge the sacred web that connects all physical and spiritual existence in our vast universe. In view of the global issues we all face, I've endeavored to build a website that recognizes the interdependencies among all our relations. The term "physics" is derived from the ancient word physis, which meant "nature" in ancient Greece. The Greeks believed that nature was endowed with life and spirituality, a concept that tribes around the world have always embraced.

Modern Physics & the Condor/Eagle Prophecy

For the past ten years I have been exploring the relationships between modern physics (quantum and relativity theories) and Indigenous cosmologies. Ancient Indigenous concepts and tenets are so consistent with known known physical facts that they must have broader implications about human responsibility (read my "Web of Life" paper listed in the left panel).

The prophecy of the condor and the eagle foretold an imbalance and great conflict throughout the Americas for 500 years since the arrival of Columbus, and as is well known, this came to pass. The eagle, representing mind and materialism, has driven the condor, representing spirituality and heart, almost into extinction. It tells of a time when the Western European and Indigenous paths will converge again. The people of the condor represent the indigenous people of the world living close to the land, with the heart and wisdom that come from being attuned to the natural world. According to the prophecy, we are now at the beginning of the "Fifth Pachacuti," a time when the condor will rise again and the two will fly together as before, and the world will come into balance--a time of partnership, love and healing. But the eagle must change to help restore the balance. Perhaps this part of the prophecy relates to how discoveries in modern physics may bring science closer to embracing the sacred web of life.

The Top One Percent (1%)

The Occupy Wall Street movement has awakened the national media, I believe, because it has a just cause. CNN is now confirming what the occupying activists have been saying. Hopefully, the movement will continue to grow without violence as those with moral courage bypass official infrastructures to confront corporate greed and abuse directly. According to the OWS website, “the occupation of Liberty Square is a symbol of the growing international movement fighting against neoliberal economic practices, the crimes of Wall Street and the resulting income inequality, unemployment, and oppression of people at the front lines of the economic crisis.” Read more.

The Healing of America, by T. R. Reid

How does health care in the United States rank among the world's industialized nations? In terms of cost, the U.S. ranks first (16.5% of the GDP); infant morttality: 10th (6.37 deaths per thousand births, just behind Cuba); life expectancy: 24th (just behind Israel, using the DALE rating, source: WHO); best health care systems: 15th. The U.S. is the only industrialized nation that does not provide universal health care. All other countries have settled on one model for everyone, believing it is simpler, cheaper, and fairer. Reid reports that the risk of financial ruin due to medical and pharmaceutical bills is a uniquely American problem.

Federal Indian Policies

to be added...

The Crisis in American Capitalism

Why have the rich gotten richer and the poor gotten poorer? How is this question related to the economic meltdown of 2008? How serious is the current crisis? University of Massachussett-Amherst economics professor Richard Wolff addresses these important questions in "Capitialism Hits the Fan," a lecture available in film and transcript form. It is one of the most lucid and helpful presentations I have every heard. He also suggests alternatives that might work.

According to Dr. Wolff, the economic crisis we're experiencing is neither temporary, short-term, nor easy to fix. Wages and standard of living rose in every decade between 1820 and 1970, giving rise to the notion of "American exceptionalism": that America was in some way unique. But since the 1970s, wages have not grown while business profits and employer salaries grew exponentially. To keep up, Americans have had to work more hours compared to other countries, where people work less by choice. Americans (and the nation) are in debt while their hard-earned money is in someone else's bank accounts: the corporations' and the banks'.

Who, then, are the "rich"? Please continue reading.

Immigration and Deportations

The Obama administration has deported more than a million immigrants since taking office. Who are they and what happens to them? Before being deported, they are detained in prison-like facilities. If more people were aware of the moral issues, they would be deeply troubled. Instead, many Americans believe the immigration issue is straightforward, a matter of “rule of law.”

But it's not straightforward. If Americans were aware of their own history, we could achieve a good understanding to address everyone's needs. In "The Immigration Debate: A Moral Approach" (see left panel), I wrote about the need for a moral approach that considers the crucial history of U.S. immigration because a legalistic attitude will never resolve important issues. Please read about the moral issues raised by detentions and deportations.

Can we please stop blaming immigrants? This is the title of a January 25, 2011 column by Robert Pollin, published by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), where he addresses the charges made by some policymakers and segments of the population—including some Tea Party activists—that immigrants are to blame for the high rates of unemployment and that immigrants are soaking up government social spending budgets. The abstract states: “The evidence he reviews finds that both charges are unsupportable. He and Jeannette Wicks-Lim present data showing that, as with the years prior to the [current] recession, there is no evidence supporting the idea that immigrants are to blame for the unemployment crisis.” Read the abstract and download the article at the PERI web page.

Theocracy Watch

Theocracy Watch is a public information project at Cornell University.