Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Such a Pretty Planet

"Such a pretty planet, coming back from the moon," is the opening lyric in an obscure John Hall track, "Earth Out Tonight."

And, for as beautiful as past video and photography of terra firma from space has been, I've never seen anything as breathtaking as this new video, compiled from recent expedition teams of the International Space Station.

As Gadling suggests, stop what you're doing and witness the awe-inspiring beauty that is this third rock from the Sun.

Does Protecting Our Children from Themselves Threaten Civilization?

Just completed a fascinating book on how music has been an integral component of the evolution of Humankind, potentially advancing those most suited to survival to share information with other like creatures. While at times somewhat academic, Daniel Levitin's "The World in Six Songs" packs enough rock reality to keep any music aficionado attentive to the real gems he unearths.

But, it is the concept that those creatures that dwell in the shallow end of the intelligence and common sense pool are the ones that don't (and shouldn't) inevitably make it, has me considering the longevity of civilization. For, as the slower members of a species don't survive, it enables the fastest members to become even faster. Natural Selection makes a lot of sense.

By protecting our offspring in ways that our parents didn't and, thus, preventing natural selection to occur...are we to blame for a future in which we are weaker...not stronger?

Just a thought...

And thanks to my daughter Jennifer for hipping me to this book :)