We’ve got problems of all shapes and sizes.

Other species must constantly shake their heads at the mess we humans leave lying around.

Case in point, the piles of plastic we leave floating around in the Pacific. Take a look.

I remember seeing an art exhibit at Portland Community College when I was interviewing there. All the pieces were made from plastic collected from the ocean. Here is a writeup on the exhibit.

I think it was my dad who told me about the Cavendish banana and how it became our primary banana in the Western world. Having traveled a bit, I’ve had my share of other folks’ bananas and damn do we miss out on flavor.

That said, there is a reason we have the bananas we do and it might be time to pick a new one because “our’s” might be dying off soon, just like it’s predecessor.

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

– Matthew 24:36

There are a certain brand of religious nut jobs expecting – hell, HOPING – the world ends on May 21st.

NPR covers them here.

They seem to be based or at least heavily centered around San Francisco so here is part of the local coverage there.

We also have many, many, many billboards around here. Some in town and a lot in Minneapolis, at least on the highways. Here’s the local take on it, admittedly awhile back. I think most folks are trying to ignore it and hope it just goes away in a week or so.

Personally? I think these folks are nut jobs. If they didn’t wrap up their crazy in a Bible, someone would have locked them up already.

I also worry about their kids and families. The NPR story shone a brief light onto what has got to be a hellish situation. What do you do if you spouse tries to sell all of your belongings to go convert tourists on a Florida beach? (Incidentally, if *I* were recruiting for the end of the world, I wouldn’t be hitting up South Beach. I’d be at a LOT more cooler places. If I’ve got to spend eternity with you, you’d better be interesting.)

Mostly though, this whole thing smacks of failure and egoism. Look, every generation thinks it is the last one. But that doesn’t make it sane. Nor is it something to aspire to. I don’t want to hear about the end of the world. I want to make it better in my time. I want to hope someone will be around to cherish it after me. If the Almighty wants to hang it all up tomorrow, that is – literally – his business, not mine.

I want to live. I give a damn if the polar bears are gone in a few years. Or that there is no snow on Kilimanjaro. God, as they say, helps those who help themselves and drilling for oil on every coast of North America just so every family can have a SUV sounds completely ridiculous, short sighted, and just plain mean. If not somewhat evil to be cheering it on.

Seriously, pretend this is a test for an afterlife if you believe in one. I think the random atheist has a better chance at everlasting life than those wishing for the world to end during their lifespan.

Either way, there is more of this to come. Apparently a village in France is suffering from unwelcome End Times tourism.

Twenty-five years later, some folks still live near Chernobyl. Here’s a small glimpse into how they go about it.

Chernobyl: a horrific disaster or an evolutionary test?

Frankly, humans don’t do well with radiation but nature once again found a way in the Ukrainian forests.

Republicans hate the environment so much they are purposely bringing back styrofoam cups to the Capitol.

Idiots.

What’s next? Adding radium to the shower heads?