Scot Bastian Ph.D.
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"Life Force" a Poem About Evolution in Honor of Burning Man

8/26/2015

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Yo! It's that time of year again, and I'm about to leave for TTITD (That Thing In The Desert), AKA Burning Man. In celebration of this epic event, I have written an epic poem about evolution which I will read at a couple of events on the Playa. For those not attending this event, below is a copy. If you're coming to Burning Man this year come and visit me and we can chat.

THE LIFE FORCE
     by Scot Bastian © 2015
     Camp Althing in Hushville at 5:15 and E.

I sit under the palm trees, breathing in the trade winds, as the cirrus clouds sweep by calling, calling, ever so quietly: come. Bring your dreams to the ocean, my friend. Come to the sea. My eyes open and the sun is falling and the fish jump to escape the sea lions and the sea lions flee the sharks. Come, come to me. Poseidon, my father, you are so deep. So blue. So kind. So limitless. With the foam hissing on the shore and the waves rising and falling. I ask why?

Never mind the why, just tell me when.

Such are my dreams. 


It is hard to imagine time.
From molten marble, to pale blue dot
the rumbling Earth awakens from its fiery past. It is also hard to imagine liquid rock.
To parse time into increments does it a disservice, for each moment is infinitely divisible.
Four and a half billion years.

Did I begin with a bang?

The crack of a lightning bolt
     striking a pond of dark ooze?
Or did I begin with a bubble
     clinging to the edge of a volcanic vent?
Perhaps I started elsewhere
     arriving on an ancient meteor originating from another planet.

I guess I’ll never know,
    but I wonder.

Molecules break apart, then recombine. 

Rare events that seem to defy entropy.
But the sun can reverse entropic chaos.
Patterns are formed. Order from disorder. Repeating units. Molecular arrays.
My life force traverses through millennia.
Adapting.
Becoming.

Then the sun goes and the sky blackens and my eyes close. I dream of mermaids and mermen skipping through the surf. Playing games of tag and singing songs. Joyous chortling and catching breaths. The sea never stops, you know, mermen and mermaids never die. They never stop cavorting through the waves. They also never eat, living in a continuous state of delight, giggling and guffawing forever. A mad loop of laughter and frantic swimming. Their favorite game is tag, but everyone wants to be “it.” They so love to chase. They never tire. They never cease.

Such are my dreams.

And here I swim at the edge of the sea
Not quite a land dweller, yet not a typical fish.
I am a mudskipper.

When the tide is low there are many things to see.
The bones of my mind are exposed.
I wish to crawl freely onto the land, but I am attached.
It will take many years until I can emerge freely.

Then she arises as Botticelli’s Venus from the clam shell. I, waiting like a child. Wanting. Wanting it so. And she smiles. Botticelli’s Venus, da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and the countless Virgin Marys all bear the same smile. It is the smile of Earth-mother ever expecting. Let me lie in your arms Goddess-of-all. Gaia. Demeter. Diana, Goddess of the Moon. Can I just curl up in your arms? Can I be your child and feel the warmth of your breast. Caress me, not like a God, but hold me like a mother. Come Mother, and find me. And she does.

Such are my dreams.

In the tide pool, the sea stars have nowhere to go, nor do they want to. But I gulp spoons of warm sunshine, and gaze longingly at the shore. I break the surface with a rapid exhalation of breath. I crawl from my saltwater birthplace, carrying the salt within my veins. I cannot escape the sea—I carry it with me. I am newly-born. Emergent! I am cold mother. I walk the sand on the beach. Am I the child of the fish or the cousin of the mudskipper? The frog prince. My ventral sacs swell as I push out air. It is not a croak, it is a song. Others respond and we multiply. My skin hardens, as I breathe more freely. I walk slowly munching on the jungle. Now, so tall I can reach the canopy. Roaring with the gods! But, like the gods, I am arrogant, and thus fade. Fade away. Raging fires always blow out. Embers burn slowly, red hot, but inconspicuous, I live in the shadows of giants. Did my ancestors nibble on the eggs of the terrible lizards, contributing to their demise?

When I first escaped the ocean did I know that some my descendants would crawl back?

Are the dinosaurs the ghosts of birds? When the mighty fall I take wing. Soaring in the atmosphere, I look down not at the smallness of all things, but at the largeness of the expanse. The wind rushes through me. I am drawn again to the seashore. I light upon the cliff face and stuff bits of crab into my nestlings mouths. They are such beggars. They rustle their wings, nearly casting each other off the cliff side. I turn a gaze at the sea. The waves crash, exploding on the cliff.

My nose wiggles and my tail grows. I learn to scurry and then to run, launching onto my rear haunches I lean forward the wind whistling and then roaring through my hair. I plop down and survey the scene. Cycads and lichens abound. I gaze at the curl of the horizon and want more.

When the tide is low there are many things to see. When spirits are low and exposed, like driftwood washing onto the beach, my smooth, white, desires bake in the sun. The gulls call and drop from the sky, poking around, seeking bits of rotting fish and beached crabs. The air is rank and heavy, like a salty barnyard with fish-soaked silage. Stones and sand are interspersed with bits of glass rendered smooth by the waves grinding in the tumble of churning sand. The horizon curves into infinity, stretching in all directions. But I look to the sea. The sun shines, but it has no carefully circumscribed edge. I close my eyes again.

Such are my dreams.

My parents sort, and pair off, performing the love dance and the gene shuffle.
And I am conceived.
I dig into the wall of mother’s uterus, a spelunker in the primordial cave.
I dig deeper, releasing enzymes that allow me to burrow and implant.
Can I want, or do I only exist?
Can a fetus ask a question?
And now, I am man.
But what is man?
How far back do I go?
I am the sum of all my ancestors.
I am not the endpoint.
The journey is not over.
The life force continues to transform and grow.
How long will the journey last?
How can I know?
Perhaps, I will reach for the stars…Such are my dreams.

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A Poem for Geeky Skeptics

8/11/2015

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GO BOLDLY
   by Scot Bastian (with apologies to Dylan Thomas)
Is there a quark in your belfry?
A meme in your bonnet?
Do you, and yours, wax eusocial?
Do you try to grok the neurosciences?
Are you a heterogeneous, Homo sapiens, or, perhaps, a transhumanist?



Do you argue:
Charon or Karon?
Sagan or Tyson?
Cosmos 1 or 2?
Star Wars or Star Trek?
Kirk or Picard?
And who is right:
Hawking and Musk, or Krause?
Are your dreams peppered with the stars of the cosmos, rather than the stars of    Hollywood?
Do you love NASA more than the NFL?
Do you dream of androids dreaming of electric sheep?
Do you love spiders and snakes?

Do you ask these questions--and dream these dreams?
Then, I extend my welcome. 
For you and I are in the same tribe.

We are star stuff.


I exhort you!
Do not go gentle into that vacuous pit of the culturally inane
Rage, rage against the dumbing of the mind!

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The Solution to the Earthquake and Overcrowding Issues in Seattle and Portland   

7/17/2015

2 Comments

 
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A recent New Yorker article about the precarious position that us Northwesterners find ourselves in, regarding the potential for a massive earthquake has created a bit of a collective stir in paranoid consciousness. The article suggests, if the big one hits, everything west of Interstate-5, might be "toast." This has created quite a hornets nest of fear in the more skittish members of the local populace. This collective anxiety reminded me of the planet Bethselamin, from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe, by legendary author Douglas Adams. Here is the wikipedia description of the planet:

Bethselamin is a fabulously beautiful planet which attracts billions of tourists each year. Unsurprisingly, cumulative erosion is a serious concern of the local authorities. Their solution is to calculate the net imbalance between the amount of matter eaten and the amount subsequently excreted by each visitor, and remove the weight difference through amputative surgery. Thus it is vitally important to get a receipt after every trip to the lavatory while on the planet.

How is this related? I have a novel hypothesis on why this threat, which has really been here all along, has only recently become a hot topic of discussion. The reason is that, similar to Douglas Adams' planet, the risk of earthquake has been significantly enhanced by the collective humanity that has poured into the region. It is simple physics. There is now more weight in this region of the country from all the human beings moving here, which creates an imbalance in the subduction zone, which might exacerbate seismic activity. As far as I know this idea is completely novel, and this hypothesis awaits testing by the scientific community. But, until testing confirms my theory, I propose that we take the following precautions; 1) No one will be allowed to move to Seattle or Portland unless they can persuade at least two people to leave. This has the dual benefit of ameliorating some of the problems with traffic congestion and the housing shortage that have plagued Seattle recently. 2) If you feel compelled to visit, you must pay a homeless person (and house and feed them, of course) to travel elsewhere during the duration of your stay. This idea also has multiple benefits. It provides gainful employment to the indigent population and encourages tourism (and cultural exchange!) between different regions of the country.
   I realize this is a novel idea, and will likely be controversial, but it is my hope that this small blog entry will be a starting point of community discussion, that will lead to endless town hall meetings, followed by the formation of an actionable change in public policy, followed by more public discussion, and eventual death in committee. Spread the word. We need to take action on this now.
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Tortured By Voices In Your Feet? Skeptical?

11/4/2014

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Ah, the joys of theater! I recently wrote a short play that was performed as part of a showcase entitled "New Blood" by the amazing folks at Writers and Actors Reading and Performing (WARP) which I've been a part of for several years now. The showcase was produced by Ellen Covey and videographed by Jeff Weedman. My play, entitled "Fungal Attraction," was capably directed by John Paul Sharp and Mary E. Brown, starring Laurel Clark as Hedley, Bigby Dommage as Dex, as Jesse Buckley as Lefty. The play asks the hypothetical question: What if you didn't have voices in your head? What if they were in your feet? And, what if the feet didn't like each other? Enjoy.

By the way, my collection of short plays is still available from Amazon as either a Kindle E-Book or a paperback. Check out this link to check it out.
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I Boldly Went Where Many Have Gone Before

9/20/2014

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Today I watched the very last episode of the very last season, of "Enterprise," the last Star Trek series on television. I have now seen ALL of the episodes of every series: Star Trek (the original series), The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise. (No, I haven't watched the cartoons). It's been a great ride. All of them I acquired over the last several years from the Seattle Public Library, the greatest library in my world--so I could watch them without commercial interruption. I will say this, Star Trek is not (IMO) the "best" television fiction in history (Many others, including Breaking Bad, Slings and Arrows, Twilight Zone, Downton Abbey and West Wing, vie, in my mind, for that distinction.)  But, I can say, without reservation, that Star Trek has been, by far, the most personally inspiring. I dream of a day when we can all live in harmony, independent of class and race distinction, and monetary slavery, exploring the universe, boldly going where no one has gone before. Someone once defined the difference between science fiction and fantasy. They said sci-fi (which they preferred to call speculative fiction) describes what possibly could happen, whereas fantasy, although imaginative and fun, can't possibly happen. I think this is a pretty blurry distinction, but it is evident that Star Trek has featured some concepts that have become true, even commonplace (think cell phones, computer tablets, and flat screen televisions). Star Trek also explores the human psyche, frequently exploring ethical dilemmas that are resonant today and promise to continue to be challenges in the future. I really don't know, and I have considerable doubts, that we will ever overcome the barriers of physics, making interstellar travel, or transporters possible--but I hope so.  I also don't know, but I have have hopes, that one day humanity will overcome petty differences that divide us, making a Star Trek-like future possible. Quoting Langston Hughes,
“Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.”
Below, left, is a nice video that summarizes some of the prescient story Star Trek story elements that we see in the real world today. On the right is a collection of  the inspiring openings and credits for each series. No, you're not going to watch all of the second video, but I just wanted it here. 


Let me add one more item. A couple days ago I saw a fantastic Nova documentary on the search for extra-terrestrial life. Chock-full of original NASA footage. Almost two hours long, and worth every moment of your time. When I write "fantastic," this is only an adjective, every bit of this is the real thing. Check it out here.
   
Thank you Gene Roddenberry, for sharing your vision with the world.
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How Do You Face the Prospect of Oblivion? Ask a Rat.  

5/12/2014

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I'm delighted with the performance of my short comedic play "Waiting For Boa" in the Writer's and Actors Reading and Performing (WARP) showcase of plays "WARP Springs a Gnu." which just completed half it's run at the Seattle Center Theater 4. My play which was directed by John Paul Sharp and Jason Dooley, and stars Brendan Mack and Julian Garcia as the rats Elmo and Ben, Joshua Moore as the snake and Beatrix Turner-Rodriguez as the hand and voice. 
   This was based on a true story. Several years ago I visited my cousin and her young son owned a caged boa constrictor. Next to the cage was another cage containing Snakie's prospective dinner--a couple of caged rats. What were the rats thinking? What was Snakie thinking? There are two performances left. If you live anywhere near Seattle, you might want to check out one of the two remaining performances on Saturday May 17th at 8Pm or the final show Sunday May 18th, a matinee at 2PM.  Here is a link to more ticketing info.  
    Below are some pics taken by Carl Nelson of the first performances. 

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The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

3/6/2014

5 Comments

 
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Some time ago I argued that life on other planets is not only possible, but, I think, likely. This conclusion is based on two facts 1) Life is incredibly diverse and adaptable. The existence of extremophiles, organisms that can survive under extreme conditions, and the amazing hardiness of critters like water bears, indicates that life might survive  seemingly inhospitable environments found on other planets; and 2) The expansion of the number of exoplanets that have been discovered in the last few years, which is one of the most breath-taking scientific advances in my lifetime, provides ample possibilities for the emergence of life.
    But, of course, until life on other worlds is confirmed, this remains speculative.
    So, what's new? Recently, NASA has announced the confirmation of 715 new planets, orbiting 305 stars bringing the total planetary count to nearly 1700. There are also several thousand candidate planets awaiting confirmation. Yowza, that's a lot of new ground. Interestingly, as the below chart indicates, most of the newly-confirmed planets are not too distant in size to Earth.

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    Also intriguing, is that most of planets seem to be part of planetary systems; i.e. multiple-planet star systems like our own Solar System.
    Even more exciting is the discovery of several new planets that occupy the "habitable zone," which is defined as planets that have the right temperature to have liquid water on the surface. Below is an artists depiction of habitable zone worlds, from the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo, which was recently featured on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day. It is also possible, since several of these worlds orbit the same star, that star systems with multiple habitable planets are common.
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    So, whither goest the Kepler telescope project? They've had some challenges lately. Two of the four reaction wheels that control the direction that the telescope points have become inoperative. They could still operate with only three, but with only two viable controllers, the project seemed dead-in-the-water. But, the clever folks at NASA have devised a solution. Using solar pressure in conjunction with the two functioning wheels they will be able to continue the search in what they describe as the K2 phase of the project. If, like me, you're a Keplerholic and want to see even more check out the Kepler image gallery.
    But, the Kepler data is not the only news. NASA announced a "concept under study" to re-visit Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. Europa, which is slightly smaller than Earth's Moon, is considered to be one of the more likely candidates to harbor extraterrestrial life within the Solar System. Although most of the moon's surface is frozen, a few months ago the Hubble Space telescope detected plumes of water vapor on Europa's  surface, and it is believed that there is liquid water beneath the icy crust. The concept of the Europa Clipper is to put a vessel in orbit around the moon to perform detailed instrument analyses. Among the questions is how thick is the ice crust on the surface? Could the giant moon harbor creatures in the oceans of water beneath its surface? I say, let's go fishin'--who knows what will bite?  Below is a picture of Europa taken by the Galileo Probe in 1996.
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    This reminds me of the fabulous sci-fi film from a few months ago "Europa Report" which is a fictional documentary of a manned exploration of Europa. I highly recommend this film, which I think was largely overlooked because it was overshadowed by the very popular film "Gravity" which I blogged about previously.  Below-left is the trailer for "Europa Report" and below-right is a short NASA video about Europa.  
So, will we find extraterrestrial life? Well, I believe it is there, but will we find it? I have no idea, but I hope so--and we have so much more to explore! To get a feel of how large (and how small) our universe is, I invite you to explore this mind-blowing interactive infographic.
    In closing, I would like to leave you with this quote from Neil deGrasse Tyson. 
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Interview with Phineas P. Phrogg, Megastar in the hit film "Gravity." #frogs #Gravity #racism

11/4/2013

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DYT Blogger: So, Mr. Phrogg--

PPP: Oh, please, call me Phineas.

DYT Blogger: As you wish. Phineas, what is it like to share the big screen with stars like, George Cluney and Sandra Bullock?

PPP: Well, I have to say, that they are consummate professionals. It was a real honor. Both of them were so very easy to work with. They're like Michael Jordans of the film world.  Not only are they fantastic, but they make everyone around them better too. I wish them the best of luck in their respective careers, and you can bet that they're on my short-list should an appropriate role be available for them in one of my future projects.

DYT Blogger: That's very gracious of you, Mr. Phro--er, I mean Phineas. Did it bother you at all that they seemed to get more screen-time than you?

PPP: Oh, not at all. I feel like they were a great lead-in to my scene, which was, of course, the climax.

DYT Blogger: ...and a captivating climax it was, I'll say.

PPP: Thank you.

DYT Blogger: Although, it did seem a rather small role for an artist of your stature...

PPP: There are no small roles, only small minds, sir.

DYT Blogger: Righto! So why, exactly, weren't you featured earlier in the film?

PPP:  Simple: Logistics.

DYT Blogger: What do you mean?

PPP:  They simply couldn't find a space suit of suitable proportions to fit me--although your point is well-taken--next time I think I'll instruct my agent to negotiate for a custom-made space suit.

DYT Blogger: Perhaps for a sequel?

PPP:  If there is a sequel.  My time is valuable, and--how shall I express it--my dance card is filling up. Perhaps though i might be able to squeeze in another cameo.

DYT Blogger: So tell me, or, let's say, tell the world, who have been some of your inspirations and mentors helping you to launch your illustrious career?  Kermit the frog, perhaps?

PPP: Ahem, you're walking on thin ice there.

DYT Blogger:  Thin ice?

PPP: That's a bit offensive, if you don't mind.

DYT Blogger:  Oh, so sorry Mr. Phrogg, no offense intended.

PPP:  Well, I'll just chalk it up to your ignorance. let me just say this, Kermit is, to frogs, what blackface is to African Americans--not funny. In fact, an insulting caricature. 

DYT Blogger: Oh, I apologize again.

PPP: ...and let me add, that like most of Hollywood, I'm quite tolerant of, how shall I say this, "unusual" relationships. But I can't wrap myself around Kermit's obsession with--I can hardly say it--a pig. That "Miss Piggy" is not only not a frog, she isn't even an amphibian. Beastly!  (PPP was breathless at this point.) Sorry.  I need a moment to recover from the thought.

DYT Blogger:  Perhaps we should change the subject.

PPP: Yes, let's do so.  Let's get back to the original subject: Me, that is.

DYT Blogger: Perhaps you could share who some of your inspirations are?

PPP: Well, this is exactly about me, but I'll roll with it.  Not exactly a model, but someone I admire is Peter Dinklage.

DYT Blogger: The dwarf actor in "Game of Thrones?"

PPP: Yes. Now there's and actor who goes against the grain. Before Peter it seemed that most dwarfs were portrayed as ridiculous. Remember "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?" Similar to him I seek to make the world treat both frogs and toads with the distinction and seriousness that is long overdue.

DYT Blogger: Of course.

PPP: Inexcusable stereotyping. But Dinklage broke that stereotype. On "Game of Thrones" he's clever, conniving, with extraordinary diplomatic intellectual guile, and quite the ladies man too.

DYT Blogger: That he is.

PPP: Of course he's not nearly as fecund as even the average frog, he is, after-all, a mammal. But anyway, I'm trying to separate from ridiculous frog-stereotyping in the same way. What Sidney Poitier is to racist black-face, Dinklage is to anti-dwafism, and I intend to be against anti-frogism. This, I hope, will be my cultural legacy.  Now, I'm very sorry, but I have to wrap this up. My agent has arranged a meeting with Stephen Spielberg and I'm already ten minutes late.

DYT Blogger: Thank you sir.

PPP: My pleasure.

That, DYT Blog readers, is the transcript of the interview with Phineas P. Phrogg, who I am sure will be showing us great things, no matter what pond he winds up in.


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Do Ya Think Blogger Publishes a Paperback Book! "Do Ya Think? Science, Science Fiction, and Skepticism." A Collection of Short Plays and Monologues.

10/9/2013

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I am pleased to announce that my book "Do Ya Think? Science, Science Fiction, and Skepticism," which previously was only available as a Kindle E-Book,is now available as a paperback. The E-Book can still be purchased at this link, and the new paperback (with a different cover) is available here. If you want to get a flavor of the contents of the book, check this previous blog entry, which features a video of "Missing the Boat," one of the short plays included in the book.

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CFI Summit News: Educational Conference or Conspiracy Cover? You Decide!

9/24/2013

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The CFI Summit is coming to Tacoma, Washington next month on October 24-27. A joint conference of the Center for Inquiry and its affiliate organizations, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Council for Secular Humanism. Many "members" (operatives?) in the highly secretive skeptical community in the Pacific Northwest are very interested in this conference. The (supposed)topic of the conference,
described in their very own literature, as a "Meeting of minds—a call to collaborative action...The time has come: humanists, skeptics, and other critical thinkers coming together to work together for a more rational world."  Well, to this blogger, this seems like thinly-disguised propaganda highly reminiscent of the Bilderberg Group. One wonders about their secret, hidden, agenda. That is, what is their "real," plan? I present the following points of evidence for your consideration: 1) Why would this organization gather in the relatively obscure location of Tacoma WA, rather than a major population center like New York City or Chicago? (Note: They even avoided nearby Seattle. Perhaps to avoid associations with the disastrous WTO protests in 1999? Hmm.); 2) A number of the attendees are KNOWN to be government employees. 3) Many participants are well-known, educated-elites, supposed "scientists," possessing Ph.D.s or M.D.s 4) Several of the speakers are known to be atheists, or at least, have atheist leanings. 5) They are meeting (conspiring?) at the Hotel Murano which is described as having a "bold Euro décor themed to the region’s art-glass heritage." (italics added). "Euro décor," suggesting subconsciously a possible world-government agenda, and, cryptically, "art-glass heritage," creating a facade, a false-veneer, of openness. And finally; 6) Some, but not all, of the participants have pronounced liberal leanings.

    I ask you, isn't this evidence enough? What, exactly, are they hiding? Who are the principals (i.e.puppeteers), pulling the strings at the CFI Summit? A closer look identifies Bill Nye, a known corrupter of youth, using the folksy pseudonym "The Science Guy," who for several years now has been trying to wrest the hearts and minds of children from the teachings of their caring parents because, as he describes it, "We need them." See video here. I ask: Need them for what? What sort of behavioral-priming and indoctrination is going on. Preparation for admission to a secret science cult? One can only speculate. Perhaps his position as Executive Director of the Planetary Society is a clue. No, I'm not saying definitively that alien intelligence is involved--but it could be. Another leader in the organization is Harriet Hall, (AKA the "Skepdoc"), who, as a known retiree of the Air Force, undoubtedly provides a shadowy military intelligence-gathering presence at the meeting. Dr. Hall is well-known for her advocacy of so-called, "science-based" medicine in lieu of the much more popular alternative medicine. Yet another dark presence is Susan Gerbic, who, in conjunction with her army of "Guerrilla Skeptics," directs a sort of skeptical "truth squad," to propagandize the internet. Their primary target is Wikipedia, where these "Guerrillas" covertly introduce their version of "objective skeptical truth," in place of far-superior subjective truths.
    The speakers are listed at the CFI Summit website, which is almost certainly a front. (Who knows what hyperlinks can be accessed using top-secret passwords that only "certain select individuals" have been provided with.) Just a cursory view identifies a smorgasbord of evil. A sampling: Jim Alcock (Professor of Psychology), Greta Christina (admitted atheist), Elizabeth Cornwall (Initiator of the OUT campaign, suspected internationalist), Michael De Dora (representative to the United Nations) Eugenie C. Scott (Darwinist), Ophelia Benson (known feminist)...the sordid assemblage of propaganda purveyors goes on. This organization even has the hubris to have a "costume"party (clearly a means to provide cover for attendance by additional anonymous attendees) with entertainment provided by, (shockingly) the "Heathens."  To see complete details see this link. But, be forewarned, there is no certainty in this blogger's mind that website visitors aren't being monitored. Go there at your own risk.
    As you can tell, I have been carefully watching the activities of this organization. I ask your indulgence Do You Think? Blog fans, to look closely at the below photograph. What do you see? 


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Don't see it yet? Perhaps it is too subtle to the untrained eye. Let me remove some of what I'm sure is deliberately confusing print. Look carefully below. 
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Still having trouble? Look carefully at the shadowy dark "smudge" on the mountain, just to the lower left edge of the summit. Or, look at the below picture, which is an enlarged view.
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Aha! Now you see it, don't you?  Note the dark shadow. A clearly identifiable cryptid.
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Look carefully at the enlarged, enhanced, photo on the left and compare it to the classic picture on the right. Yes, indeed, it is the icon of the Pacific Northwest: bigfoot. Although in the picture on the left he seems slightly ethereal, and perhaps a bit more obese, there is no mistaking what it REALLY is. Yes, this conference is an obvious cover operation for their thinly-disguised purpose. The surface agenda may be education, but the not-so-obvious agenda is to examine this irrefutable proof of the existence of bigfoot. THAT is the real reason why they (And just who is the REAL THEY behind the they one wonders.) have created this assemblage of so-called skeptics. And I will add that NOWHERE on the CFI Summit announcement can I find any indication that bigfoot will be a topic of discussion--as if any more proof was needed.
    But, Do Ya Think? Blog fans, take heart, this intrepid blogger will be attending the conference. Attendance may be the wrong description. I will MONITOR their activities and will report any irregularities faithfully. The truth is out there, and I intend to find it.
 
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    Scot Bastian Ph.D. is a scientist and artist who lives in Seattle WA.

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