Professor Joseph Meeker says:

"The work ethic that we have lived with for the past few centuries shares many features with the older tragic tradition from which it grew. When applied to social and economic affairs, it certainly gets things done...." ...more

Earthling Microfollies

> Calendar of Nuclear Accidents (documenting past not upcoming events)
> History of Ocean Dumping
> Ten Leading Causes of Death
> The Hindenburg, hydrocarbons and hydrogen
> Ill Wind Kills Dinosaurs
> Daylight Saving Time
> Earnings From the Crypt
> Gunmaker to develop 'smart gun'

> Global Warming
-> Welcoming Global Warming
-> Global warming faster than expected – report
-> Scientists spell out risks from global warming

> Cannabis Hemp
-> The Devil's Weed
-> Why dope might make you dopey
-> Why pot causes the munchies

Professor Meeker continues:

"The work ethic has driven the dreams of conquest over nature, and has fed the hunger for power and wealth with its premise that God rewards hard work and withholds riches from the slothful. It is an ethic that creates wealth and power, conquers human and natural competitors, feeds our egos, and leaves us stressed, distressed, and feeling empty at the end of most days. It looks like a permanent part of modern life, but it is not the only part. There is still room for comedy and play, and somewhere inside each of us is a playful person who knows how."

Source: Comedy and a Play Ethic, Joseph W. Meeker, January 2000, with permission.