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The genius fish and other comments by Herb Ruhs, MD, June 15, 2005 The genius fish can be found in small numbers in all the worlds oceans. The genius is impossible to classify with traditional methods, hence it resides alone in its own Family and genus. The impossibility of applying normal taxonomic rules stems from this fishes most salient characteristic, it has no set external form. From the breeding point of view, the genius fish is best understood as a sport. They arise randomly as offspring of the entire range of fishes. What excludes these fish from their phylotypical origin species, and makes them a distinct taxonomic group, is a unique common trait. They are so enormously curious, as compared to the parent species, and all fish species, as to represent a behaviorally isolated group. Even when they mate successfully with representatives of their phylotypically identical species the offspring are no more likely to be genius fish than offspring of any other pairing. The true incidence of this pseudo-variety is unknown, but it is believed that many specimens die young due to their inordinate curiosity. The main ecological importance of the genius fish results from a kind of behavioral parasitism. Other fish follow the genius fish around and become alerted to food and/or danger that would have been inapparent in the absence of the genius fish. Consequently, surviving adult genius fish tend to be very shy of any kind of contact. They are most likely to be found hiding under rock formations or in dense patches of sea weed. If a naturalist wishes to observe the genius fish he must be prepared to remain very quiet for prolonged periods of time, but the wait may be worth it. Public health research, as outlined in the article "Raising Income to Protect Health" published by THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION in 2000 has established that distribution of income is a matter of life and death. Societies that have a more egalitarian distribution of income are healthier and their citizens live longer. It can be reasoned that political systems that promote extremes of maldistribution of income are actually engaged in a variety of genocide. Great inequalities of income condemn large, identifiable groups to early death. That meets the Rome Criteria for Genocide. "Genocide has been defined as the deliberate killing of people based on their ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, or (sometimes) politics, as well as other deliberate action(s)leading to the physical elimination of any of the above categories." (LINK). Consider that same result that is achieved by income disparity (shortened life spans) could be achieved without income inequality by merely killing large numbers of poor people. Is condemning mass numbers of people to an earlier death on the basis of socioeconomic status at birth much different than deliberate killing? Are the members of the group so attacked, legitimate in their resistance if they turn to violent means? Was the French Revolution best understood as a public health measure? The implications of the relational dynamics of extreme differences in class status were explored by H.G. Wells in his book The Time Machine. "In the book, the Morlocks and the Eloi have something of a symbiotic relationship: The Eloi are clothed and fed by the Morlocks, and in return, the Morlocks eat the Eloi." Are we transitioning into a society of Morlocks and Eloi? If we are, I'm stick'n with the Eloi. LINK Our national pretense about being a nation of "laws" keeps throwing up these false hopes in the form of "news" that some poor person has escaped execution because their trial was deemed "unfair". While I rejoice whenever someone gets a break, especially if they are sitting on death row, I keep wondering when the "justice" system itself will be put on trial. "Trial by a jury of ones peers" my ass. As things stand virtually no one enjoys actual justice anymore. We have become so stratified and socially isolated by class, race, religion and education, and our juries have become so biased as a result of preemptive challenges, that trial by "a jury of one's peers" has become virtually impossible, for anyone. The rich end up with a pass, the poor get it up the ass. I guess, from a certain point of view, that represents "justice." Where does one start to remedy the ills of such a sick system? We may have a hopeless case on our hands. A fantastical solution might be to really impanel juries of "peers" of the accused. Imagine the results of a trial of a poor black person tried by a jury of poor black people. LINK "I don't, won't, and never will trust the hugely powerful but thunderously stupid entity we call government, to evaluate everyone and determine who's mentally healthy and who needs treatment."A ha! Paranoid ideation. Of course that has had to be reclassified as normal. Times move on. People move on. At least the actively psychotic standing on the street corner is now politely ignored and assumed to be partaking in a cell phone conversation. That is an improvement. herb
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