Alcosta

I want to take part in one of these discussions

I will be taking a trip to the Bay Area mid march.

That meet up group is very inactive.

I agree dsayers, this will not stop people from smoking. This is just small change in the market. If CVS Caremark is seen as good by the majority people because they do not sell cigarettes, then the burden of expectation will be put onto the competitors to conform to the new ideal. People were not rallying to get CVS to ban their selling of tobacco, but CVS was proactive and now gets to look good and can be recognized for being the most 'morally progressive', and might even profit from it. If a majority of shoppers think selling cigarettes is wrong or immoral than holding them in stock could be a net negative, costing a company more. I am not arguing that this will stop people from smoking, even if smoking were illegal I understand a black market would likely develop. I am using this as an example to prove that corporations or companies can proactively do the "good" before it becomes a social standard or a law.

They also provide sugar, which can be a harmfull substance.

CVS Caremark announced that in October of 2014 they will cease the sales of tobacco related products which account for 2 billion in sales. Larry Merlo stated “It's my job at the CEO to ensure that we're positioning the company for not just short term success, but long term success,” "We're evolving into more of a health care company and we're doing many things. We have 26,000 pharmacists and nurse practitioners, who are helping millions of patients across the country everyday, manage conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes - all conditions whose effects are worsened by the impact of smoking.” There is a majority of Americans who oppose smoking. The first national drugstore to ban the sale of cigarettes and related tobacco products might benefit from from being the first to do so, while create a new standard for others to follow. I think this is an example of how the market proactively serves the interest of society before it is demanded of through state compliance. When I was watching this on the news a quote from Barack Obama stating "CVS Caremark sets a powerful example, and today's decision will help advance my administration's efforts to reduce tobacco-related deaths, cancer, and heart disease, as well as bring down health care costs,” . What is the administration proactively doing about tobacco related deaths besides making laws? Source: CBS NEWS

LovePrevails, I found videos you posted very interesting. While I am unsure of the integrity taken in the these possibly empirical examples, I am unsure how to explain the similarity in the memories. It's certainly is contradictory to my knowledge of how consciousness functions. As far as my scientific knowledge goes the all cells in the body including the brain are comprised of matter, chemical processes which release energy including the process of consciousness. Synapses as with all cells are built by assimilated nutrients and are fueled by chemical reactions using glucose. The energy is provided from chemical reactions, there are no empirically observed energies in the body which are also undetectable that fuels any bodily function, this includes consciousness which is comprised of matter and energy. I am with you, virtuous actions have consequences and so does evil, though not necessarily reflected back to that person. Objective scientific formulas have proven that matter is never created or destroyed i.e. chemical reactions, synthesis. I don't understand how a behavior can be equivalent or relevant to energy. There are indeed consequences to virtue or evil but they are not objectively measurable or consistent. Also, there is nothing in the world, outside of our consciousness that defines an action as virtuous or evil. Consciousness is required to make moral assessments, for prepared results to the ethical choices would require in omnipotent being. This omnipotent being would need to use consciousness and energy to enact it's will and therefore would be detectable in some form. I agree with Kevin, if vice or did have a complex prescribed consequence or arguably a punishment,based consciousness was then cycled to relative and subjective positive or negative states without an opportunity to void the results the individual would not have a choice in being "good", his actions would be motivated by fear and genuine actions could easily be confused with posturing. There have been countless sociopaths in history resulting the deaths of millions upon millions. In many cases the comprehension of the evil is not understood by the masses until after the toll has been taken. A belief that a power which is undetectable inconsistent and not objective is responsible for justice is harmful for all those who suffer to the benefit of their perpetrator. The belief holds the capacity to take the responsibility of moral accountability out of the hands of the individual and places it onto the faceless. LovePrevails, please explain what this inner state is, and what does it mean to cultivate it.

I live relatively close to Sacramento, any Freedomainers who share that in common?