Well, I'd say that we have enough problems just trying to rationally deal with real world problems using science and reason. I don't see how muddying the waters with superstitions or beliefs will help in any way whatsoever. Maybe it's just me.
Thankfully, I'm not alone.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
McClellan Bombshell
Sure we all knew that his job was to lie to the World about the real machinations going on inside the White House. Apparently, after 3 years he couldn't take it. Now, even after being a Bush insider and friend for 7 years, he's written a book finally talking about what really happened. Wow, now that no one is putting words in his mouth he can say what propaganda driven lies we were told and likely are still being told by this Administration. No shocker there -- but from a Bush insider? That's a shocker.
Monday, May 26, 2008
BILL MOYERS JOURNAL - Honoring Veterans
Since it's Memorial Day, it's only fitting that we think about how we can best honor our veterans, both living and dead. Certainly the very least we can do is to care for them and their families as they face the hardships of returning from battle -- the battle we sent them to fight -- for us. Whether or not we believe in the cause, they have to fight it on our behalf -- even when they don't believe in it, they have to fight it!
So to stand behind the troops, these Americans putting their lives on the line, the very least we can do is to provide sufficient medical care, mental health facilities and possibly educational opportunities to better themselves upon their return -- at least, for those lucky enough to return. So why is that Walter Reed Medical Center is a cesspool? Why is it that we're not providing adequate post traumatic stress treatment when 20% of them need such care? Why is the VA trying to withhold funding to save the many who are attempting suicide upon their return? Why is it that the Republican party, who supposedly stands behind the troops, was behind the Walter Reed debacle and is now trying to vote down the G.I. Bill for veterans of the Iraq war? Is it because they are now suddenly fiscally conservative? After spending a Trillion dollars, BILLIONS of which are unaccounted for? Or is it because they just can't make any money off that decision because there are no corporate lobbyists offering them payola for our veterans? I'm pretty sure I know the answer.
What I'm not so clear on is how the Republicans neutered the formerly "straight-talking" McCain into being FOR torture but AGAINST the G.I. Bill. Wow -- that saddens me! He was able to withstand years of torture as a POW but threw away his principles in order to run for President. It makes me want to cry.
The great Bill Moyers has more to say on this very important day:
So to stand behind the troops, these Americans putting their lives on the line, the very least we can do is to provide sufficient medical care, mental health facilities and possibly educational opportunities to better themselves upon their return -- at least, for those lucky enough to return. So why is that Walter Reed Medical Center is a cesspool? Why is it that we're not providing adequate post traumatic stress treatment when 20% of them need such care? Why is the VA trying to withhold funding to save the many who are attempting suicide upon their return? Why is it that the Republican party, who supposedly stands behind the troops, was behind the Walter Reed debacle and is now trying to vote down the G.I. Bill for veterans of the Iraq war? Is it because they are now suddenly fiscally conservative? After spending a Trillion dollars, BILLIONS of which are unaccounted for? Or is it because they just can't make any money off that decision because there are no corporate lobbyists offering them payola for our veterans? I'm pretty sure I know the answer.
What I'm not so clear on is how the Republicans neutered the formerly "straight-talking" McCain into being FOR torture but AGAINST the G.I. Bill. Wow -- that saddens me! He was able to withstand years of torture as a POW but threw away his principles in order to run for President. It makes me want to cry.
The great Bill Moyers has more to say on this very important day:
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Geeks and Guinness
Sounds good to me! Apparently, Science Cafes are catching on in Europe and have started to be exported to America. According to one organizer:
These are popping up all over the world. Here's one in LA.
'It's great, as you get to think about things you wouldn't normally talk about
in everyday life,' said 24-year-old Madeleine Milan, who works in
communications. 'It's all really relaxed and you don't feel intimidated about
challenging speakers' beliefs or scientific research. Science is becoming more
part of our lives, and I want to hear about it from the experts.'
These are popping up all over the world. Here's one in LA.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Boy are we screwed!
Bill McKibben: Civilization's last chance
All of a sudden it isn't morning in America, it's dusk on planet Earth.
There's a number -- a new number -- that makes this point most powerfully. It may now be the most important number on Earth: 350. As in parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
A few weeks ago, NASA's chief climatologist, James Hansen, submitted a paper to Science magazine with several coauthors. The abstract attached to it argued -- and I have never read stronger language in a scientific paper -- that "if humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm."
Hansen cites six irreversible tipping points -- massive sea level rise and huge changes in rainfall patterns, among them -- that we'll pass if we don't get back down to 350 soon; and the first of them, judging by last summer's insane melt of Arctic ice, may already be behind us.
So it's a tough diagnosis. It's like the doctor telling you that your cholesterol is way too high and, if you don't bring it down right away, you're going to have a stroke. So you take the pill, you swear off the cheese, and, if you're lucky, you get back into the safety zone before the coronary. It's like watching the tachometer edge into the red zone and knowing that you need to take your foot off the gas before you hear that clunk up front.
In this case, though, it's worse than that because we're not taking the pill and we are stomping on the gas -- hard. Instead of slowing down, we're pouring on the coal, quite literally. Two weeks ago came the news that atmospheric carbon dioxide had jumped 2.4 parts per million last year -- two decades ago, it was going up barely half that fast.
And suddenly the news arrives that the amount of methane, another potent greenhouse gas accumulating in the atmosphere, has unexpectedly begun to soar as well. It appears that we've managed to warm the far north enough to start melting huge patches of permafrost, and massive quantities of methane trapped beneath it have begun to bubble forth.
All of a sudden it isn't morning in America, it's dusk on planet Earth.
There's a number -- a new number -- that makes this point most powerfully. It may now be the most important number on Earth: 350. As in parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
A few weeks ago, NASA's chief climatologist, James Hansen, submitted a paper to Science magazine with several coauthors. The abstract attached to it argued -- and I have never read stronger language in a scientific paper -- that "if humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm."
Hansen cites six irreversible tipping points -- massive sea level rise and huge changes in rainfall patterns, among them -- that we'll pass if we don't get back down to 350 soon; and the first of them, judging by last summer's insane melt of Arctic ice, may already be behind us.
So it's a tough diagnosis. It's like the doctor telling you that your cholesterol is way too high and, if you don't bring it down right away, you're going to have a stroke. So you take the pill, you swear off the cheese, and, if you're lucky, you get back into the safety zone before the coronary. It's like watching the tachometer edge into the red zone and knowing that you need to take your foot off the gas before you hear that clunk up front.
In this case, though, it's worse than that because we're not taking the pill and we are stomping on the gas -- hard. Instead of slowing down, we're pouring on the coal, quite literally. Two weeks ago came the news that atmospheric carbon dioxide had jumped 2.4 parts per million last year -- two decades ago, it was going up barely half that fast.
And suddenly the news arrives that the amount of methane, another potent greenhouse gas accumulating in the atmosphere, has unexpectedly begun to soar as well. It appears that we've managed to warm the far north enough to start melting huge patches of permafrost, and massive quantities of methane trapped beneath it have begun to bubble forth.
Speaking of right-wing group-think
Actually, "think" is a mistatement since it's more about not thinking and instead just parroting the Republican talking point dujour. It's disgusting that important political discussions have degenerated to propaganda pushed at the masses in 30-second commercials, sound bites and repetitive talking points. Where are we supposed to get any substantive discussions about these important issues?
As a result of this sad state, we do occasionally get the minor benefit of catching one of these boneheads sticking their foot in their mouth. I love seeing dumb people skewered, especially when they arrogantly deny this patently obvious fact. If they had any humility and were willing to discuss things they could salvage some respect. Sadly, this guy doesn't. He would rather just say the same thing in a loud voice hoping that this will pass for a rational argument. Read a book dude.
As a result of this sad state, we do occasionally get the minor benefit of catching one of these boneheads sticking their foot in their mouth. I love seeing dumb people skewered, especially when they arrogantly deny this patently obvious fact. If they had any humility and were willing to discuss things they could salvage some respect. Sadly, this guy doesn't. He would rather just say the same thing in a loud voice hoping that this will pass for a rational argument. Read a book dude.
Too bad the old McCain isn't running
This new McCain is just a glad-handing, puppet of the Republican party who sadly has reversed himself so many times that the hypocrisy is sad to witness. I might have voted for the original McCain, the principled war veteran who was willing to speak his mind and challenge the status quo. This new guy has drunk the red Kool Aid and speaks only in the sound-bite groupspeak of the right-wing propagandists. Too bad.
Here's a recent example:
Exclusive Video: McCain Was For Talking To Hamas Before He Was Against It...
Here's a recent example:
Exclusive Video: McCain Was For Talking To Hamas Before He Was Against It...
Saturday, May 17, 2008
McCain 2008 -- A path to extinction
Yeah sure, I believe that Republicans are interested in the Environment and care about Global Warming -- youbetcha. That's why they've been systematically denying that there's anything wrong and throw under the bus anyone who says otherwise -- even in their own Administration. Yeah, they meet secretly with big oil and coal producers, don't fine the polluters and put Exxon in charge of our energy policy and, what the heck, let's toss in the national parks system. Them trees & mountains ain't making us enough money just sittin there being pretty! F#@$ them!
What's next, putting aligators in charge of babysitting? Let's hear what the Daily Show thinks:
What's next, putting aligators in charge of babysitting? Let's hear what the Daily Show thinks:
Just when you think GW can't get any worse
He tops himself again not just with his typical lies, stupid comments, disregard for democracy, poor treatment of the military, or craven attempts to build & keep power at ALL costs. No, he does all this at the same time -- it's a quinfecta!
Here it is, two different ways -- so choose your medicine: Olbermann ...
(transcript here)
...or Stewart...
Here it is, two different ways -- so choose your medicine: Olbermann ...
(transcript here)
...or Stewart...
Friday, May 16, 2008
85% of Americans Want a Presidential Debate on Science
This makes sense -- not only because it's rational to look for answers to many of our current problems in healthcare, global warming, peak oil, food/water shortages, etc; but also I think because we've been so starved for any science from the current administration for the last 8 years. If anything, they've been anti-science. It's about time the pendulum swang back the other way -- let's just hope that it's not too late!
More on the Templeton Debate
I see that in my earlier post I neglected to link to the site. Here's some additional commentary, this time by renown skeptic, Michael Shermer:
"Religious faith and belief in God have equally adaptive evolutionary explanations. Religion is a social institution that evolved to reinforce group cohesion and moral behavior. Religion is an integral mechanism of human culture to encourage altruism, reciprocal altruism, and indirect altruism, and to reveal the level of commitment to cooperate and reciprocate among members of the social community. Believing in God provides an explanation for our universe, our world, and ourselves; it explains where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. God is also the ultimate enforcer of the rules, the final arbiter of moral dilemmas, and the pinnacle object of commitment.
But it is time to step out of our evolutionary heritage and our historical traditions and embrace science as the best tool ever devised for explaining how the world works, and to work together to create a social and political world that embraces moral principles and yet allows for natural human diversity to flourish. Religion cannot do the job because it has no systematic methods of explanation of the natural world, and no means of conflict resolution on moral issues when members of competing sects hold absolute beliefs that are mutually exclusive. Flawed as they may be, science and the secular Enlightenment values expressed in Western democracies are our only hope for survival."
I wish I had said that.
"Religious faith and belief in God have equally adaptive evolutionary explanations. Religion is a social institution that evolved to reinforce group cohesion and moral behavior. Religion is an integral mechanism of human culture to encourage altruism, reciprocal altruism, and indirect altruism, and to reveal the level of commitment to cooperate and reciprocate among members of the social community. Believing in God provides an explanation for our universe, our world, and ourselves; it explains where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. God is also the ultimate enforcer of the rules, the final arbiter of moral dilemmas, and the pinnacle object of commitment.
But it is time to step out of our evolutionary heritage and our historical traditions and embrace science as the best tool ever devised for explaining how the world works, and to work together to create a social and political world that embraces moral principles and yet allows for natural human diversity to flourish. Religion cannot do the job because it has no systematic methods of explanation of the natural world, and no means of conflict resolution on moral issues when members of competing sects hold absolute beliefs that are mutually exclusive. Flawed as they may be, science and the secular Enlightenment values expressed in Western democracies are our only hope for survival."
I wish I had said that.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The press is manipulated by the Pentagon -- and they *like it*
Wow, I thought it was bad enough that the press was secretly manipulated by the Pentagon and indirectly (constantly?) by this Administration. It's much worse than that. Not only is the press not angry, or not fighting back, they are trying to whitewash their complicity -- virtually guaranteeing that this will continue because they are too afraid (I guess) to even stand up for themselves -- 0r too interested in the money train. Wow -- it appears that the press has silenced itself. They've turned into willing puppets of the Executive Branch and their advertisers.
What happened to the Fourth Estate? Oh that's right, we allowed it to become a profit center for ever larger media conglomerates who not only don't care about the public, they don't care about the news! That is, unless they're trying to shovel their own personal agendas upon us and make us think that it's news (think Faux News). No wonder people don't watch TV anymore and are turning to the Internet. It's our last hope of knowing what's really going on.
What happened to the Fourth Estate? Oh that's right, we allowed it to become a profit center for ever larger media conglomerates who not only don't care about the public, they don't care about the news! That is, unless they're trying to shovel their own personal agendas upon us and make us think that it's news (think Faux News). No wonder people don't watch TV anymore and are turning to the Internet. It's our last hope of knowing what's really going on.
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