SirRobert's World

The 'Breitbart'ing of Darwin....

2010-07-28T09:42:00.003-05:00

Luke: 'What's in there?'
Yoda: 'Only what you take with you...'

It's been a long while since 'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed' was released and the dust has finally settled and it's clear that not much has changed in the Creationism/ID vs. Darwinism debate. To be sure partisans on each side seem to have hardened their positions ever more. For my part I have seen the documentary and while I don't think it did any serious harm to or in any way undermine the foundation modern biology that is Evolutionary Theory, there were aspects...parts of the film that deeply troubled me... until recently.

'Could he be that inhuman?'

In the documentary Mr. Stein ( or more to the point the producers at Premise Media) attribute the following statement to Charles Darwin's book 'The Descent of Man':

"With savages, the weak in body or mind are soon eliminated. We civilized men, on the other hand, do our utmost to check the process of elimination. We build asylums for the imbecile, the maimed and the sick. Thus the weak members of civilized societies propagate their kind. No one who has attended to the breeding of domestic animals will doubt that this must be highly injurious to the race of man. Hardly anyone is so ignorant as to allow his worst animals to breed."

Yikes! Reading this it becomes exceedingly difficult to castigate anyone for linking the work of Mr. Darwin to the eugenics movement, all the worst behaviors of the 19th century robber barons and most ashamedly Hitler and his greatest hits. Naturally this quote bothered me deeply as I am a compassionate human being.

Admittedly, I hadn't read 'The Descent of Man'. This quote is decidedly more ominous and less charitable than anything I'd read in Mr. Darwin's earlier magnum opus 'On the Origin of Species'. Could this really be the same man? The tone of this quote is so different. So I decided to look this quote up. So I wrote down the quote word for word as used in 'Expelled'.

'A funny thing happened at the googling.'

When I searched for the text as quoted from the film, a funny thing happened: I found that the quote doesn't exist in the context offered by the film! What follows is taken from Mr. Darwin's 'The Descent of Man':

(the emboldened text was conveniently redacted)

With savages, the weak in body or mind are soon eliminated; and those that survive commonly exhibit a vigorous state of health. We civilized men, on the other hand, do our utmost to check the process of elimination. We build asylums for the imbecile, the maimed and the sick; we institute poor-laws; and our medical men exert their utmost skill to save the life of every one to the last moment. There is reason to believe that vaccination has preserved thousands, who from a weak constitution would formerly have succumbed to small-pox. Thus the weak members of civilized societies propagate their kind. No one who has attended to the breeding of domestic animals will doubt that this must be highly injurious to the race of man. It is surprising how soon a want of care, or care wrongly directed, leads to the degeneration of a domestic race; but excepting in the case of man himself, hardly anyone is so ignorant as to allow his worst animals to breed.

The aid which we feel impelled to give to the helpless is mainly an incidental result of the instinct of sympathy, which was originally acquired as part of the social instincts, but subsequently rendered, in the manner previously indicated, more tender and more widely diffused. Nor could we check our sympathy, even at the urging of hard reason, without deterioration in the noblest part of our nature. The surgeon may harden himself whilst performing an operation, for he knows that he is acting for the good of his patient; but if we were intentionally to neglect the weak and helpless, it could only be for a contingent benefit, with an overwhelming present evil.

'Honesty can never take a holiday.'

Now, my purpose is NOT to debate the the truth value of Darwin's insight into the workings of nature and his explanation for biodiversity on Earth. Everyone seems to have made up their respective minds there. What I feel compelled to do is call out the blatant and cynical dishonesty of Premise Media in their representation of Charles Darwin .

Clearly, it was and continues to be the aim of Premise Media and many like them to lay the holocaust, the eugenics movement squarely at the feet of Charles Darwin and his 'Dangerous Idea'. But what these people have done is precisely what the proponents of those inhuman enterprises have done: take Charles Darwin out of context; omitted sections of or twisted his actual words to fit a presupposition they already had brought with them. This constitutes reprehensible dishonesty in extremis. This is a disservice to every person who has ever worked openly and honestly to expand human understanding. The explanation of the natural world is no place for this kind of tactic, something I have in lieu of recent events labeled 'Breitbarting'.

You are free to disagree with Darwin's ideas or any other idea for that matter. However, in that disagreement you must, to the best of your knowledge and ability, be honest in your representation of those you disagree with. In all of our discourse we must, above all else, be honest.

R.

Glenn Beck learns from Richard Muller..

2010-07-08T14:29:00.002-05:00

Generally I am not a fan of Glenn Beck. Probably never will be. I understand why he exists and the niche he fills. I just learned that he had on his program a man whom I consider to be one of the best teachers of physics alive today: Richard A. Muller Mr. Beck and Prof. Muller discussed whether or not Iran's new rocket technology coupled with its' suspected and to be fair, likely, nuclear program is an immediate threat to the West.

It's a short but insightful interview and a good primer to his U of C at Berkley course: 'Physics for Future Presidents". The best part is Professor Muller makes the lectures available to ANYONE with an internet connection and the desire to learn something. You can watch or listen to them via your web browser or even podcast them through Itunes. This is Physics for people with better things to do. The math content is very light but the content is still very useful.

I'm an engineer by training so Physics is in my wheelhouse even so, I have watched these lectures for the past 2 years now and every time I do, I learn something new I didn't know before. I highly recommend them that anyone who wants to understand the science behind the stuff of headlines today check them out.

R.

Learn to fish....

2010-07-07T11:28:00.011-05:00

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." - Lao Tzu (I think...)

It seems to me that our best means of ascertaining the beliefs of those who have long ago shaken off the mortal coil is limited to reading and understanding their writings. What better way is there to try to understand a person with whom you cannot communicate with directly than to read his written work? This has been something that I have been trying to do much more of over the last two years, that is; READ the actual writings of the actual person rather than another person's interpretation of the same. Due to many factors this is decidedly the much more difficult path. However, is it not self evident that 'learning to fish' is much more rewarding and in the interest of self reliance and independence than being 'given a fish' by a fisherman of whose providence and motivations you cannot be sure? In 21st century America we now have MANY would-be 'fisherman' competing to provide many different kinds 'fish' to a population either unable or in most cases unwilling to provide for themselves. It's abundantly clear to me how dangerous such a state of affairs is. Most of this 'fish' is of, at best, dubious nutritional value and at worst distinctly harmful to the hungry.

I say all this as a preface to the following question:

Was the founding of the United States a manifestation of the divine working through humanity or.... not so much?

There seems to be an on going discussion as to whether or not our esteemed (yet seemingly in decline) republic was merely the journey work of enlightenment educated men or something decidedly more super-natural. Lately, I have learned not to polemically dismiss the supernatural out of hand for reasons relating to the limitations of what we can truly 'know' for certain and without appeal to other presuppositions (not much as it turns out). We ALL do this, it's human nature, the key is to acknowledge it and to be consistent. That said I am trying to base my thoughts and my actions on real world utility. That subject alone could probably fill volumes and this post is not really about that. What concerns me here is what the thoughts and views of the founders of our Republic really were and what they thought they were doing; not what a modern day revisionist/pundit/'theocrat' SAYS they were doing. I yearn to fish for myself. On a recent 'fishing trip' I caught this:

"The United States of America have exhibited, perhaps, the first example of governments erected on the simple principles of nature; and if men are now sufficiently enlightened to disabuse themselves of artifice, imposture, hypocrisy, and superstition, they will consider this event as an era in their history. Although the detail of the formation of the American governments is at present little known or regarded either in Europe or in America, it may hereafter become an object of curiosity. It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service had interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the influence of Heaven, more than those at work upon ships or houses, or laboring in merchandise or agriculture; it will forever be acknowledged that these governments were contrived merely by the use of reason and the senses."

Re-read it. Let it percolate for while. Go ahead I'll wait.

Does this passage not convey a sense of the secularist nature that this person felt embodied the government of the United States? Sadly, this person could not begin to imagine the extent to which Americans would descend into the revisionism and distortion of his and others motivations and beliefs.

There are pundits from both sides of the political divide that will knowingly or otherwise 'contextually twist' and 'quote mine' the work of persons long since dead to suit short-sighted and greed based personal or political ends. Most Americans are all too willing to accept these interpretations and feel no need whatever to fact check or to read the actual words of the long dead humans to understand for themselves what these people actually meant.

For the sake of our republic and our children we ALL need to learn to fish again.

R.

To answer the inevitable question of the authorship of the above quote t'was:

John Adams, from his work- "A defense of the Constitution of the United States", 1786

Clearin away the cob webs....

2010-07-07T10:59:00.006-05:00

OK! I am now blowing off the cob-webs of my blog. In the age of the internet, 'blowing off the cob-webs' is code for deleting all the myriad SPAM that has accumulated in all the comment sections!

I guess I will turn on the moderation feature again to prevent such abuses!

As many of you know I have been spending most of my time on Facebook. However, 'FB', is decidedly stingy about what I can and cannot post and I generally chafe against such restrictions. Given this reality I will be endeavoring to resume posting here on a regular basis. I've said this before but it's my hope that I really mean it this time!

R

Does anyone click on this stuff...really?

2009-12-14T11:30:00.003-05:00

If you use a free email client like Yahoo. You've probably seen these 'non-sequitor' type ads off to the side. This one just freaks me out! What's with the unkempt Jesus look-a-like? What, pray tell, does he have to do with Obama asking 'Moms to return to school'?

Does this guy represent what a stay at home Mom is supposed to look like?

Is this guy waiting for the Mom at school!? Yikes!

Is this what Mom's will look like if they don't go back to school

I'm struggling here.

R.

The internet...

2009-12-14T08:33:00.004-05:00

...making those who had no more of a soapbox than...well little more than a soapbox in Boston Common from which to scream their drivel at passers-by, look positively Einstein-ian.

Thanks yet again to xkcd!

A laugh for a Monday morning...

2009-12-14T08:30:00.002-05:00

Thanks as always to xkcd.

A prayer for Obama? Not so much...

2009-12-08T11:55:00.008-05:00

So I was driving into work today here in Massachusetts. Ahead of me was a vehicle, a rather modern well maintained pick-up truck. On the right hand side of the bumper was the "McCain/Palin" sticker we all remember from 2008, faded but still easily identifiable. On the other side was was newer looking sticker on which was the message:

“Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8”

Not being a biblical scholar, I had no clue what the passage the message was referring to said. However, for curiosity's sake, I made a mental note to look up the passage later on Bible Gateway, incidentally one of the few non-work related sites that seems to pass muster with employer's overly censoring firewall. As I continued my commute I started to ruminate a bit more. The owner of the vehicle bearing the two stickers could conceivably have been thought of as at the very least 'right leaning' and somewhat religious. With some more consideration I imagined that the owner had probably come to terms with Obama's election and was suggesting people of like mind 'pray' that God inspire Obama to righteous ,Godly and honorable leadership. Knowing what I do about the Psalms, how much the Catholics love them and how often I hear them quoted mostly in inspiration of some higher moral, I felt justified in smiling to myself and thinking, maybe there is some hope for us. Clearly, I'd given this person, and also the creators of this bit of bumper sticker rhetoric, too much credit.

At my lunch I looked up the passage referenced, this is what it says:

"Let his days be few; and let another take his office."

Cute. Were I to have read this alone I would simply have been let down from my previous view and then concluded that the owner of the vehicle was much more cynical and partisan than I 'd thought. Unlike most of the people who probably thought there was something somehow clever and 'Godly' about the application and context in which this quote is offered, I decided to read those lines before and after the one line referenced. Before you continue, remember this is being offered as a rumination on 'him', 'he'....one Barack Obama:

Psalm 109:1-20 (King James Version)

1 Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.

5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

8 Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

11 Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

12 Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.

13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16 Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

17 As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

18 As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

19 Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

20 Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

What touching and heart-warming sentiments for our duly elected President and best of all, by extension, for his mother, wife and two young daughters.

I am not a Democrat. I am NOT an Obama disciple. I am not at all that impressed with his 1st year in office but to apply this vicious little bronze-age misanthropic tirade to Mr. Obama is DESPICABLE and any one who calls himself an American or even human ought to rail against it. Those who would be proud to display this message ought to be ashamed of themselves. You don't care for Mr. Obama and his policies? Fine. That's your right of conscience. But we have a process for retiring leaders we don't like. Beseeching the almighty to destroy him AND his family is well....Un-American. The accepted process is outlined in the Constitution. Go to Wikipedia and look it up.

I don't for one second believe that more than a percent of those who would plague their bumpers with this drivel have EVER read this whole Psalm, even less so the Bible in whole or even in part. But perhaps they should do a just a wee bit of due diligence, lest they be thought of as nothing but 'bronze-age ethics' advocating neanderthals.

Appreciation....

2009-08-23T19:03:00.004-05:00

There are some moments in life that leave an indelible impression. The memories of which record themselves in our neural pathways forever for future appreciation. Human beings are gifted at recording all of the output of our senses in incredible fidelity within our heads. Today I returned from assisting a relative with a furniture move, I was hot, sweaty and generally pretty uncomfortable. Our home was quiet and the pool in the back yard beckoned. I slipped into the water reveled in the cool bliss of an empty and calm pool. There had been a soaking rain an hour earlier so the air was excessively humid, a condition which the pool provided much welcome relief. As I floated I gazed up towards the east. Against a backdrop of battleship gray cloud was the most complete and brilliant rainbow I had ever seen in my life. Every color perfectly rendered against the canvas of cloud. These are the images that inspire poets, artists, composers… I am not Robert Frost, Claude Monet or Mozart. I cannot convey the impression with anywhere near the artistic beauty of any of those just mentioned, though the image is rendered within my memory with no less majesty. I proceeded to think about what it is in the human mind that makes it possible for us the appreciate the sublime. There are animals that can no doubt perceive the colors the same as I can but the ability to make the image a part of a mental warehouse, that’s a hallmark of humanity. The ability to retain and appreciate experiences that touch us. For most of human history the there was absolutely no understanding of what a rainbow was or how it was painted across a humid sky. Many thoughtful and brilliant people proposed subtle and engaging explanations. John Keats wrote about science taking the wonder out of nature:

Do not all charms fly
At the mere touch of cold philosophy?
There was an awful rainbow once in heaven:
We know her woof, her texture; she is given
In the dull catalogue of common things.
Philosophy will clip an Angel's wings,
Conquer all mysteries by rule and line,
Empty the haunted air, and gnomed mine –
Unweave a rainbow

Some say our ability to understand the origin of such natural majesty detracts from the experience. For my part I feel nothing could be further from the truth. This ability to understand the world is the greatest tool for our survival that we have. There is something elevating and almost spiritual that comes with understanding. Something that goes a long way to show how interconnected everything in the universe is. The human brain allows us to be liberated from the mundane; to become more than instinct and survival. We can remember, deconstruct, analyze, and then understand that which our senses reveal. Then we can use what we learn to make a fulfilling and meaningful life for ourselves and help those around us to do the same. Who among us can possibly have complete appreciation of what else might be possible...?

R

Disingenuous?

2009-08-04T06:39:00.002-05:00

As we continue to be accosted by voices pro and con on the subject of health-care reform. I have noticed that one of the statements I hear most often goes something akin to this:

"Do you want some bureaucrat deciding what medical measures you will receive?"

Having been a member of MANY different private insurer HMO's since I started my career. I find the question a tad disingenuous in that my health-care has been and always will be managed by bureaucrats!

Generally we don't call them bureaucrats when they are employed by for-profit insurers but bureaucrats they are in all but name.

Do I want to trust my health-care to the 'big greedy' corporations or do I want to trust it to the 'big scary' governments?

Can I have a third option please?

R.

It's been a while...

2009-07-31T13:53:00.002-05:00

I know, I know! I got myself so wrapped up in the Book of the Face that I have sadly neglected my little home here at Blogger. Bad Bobby!

Well I am resolving to come back to my little slice of blogland.

That may or may not gladden your hearts.

R.

Grin!

2009-06-30T13:47:00.002-05:00

Let's have one standard shall we?
Not two.
One for politicians and one for the mob.

A lesson in context,,,

2009-06-07T07:14:00.001-05:00

Testing….

2009-06-01T08:21:00.001-05:00

This is just a test to see if my neat little Word-based blog poster works.

guffaw!

2009-03-30T15:48:00.000-05:00

Lest we forget....

2009-03-25T08:54:00.002-05:00

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

I don't pretend to know fully how we are to attain these goals; but it does seem that most of our elected leaders have forgotten that these are what they are supposed to be working to achieve.

Free Speech is sacred...

2009-03-18T14:27:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone Pat Boone had a dream....!

2009-03-16T14:00:00.003-05:00

"Isn't he ever so dreamy?"
*Swoon*

.....where he was President.

Now if the prospect of that doesn't make you break out into a cold sweat....then you are probably a loyal reader of the works of Ann Coulter and get your commentary from Rush Limbaugh.

But I digress....

Our favorite lunatics over at World ~~Nut~~ Net Daily have an article written by none other than Pat Boone, he outlines a dream he had where he is elected President. *Wretch* Pardon me had someting in my throat there. He goes on to outline his policies. It's quite an entertaining read in much the same way that is reading those Jehovah's Witness 'Watchtower" pamphlets that occasionally find their way onto my front door threshold.

Most of it is standard right-wing and populist dreck.

What I found must entertaining was the final two paragraphs. The first

"As a man who intended to be a teacher myself, I issued an ultimatum to the teachers' unions: They would return to basic math, including arithmetic, and basic English (the mandated official language), and basic science devoid of unproven theories like evolution, sticking instead to factual evidence and not discounting "intelligent design" as the more scientific basis for life and existence. All history books would again detail the reasons America was founded, and tell the stories of our Founding Fathers and national heroes – not latter day revisions. Teachers' pay and advancement would depend on the test scores and comprehension of their students. "

"basic English (the mandated official language)"?

How does it feel to be so threatened by the 'brown people' to our south? While I do feel that those who come here do bear some responsibility to try to acclimatize themselves to the culture they'd like to be part of; where begins OUR responsibility to try to communicate effectively with someone who does NOT share the language of our birth? In most European countries it is unusual that a person only speaks ONE language. If we are going to require immigrants to learn English why not require natural born citizens to learn another language too? Sort of a 'meet them halfway' policy. Maybe the rest of the world wouldn't regard us as so insufferable when we go over seas!

"basic science devoid of unproven theories like evolution"?

The SCIENCE of evolution is one of the most SUCCESSFUL intellectual constructs ever theorized by man. It's explanatory power with regards to the speciation of life on Earth is unparalleled. No other explanation, creationism, Intelligent Design or whatever misleading moniker you want to attach to the simplistic statement that 'God done it', comes anywhere close to explaining what modern evolutionary theory does so effortlessly. Sticking your head in the sand and pretending otherwise, does nothing to take away from that FACT. Keep the non-science based religiously motivated systems of thought where they belong; in religious philosophy class.

"history books would again detail the reasons America was founded, and tell the stories of our Founding Fathers and national heroes – not latter day revisions."

Really? What exactly does this statement mean? I think I had a pretty damned good education history wise. I was exposed to the all that was GOOD and BAD in our deep and nuanced history. I think what Mr. Boone is alluding to is the suppression of everything that would paint the founders as anything but the Godly and wise Christian men he has convinced himself they were. Sorry Pat it but it ain't so.... Blocking your ears and screaming 'I can't hear you, I can't hear you' does NOT change history.

And finally we come to Mr. Boone's final thought (if we can dignify it as such):

"And a final ultimatum was directed to the courts, from the Supremes on down to local judiciary: "Hands off religion, as the First Amendment dictates. And you will no longer legislate from the bench. Keep your personal ideas to yourselves, and enforce the legislated will of the people."

"a final ultimatum was directed to the courts"

Wow! Clearly Mr. Boone didn't pay much attention in his American Civics class. The President does not get to dictate to the Judiciary how they are going to do their job! That's one of the most amazing thing about our Constitution it codifies the concept of separation of powers and the 'checks and balances'. The courts do not answer to you, Mr. would-be President. If they did, well that would make you a dictator, wouldn't it?

"Hands off religion"

Yes by all means! Government, keep your meddling hands off of religion. And similarly, people of faith...keep your meddling hands off my government!

"enforce the legislated will of the people"

I LOVE this one!!! Really? Even if it means the degradation or the relegation to the status of second class citizen of a minority of people? Let me ask you this, Mr. would-be President; Would it have been a good thing to leave the fate of the proposed 13th Amendment to the 'will of the people' instead of the refined Legislatures of the states? Before you answer consider this more appropriate example: Would it have been RIGHT to allow segregation to continue in this land had the Supreme Court not ruled as it did in 1954? Should the 'will of the people' have been the only consideration as to whether or not the state of Kansas, or any state for that matter, should be allowed to continue a policy which can only be described as American apartheid?

Mr. Boone, one of the most important functions of the judiciary in this country is to protect a minority from the tyranny of a majority. If that is unclear to you then it is you who most assuredly needs remedial work in American History and Civics. You have NO business being President of a Mickey Mouse fan club let alone a President of a modern liberal democracy.

Do us all a favor and stick to what you know: nauseating Christian-ese music.

R.

The most telling statement EVER....

2009-03-11T14:51:00.002-05:00

Said the card carrying creationist while touring The Smithsonian:

"Why should we be afraid to test our worldview against reality?" asked Bill Jack, a Christian leadership instructor who leads groups across the country for a company called Biblically Correct Tours.

Really? Is this person suggesting that what the Smithsonian contains is reality? If we can agree that the Smithsonian represents the naturalistic understanding of life on Earth as reality; then it makes little sense to label yourself a creationist. Talk about the mother of all slips.

Well Billy I can't argue with that! You go and have yourself a time, you and your Flintstone's version of natural history.

See this link for the full Washington post article.

R.

What does it mean? Part 1.

2009-03-03T13:16:00.004-05:00

I recently re-watched HBO's wonderful "John Adams" miniseries based upon the book of the same name by David McCullough. One pivotal scene; John Adams, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson are gathered together in a room, presumably in Philadelphia going over Mr. Jefferson's draft of the soon to be Declaration of Independence. They are shown to be quibbling over some of the phrasing that Mr. Jefferson chose. Now whether or not this scene is accurately conveyed or historical at all is not really what I'm interested in.

What I am interested in, is the very first line of the "Declaration of Independence" as we know it today, that is the first line after the familiar preamble:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."

We have all been conditioned to, almost without thinking, ascribe our ascent to this cherished piece of American scripture. But, is it entirely worthy of such reverence?

What does this statement mean?

What did it mean to Jefferson? What did it mean to Adams or Franklin? Or to any of the other men who affixed their signatures to this document before sending it off to King George?

Perhaps most importantly what does it mean to US today more than 200 years later and is it necessary that what we think it means mirror what the founders think it meant?

The first part of the statement is so loaded its almost absurd; "We hold these truths to be self evident...", seems to me to be a qualifier of some sort, meant to convey unambiguity to what follows should be readily seen to be obvious. But obvious to whom, and on what basis? Seems very circular to me. There seems to be non-stated premise that there is some gold standard that we should all be working from that we all have to agree on. What is that standard and by what authority can we conceivably agree to it? Many of the founders were men greatly inspired by the works of John Locke, David Hume, Charles Montesquieu, and St. Paul. If you read the works authored by these men, you would come away with some very different ideas for that standard. That discussion that could take years! In the interest of sanity let's move on...

The second part of the statement is very problematic to me: "that all men are created equal...". When you look at this statement in a vacuum without any context it does seem a logical truism. However, if you look at the world we live in putting aside man-made injustices and just focusing on the all too apparent differences in what skills and capabilities individuals possess this statement seems hilarious to the point of absurdity. Even the founders had to be cognizant of the plain fact that some do have the distinction of achieving greatness with meager means while others even with best of advantages barely rise to mediocrity. Clearly we are not equal in that regard; so whatever were the founders agreeing to here?

These are the thoughts I have when I am stuck in 'solar-glare' traffic on Route 2 eastbound in early March.

The meaning I ascribe to these words is that we should be equals in the eyes of the government we would choose to create. Equal regardless as to the privileges or liabilities of our respective births. Equal regardless of out mental capacities. Equal regardless of skin color, creed or philosophy.

Is this what Mr. Jefferson was thinking? I wish I could ask him, but I'm about 187 years late.

Discuss!!!

Robert

The maths....

2009-02-24T08:21:00.001-05:00

The maths....
...you're doin' it wrong!

EPIC FAIL!!

How cool is THIS!?

2009-02-23T11:51:00.001-05:00

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Research Articles holiday holidays

And in formerly puritanical Massachusetts no less!?

I'm sure Pat Robertson will say the famine and pestilence are on the way to the Bay State presently....

R.

How often do YOU....

2009-02-20T11:07:00.000-05:00

Why should we suffer fools so?

Oh the ferric taste of the irony contained within...

2009-02-19T10:57:00.001-05:00

From Ray Comfort's blog....

"So let’s be careful when we mock things of which we have no understanding."

This gem from the man who brought us the banana-based 'atheist's nightmare'.

Please see this link for full context:

http://raycomfortfood.blogspot.com/2009/01/trillions-of-trillions-of-years-ago.html

Practice what thee preacheth indeed, RAY!!!

Thank you oh so much! I now no longer feel any reason to waste a single one of my brain cells worrying about ANYTHING that comes out of either Ray Comfort's or Kirk Cameron's respective cake holes!

R.

FAIL...

2009-01-16T11:39:00.004-05:00

Silly, silly!! You airplane!!! Not boat!!! Get up in air...no go in wawa!

On a more serious note. To the pilot: Dude!!! You are Batman seriously! Landing a 30-ton airliner with NO engines, on the water, first try and NOT ripping apart the fuselage!? Stud! Sully!! I will be a passenger on Snoopy's sopwith camel if you are at the helm!

Could this guy rock harder? I submit that he could NOT!

R

Icky sicky poo.....

2009-01-12T11:57:00.002-05:00

I have some abominable virus or viri (sp?) that has (have) taken up residence in my respiratory tract. I have been battling this for more than a week now. This all started New Years Day and has moved all over my body. First my sinuses which manifested in titanic headaches. Then it moved to my throat such that it feels as though there's a a knife in my throat.

This morning I completely lost use of my voice. So I am home drinking lots of a Tangerine Zinger tea with lemon juice and honey.

I may die...probably not....but it feels like it!

R.

Where is today's Barry Goldwater?

2009-01-08T11:22:00.003-05:00

"However, on religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.' "

Barry Goldwater - 1909 - 1998, Senator R - Arizona
Source: Congressional Record, September 16, 1981

Two views of Nihilism...

2009-01-08T09:37:00.004-05:00

Guess which one is me?! :-)

Sacrifice anyone...?

2009-01-06T08:33:00.010-05:00

Many of my posts have a sarcastic or humorous cant to them. This post will not be one of them. I've been struggling to distill what's been going on in Israel over the past 2 weeks. The bottom line is I can't understand it. The basis for the fight is so alien to my sensibilities that I have come to the conclusion that I will NEVER understand what's going on.

Bear with me here for a little bit of a digression. I have an Ipod and I listen to many 'podcasts' from many different sources. Most are science or naturalist based resources. A couple are political. One of my favorites in the political genre is by a guy out in Oregon, his name is Dan Carlin and I believe I have a link to his site over on my side bar somewhere. His latest commentary as of this writing is called "The Samson Suicide Pact". I listened to it this morning.

You can listen to it yourself or not. Your choice.

The central question of his commentary was this:

"If God asked you to sacrifice your child, would you obey?"

The question is from the Bible. Abraham, considered by the followers of the three monotheistic faiths to be the patriarch of their respective faith, was presented with this very dilemma.

One of my better if not my BEST friend(s) in the blogworld, Deb, and I had a discussion about this very question a while ago. Deb is a deeply faithful and caring woman of whom I have a deep admiration for. We have come to sort of detente' on matters religious. She accepts who I am and I accept who she is. There is a mutual respect if not complete understanding. As a 'Christ-follower' it is Deb's deepest desire that God will reveal Himself to me in some meaningful way that will convince me of his existence and truth.

Deb's answer was a wholehearted and emphatic: YES! I was taken aback by the certainty and confidence of her answer. I couldn't relate to it. The very notion of sacrificing my child is a game-ender for me. Nothing on this earth could compel me to do such a thing. Deb explained it to me as a test of faith. As a Christian you MUST love God above all else and that includes that which you would otherwise lay down your own life for. You must be willing to offer it all up to God at a moments notice. That is REAL religious faith! Deb's faith tells her that God's will and purpose are in her best interest. I will not presume to judge that this makes me some how better or smarter than Deb, she is bound by a covenant she takes very seriously, she submits her will to His. For all I know maybe she's right. But that's not how I am wired...

I have no such faith, I wouldn't do it. I am a person who bases his view of the world on naturalism and reason informed by my understanding of the world I perceive through my own admittedly imperfect senses. But there it is...

I have come to the conclusion that these are the two views of existence. Faith-based and naturalist-based.

My further conclusion is you cannot fence-sit; you are on one side or you are on the other. There are too many people who want to take the what they think is best of each and make some hybrid view. The problem is when both views are distilled down to their cores you find that they are mutually exclusive. Hybrids will be still born. You can't have it both ways.

What does this all have to do with what's going on in Israel?

I agree with Dan Carlin; No sovereign nation should tolerate any other launching attacks on it. Israel has a right and a duty to defend its people. If any nation started shooting missles at Iran or the Saudis they would raise holy hell! So the IDF's retaliation is justified from a state-craft point of view.

The question then becomes for ALL people on either side. Are you willing to sacrifice your children? Your grand children? Your great grand children. Are you willing to sacrifice the future for a strip of land? Is this conviction based upon faith in God?

If any one on either side cannot answer YES to those questions, they need to leave. This is not their fight.

Throughout history people have left many lands they called home some willingly and some not so unwillingly. My own Italian ancestors left their homeland because they wanted a better future for their children. I am sure they left Italy with great reluctance but the love for their children and their concern for the future of the same overrode any loyalty they had for their homeland.

Would commit your children and their future to a fight over a tiny strip of land?

People of faith on both sides of this conflict have been fighting and or spoiling for fight for 2000 plus years. Maybe it's time that those on either side who REALLY don't have a dog in this race to get out of the way and let those that do have at each other...

For my part I am tired of the whole bloody tedious saga!

I will choose to NOT sacrifice my children's future for faith.

R.

Senator Al Franken?!

2009-01-05T13:16:00.002-05:00

Seriously?

No really.....Seriously!?

This guy?

Who was he running against?

Idi Amin? No. Pretty sure he's dead.

Pol Pot? Day-od!

Mussolini? Really REALLY DEAD. (I think my grandmother might have been the 3rd person to spit on his hanging body)

Al Franken? What qualifies him to be a senator? I may be somewhat liberal leaning but WTF!?

Did someone publish photos of Norm Coleman smoking a cigar in a hot tub with Satan?

WOW!

What do they put in the water in Minnesota?

R.

What comes to mind...

2009-01-05T12:05:00.002-05:00

...when you see this man:

What comes to my mind?

Answer:

"Sugar-coated, chocolate-covered, Christianity."

R.

Resolutions....smez-o-lutions...

2009-01-05T11:27:00.002-05:00

I'm back and hopefully i won't be so slack as i have been. The 'silly season' does take up lots of my time due to the 4 kids running around.

Well it's a new year! And I would know that even if I didn't have a calendar.

Working where I do I was fortunate enough to be on vacation from 12/24 till...well today. i got to stay at home spend time with the kiddies (which can be trying to the extreme, but it was still worthwhile). A treat for me was that during this period one of the channels on my local cable system, i think it was USA Network, ran a "House" marathon for 2 days! "House" is one of the few shows I actually like. I missed much of the first three years of the show so I got to see many episodes I hadn't seen. However, that pleasure was tempered by the torture of the commercials in between.

At this time of year we are beaten over the head with commercials for diet pills/supplements, new exercise/diet regimens and exercise/workout equipment. Invariably the models/aliens in these commercials promise that you too can look just like them if only you would use these pills or eat these meals or worked-out with this machine for 20 minutes, 3 days a week. GROAN! Clearly we have a long way to go in that these snake-oil sales pitches are STILL making enough money to air these commercials repeatedly all the live long day!

These companies all prey upon the average pudgy resolution making American by convincing him that the way to reduce the flab in his mid section is by spending their cash on some miracle product.

I love the fact almost all of these spots have "Results not typical" in very fine print on the screen while a ~~model~~ user of whatever is being hawked is offering testimony of their results.

Guess what Kevin! This stuff will not work. There is no quick fix, miracle drug or breakthrough machine that will shrink your waistline permanently. The only way to change your body is to change your life. I have seen this personally. It is about changing bad habits. This applies to smoking, drinking as well as weight loss.

I am so glad I live in an age where I can record video on the fly and zoom past commercials! I'd have probably gone insane after an hour otherwise.

R.

of randomness and vampires....

2008-12-22T10:53:00.002-05:00

I know what you're thinking; "Why don't he write?". Well it does seem as though winter has returned in the Northeast in such a way as to clearly and definitively punish us for the last few relatively mild years we've gotten away with. First a nasty ice storm that many cities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire have STILL not fully recovered from. Then, fluffy one-two punch of snowstorms over the weekend just passed. Today we'll be lucky to see any thermometer register more than 20 degrees. (That's Fahrenheit, for the rest of the metric and civilized world that would be -7 degrees Celsius. We're Americans and many of us still believe the metric system is some sort of communist plot! Present company excluded.) So I had to shovel or otherwise remove no less than a foot and a half of snow from 30' x 40' car lot that is now MY responsibility. Renting does have it's bright spots. As I am so fond of calculations let's figure out how many cubic feet of snow that is shall we?

30' x 40' x 1.5' = 1800 cubic feet of snow.

Wow! If I didn't have a snow blower I think I might be lying dead out on my drive way right now.

I am happy to report that my house is back in the 21st century. Power was restored after about 48 hours. The casualties resultant from the basement flood are as follows:

Several cardboard boxes of fabric (crap i wanted to get rid anyway, apologies to my wife)
Several RG-45 ethernet and RG-6 co-axial cables (that really frosted my cookies)
about 30 feet of 14-2 electrical wiring (ouch!)
2 Panasonic surround sound speakers (sob!)
about 16 boxes that house my die-cast model airplane collection! (dammit!)
a box of old computer hardware (not much of a loss, what was I going to do with 4-40MB hard-drives anyway?)
2 boxes of ridiculously ugly Xmas decorations (I secretly applauded this as i felt my wife had gone a tad insane in that regard)

Let this be a lesson to you. When you buy a house whose basement has lots of shelving suspended from the ceiling, there's probably a reason! I'm an engineer you'd think I'd have seen this coming. Perhaps I did and just pretended I did not.

Onto my next concern:

When the hell did vampires become so freakin' interesting to people? Did I miss a meeting? Everywhere I look...vampires, vampyre, blood suckers....

What's the bloody fascination. Between my eldest daughters obsession with the 'Twilight' series (which thankfully seems on the wane) and some HBO series called "True Blood".... I am bloody tired of vampires. Reminds of the 80's and 90's angel craze. Truly I am beginning to believe that Americans yearn to live in some fantasy world where either JK Rowling or Tolkien or CS Lewis is God. I have peers who are so enamoured with that damned Twilight series that they'll spend hours talking about what they got right and what they got wrong in the damned movie that just came out. I suppose that I should just be thrilled that my daughter actually reads. I just wanna toss her a copy of "The Slaughter House Five" or "Grapes of Wrath"! Vampires! Gimme a break! What's next? Goblins? Werewolves?

There must be some deep and hidden psychological explanation as to why people have always been fascinated with Vampires.

Anyway...back to work!

R.

Hello from the 17th century...

2008-12-13T13:56:00.002-05:00

So the family and I have been living without heat and electricity for the last 36+ hours.

The ice storm in North Central Mass. has wreaked havoc with electrical lines and we have been living in the 17th century since late Thursday night.

Luckily no limbs have damaged cars or our house.

We are now in Chicopee showering and warming....according to the electric department we won't be back in the 21st century till Monday the earliest more likely Tuesday.

Fun, fun fun!!!

R.

Wonderful...

2008-12-10T10:33:00.001-05:00

Prescient...

2008-12-10T08:45:00.010-05:00

18th Century American Philosophy:

"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."

-Thomas Paine for his pamphlet "Common Sense"

21st Century American Philosophy:

"Bring'em on!" - George W. Bush

and its fruits....

18th Century American Philosophy:

"He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death."

-Thomas Paine for the pamphlet "Common Sense"

21st Century American Philosophy:

"But the risk of doing nothing, the risk of the security of this country being jeopardized at the hands of a madman with weapons of mass destruction far exceeds the risks of any action we may be forced to take."

- George W. Bush, President Meets with National Economic Council, White House (2/25/2003).

and it's fruits....

States Bear Billions in Iraq War Costs Total Economic Costs of the Iraq War 2003-2017

Original Article

Decide for yourself which version of America you would live in.

R.

Belated Thanksgiving day photos...

2008-12-09T16:00:00.004-05:00

Yeah yeah yeah! I have been slack...

Too busy playing games on Facebook lately. What is the world coming to. Here's a smattering of photos from our first T-day in the new villa. Hopefully more will follow as soon as my sister-in-law Di 'snaps to' sends me her pix! Come on Di!!!

Sheesh!

Really deep thought for they day...

2008-11-18T13:35:00.001-05:00

"If the water table is 100 feet below the surface, it matters not how many 90 foot wells you dig."

The conspiratorial mindset...

2008-11-18T09:20:00.006-05:00

Over the weekend past, my brother sent me an email with a link to a youtube video. In his defense he did clarify that he wasn't sure whether he should believe the claims the video, and by extension its author, makes. That video, is embedded within this blog posting. The video is short, about 5 minutes or so and it is important that you watch it in order for the rest of this post is to make ANY sense whatever. It has nothing to do with atheism or religion. If you are anything like me you'll want to take a hot shower and rinse your eyes thoroughly after watching it. Go ahead watch it...I'll wait...

Are you in pain now? Do you have an overwhelming urge to regurgitate your breakfast?

This is the type of non-critical supposition that passes for critical-thinking in our modern age. Putting aside the juvenile spelling errors and the obvious ridiculous claims, this video is case-study cognitive dissonance coupled with confirmation bias. Yet if you follow the video to its source at youtube's site and look at the comments, most show complete agreement with the outlandish and completely air-headed conclusions the author of this video makes. The author has the temerity...nay, audacity to make claims that can be rebuffed with about 90 seconds of research using a search engine.

My point is this: If we don't yell 'BULLSHIT' when we see it or hear it, this stuff has an unholy habit of crowing like a fungus and infecting everything.

Here is the PROPER explanation for the 'reversed flag'. It should be readily apparent to anyone, especially a boy or former boy who has built model airplanes!

I have built countless model airplanes in my life....

Whenever a US flag decal is used, the union, (that’s the blue field of stars) must be pointed in the direction of the travel of the aircraft, such that the flag appears to be advancing in the direction of motion. A little spacial reasoning will demonstrate that on the RIGHT side of the aircraft the flag would need to be reversed to appear advancing. On the LEFT side of the aircraft the flag would appear as we normally see it. Here's two pictures of Air Force One that clearly show this effect:

Right or starboard side, reversed-flag.

Left or port side, standard flag.

It logically follows that the human body is a something that moves. So in practice the SAME rule should apply were the flag to be displayed to the right shoulder as it does to the right side of an aircraft.

Now, the video goes a long way to show that soldiers in the past wore flags on their right shoulder that were NOT reversed. It then offers up a ridiculous explanation for the change. The author clearly has not done any homework. Before 2004 there was no all encompassing Army regulation outlining and mandating the proper wearing of a US flag on the uniform. Generally this was done of the soldiers own volition or under the direction of that soldiers unit. It should follow that there were no 'reversed flag' patches available even if the soldiers KNEW about the arcane rule outlining the proper placement of the 'union' with respect to motion. See this page for a proper treatment of this particular rule.

Further, "Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker approved the uniform item Feb. 11, and all Soldiers have until Oct. 1, 2005 to get the insignia sewn on their uniforms." (Taken from this webpage) Once the Army had a requirement and a policy naturally it was decided that it had better display the flag properly.

So rather than then endeavoring to find the reasons for the reversed flag, the author made a leap of stunning proportions to support what was clearly a deeply held conviction in lunatic conspiracy theories. This is part and parcel for these type of people.....and sadly with the 'dumbing down' of America and the absolute dearth of teaching critical-thinking skills their numbers are growing...

Who is the 'celery' really...?

R.

This makes me cringe....

2008-11-14T09:07:00.006-05:00

All I see this doing is riling up the reactionaries and making non-theist types look like 'kill-joys'.

Not sure what to do here...

R.

Addendum: There is one good thing that has resulted from this campaign. Making Bill Donohue spout off! *grin* That's always entertaining.

and on the lighter side...

2008-11-13T08:27:00.003-05:00

I'd rather have a cat Mr. Obama, but thanks!!!

This man just looks cool! So refreshing to see someone other than an old white man as president!

R.

Question 8....

2008-11-12T11:06:00.004-05:00

November 4th, 2008 will no doubt go down in history as pivotal in American history. We elected a person of African descent to the highest office in the land. A man at least as capable as all the others who've held the office. The color barrier has been shattered! I wept with pride as Mr. Obama spoke from Chicago on election night with eloquence I haven't heard from a modern president.

That pride was tempered when I learned that on this same historic night the people of California decided to write discrimination into their state constitution. On a night where one wall came tumbling down, organized religion worked to build another one.

In an ostensibly secular country what possible secular reason could be given to allow for a majority to revoke a civil right from a minority?

I've heard many...

Marriage is a God-given blessing bestowed upon a man and a woman.

No. Marriage in the eyes of a state is a civil contract. It is simply called marriage by tradition. It could just as easily be called a civil union. If that would make the religious 'wing-nuts' happy i would gladly convert my 'marriage' to a civil union. It doesn't matter a damned to me what they call it so long as it is recognized by the state.

For thousands of years marriage has been accepted as the union of a man and a woman who are we to change that.

So what? For hundreds years it was acceptable to hold people in bondage or indentured servitude with no recourse. Now it is unthinkable for most people. For thousands of years women were considered property of the their fathers or husbands. When Elizabeth Cady-Stanton agitated for women's suffrage many quoted the holy bible and shamed her for going against God's plan. Time and human morality marched on. In the end Christianity was dragged into the 20th century kicking and screaming.

Allowing same-sex marriages will destroy American culture and lead to societal breakdown!

Oh please! We here in 'librul' Massachusetts have allowed gays to marry since 2004. Guess what? The sun still rises. Crops still grow. Tides still come in and recede. Interstingly God has not decided to 'smote' us for our rebellious ways. No hurricanes, famine nor pestilence*. Life goes on.

To the those in California who are disgusted and infuriated by the passage of that disgraceful piece of legislative discrimination: Protest!!! Fight!!! Scream and shout!!! Surround those churches night and day and voice your displeasure. Never stop, never give in. Demand action. Be a thorn in the side of legislators such that they have no choice but to give you the rights you deserve.

I think it's time to TAX the good churches of California for their partisan polticking!

R.

*foot note from wifey: I forgot to include locusts. Just because it sounds funny!

A curse broken.....

2008-11-04T23:02:00.004-05:00

...more than 200 years after the first man of color was brought to this land in chains....

This is a victory for us all and leads closer to the ideal that is America!

Today I am, for the first time in more than eight years, proud to be American!

R.

Some perspective....on numbers...

2008-10-31T07:48:00.003-05:00

The dollar bill.....it looks small enough...

Sized to be easily carried in a bill fold...

According to the National Debt Clock, the outstanding public debt of the United States is:

$10.5 trillion

That's 10.5 trillion 'Washingtons'

What is a trillion?

A trillion is a 1 followed by TWELVE zeros:

1,000,000,000,000

That is a million times a million!

1 Trillion = 1,000,000 x 1,000,000

A trillion is a stupefyingly large number.

If you lived to be a hundred years old, you only would have lived for just over:

3.1 billion seconds or 3,100,000,000 seconds

That's it. you come NO WHERE near a trillion seconds.

The total number of human beings who have EVER lived is estimated liberally at:

110 billion or 110,000,000,000

or

.11 trillion

No where close to a trillion.

How much paper would it take to print 10.5 trillion dollar bills? A little math here....

Step one. Compute the Area of a dollar bill. Easily done. Multiply the length by the width:

length = X = 6.15"

width = Y = 2.6"

Area of Dollar = X * Y = 15.99 square inches of paper are required for a dollar bill

Step two. Multiply the area of a dollar bill by 10.5 trillion:

15.99 sq. inches * 10,500,000,000,000 = 167,900,000,000,000 sq. inches of paper

167.9 Trillion squares inches of paper! That's not at all easy to relate to anything in everyday life. So let's convert square inches to square miles. you'll have to trust me when I tell you that:

1 square mile = 4.014 billion square inches

so we divide:

167,900,000,000,000 sq. inches / 4,014,000,000 sq. inches = 41,820 sq. miles.

You would need 41,820 square miles of paper to print enough dollar bills to pay off our national debt!

That still may not be easy enough for most people to relate to anything. So, I'll offer up this last comparison. The land area of my home state of Massachusetts is 10,555 square miles....

The amount of paper needed to print 10.5 trillion one dollar bills could cover my home state....nearly four times!

41,820 sq. miles / 10,555 sq. miles = 3.96

I say we cut down what's left of the Amazon rain forest and make paper from that.

Sleep well!

Robert.

R.

I smell desparation...

2008-10-23T08:05:00.002-05:00

...on the part of Republicans that is...

Submitted for your entertainment the latest piece of right-wing propaganda being used to scare righteous God-fearing Americans to the polls in two weeks to prevent Democratic challenger Kay Hagan from unseating Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole as one of North Carolina's Senators.

Now to be sure I am communicating clearly here...

I am not a fan of the 'in your face' secularism/atheism/humanism of the type espoused by the likes of Ellen Johnson, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris etc. In my opinion they are preaching to the already converted and pissing off the other side further and thereby forcing more heels to dig in, much the same way that Dobson, Fallwell, D. James Kennedy, John Hagee and Pat Robertson so thoroughly piss me off.

But the preceding ad makes any atheist, humanist or secularist seem like a clear and present danger to the very fabric of what it means to be an American. It's this type of tripe that further promotes the cultural divide in this already fractuous culture. It wreaks of the same desparation that is emanating from the McCain/Palin camp. "Let's whip up anti-atheist, anti-liberal frenzy and ride it into the Whitehouse."

Disgusting....

Our fore-fathers are spinning in their respective graves.

Especially my mentor and hero, Thomas Jefferson...

"may it* be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains, under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings & security of self-government. that form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion."

*The Declaration of Independence and our subsequent war for independence.

The End....?

2008-10-20T09:43:00.002-05:00

I'm beginning to question what good I am doing here.

I started this blog a while ago mainly as am on-line diary of my thoughts and views on matter political, religious....whatever struck my curiosity.

I have endeavored to be respectful of people with views different than mine.

I am a naturalist. I see natural causes and reasons for the events that happen in the universe. I do not see any evidence for supernatural causes. As such I accept that the best methods for discovering, understanding, and eventually surviving the natural world is human ingenuity armed with reason informed by empirical research.

A person can only be threatened with eternal damnation and continue to maintain his composure so long. Mind you it is not that those threats are actually instilling any fear in me, I still find such threats hollow and medieval. However, when my children are alluded to in such threats, that crosses a line!

Caption this...

2008-10-16T13:11:00.003-05:00

"Live Brains! The only thing that eases the pain of being dead!"

(you just can't make this stuff up!)

A warning to Mr. Obama...

2008-10-16T12:08:00.004-05:00

I have been coy about it long enough...

It's time I lay my cards upon the table...

Spill my guts...

Convey my truest deepest darkest feelings...

Here it is...

I want THEM gone!!!

I want them hurled out of office like so much foul, wretched, stinking garbage that's been in the house for too long.

I want the Republican Party as a whole so throttled this coming election that they are naught but a shadow of their former strength.

Punish them!!! Punish them severely for their misguided, misanthropic and completely UNAMERICAN policies! I blame the G.O.P. and the G.O.P. alone for the disastrous state my beloved country now finds itself in.

It is my fondest and deepest wish that history will show George W. Bush to be the WORST to ever hold the office of POTUS.

Lest, anyone think that my rant here is a wholesale endorsement of the Democratic Party, think again. Though, as it is increasingly apparent that the party of the 'ASS' will sweep into power this November with sizable majorities in both chambers of the Congress, don't rest assured in my complacent acceptance of everything you do. I am quite through with having my freedoms, won at great cost to many patriots, whittled away for the illusion of security! I, and many like me will be watching, and if after a sufficient length of time I do not see progress in restoring this country to the ideals it was founded upon, those of Locke, Rousseau, Bacon, Jefferson, Madison and others, I will be agitating for your ouster just as loudly as I do the bastardization of the Party of Lincoln.

If you do win....Savor your victory Mr. Obama, Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reed...

You will then be in the cross-hairs and the price of failure will be much more than any of you realize...

Re-read your history and learn from it.... particularly the era post Revolutionary War, The Shays Rebellion and the Alien and Sedition Acts.

R.

We need you now more than ever...

2008-10-15T13:41:00.002-05:00

"Man once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind."

-Thomas Jefferson to James Smith, 1822.

2 score years ago....

2008-10-14T14:46:00.002-05:00

Yikes! What do Hugh Jackman and I share other than rugged good looks and the ability to make women swoon (yeah right!)? We share the exact same birthday. That's right Wolverine and I turned the big 4-oh this Sunday past. What else happened on October 12th, 1968...?

Well let's turn on the 'way-back machine' and see, shall we?

October 12th, 1968

#1 song on Billboard: "Hey Jude" - The Beatles (that kicks ass!)

That's all I got...

Hell I was just born, what do you want from me!

R.

There may be hope for Texas yet...

2008-10-01T09:58:00.002-05:00

I'll admit that I've never thought much of Texas. Perhaps that stems from the 6 weeks I spent in San Antonio back in the late summer of '86. Air Force Basic Training...admittedly a joke compared to that of the Army and even more so when compared to a stint on Paris island training to become a US Marine. But the heat and the pure desolation of that region pretty much spoiled the state for me and I was only too happy to leave and I've never returned. Barring a forced professional trip to Houston, I have no desire to revisit the Lone Star State. I am unashamedly of the opinion that we'll never have to worry about Mexico sliding away so long as Texas still sucks.

That opinion has NOT been bettered by the state school board attempt to wedge ~~creationism~~ Intelligent Design, a NON-SCIENCE BASED hare-brained scheme, into the science curriculum. The rest of the civilized world must think Americans are insane!

However, it seems that the more sensible and rational members of the Texas community have finally rallied to oppose those who would dumb-down science education and effectively reduce the scientific literacy of Texas students to the equivalent of a student body from a third world country. The 21st Century Science Coalition writes:

"The 21st-Century Science Coalition is putting politicians on notice that the science community in Texas will accept nothing less than the best education for our kids. We will not allow politics and ideology to handicap the future of our children with a 19th-century education in their 21st-century classrooms."

The battle has been joined! Reason, rationality and common sense may yet prevail in Texas.

If I seem a bit snarky in this rant it is only because this is an issue very close to my conscience.

R.

At long last....

2008-09-29T14:14:00.001-05:00

Almost makes me WISH McCain would win....

2008-09-29T12:49:00.000-05:00

"There may not be a god, but apparently there is a goddess, and her name is Tina Fey." - PZ Meyers

A citizen of the world...

2008-09-19T08:07:00.002-05:00

"They shoot without shame, in the name of a piece of dirt

For a change of accent, or the colour of your shirt

Better the pride that resides in a citizen of the world

Than the pride that divides when a colorful rag is unfurled"

Rush - Territories
lyrics by Neil Peart

Lead OR get out of the way.....

2008-09-18T07:56:00.002-05:00

If as you say all we need as prayer...then clearly we don't need you! Get out of the way and let someone who will propose some REAL WORLD solutions to problems rather than imploring the divinity to change 'His Plan'.

R.

A free-thinker taking flight on her own...

2008-09-16T13:19:00.004-05:00

Cain & Abel: A heart-warming tale to be sure!

An actual conversation...

Libby: "Papa the Bible is messed up."
Me: Secretly howling with laughter inside, "Why do you say that?"
Libby: "Where the heck did Cain get his wife?"
Me: beaming with pride, "Doesn't it say..?"
Libby: "No!"
Me: "Perhaps you should ask that question in your next religion class..."
Libby: "What are you setting me up for?"
Me: "Nothing that bad really. This is one of those times when the reaction to a question is more telling than the answer given."
Libby: "Doing that might make me less popular with the teacher..."
Me: "Sometimes being the teacher's pet is NOT a virtue."

To be continued...

R.

Sparse.....but for a time....

2008-09-15T12:46:00.002-05:00

Some of my more loyal readers may have noted that my posting frequency has dropped off a bit of late.

This can be attributed to nothing more than the requisite insanity of boxing up the affairs of a household of 6 for transport to a new home.

The closing is on Thursday 25th, we will commence moving non-essential possessions the following weekend and then the weekend of Oct 3rd we will move BIG stuff with the help of friends and family.

I may or mat not post very much during this time but rest assured I am thinking of everyone who has wished me well in the tedious and never-wracking process I have started.

Post October 5th I should be back to my cantankerous and blasphemous ways!

Ciao for now!

R.

"The enemy of mine enemy is my friend"

2008-09-12T09:38:00.003-05:00

I find myself in uncharted waters...

Sometimes situations present themselves that thrust us into deep conundrums that shake our convictions to the core.

Such is where I find myself this coming weekend.

How do I, a die-hard Yankee fan, push for them to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays, KNOWING that doing so enables the Red Sox to win the American League East!? I despise the Red Sox more than grim death. They are pretenders to the throne that rightfully belongs to my beloved Yankees.

I would much rather see a young scrappy team like Tampa Bay win the division than a bunch of blow-hards like the Red Sox.

Oh divided loyalty...

R.

There is L-I-G-H-T!!!

2008-09-09T16:19:00.004-05:00

"You can't always get what you want...
...but if you try sometimes, you just might find...
you just might find...you get what you need!"

St. Mick

The deepest and most fervent desire of both myself and my wife is one step closer to fruition. We received word today that the loan for our first house was approved today!

I cannot begin to express how happy my wife and I are at this moment. This truly is the American dream. No hard working citizen should be denied this joy. We are thankful to everyone who has expressed good wishes and prayers for a happy outcome.

We will be purchasing a house with this loan; the home is what will be created once my family moves in...

Everyone deserves a home!

R.

The stupid....it does burn....

2008-09-02T07:23:00.005-05:00

Clearly there is a problem with the educational system in this land of ours...

Submitted for your approval...

Koshka Blackburn...a contestant on NBC's otherwise intellectually vacuous "Deal or NO Deal". (This is what passes for entertainment in our modern day Roman Empire.) Koshka had whittled down the choices of briefcases to TWO; one containing $5000 and the other $1,000,000. She was then presented a deal; accept $530,000 and walk away. A guaranteed half a million dollars was offered to her to NOT make the choice between the two briefcases. Wrap your head around this: She could leave with $530,00 more dollars than she came in with....

So what should Koshka the good God-fearing Christian do?

The answer is simple to anyone with a rudimentary understanding of a what a 50-50 proposition means. Who would bet their life on such odds. I think very few.

Poor Koshka, chose to give in to one of the deadly seven: G-R-E-E-D

And then to add insult to injury and in a mockery of her professed religion she incorrectly quoted from the Bible, Ezekiel 12:25:

"...but I wrote a check for myself for a million dollars, and I believe it's here [tapping her case]...I don't know, I don't know what to do, I just don't know...I know it's here, I know it's here! Howie, the contestants never go all the way, and I'm crazy. I'm too crazy. But I believe that if you speak it, it shall be done. So I'm gonna say, NO DEAL!"

And she lost...

See the arrogance for yourself.

Should have paid more attention to those sermons, Koshka...

Contrary to what Gordon Gecko said G-R-E-E-D is RARELY a good thing.

GREED cost you the half a million dollars that was offered to you. You thumbed your nose at your God and he made ya pay! In your world view what other conclusion could you come to other than maybe... sheer unadulterated stupidity!

The truly sad part of this story is the possibility of what DID not happen; had she picked the right case, there are those that would have used this incident to bolster the argument that God favors those that believe...completely glossing over the genesis of her choice...

PATHETIC!

R.

I love a woman with glasses...

2008-08-30T07:30:00.004-05:00

...it's a shame I hate her politics...

'cause I would love to vote for a woman...but she ain't the one!

Sarah Palin on faith, life and creation.

R.

More random lyrics...

2008-08-29T13:34:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I think my Ipod can read my moods and mind...

"I can't promise that I'll grow those wings
or keep this tarnished halo shined
but I'll never betray your trust...angel mine"

Cowboy Junkies - "Angel Mine"
from "Lay It Down"

The ever-haunting and beautiful voice of Margo Timmins! She still makes my knees weak.

Who said nothing good comes out of the Great White North?

R.

Where has he been dammit!?

2008-08-29T12:53:00.003-05:00

Why haven't I been 'round....?

Confluence of many things really...

I have a couple of professional projects that had me consigned to the lab with little respite from hacking and configuring....

...couple that with the headache of scheduling terminate and pre-closing inspections... and I have little time to to do much else other than sleep!

And even sleep is eluding me lately!!

I guess I'm now concerned about some issue with setting up the mortgage!

"I'm sorry Mr. L we cannot give you the loan. You see, you didn't dot that 'i' in your last name on your March 2008 rent check. No money for you!!!'

You want to send good wishes, say prayers, perform candle rituals....whatever...I'll take all the positivity you got! You'll all have my eternal gratitude!

It's gonna be a long month!

Thanks in advance!!!

R.

'nuff said....

2008-08-26T19:13:00.000-05:00

...

2008-08-25T19:10:00.002-05:00

I AM FREAKING OUT!!!

*Oh! We put made an offer on a house
(See countdown on the right side bar!)

Gross consumerism and the credit 'crunch' and the dreaded covet!

2008-08-21T07:22:00.006-05:00

I was reading an article on CNN yesterday titled "The next credit crunch". I got to thinking about the situation our society finds itself in currently and how we got here. Property values are falling, people are losing their homes. Everywhere pundits and analysts are looking to assign blame. Looking at my own financial history and my own trials therein, I come to a conclusion that seems some what self evident to me. We are ALL to blame for this mess.

First a little back ground. I got my car when I was in the Air Force, I think it was some time in 1987. It was a brandy-new 1987 Mercury Lynx (a Ford Escort with better trim!). My parents co-signed the loan for me as I was only 18 with no credit history. I remember the payment was $228.01 a month for 60 months. It worked out to a 10% interest rate which isn't that bad for a car loan. I remember my parents cautioning me that I needed to be careful and to be sure I made the payments on-time and monthly as they could not afford to make them if I didn't. The veiled threat was that their credit would take a big hit if I didn't live up to my responsibilities. As I was an enlisted man in the Air Force my paycheck was pretty much guaranteed for another three years. As I lived on-base in the enlisted dorms and filled my belly at the base chow hall, my only real financial responsibility was the car, the requisite insurance and gas! So it wasn't much of a strain at all.

No sooner had I made a few payments then the credit card offers started rolling in. VISA Mastercard. I thought it would be a good idea to have one in case of unforeseen emergencies. So I applied and for whatever reason I was declined, it may have been insufficient credit history. My parents again stepped in and co-signed. Within a month I had a VISA card with a $1500 limit and an 18% interest rate.

At first I was very judicious with its use. Only using it once to repair a broken driver's side window on my new car. Over time I started to notice that many of my fellow airman had really cool stereos in their rooms including those new fangled CD players. I was still playing my cassette tapes that I made from LP's in high school. I coveted a new stereo system! One day i went to the Cherry Hill Mall in New Jersy close to where i had been stationed. On a lark I wandered into a store known as 'Silo' similar to what a 'Circuit city' or 'Bestbuy' is today. in retrospect, it is all too clear to me that the salesman saw me coming! He showed me the latest stereo receivers, CD players and dual cassette decks. I was probably salivating! I selected a modest receiver, a CD player, a dual-cassette desk and Bose 301 speakers. The total price was in the neighborhood of $1000. i was about to lay down my new plastic, when the salesman said, and I think to this day there was an echo with it: "Hey! why don't you apply for our own charge card! You wont need to put the balance on your VISA." I agreed instantly and my application was approved almost as quickly. Less than a half hour later I was on my way back to the dorm with a car full of state of the art audio gear.

Thus began a long almost 15 year saga of the abuse and misuse of credit.

I have never declared bankruptcy, but I have come close.

Now whose fault is it that this happened to me?

I fully accept that my own nature, my coveting of toys and things that I wanted more than contributed to my abuse of credit. But, why in the modern age is a concept of 'time value you of money' not a required bit of education? Consider that most Americans have no concept of how long it will take to payoff $1000 dollars at a 21% APR while making minimum payments of say $35. The answer is 40+ months! You end up paying more than $400 dollars on top of that original $1000.

These things were NEVER made clear to me at anytime in my youth nor early adulthood. Why is that?

Clearly, I am guilty of coveting that which I didn't have. I wanted many things! Most kids and young adults do.

But what cost is too much and how many things are enough?

Why is it we live in a society that doesn't require that its children LEARN basic finance along side the math to do calculations and the ability to read fine print?

My own little admittedly cynical view is that the powers that be in this society aren't interested in a population of educated people who can see that if they laden themselves with high-interest debt they'll be working to pay that debt for a very long time further enriching the already wealthy!

I see advertisements in print and in various other media showing off the latest Iphone, the latest Ipod, the newest car...all squarely aimed at those who can least afford them. In the western world we have created this stew, this unholy realm of gross consumerism fueled by people who are conditioned to covet that which they don't have and are convinced that they must need. I see my own children falling prey to this virus. I have an 11 year old telling me that his friends all have cellphones. Why does an average 'tween' need a cellphone? I did just fine without one! What does he possibly have to say to anyone that can't wait till he gets home to the essentially free 'land line'....other than"Mom or Dad can you come and get me?"

The article I referenced speaks of a people using credit to 'pretend' to a standard of living that they are ill equipped to sustain. Now, even that ocean of free and easy credit is drying up. What will be the consequence of all that principle coming due, with no other resources to pay it off?

I am at the point in my life where I am now looking for a house for my young family. My past credit woes while not a extreme detriment have made it more difficult. I often wonder: If the society I live in had chosen to educate its children about 'time value of money' and basic economics how different would our current circumstance be?

The flip side is how many things are enough? How much of these material possessions do you get to take with you after you draw your terminal breath? The answer is ZERO, bupkus, zilch, nadda! You will leave with that which you came in with.

So what's really important?

Teleportation and the human 'soul'...

2008-08-20T06:25:00.002-05:00

The year is 2134. A world Engineering and Scientific consortium has perfected a method of 'transporting' an object from point A to point B without traveling through the intervening space between. They've started small with simple objects made of difference substances. Before transport the objects were characterized completely so as to compare composition after transport. This is done over and over, with items of ever increasing complexity. As nearly as the best of the worlds intellects can tell there is absolutely no difference in the objects pre and post transport. The time is now come for the transport of a much more complex object: a living thing. The moral sensibilities of the time preclude using animal life for such a dangerous experiment. Thusly, it is decided to use a specimen of living plant life: potted tea rose is chosen for transport. Pre-transport characterization of the rose is meticulously carried out. Living matter is far more complex than any piece of human made technology, even at this time. The time comes, the transport of the rose is accomplished. Painstaking analysis of the rose reveals that no appreciable difference exist in the rose post-transport. After several further tests with different plant specimens no deaths can be attributed to effects of teleportation. Emboldened by their success the consoritum begins to conduct experimentation on non-living animal tissue. Yet again, no appreciable difference in the cellular structure of the tissue is found after transport. The question is then debated as to whether or not a living specimen should be transported. After long deliberation it is decided that a sedated mouse will be the next subject of experiement. The experiement is started and the members of the consortium wait breathlessly for the sedated mouse to materialize. The mouse arrives and in time awakens from its induced slumber and seems completely normal! Elation sweeps the consortium! Could it be that human ingenuity has found a way to travel without physically crossing space? All evidence suggests that the teleportation device is completely safe. Humanity is at the dawn of a new age...or is it? Who among us will volunteer to be the first human transported?

I tell this hypothetical story to induce the reader to ponder a very simple and implied question:

Are we humans simply the sum of our matter or is there something more, something immaterial, non-physical that might not be subject to or lend itself to our technology?

If you believe in the human soul, do you allow yourself to be transported?

What is the nature of the soul if it exists?

What is it that makes us who we are?

Would the transported Robert be the same Robert that existed before transport!

Is a non-material soul smart enough to latch back onto its body post-transport?

Ah metaphysics!

R.

Thought for the day....

2008-08-18T08:31:00.003-05:00

Often I will throw my IPOD on shuffle and it will pick at random one of the 9000+ songs I have loaded onto it...

Today this lyric seemed appropo

"Look in -- to the eye of the storm
Look out -- for the force without form
Look around -- at the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around."

Sums up my own view...quite tidily!

R.

Picture credit: http://www.nicholas-hughes.net/index.htm

Physics everyone needs to know...

2008-08-14T15:03:00.002-05:00

There's professor at UC Berkley who is doing something kind of special and cool.

Back in 2000 he had the idea to teach physics at a very basic level. He named the course Physics for Future Presidents. Professor Richard Muller has been teaching this course for more than eight years and it's one of the most popular at Berkley. The course is designed to explain important real world science in such a way as to be understandable to students with other plans than to be scientists.

The best part is you can go to the website and download MP3's or Videos of the lectures so you can take the course too...for FREE, no university credit though.

If you have an ipod or an MP3 player and want something engaging and very interesting to listen to give it try!

R.

More humor...

2008-08-13T09:03:00.005-05:00

I love humor that makes you go.....hmmmmmm!

Yet again from: xkcd

R.

Punishment or Reward. (and when...?)

2008-08-11T12:19:00.003-05:00

So I was engaged in my morning commute while listening to one of the many podcasts I subscribe to. One of the topics that arose was divine punishment and reward. I started thinking about the concept of a God that punishes and rewards a being accordingly of the merits or liabilities of his or her life.

I can't help but think of Jerry Falwell after the horrible events of 9-11 when he said:

"I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen."

Let me add my disclaimer right here before i get tons of responses irrelevant to the purpose of my post

The writer of this post in no way believes that the late Jerry Falwell in any way represents the opinions or intentions of ALL Christians.

Now I regard Mr. Falwell in much the same vein that a scientist regards a pathological virus that needs to be studied and observed such that it might be eradicated before it does more harm.

So Mr. Falwell, please consider:

1. It can be said that the majority of the country is some flavor of Christian. Estimates vary but let's say that number is 80% (conservative estimate probably higher)

2. Assuming average dispersion of a population could further then assume that roughly 80% of those that died on 9-11-2001 were Christian too.

So 8 of 10 that God was PUNISHING that awful day were his own followers?

That's a bit of a scorched Earth policy wouldn't you say?

Heck my home state LEGALIZED gay marriage back in 2004 and the worst we've seen is a maple syrup shortage!

From his on-screen antics it seems that Mr Falwell holds to the view that he must either punish or reward in THIS life, in addition to meting out judgment in the afterlife. Honestly, I don't think Mr. Falwell is was as much an idiot as he played at in front of the TV cameras. I very much feel he was considering only the lowest-common-denominator theists in this country. You know the ones I mean... the dentally and genetically challenged sub-species that populate the backwoods of southern states and frighten hikers of the Appalachian Trail*.

So if you are a Christian or Christ-follower, what are you to make of this punishment or reward issue?

Consider the poll I put up in the sidebar of my blog.

What's your view on divine punishment or reward?

Do you believe that God is actively punishing and rewarding people in this life? If so how does He choose when and where to act? Or is that a question you wouldn't even begin to answer?

As far as I can see the evidence is very much against Him acting against those that are doing evil (Paris Hilton, Dick Cheney, Vladmir Putin, Fred Phelps) and those that have done evil (Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, PolPot, McCarthy) evil.

Discuss!!!

R.

*from Bill Bryson's excellent book "A Walk in the Woods"

Alright already!!!

2008-08-06T15:23:00.002-05:00

OK!!! I disabled the 'word verification' option on my comments!

Sheesh!

When I get deluged in solicitations for who knows what in my comments you'll have only yourselves to blame!

R.

The end of the trinity?!

2008-08-06T11:58:00.004-05:00

Perhaps it's my twisted and warped sense of humor but this is freakin' hilarious!

from xkcd

This one...I LIKE!

2008-08-05T06:58:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of The Magnificent Frog:

Labels...labels...we got so many labels....

2008-08-01T07:42:00.006-05:00

There's a BIG discussion going on over at one of my favorite sites about this graphic:

With maybe the exception of one* of these men, these are all individuals I greatly admire for their deeds and positions on matters political, religious and scientific. As little as a year ago I would have wanted this image emblazoned on a t-shirt I could wear or a poster I could hang in my office. Now...it makes me uncomfortable. I don't think any of these individuals would have self identified as an atheist. More to the point I see this as another attempt by otherwise well meaning people to ram what is more of a political statement down the throats of theistic-leaning people. This makes we who would honor these men little better than some of the theistic-apologists we are fighting against.

The identities of some of these men are obvious. If some readers cannot identify all of these men, don't feel bad, they are:

1. Albert Einstein
2. Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain
3. Charles Darwin
4. Thomas Jefferson
5. Ben Franklin
6. Ernest Hemingway
7. Abraham Lincoln
8. Carl Sagan

I think we all get hung up on labels and claiming dead people as our own instead of leaving them as they are: individuals. It is true that like many things the meanings of words changes over time and what we define as atheism today is very different from the definition you'd receive from people of different times. Might be of some interest to my theist friends that Pagan Romans referred to early Christians as atheists, because the Christians didn't believe in the Roman Gods.

For my part I consider myself atheistic insomuch as I don't believe in the Gods as described by any of the religions of man. I share this characteristic with almost ever one of the names listed above. This not an arrogance! Far from it! It is because I feel the characterizations of God offered thus far by the faiths of men do a disservice to the very concept of God. Ascribing to God traits which are similar to the 7 deadly sins is anathema to me. God is far bigger and better than that. The agnostic part comes into play on the question of the existence of God in general. I cannot KNOW for certain whether there is or there is not a God. What sort of evidence would I consider acceptable and verifiable evidence of an eternal and omniscient and omnipotent God?

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
- Arthur C. Clarke

Given that seemingly self-evident truism ... would God be capable of convincing me of his existence? I think He would be up to the task, as He would know me better than I know myself.

A fellow commenter reworked the above image in such a way that made me much happier and is much more in keeping with the spirit of the individuals represented. This one makes me smile and does my non-conformist heart proud!

Let's not label each other or history any more!

R.

*Contest!!! Given what my faithful readers know of me; Name which one of these individuals, I think, does NOT belong there. For extra credit... why?

The World according BUSH...

2008-07-31T15:48:00.000-05:00

...and his apologists!

R.

What does it mean....

2008-07-31T12:23:00.002-05:00

Interesting article in the NYT...

Does this change anything for believers? I suspect not.

Is this much ado about nothing?

R.

Ummm try and look at her eyes gentleman...

2008-07-31T11:47:00.002-05:00

And now I poke a little fun at astrology....

...clearly the astrologers couldn't predict the earthquake that hit Cali the other day.

For some reason and I can't put my finger on it I can't remember what color her hair or eyes were.

Weird...

R.

Gimme, gimme, gimme!!!

2008-07-31T09:39:00.004-05:00

One of my hobbies, as many of you know from Deb's blog, is collecting 1/72 scale World War 2 Aircraft models. Some I build from kits, some I buy fulling assembled in die-cast metal. My home office has two shelves stuffed with my current collection. B-17's, B-24's, B-25's, P-51's, P-47's (my favorite), Corsairs, Hellcats, Zeros, Stukas, Messerschmitts...

My latest covet:
Not to be released till November though. BLAST!

Incidentally my 40th birthday is October 12th, I will be needing some consolation!

Nothing says, 'I love you, Rob' like a diecast model airplane! I'm just speaking the truth here.

R.

From the files of "The bizarre"

2008-07-31T07:41:00.003-05:00

I have an ex who was a student of Wicca. To many of you that is akin to Satan worship, which is interesting to me in that Wicca doesn't really have a devil per se. I look at Wicca as kind of a corny 'peace love and granola' trendy sort of pseudo-spirituality. More of a response to the overtly paternal nature of the Abrahamic faiths. I think it mainly harmless, though many who come by would disagree with me. I'm not going to get into that right now. Yet again I digress...

Anyhoo...

I heard this story on the way to work.

Seems a lass in Indianna accidentally ran a 3 foot sword through her foot (would this qualify as stigmata) while performing a Wiccan ritual in a cemetery (and these people wonder why the scare the be-jesus out of Christians). I don't even know how you'd do that!

Ridiculous...

Lest, anyone think I am overly hard on Christians... let me say here and now that I consider the Wiccan rituals as goofy and ridiculous.

R.

The most ridiculous statement I have ever read:

2008-07-30T11:01:00.002-05:00

"The freedom of religion means that no one has the right to attack, malign or grossly offend a faith tradition they personally do not have membership or ascribe all"

This was taken from the response of The Cofraternity of Catholic Clergy to PZ Meyer's desecration of a cracker.

Ummm...Padre? Come close I have a secret for you. Listen closely now.... The founders of this country wrestled power away from the likes of you BECAUSE of little bits of sophistry like the one you just uttered! I am neither inclined nor required to respect your insane little beliefs regarding transubstantiation. You want to engage in your silly little pagan rituals fine.....but i will treat them with the same silliness as I do Candle Magick, Tarot Cards and any other non-evidence based pile o'crap.

Perhaps the pious members of said organization yearn for easier and more godly times when they could deal with such blasphemers in their own enlightened ways!

This blog will be unmanned...

2008-07-30T10:47:00.001-05:00

I am guest posting over at Deb's blog today...

Though I am a tad disappointed that no one has commented on my previous post!

R.

Selective Quotations 101

2008-07-29T08:58:00.002-05:00

It is always interesting (read: upsetting) to me how certain citizens are accused of historical revisionism with regard to their admittedly unpopular stances on the words of our founders. It is plain to me as it is to many today that our fore fathers, many of whom being very religious, saw the dangers of entangling the objective realm of government with the subjective realm of the spirit and pulpit.

On July 4th 1776, the Continental Congress, adopted a document outlining the States grievances with the British Crown and their intention to sever the bonds between themselves and said crown. This brilliant document was a refutation of an ideology or a dogma that had been sacrosanct in Christian Europe for nearly 2000 years: the divine right of kings. With the Declaration of Independence came the radical idea that governments are not sovereign, the PEOPLE are sovereign. To this day the idea of a monarch is anathema to Americans.

The writer of this seminal document, Thomas Jefferson, knew full well his intentions and what he meant.

Clearly our Glorious and Benevolent Leader, and current occupant of the White House AND his writers want to subvert or suppress Mr. Jefferson's words. Submitted for your consideration:

As is tradition, most sitting presidents on July 4th will administer the oath of citizenship to those who have completed the requirements of American citizenship. This 4th of July just past, Mr. Bush did so at Monticello, Virginia, the home of Thomas Jefferson. In a speech prepared for the occasion, Mr. Bush quoted from a letter Mr. Jefferson wrote to Roger C. Weightman on June 24, 1826, just ten days before his (Mr Jefferson's) death. He spoke of the rights of man. This is the relevant excerpt from Mr. Bush's speech:

Thomas Jefferson understood that these rights do not belong to Americans alone. They belong to all mankind. And he looked to the day when all people could secure them. On the 50th anniversary of America's independence, Thomas Jefferson passed away. But before leaving this world, he explained that the principles of the Declaration of Independence were universal. In one of the final letters of his life, he wrote, "May it be to the world, what I believe it will be -- to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all -- the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government."

Sounds beautiful doesn't it? Yes good ole' Thomas prescient and relevant even today. Or is he? I wonder why Mr. Bush's speech writers* chose to redact a very important part of the original quote. The following is the FULL Quote with the curiously ommited part in bold:

"may it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains, under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings & security of self-government. that form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion."

See the full text of Mr. Jefferson's original letter for yourself here.

Isn't just like a self-serving and pandering politician? Use that which supports your case and ignore that which doesn't.

Sorry Mr. Bush I know the truth. And it isn't what you and your political advisors say it is.

R.

*Not for one second do I believe the Mr. Bush even knew about the letter he quoted from let alone write this speech! Mr. Bush couldn't string together a coherent thought that wasn't written for him if his life depended upon it.

Lavender....

2008-07-24T07:58:00.005-05:00

I love things that grow.

Does that make me a hobbit in the Tolkien sense? Perhaps.

I am always referring to my younger son, Vincenzo, as a hobbit for two reasons:

1. I think he has big feet

2. He has a curious and mischievous side that seems to me very hobbit like.

But I digress, yet again...

I love all things that grow and the whole concept of life developing and growing from very small seemingly insignificant origins is an endless source of fascination for me.

As a father of four, I am ill afforded the time to devote to a full size garden at home. Such will not always be the case, surely my children will abandon me sooner than I wish and then I'll have more time than I have occupation for. In the interim my one enterprise horticultural is an herb planter occupying my window here at my place of employment. Contained within said planter are 4 different herbs, chosen for their forgiveness of varying amounts of sunshine and less then consistent watering. Those choices are sage, rosemary, lavender and lemon-thyme.

I arrived at work this morning at my usual time and I commenced my usual morning ritual of checking e-mail and keeping tabs on the likes Tam, Deb, Christian and Ed. One does need to keep ones friends honest and at the same time guessing about your mental stability from time to time. In the midst of typing one of my cryptic posts to Tam's blog I noticed an aroma that overpowered my Starbuck's Ethiopian Sidamo blend. It was alluring to the extreme. I immediately glanced behind me thinking that Denise, one of my co-workers had snuck up on me, but she was no where to be found.

What is that lovely scent?

It then dawned on me that the aroma was originating from my window. Knowing intimately the scent of sage, rosemary and thyme, I knew immediately that this scent had to be none other than lavender. I had never smelled anything like this before. Surely, I had smelled bath products that ostensibly claimed to be lavender scented, but they were forgettable to the extent that I couldn't have rememberd even less so have told you what they smelled like ten minutes after sniffing them.

My current herb planter was gift from my wife who put it together for me with herb starters purchased from Annies in Sunderland. I have always been most partial to herbs with culinary uses: parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, tarragon, various mints etc. My wife, always trying to surprise me added the lavender, which I took to be tarragon by visual inspection alone.

Lavender is, visually, an unremarkable plant, long thin leaves on leggy stems. However, when allowed to go to flower it produces a flower of the color that is the plants name! Fascinating the human predilection for naming things in this manner.

So impressed and taken was I with this scent I decided to look up lavender through google.

This little herb has been used for a very long time:

The ancient Greeks called the lavender herb nardus, after the Syrian city of Naarda. It was also commonly called nard

Lavender was one of the holy herbs used in the biblicle Temple to prepare the holy essence, and Nard is mentioned in the Song of Solomon.

nard and saffron,
calamus and cinnamon,
with every kind of incense tree,
with myrrh and aloes,
and all the finest spices

further:

During Roman times, flowers were sold for 100 denarii per pound, which was about the same as a month's wages for a farm labourer, or fifty haircuts from the local barber. Lavender was commonly used in roman baths to scent the water, and it was thought to restore the skin. Its Latin name was lavandārius, from lavanda (things to be washed), from the verb lavāre (to wash).

I have always felt the best things in life are those that come naturally from the physical world. Experiences like this remind of that!

Does anybody else like to grow things?

R.

Sometimes it's like finding treasure...

2008-07-23T08:22:00.006-05:00

You decide to go through your "My Documents" folder and you stumble upon stuff you haven't seen in years...

...these are priceless now...and will only increase in value with every passing day...

Vin and his Mozart Cube

Sofia digs AC-DC
(she is her Papa's girl!)

Vincenzo learns to walk!

Vin and Sofia at Coggshall Park

I must change the world for them!

R.

Coming Soon...

2008-07-19T19:34:00.002-05:00

So I have returned to Central Massachusetts aka The Steam Bath of late....

96 degrees and no sea breeze....

Oh well...11 months 3 weeks till next vacation!

Coming soon

a new daring post...

"Good and Evil"

R

Cracker-gate or wafer-gate?!

2008-07-16T07:44:00.004-05:00

This all started before I went on vacation...

It seems to have boiled over the last few days...

PZ Meyers insulted the holy eucharist!!

And now surprise surprise Bill Donohue is readying the Holy Inquisition!

With all the true injustice in this world... with all the real preventable human suffering... THIS is what Catholics deem important?

Preserving, protecting and defending a freaking wafer!

An inanimate object they CLAIM* becomes the body of Christ at consecration.

On a separate note, How is EATING it any better than any other fate?

This truly is a world gone mad...

Muslims pissed at dogs, catholics protectng crackers...

I think I'm going to stay in cottage here on the Maine coast.

*Incidentally, things have meaning and or value because we say they do, not because they are blessed from on high.

Seabreeze rocks....

2008-07-12T11:37:00.004-05:00

Sitting in the breezeway of the cottage...

Woodchuck Granny Smith Cider beside me...

Cool seabreeze tussleing my hair I relax on the coast of Maine...

The wife is at the pottery store (Shocker!)....

The babies be sleepin'

The teen and tween are rowing across the cove...

Does it get any better than this...?

I submit that it could NOT!!!

R.

Requiem for Menkus..

2008-07-07T13:19:00.007-05:00

I haven't been able to do this but I need to...

Words cannot express what your companionship has meant to me these many years.

You have enriched my life far beyond capabilities I thought possible and you were as loyal a friend as any I have ever had.

I can only hope that I added to your life half as much as you added to my own. You were never just a pet, you were a member of the family.

There has never been nor will there ever be another cat like you, you were truly unique. Now you have departed, gone to your peace, leaving nothing but cherished memories. You will never be forgotten.

Menkus

1993 - 2008

I love you!

-Robert

The countdown has begun...

2008-07-07T08:37:00.003-05:00

Only 4 more days! The Lombardi family Vacation 2008 is slated to start this Friday at 7pm. We are again headed to East Boothbay, Maine. The venue is a seaside cottage where you can hear the gulls and the tide. You can smell the salt air mixed with the scent of balsam fir trees. I have every intention of reacquainting myself with the stars as the viewing from the shore is spectacular! Last year I was floored by the view of the Milky Way and how prominent it is in a clear sky.

I do have Internet access from the cottage, so there is a chance I will write dispatches from 'down east', but I will not make promises!

R.

He's not pretty but he is succinct!

2008-07-02T12:36:00.000-05:00

From Crackle: Penn Says- Agnostic vs. Atheist

Meet Guillaume Couture..

2008-06-26T08:35:00.004-05:00

Monument to Guillaume Couture in Lévis, on the south shore of the Sainte-Laurent, opposite Québec city

Have you every met anyone with the last name of Couture? Anyone? Well, if you live in North America and you have met someone with this last name. They are directly descended from this man, Guillaume Couture. My mother is of very near complete French-Canadian descent and Couture is her maiden name. Which makes this man my 8th great-grandfather. Having done much research on this man I can say without reservation that this guy was a hard-core bad ass!

As an American child I learned about the history of the pioneers of the Virginia and Massachusetts colonies and I was always jealous that I couldn't trace my lineage back to these first Americans. Before the birth my first son I became interested in Genealogy and to that end I researched the French-Canadian half of my pedigree. What I learned filled stunned me. My own lineage was here long before those 'limey' Anglos ever set foot on north American soil.

Miles Standish ain't got nuthin' on my ancestor Guillaume...

*Read on:

Guillaume Couture (or Cousture) (January 14, 1618 - April 4, 1701) was a citizen of New France. During his life he was a lay missionary with the Jesuits, a survivor of torture, a member of a Mohawk council, a translator, a diplomat, a militia captain, and a lay leader among the colonists of the Pointe-Levy (actually named (Lévis) City) in the Seigneury of Lauzon. A district of New France located on the South Side of Quebec City.

Early life and recruitment by the Jesuits

Couture was born in Rouen in 1618, Rouen was the political center Normandy, a province in Northern France, the son of Guillaume Couture Sr. and Madeleine Mallet (at this time in France married women kept their birth names). Guillaume Sr. was a respectable carpenter in the St Goddard district, young Guillaume was brought up to follow in his father's footsteps. However, by 1640 Guillaume Couture was recruited by Jesuits to be a donne in New France. A donne was a lay missionary who would assist the Jesuits in converting the natives of New France to Roman Catholicism. Couture had to take a vow of celibacy and give up his inheritance, transferring it to his relatives in Rouen.

Work with Isaac Jogues

Arriving in New France in 1640, Couture went to work among the Hurons. By 1642 Couture was working with the Jesuit leader Isaac Jogues. During this period, Couture learned several major native languages, which increased his stature, for he could now work as a translator for the Jesuits. Couture also learned much about native culture and ways during this period.

Tortured by the Mohawks

In 1642, Couture set out with Father Jogues, another lay missionary, Rene Goupil, and several Huron converts for Quebec. On their way back to the Huron missions, a Mohawk war party ambushed the group. Right before the attack, Couture saw the Hurons, who realized what was about to happen, take off into the woods; Couture followed them as Jogues and Goupil were captured. However, according to Relations des Jésuites de la Nouvelle-France (the official reports sent by the Jesuits to their leaders in France) reported that Couture soon began to regret what he did. The Relations reported that:

This young man was able to escape; but the thought of it having come to him -"no" he says, "I wish to die with the Father; I cannot forsake him; I will gladly suffer the fire and the rage of these tigers for the love of Jesus Christ, in the company of the good Father" That is speaking like a truly faithful man.

On his way to surrender himself to the Mohawks, Couture was ambushed by five Mohawks. One of them fired a gun at Couture, but he missed. Couture shot back, this time killing him instantly. The other four Mohawks, fell upon Couture and with heavy clubs beat him up. They also took a javelin and forced it through one of his hands. Later on, Couture, Jogues, and Goupil were subjected to even more torture. The Mohawks tore out Couture's fingernails, and bit the ends to cause maximum pain. Then the three men were stripped and forced to walk through a party of two hundred Mohawks; as they did, the Mohawks beat the three with sticks of thorns. After arriving at a Mohawk village, a Mohawk leader took out a dull knife and began to cut off Couture's right middle finger. When it failed to work, the chief simply pulled the finger out of its socket. At this point, Couture was sent deep into Mohawk Country (present day upstate New York in Auriesville) where he was given to a family to be their slave.

Diplomacy and release

For the next three years, Couture impressed his captors greatly. No doubt they were impressed with the fact that he withstood his torture (which would had killed most people) and performed the tasks assigned to him with dignity. So impressed were the Mohawks that they invited Couture to sit on their councils. No other European would ever get this honor.

In 1645, [[de Montmagny], the governor of New France, decided it was time to end the war with the Mohawks. He released several Mohawk prisoners and sent them into Mohawk Country to negotiate a peace settlement. The Mohawks in turn released Couture, and asked him to act on their behalf, which Couture agreed to do. Couture arrived at Trois-Rivières and, along with two Mohawk leaders, was able to put an end (for the time) the war between the Five Nations (better known as the Iroquois) and the French.

Instead of settling down after such an ordeal, Couture decided to go straight back to Huron Country. In 1646 he was reported as working in the Huron missions with Father Pijart. He only did this for only two years between 1645 and 1647.

First settler of Pointe-Levy in the Seignory of Lauzon (actually named City of Lévis since 1861)

On May 15, 1647, he became the first settler of the Seignory of Lauzon at Pointe-Levy (located in front of Quebec City) which will become the city of Lévis in 1861. However, he was not a seignor because the Seignory of Lauzon was the property of Jean de Lauzon (Governor of New France between 1651 and 1657.). In 1649, he had decided to finally settle down. The Jesuit leaders in New France voted unanimously to release Couture from his vows and to allow him to get married. The woman who Couture chose to be his bride was Anne Aymard, who was from St Andre de Niort, in Poitou region of France. The couple would have ten children during their years of marriage.

Last Mission and Last Expedition in New France

During the 1650s and 1660's, Couture acted as a diplomat, going to New Netherlands to negotiate trade and to settle boundary disputes between the two colonies.

In 1663, Couture was recruited by French Governor Pierre du Bois d'Avaugour for a mission in the North of New France. The main mission was to find the North Sea. However, Couture found the Mistassini Lake and he goes to the Rupert River. He was accompanied by Pierre Duquet et Jean Langlois and many Amerindians. This shipment consisted of 44 boats. No doubt Couture's skills with native languages came into good use. The party worked among the Papinachois, who lived in present day northeastern Quebec.

The administrator and Captain of the Militia of Pointe-Levy

Sometime around 1666, with war with the Iroquois and the English looming, Couture, now living full time in Pointe-Lévy (Lévis) since 1647. Couture was the main administrator and he has been named Captain of the Militia for the area he lived in. This was a major honor in New France, only going to those who had proved themselves, something Couture had done again and again. In 1690, when Admiral William Phips invaded Quebec City Area, Couture was able to prevent the English from attacking Pointe-Levy at the age of 72 yrs old.

By this point, Couture was also the Chief Magistrate of the Pointe-Levy (actually named Lévis) district. Among his jobs were to run the censuses, enforce government edicts, and run the local assemblies that met from time to time. Couture was also in charge of local court cases, being both judge and jury. On some occasions, Couture was invited to sit on the Sovereign Council, which ran New France for Louis XIV. The fact that the status-obsessed French government offered Couture, who was low born, a part time seat on the council shows how highly the leaders of New France viewed him.

Couture died in 1701

On November 18, 1700, Couture's wife Anne died. In the Springtime of 1701, Couture was 83 yrs old and he was sick (probably the Smallpox). He has been moved to the Hotel Dieu of Quebec City, where he died on April 4, 1701. The location of his tomb is actually unknown, as Samuel de Champlain, founder of Quebec City.

*Copied from a wikipedia entry which was translated from a French history located here.

Christ-killers and Time-machines and blood sacrifice...oh my!

2008-06-23T10:53:00.005-05:00

It's been a little while since I posted. Generally it's been because of the summer season conspiring against my need to engage with people on matters philosophical and theological, but I digress...

I've been wanting to bring this subject up for a long while now and I haven't known quite how to broach it. The subject I'd like to discuss is the penchant for some of those who claim to be Christian to attach a label to those of the Jewish persuasion. That label is a horrible one: Christ-killer.

First an emphatic disclaimer: I do not in any way believe that ALL those who would call themselves Christian or a Christ-Follower believe that the Jewish people are 'Christ-killers'.

What is the basis for leveling such a charge at a whole group of people who weren't even present at the doleful events described in the Gospels? When is it EVER acceptable to hold accountable the descendants of those purported to have caused, through action or inaction, some horrible event?

Would it be acceptable or fair for an American of African descent to hold some American of English descent accountable for the evil of American slavery?

I think most if not ALL of my theistic friends who come here to read my verbal regurgitations would agree with me that the whole 'Jew = Christ-killer' math is horribly wrong and misguided.

This line of thought does however pose more interesting questions. That said I'd like to unpack this a little further so I ask your indulgence as I engage in a measure of temporal experimentation.

Suppose one of us had access to a time machine.

You could go anywhere in the past and you could interact with persons in the same way you do with people in your everyday life. Putting aside the arguments of temporal paradoxes such as killing your father before he and your mother engaged in the act that conceived you. What would you, the prospective time traveler, do with your power to change history for the better?

Would you act in such a way as to prevent the trial and death of Jesus Christ?

The reason I ask is this: The aforementioned people who would ascribe the label of Christ-killer to the Jewish people betray a certain unhappiness with the Jesus' end and a wish that he had not been killed. Why should this be so? It seems to me that the entire narrative of the 'Good News' is that Jesus came here to die for the sins of all past, present and future. So why should any believer in Christ and his work be upset that Jesus died? He did his job as prescribed and you are all the beneficiaries.

It seems to me that saving Jesus from the cross is much different than saving Lincoln from John Wilkes Booth. My reading of history tells me that saving Lincoln may very well have saved the South from a humiliating and punishing Reconstruction period as Lincoln very much wanted to bring the South back into the fold in a much more compassionate and forgiving manner.

To wit; What would have been the fruits of rescuing Jesus from the mob in the Garden of Gethsemane? Had he not died in the manner recorded would that have detracted from his general message? What is the voodoo or magic behind the blood-sacrifice of an innocent that somehow miraculously assuages or cures the blight that possesses all sinners provided they accept said innocent as his Lord and savior?

Isn't it more likely that the stories of the Gospels are better taken as mythological truths that convey a deep meaning but need not be taken as literal truth?

I don't claim to have all the answers I just ask the questions and see where the queries lead...

Discuss!

R.

Raise your consciousness...

2008-06-13T08:25:00.002-05:00

Carl shows what was lost 2000 years ago...

...and warns of what could happen if we surrender to fanaticism and ignorance.

R.

What is the point of this?

2008-05-30T08:57:00.003-05:00

Oh for the love of...

Seriously, can someone PLEASE tell me what is the point of this ad? For the benefit of those of you who haven't heard, a little background.

An erstwhile Ford dealership in California has decided to insult 14% of the population recently. If you haven't heard the radio spot or don't want to play the video above this is a transcript of the audio:

"Did you know that there are people in this country who want prayer out of schools, "Under God" out of the Pledge, and "In God We Trust" to be taken off our money?"

"But did you know that 86% of Americans say they believe in God? Since we all know that 86 out of every 100 of us are Christians, who believe in God, we at Kieffe & Sons Ford wonder why we don't tell the other 14% to sit down and shut up. I guess I just offended 14% of the people who are listening to this message. Well, if that is the case then I say that's tough, this is America folks, it's called free speech. None of us at Kieffe & Sons Ford is afraid to speak out. Kieffe & Sons Ford on Sierra Highway in Mojave and Rosamond, if we don't see you today, by the grace of God, we'll be here tomorrow."

Now I ask all of you who ostensibly call yourselves American citizens, theist and non-theist, Atheist, Christian, Muslim or Jew. Black, white, red, yellow, or green. Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Communist, Socialist or independent.

WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT OF SUCH A MEAN SPIRITED AND DIVISIVE AD?!

You are right about one thing, we do have freedom of speech in this land...and clearly you are partaking in another freedom that so many Americans seem to relish: the freedom to be an ASSHOLE!!!I quite rightly wonder what the response to and effect of this ad might have been if the authors had replaced the implied subject of 'atheist' with Muslim or Jew or maybe African-American or Korean.

In response to the torrent of bad press the dealership has received over this faux pas in judgment:

Rick Kieffe, owner of Kieffe and Sons Ford in Mojave and Rosamond, insisted Wednesday that he does not remember approving the ad (LIAR!), which he said was written by his longtime advertising writer and producer in Oklahoma.
“It’s just something that went by us,” (IS YOUR NOSE GROWING AND/OR ARE YOUR PANTS ON FIRE?) said Kieffe, who does not attend church but considers himself “a Christian spirit.” “We’re obviously sorry that it offends a given segment who identifies themselves as atheist.”

It would be hilarious if it weren't so freakin' sad!

R.

John Adams

2008-05-30T08:05:00.002-05:00

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love history. I am fascinated by the past, I always have been. It was one of my favorite subjects in school and to this day nothing makes me happier than planting myself in front the TV to watch a well made historical documentary. Ancient history, Medieval history, American history, European history...name it I love it! I learned long ago that you cannot understand who you are unless you understand what you were. A few years back I purchased the DVD set of Ken Burn's PBS mini-series "The Civil War". It is in my humble opinion the gold-standard when it comes to historical documentary. With each viewing i come away with something new.

Naturally, when I learned that HBO would be creating a 7 part mini-series about John Adams based on the book "John Adams" by David McCullough, I was giddy with anticipation. Though met with mixed reviews by many different self-appointed entertainment 'experts', I feel the series was phenomenal and its creation could have only been accomplished by HBO. I enjoyed the series so thoroughly and my respect for Mr. Adams so much increased that I felt I had to add the book the series was based on to my reading list. Recently, I subscribed to audible.com a service that makes available audio versions of many printed works. This seemed a perfect idea as I spend 2 hours a weekday commuting to and from my place of employment. Rather than listen to horrid commercial radio I chose to use the time to 'feed my head' as it were. When I noted that audible.com had the unabridged version of "John Adams" I downloaded it immediately and put it on my ipod.

Admittedly, before my listening of "John Adams" I have been a disciple of Thomas Jefferson and thought him to be the superior of Adams in most ways. Today I can say quite confidently the Mr. John Adams is so greatly misunderstood and under-appreciated as to be crime of history. As the esteemed Dr. Benjamin Rush, noted contemporary and confidant of both Jefferson and Adams, so aptly put it the two men represent the two poles of the American experiment. Never before or since has there been a man so deserving of praise and adulation as this "colossus of independence" from Braintree, Massachusetts.

I highly recommend anyone who has the remotest interest in what it means to be American either read or listen to this wonderful account of the life and times of Mr. John Adams. I will be adding my voice to the growing call for a monument to John Adams somewhere in our nations capitol.

R.

Reveal yourself to me...

2008-05-23T09:10:00.006-05:00

Rather...I would reveal myself onto you...

Recently, Deb asked me a question: "Have you ever asked God to reveal Himself to you?" I am not sure if those were the exact words she used but it's my belief that my recollection is in the spirit of her original query and is accurate in spirit if not its precise wording. As with most questions of deep gravity I've been giving this question from our latest interlocution a deep measure of thought and reflection. The short answer to Deb's sincere and compassionate question is this: "No I have not." This raises the deeper question with some degree of obviousness:

Why have I not asked God to reveal both Himself and His will for my life directly to me?

There was a time in my life when reason and faith were very much at war for my allegiance as it were. This time comprised the years betwixt my mid teens to my late twenties. I was, and still am to some degree, a quiet and bashful person. My adolescence was awkward and painful. Sooner would I wish my own death than be the center of any sort of attention. Having been a curious child I wanted to know the workings of the physical and natural world. My parents made it easy for me to obtain answers to the questions their limited educations could not any longer provide. It was at this time Carl Sagan's magnum opus "Cosmos" premiered on PBS. It was a sincere revelation of the most awesome kind. It tied EVERYTHING together. I began to understand that the Universe was indifferent to humanities cares, concerns and sufferings. It was our own intelligence that was the greatest force for our own survival and success. This clashed doggedly with the Christian teachings I was being instructed in every Sunday. For more than 15 years I somehow managed to compartmentalize two realms. The realm dominated by reason coupled with empiricism and the realm of revealed truth and faith in a personal God.

Over the years I have come to the intractable conclusion that God, if He does exist, is not active in the world of humanity or in its affairs. There are just too many horrors evident in this world to believe in a personal deity. Such a being is inconsistent with the world as revealed by my senses and my reason.

So again in answer to Deb's thoughtful question; No I do not ask God to reveal himself to me because any answer I get will not convince me of his existence anyway. The reason being thus; the human mind is far too powerful a manufacturer of sensation and feeling. How would I know for sure I was experiencing the divine and not some manifestation of my own mind that my inner consciousness was convinced that I needed to have?

While I am sure that those of you did indeed have a spiritual experience that changed you in a deep and personal way, it is by definition a personal experience and therefore outside of my own and naturally from standpoint of empiricism it is, in the end, untestable and unverifiable. Perhaps these spiritual experiences you all give testimony to are experiences you needed to have at some particular point in your lives to give you purpose and direction when you desperately needed them. My own skepticism to the veracity of your claims of the divine origin of the experience would, I hope, do nothing to ameliorate the power and authenticity of your experience. To my mind and, hopefully to your own what would it matter what the origin of the experience is? It has clearly given purpose and direction to your own lives. It is not my station nor my intent to relieve anyone from their beliefs.

All of my life I have had a very stringent and rigid moral sense. I have never abused any physical substance. I have obeyed the laws of society to the best of my ability. I have endeavored to treat with my fellow man in a way that is fair and honest. I have not needed to call upon God for answers as to how I should behave in day to day existence, to my mind answers and requirements have always been self evident. I have not felt the need to inquire with the divine for purpose in my life for that is for me to decide and no one else. Even if I were to have such an experience I am not convinced that I would attribute it to God. To quote the eminent mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace when asked by Napoleon why he (Laplace) never mentioned a creator in all his mathematic and astronomical works is said to have replied: "Sir, I have no need for that hypothesis." Do not take this as arrogance but simply as my way conveying that I have enough understanding of the nature of the universe as to be comfortable with my lot in it.

R.

PS Deb, I hope this response is accepted by you as coming from my heart and is in keeping with my wish to be as intellectually honest as possible. Sorry it took so long to answer! Peace to you and your family!

One of my favorites...

2008-05-15T07:30:00.002-05:00

A recent conversation I had with Deb reminded me of one of my favorite pieces of poetry. Mr. Robert Frost, who inhabited my neck o' the woods for much of his life, wrote this little piece that I draw much inspiration from:

The Road not Taken.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
and sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
and looked down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear;
though as for that, the passing there
had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
in leaves no feet had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference

by Robert Frost

Technical Note

2008-05-15T07:22:00.002-05:00

So evidently most readers find the music player distracting and annoying. With those concerns in mind I have eliminated the imeem player from my blog.

I have also ADDED a Yahoo Messenger status widget to the right so you can see whence I am available for chat!

R.

Mr. Einstein was one...

2008-05-13T14:50:00.002-05:00

Having read enough of Einstein's writings I know enough about him to identify with his brand of spirituality. Still over the decades many different and disparate groups have quote mined his work for phrases to support their particular agendas be they political, religious or scientific or some combination there of.

Recently, a letter written by Einstein went on the auction block in London. In this letter MR. Relativity leaves no doubt as to what his views are regarding the Bible:

The letter up for sale, written to philosopher Eric Gutkind in January 1954, suggests his views on religion did not mellow with age.

In it, Einstein said that "the word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish."

"For me," he added, "the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions."

Perhaps, now those of a theist bend will stop quote mining Mr. Einstein...?

I doubt it.

R.