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Thought of the day
Posted on June 28, 2010 by Michael
The evolution of life is one of the most important things anyone can ever realize.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Thought of the day | 6 Comments »
Kevin Scott responds
Posted on June 26, 2010 by Michael
I’ve received direct responses from three candidates for governor for Maine regarding my question about their position on teaching creationist garbage. Eliot Cutler and Shawn Moody do not want it taught. Now Kevin Scott weighs in.
Hello Michael, creationism as science is not acceptable for teaching in public schools for a number of reasons – certainly not as an element of the curriculum. K-12 should teach tolerance and world cultural views but a “religious” doctrine of any kind is not acceptable in our K-12 public school system.
I firmly believe religious and moral values are derived from family, not public school. In my view schools are for academic pursuits and the home & church is for social value development.
We need to elect a Governor who will work to make society, jobs, policies, etc… that will empower families and add value to individual efforts to raise and grow a family.
He posted this post on his Facebook page as well as in a private inbox message to me. Another good answer.
I’ve also received an indirect response from that poverty-loving, equality-hating, ignorant bigot Paul LePage: he deleted my question and prevented me from asking it again on his page. Fortunately, I have a blog with nearly 150,000 hits. That isn’t me bragging, like LePage. It’s me pointing out that I might be able to encourage some of my readers to head over to LePage’s Facebook page and ask him to clarify his position. He has recently said he supports teaching creationism, but he never said why. The answer is presumably that either 1) hates science or 2) is ignorant. But he needs to give the answer. So go ask him.
I’ve also reiterated the question to Libby Mitchell. She’s a smart lady so I can just about guarantee that she rejects the teaching of creationism, but it wouldn’t hurt to try and prompt a response from her as well.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Creationism, Eliot Cutler, Evolution, Governor, Kevin Scott, Libby Mitchell, Maine, Paul LePage, Shawn Moody | 5 Comments »
Shawn Moody responds
Posted on June 24, 2010 by Michael
I’ve been asking the candidates for Maine governor their positions on the teaching of creationism in public schools. Paul LePage, Republican, deleted the question, presumably out of understandable embarrassment for his previously stated support for teaching children that people and dinosaurs walked the Earth together. Eliot Cutler expressed his support for evolution, calling it fundamental to the understanding of the world. Now Shawn Moody has responded.
Michael,
I don’t believe teaching creationism in public schools is appropriate. In the history of the World, many military conflicts centered around religious intolerance. Our Freedom of Religion is one founding principle that makes America the greatest nation in the world. I do believe in the separation of Church and State.
There is a time and a place…….. Thanks Shawn
Sort of a hodgepodge of points, but that’s pretty standard for most politicians answering this sort of question. But good. I’m still waiting on Libby Mitchell and Kevin Scott to respond, but it seems as though the only anti-science candidate so far is Paul LePage.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Eliot Cutler, Governor, Kevin Scott, Libby Mitchell, Maine, Paul LePage, Shawn Moody | Leave a comment »
Thought of the day
Posted on June 24, 2010 by Michael
“UnAmerican” is one of the most poorly defined terms in modern political rhetoric.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Thought of the day | 25 Comments »
LePage brags about his fans
Posted on June 23, 2010 by Michael
Although he is virtually in a statistical tie with Democratic candidate for Maine governor Libby Mitchell, Republican candidate Paul LePage likes to think he’s way ahead. Or maybe he gets it and realizes that the poll numbers don’t give him that big edge, so he’s trying to find another way to brag about being ever-so-popular. Whatever the reason, this is the status update on his Facebook page.
We just hit 3,300 fans! Libby Mitchell is at 2,139, Eliot Cutler 919… Keep spreading the word- Click “Share” on the link below. Let’s keep the momentum on facebook in order to reach our GOOOOOAAALLLLLL in November! Go USA soccer!!
This is as valid as measuring what people think based upon Internet polls. There are any number of reasons any candidate may have the fans he or she does. LePage may encourage people to sign up for his Facebook page while he’s out campaigning, and Mitchell and Cutler don’t. In fact, under the picture of his obese mug he encourages people to suggest his page to friends. It’s all meaningless.
Which is why everyone should become a fan of Mitchell’s and Cutler’s respective pages. It doesn’t mean jack squat, but if it might stress LePage out to know he isn’t so far ahead in the Facebook page contest, then it’s worth it. I mean, the guy already wants to have creationism taught in Maine, so I imagine it might actually work since he puts stock in things that make no sense.
Join Libby Mitchell’s page here.
Join Eliot Cutler’s page here.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Eliot Cutler, Governor, Libby Mitchell, Maine, Paul LePage | 4 Comments »
Shambling After
Posted on June 22, 2010 by Michael
I’ve advertised, supported, linked, and done everything within my blogging power to promote a number of my friends. Just take a look at my blogroll: Acadia Sunrise, Gorgeous Green Mama, Mr. Jay Gatsby. And now that we’re tight, tight Facebook friends, even Ashley F. Miller.
I support these people because I like what they’re doing, what they might do, or just the fact that they’re doing. I wish more people would blog. Back in my dark days of actually being an English major (no, Christopher Maloney, I no longer am one), I came across a lot of fellow writers who really knew what they were doing. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely anyone else will ever read much of what most of them have to say – of what they can say.
But I think the bloggers I’ve listed above have that same quality of knowing what they’re doing. At Acadia Sunrise, there’s the clear intent (and accomplishment) of making a connection between nature and prose. Gorgeous Green Mama has some similarities, but with a distinctive community/family flavor. Mr. Jay Gatsby’s writing is driven, clear, and unambiguous. Ashley F. Miller reminds me a bit of my own style, first with the summarizing then with the analysis. But she is certainly her own blogger, bringing a particular wit I’ve just spent the past 10 minutes trying (and failing) to define.
But I mention that all these people know their way around the English language because I don’t want to offend them when I gush over how insanely…good…Shambling After commands her prose.
It may seem as though I am complaining about the way Cairo is. In reality, all of this is what I like about it. Life is not easy here. Every morning you wake up in 109 degree weather, sweat-soaked and more exhausted than when you closed your eyes, you remember that you’re alive. Every time you turn away a begging child on the streets of Cairo, you remember that you’re alive. Every time you walk away from an epic cat battle on the streets, you remember that you’re alive.
My greatest fear is that I’ll leave Cairo, return to my monotonous life, and forget how unbelievable it feels to feel…
And the thing is, yes, out of context “an epic cat battle” sounds like a joke. But within the structure of considered prose, it means something; that I have a vivid idea of just where this cat battle happened, of the particular cats involved, of the numbed people on the streets, is a good indication that the writing is effective.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Acadia Sunrise, An epic cat battle, Ashley F Miller, Blogroll, Cairo, Gorgeous Green Mama, Mr. Jay Gatsby, Shambling After | 1 Comment »
Thought of the day
Posted on June 22, 2010 by Michael
Perhaps the greatest achievement of Christianity is the uncanny ability to get people to believe some parts of the Bible are metaphorical (e.g., Genesis does not really say the Universe was made in 6 days) while they believe other parts are literally true (e.g., Jesus really did turn water into wine). It’s entirely arbitrary.
But I’m being dishonest. Christianity actually has no methodology. It has no way of determining how one thing is true and another is false. How could it? Theology is the best claim any religion can have, but even then it only works if everyone agrees on some basic premise (e.g., God exists). And even then there’s no way to be sure what to believe; theology is an arrogant form of literary criticism. Anyone who has bothered to make any interpretation of any novel with any amount of symbolism knows that without direct knowledge of what the author meant, it’s all a crap shoot. Some interpretations may be more sophisticated than others, but none can be certain. The Bible, another book written by people (in this case, the few literate members of an otherwise illiterate society), is no different. It contains no methodology, no defined ways of knowing. It can’t inform anyone of anything except by faith.
And that’s not really being informed, is it?
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: theology, Thought of the day | 14 Comments »
Thought of the day
Posted on June 21, 2010 by Michael
In the beginning, man created God.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Thought of the day | 2 Comments »
Thought of the day
Posted on June 15, 2010 by Michael
A day hiked is never a day wasted.
Filed under: Hiking, Misc | Tagged: Hiking, Thought of the day | Leave a comment »
For the Sake of Science 