Child’s question to Obama highlights nation’s hate

Ok so I know I normally avoid politics and I am not going to say anything about this but I actually found this article enjoyable and a good read no matter where you stand on political issues.

Facts vs Politics

So some times I have to look for something to go off about and sometimes you just pick it up on the way to your office. Today it was the later when I came across this article in today's Daily Toreador, the school paper for Texas Tech.

So most of the article is not what I want to deal with it is kind of blah and not really something I care to make an statement on and there were somethings I actually agreed with while reading this. That was until I came to these next few statements:

The fact these individuals believe [...] or that we did not evolve from lower forms of life [...] does not make them evil people.

and then further on

However, if we turn off our minds to their reasoning([...] they do not bow to the supposed all-powerful altar of scientific theory, etc.) we only damage ourselves.

This pretty much pissed me off but what did I expect I am in West Texas. A scientific theory is not a matter of personal belief it is based on evidence, far too much to list right now. You are truing off your reasoning by accepting what has been told to you by church leaders for hundreds of years. Examine the evidence, all of it, with open eyes not with the idea that it is already wrong. The fact that they mix in evolution with Political ideals such as socialism etc is exactly what makes me mad it is not a political issue it is not an idea to be put up for debate by the common person the ideas are being refined and debated amongst scientist and trust me if someone disproves evolution it will very quickly be published in the popular media.

So some of you might be wondering why I don't write a reply in the student paper. I am not because 1) my writing is pretty obviously crappy because I know what I think just not how to write it down and 2) That is not the main topic that they are talking about in their piece, although with the way these topics are included he kind of goes against the main point in his article. Anyway feel free to leave any comments if you think I am over reacting or under reacting here as well as state your opinion on the page for the article itself.

The Dose Makes the Poison

So I have been subscribed to C0nc0rdance for some time now and while I appreciate his videos I normally don't feel the need to post them here. Then I saw this series today entitled The Dose Makes the Poison and in light of the current outrage over the new flu vaccine, and just vaccines in general, I figured I would pass it along. I want to say from the outset that his statements are based on real science and evidence unlike many of those who are against vaccination...anyway enjoy.

The Dose Makes the Poison Part 1


The Dose Makes the Poison Part 2


I recommend watching his other videos and subscribing to him, his channel can be found here.

Build a Museum

I know I haven't posted in a little while school has taken up a lot of my free time as expected and yes I know Saturday is for football but since it is halftime in the Texas vs Oklahoma game, when did the Big 12 start playing defense, so I figured I would get a post in because this is something I have wanted to post about for a long time and keep forgetting about or being too busy. Ok that was a long sentence let me get to what I actually want to talk about.

So for anyone who has been to LSU knows that their Museum of Natural History is small and does not have much in the way of stuff on display. You might also know that they gave some of their stuffed animal collections to a store down I-10. Well there has been a campaign going on to help them build a museum, click here to learn more. This is something that needs to be done, and they are currently not asking for money just for public support. And public support for science is something that is hard to come by, see here and here. For people who don't know the current museum shows almost exclusively stuffed animals and most people in the state and region don't know how much in the way of fossils that LSU has. They have 70% of a Basilisaurs as well as a large collection of other mammals all of which have been found in the state of Louisiana. It would also help attract lots of large traveling exhibits like Sue. The state does not have a major natural history museum but it has plenty of natural history is it any wonder they are one of the worst when it comes to science standards. People especially kids learn the most from seeing these great organisms that once roamed this planet. So those of you be you from the state of Louisiana or not please support this attempt to build a museum in Baton Rouge on the LSU campus, maybe try contacting Mrs. Jindal because we know that Mr. Jindal doesn't support science.

Thank Goodness!

So this story caught my attention today.

In general the parents of a young girl whose daughter died because instead of seeking medical attention let her suffer through complications of diabetes were sentenced today to 6 months in jail and 10 years probation. I am happy for this decision because being a diabetic myself I know two things 1) the complications of diabetes while not painful are very draining I have never been so tired in my life and 2) in the 21st century when we have the drugs to make life very comfortable and live a long time with diabetes you should be forced to treat it. It will also make parents seek medical treatment for a sick child instead of just praying for them.

The judge had this to say:

'God probably works through other people,' Howard told the parents, 'some of them doctors.'

That is fine even if you believe in God there is no reason to seek medical treatment for a disease because without it life expectancy would be much shorter sort of like it was in the middle ages.

The parents had this to say:

'I do not regret trusting truly in the Lord for my daughter's health,' she said. 'Did we know she had a fatal illness? No. Did we act to the best of our knowledge? Yes.'

Dale Neumann, 47, read from the Bible and told the judge that he loved his daughter.

'I am guilty of trusting my Lord's wisdom completely. ... Guilty of asking for heavenly intervention. Guilty of following Jesus Christ when the whole world does not understand. Guilty of obeying my God,' he said.

First to the mother:

You didn't know your daughter had a fatal illness? Let me describe what happens before people typically get diagnosed:
1) They become thirsty to the point that they are unbelievably thirsty (I would drink multiple hydrating drinks and still thirsty).
2) The need to use the bathroom is almost as bad (I was using the bathroom every hour)
3) Hunger is slowly getting replaced by the wanting to drink (I never was hungry I would only want to drink the only reason I ate was because I knew I had to)
4) People lose weight very quickly (over the course of a few months I lost 40 pounds [I put 15 pounds on the first night I was in the hospital])
All of this was noticeable in to other people which is why I finally went to the hospital but she was even worse than I was she apparently was unable to speak, eat, or drink.

To the father:

You are not guilty of following Jesus' word in fact I had many a christian say to me that Jesus tells us to seek out those who can help us in this world.

Assistant District Attorney LaMont Jacobson said justice was served by the sentences, but he was disappointed the parents never said they were sorry for what happened.

Your kid died the least you can do it feel bad about it.

I don't know if their is a God or not but if there is, to those who think we shouldn't use medicine, and he made us he gave us a big brain that has gotten us to where we are, why can't we use it?

And it gets worse

So I know it has been a few days since my last post life has once again gotten in the way. So we all know about Louisiana's decision to allow the use of creationist material in the classroom passed their state school board earlier this year. Well a couple of weeks ago it got even worse.

http://lasciencecoalition.org/docs/LCFS_release_BESE_complaint_policy_9.28.09.pdf

That's right while they still will allow the Department of Education to review the material the local school boards do not have to listen to them should they disagree. Well considering they will probably be the ones to put the material in the classroom in the first place why should they care what that the state's experts say?

The state of science education in the state of Louisiana is down right horrible right now. And unfortunately unlike the people of Kansas who when they saw the problem elected their school board members out of office the next year I do not feel that this has been publicised enough for it to matter to most people in the State of Louisiana. This is a state that needs science and needs to listen to scientists more and they continue to ignore them. In my opinion the boycott by science organizations not coming to Louisiana is not enough people need to spread to word to others in the state and get the BESE board removed next election cycle. The only other way that I feel this will get changed is through a lawsuit. It worked in Dover and would set a clear precedent that this is the exact same thing.

[I apologize for my grammar to anyone with a respect to the English language out there I was having trouble putting my emotions into words]

Interesting way to handle this

So I was just cruising the internets tonight and came across the Wikipedia article on the Virginia Aquarium and having been to this aquarium before, given it was years ago, I figured I would cruise over to their website (found here). When I got to their website I see that they are going to open a new exhibit in about 56 days. So I decided I would check what all exhibits they currently have there, you have your standard sharks, seals, and turtles (among others) then I went to the new exhibit, found here, where I read this:

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center will unveil its spectacular $25 million renovation in 2009. Restless Planet is four immersive habitats, dozens of new exhibits and 110,000 gallons of new aquariums. The Aquarium’s original main exhibit gallery has been dramatically overhauled to represent Restless Planet, where we can see how diverse environments from Virginia’s past compare to similar environments still in existence today

Awesome I thought but they aren't really going to reference geologic time periods are they?

The Malaysian Peat Swamp, resembling Virginia during the Carboniferous period

Yes they are this is awesome and should be an interesting way to help kids see how the Earth and in particular Virginia have changed environments throughout the millions of years of earth's history.

They will have the Malaysian Peat Swamp (representing the Carboniferous), the Coastal Sahara Desert Habitat (representing the Silurian), the Red Sea Habitat (representing the rifts valleys of VA during the "Jurassic" I might lean toward Triassic since they are called the Triassic rift basins [sorry]), and the Indonesia’s Flores Island Habitat (representing the volcanic Precambrian [this might be a stretch but OK]).

Overall I hope that these end up being a good exhibit when it opens if there is anyone reading this who can get there when it opens let me know what it is like, hopefully I can get out there in the next few years but I doubt it.

Oh I'm sorry Dembski

So apparently William Dembski has a problem with a private organization doing something to help shine light on religion. It is a short post on the Uncommon Descent blog and you can find the post here.

The start of his post he says this:

You’ve got to wonder what an organization that touts itself for critical thinking is thinking when it sponsors a BLASPHEMY CONTEST:

I'll tell you what they were thinking they were thinking that they, the Center for Inquiry, a group of Atheists, Agnostics, and FREE THINKERS could hold a contest where people could...THINK. And that is the great thing about the US is that we are free to do that there are plenty of places in the world where this would not be allowed at all. So sure lets spread the word of this contest. Go ahead enter there are people around here in West Texas that could use a good bit of blasphemy and the opportunity will be given on September 30th when the Secular Student Society of Texas Tech University will be having a sell your soul for a cookie table. But I encourage all of you to enter this contest that includes you Bill

Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin’s less than divine attributes.

Although none of that would be novel since I am sure every supporter has heard them all before but good luck.

Jumping on the bandwagon

I know I am a little late in this game but I just joined twitter so if you want to follow me go ahead, I don't know how often it will be updated but who knows. You can see it over on the side bar so if you want to follow go ahead if not that's cool as well.

Perfect timing

So a day after I mention the Secular Student Society here at Texas Tech it gets a mention in the student paper check it out

http://www.dailytoreador.com/la-vida/society-spreads-word-about-secular-beliefs-1.1883644

This has actually happened a lot with me and this organization the day before the meeting that I attended I had been reading the blag hag blog (found here) and was just thinking about looking into a similar organization here and then found out about the meeting and now this. I guess I just need to keep talking/thinking about them and good things are bound to happen.