Saturday, October 09, 2004
American Propaganda
Disturbing factoid:
News - Green party and Libertarian PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, that is, the "Kerry" or "Bush" of these parties, were arrested after trying to be present for the "presidential debates" - they just wanted to SIT IN THE AUDIENCE as equal candidates - and were arrested.
The arrest isn't disturbing - I fully support their will and their fight to regain some type of democracy in the US - (what happened to freedom of speech?) - but the fact that it wasn't even MENTIONED here is what disturbs me.
I mean, they got arrested - that's pretty significant.
The choice of newscasting - ahem - advertising is what scares me.
It's not a question of "they're not going to win," it's a question of them being given the opportunity to have their say. A question of the Americans being allowed to make up their own minds on voting day.
And the majority of Americans never even know about it.
Ban CNN.
News - Green party and Libertarian PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, that is, the "Kerry" or "Bush" of these parties, were arrested after trying to be present for the "presidential debates" - they just wanted to SIT IN THE AUDIENCE as equal candidates - and were arrested.
The arrest isn't disturbing - I fully support their will and their fight to regain some type of democracy in the US - (what happened to freedom of speech?) - but the fact that it wasn't even MENTIONED here is what disturbs me.
I mean, they got arrested - that's pretty significant.
The choice of newscasting - ahem - advertising is what scares me.
It's not a question of "they're not going to win," it's a question of them being given the opportunity to have their say. A question of the Americans being allowed to make up their own minds on voting day.
And the majority of Americans never even know about it.
Ban CNN.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Chew on this.
The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy - I mean that if you are happy you will be good.
-Bertrand Russell
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.
-Bertrand Russell
The cloning of humans is on most of the lists of things to worry about from Science, along with behaviour control, genetic engineering, transplanted heads, computer poetry and the unrestrained growth of plastic flowers.
-Lewis Thomas (1913 - 1993)
The most important scientific revolutions all include, as their only common feature, the dethronement of human arrogance from one pedestal after another of previous convictions about our centrality in the cosmos.
-Stephen Jay Gould (1941 - 2002)
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Running + Horse Stance = Nightmare on stairs
My legs stopped working - they're a wobbly jelly.
Long day at school - learned stuff in class, and decided that despite Descartes I still don't believe in God. What it comes down to is this: if you believe in God, then you can know things for certain, whereas if you believe in "accidents" (ahem evolution), everything you "know" falls into doubt. I don't think this in itself is a reason to believe one over the other. It just follows that one is an easy way and one is a more difficult path - not which one is actually true.
Learned an interesting argument today for the existence of God. (Ontological)
Um- but since when is P2 actually true? How is existence a perfection? You either exist or you do not. Buddhists believe that non existence is perfection - a simpler explanation given that you can picture 0 - it's a very perfect quantity - but you cannot picture infinite. Which is perfect?
Nature by its essence is imperfect. We are definitely imperfect.
I offer another solution, by Douglas Gasking... (parody)
What is perfection? Does it even exist, even conceptually? While we can grasp infinite, in mathematics at the very least (this is something that must actually exist, maybe in the essence of the universe), we cannot seem to grasp the concept of perfection.
And since nothing can come from nothing...
I don't think perfection really exists.
Enough philosophy/religion.
Politics, anyone?
Kevin sent me this... please do read it.
Three guesses why.
Enough said.
"If I name a new weevil, I want its common name to be 'quasi-weevil'."
Long day at school - learned stuff in class, and decided that despite Descartes I still don't believe in God. What it comes down to is this: if you believe in God, then you can know things for certain, whereas if you believe in "accidents" (ahem evolution), everything you "know" falls into doubt. I don't think this in itself is a reason to believe one over the other. It just follows that one is an easy way and one is a more difficult path - not which one is actually true.
Learned an interesting argument today for the existence of God. (Ontological)
P1: God is, even just conceptually, perfect.
P2: Existence is perfection.
P3: If something (God, or idea thereof) has some qualities (perfection) that are essential to it being that, then these qualities must be inherently true.
C: God exists.
Um- but since when is P2 actually true? How is existence a perfection? You either exist or you do not. Buddhists believe that non existence is perfection - a simpler explanation given that you can picture 0 - it's a very perfect quantity - but you cannot picture infinite. Which is perfect?
Nature by its essence is imperfect. We are definitely imperfect.
I offer another solution, by Douglas Gasking... (parody)
P1 The creation of the world is the most marvellous achievement imaginable.
P2 The merit of an achievement is the product of (a) its intrinsic quality, and (b) the ability of its creator.
P3 The greater the disability or handicap of the creator, the more impressive the achievement.
P4 The most formidable handicap for a creator would be non-existence.
P5 Therefore, if we suppose that the universe is the product of an existent creator, we can conceive a greater being — namely, one who created everything while not existing.
P6 An existing God, therefore, would not be a being than which a greater cannot be conceived, because an even more formidable and incredible creator would be a God which did not exist.
C (Hence) God does not exist.
What is perfection? Does it even exist, even conceptually? While we can grasp infinite, in mathematics at the very least (this is something that must actually exist, maybe in the essence of the universe), we cannot seem to grasp the concept of perfection.
And since nothing can come from nothing...
I don't think perfection really exists.
Enough philosophy/religion.
Politics, anyone?
Kevin sent me this... please do read it.
Three guesses why.
Enough said.
"If I name a new weevil, I want its common name to be 'quasi-weevil'."
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Nemo on a PLATE!
Had a fantabulous time at dinner tonight with the gang for Andy's birthday!
I'm full of fish!
Shan - I still can't believe you thought I was mad at you! That's crazy! I can't think of a time when I've ever actually been mad at you... You're the least infuriating person I know!
...except when you call me you know what...
I'm full of fish!
Shan - I still can't believe you thought I was mad at you! That's crazy! I can't think of a time when I've ever actually been mad at you... You're the least infuriating person I know!
...except when you call me you know what...
False Alarm!
Ok although that got my pulse going, it turns out after a bit of unnecessary running around on campus this morning that things with the scholarship are in control. Only I lost some time in the lab. Ah well.
I'd head in right now, but by the time I get there it'll be lunchtime, so I might as well eat something out of the oven right now at home rather than alone in the caf at the lab. All my lab supervisors are away on various conferences, alas.
IN ADVANCE... (since I won't be home to blog tomorrow) - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW!!! :D
I'd head in right now, but by the time I get there it'll be lunchtime, so I might as well eat something out of the oven right now at home rather than alone in the caf at the lab. All my lab supervisors are away on various conferences, alas.
IN ADVANCE... (since I won't be home to blog tomorrow) - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW!!! :D
Monday, October 04, 2004
Of the opinion that nothing seems to matter
Really freakishly annoyed right now at the whole world.
I feel like I probably was cheated out of the chance at a scholarship.
People, when they joke around, just drive me nuts.
I have an incredible urge to use my kung fu to kill.
Things are confusing and crappy.
I feel like I probably was cheated out of the chance at a scholarship.
People, when they joke around, just drive me nuts.
I have an incredible urge to use my kung fu to kill.
Things are confusing and crappy.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Survived the Shrimp Challenge
Why is it that events with Greg and friends always involves "challenges", namely those that involve food? Well, tonight was no exception. We partook in Red Lobster's Endless Shrimp, the challenge to see who could eat the most plates. I was proud at my meager 5 plates, but Richard was undoubtedly the champion with about 9, I think! We're thinking of starting a website on which people can gamble - we'll have stats on our eating abilities and maybe sponsors? People can place their bets and gamble on a winner. We'll all look like sumo wrestlers but who's complaining? Whoo
Today was a good one. I spent my morning watching the taped first two episodes of Lost, since I can't watch it at its regular time (it's during philosophy)... Anyway, not bad so far... I like the horror of the show, which adds this solemn compelling edge, but honestly, a polar bear? (they must be in tropical Canada...)
Meg and I think that the big beastie is either:
, which would be expensive, or...
, which would be ludicrous.
Either way it's big and moves the trees.
Bedtime!
Today was a good one. I spent my morning watching the taped first two episodes of Lost, since I can't watch it at its regular time (it's during philosophy)... Anyway, not bad so far... I like the horror of the show, which adds this solemn compelling edge, but honestly, a polar bear? (they must be in tropical Canada...)
Meg and I think that the big beastie is either:
, which would be expensive, or...
, which would be ludicrous.
Either way it's big and moves the trees.
Bedtime!
Martini night - full of swank!
Karen invited Shan, Andy and I out for martinis with some of her friends from her new school program - and it was a blast! We went to a swanky restaurant E18hteen,for their Saturday martini madness! It was great fun - although not as easy to chat as I thought it would be. We managed to get dolled up just enough to mesh with the yuppie crowd of successful late 20-somethings... Success? I still live at home. Yeesh.
Despite our best efforts, I'm still not sure we quite reached Sex and the City level of poshness...
Alas, we tried.
In other less swanky news, Happy Birthday Alexander Keiths!
Despite our best efforts, I'm still not sure we quite reached Sex and the City level of poshness...
Alas, we tried.
In other less swanky news, Happy Birthday Alexander Keiths!
