justdrew

I often wonder, “Don’t the creationists ever stand up, look around and recognize how much what they’re saying [in defense of creationism] is a mirror image of what flat-earthers and geo-centrists said just four or five centuries ago?”

It borders on insanity to look past the overwhelming evidence of evolution, yet maintain it does not exist simply because your religious texts say otherwise.

Apparently, these buffoons are no more students of history than they are of science (and reality).

I guess it’s okay if a few of us wish to believe that the moon is made of cheese, the sun rotates around a flat earth, and some god made it all in 6 days a mere 6,000 years ago. But teaching innocent children this nonsense serves only to retard the human race and to stifle their innate curiosity and creativity. Why bother searching for facts when those facts contradict our nice little illusion?

Fortunately, there are voices that hold a light up to the forces of willful ignorance. One day we can move on to solving the real problems we face- and stop getting in our own way by propping up these childish fairy tales as literal facts.

While this priceless quote values the immediate need of jobs, I agree the same is true of long-term human progress:

Baton Rouge high school student Zach Kopplin said up-to-date biology texts are critical to training Louisiana students to compete in a global economy. While there are plenty of jobs for biologists, “There are zero creationist jobs. Zero,” Kopplin said.

Read the full article.

Maybe I’m missing something here, but this made me laugh.

Looking for a pay-as-you-go talk plan for when I’ll be in Europe next month. Caught this gem. Not sure how one can go over “unlimited” but Tesco is ready to charge me handsomely if I do.

Guess I’ll have to budget and stay just under “unlimited” while I’m there, otherwise those additional minutes are pretty dear.

Sometimes I really, really love the interwebs…

Go to full screen and enjoy!!

-Drew

Dresden Edition Complete Works of Robert Green Ingersoll Volume 07

Recently I posted a snarky comment on a friend’s Facebook post that highlighted a recent Onion article that calls into relief how a certain conservative moron has thousands of equally moronic conservatives under his sway.


The headline is a classic:

Nation Once Again Comes Under Sway Of Pink-Faced Half-Wit

In case you don’t care to read the article, Glen Beck is the asshole moronhalf-wit in question.

I chimed in with this comment,

Drew What is it these days with conservatives and stupid people? At least Bill Buckley Jr had a brain… why do these morons now choose to follow other morons? So bizarre.

which was followed up by Jon, an apparently incensed conservative who took offense at my characterization of conservatives as moronic… which isn’t what I meant to say.

Jon If ya’ll think conservatives = morons I’m not sure this disconnect you feel is their fault…

Okay, deep breath. Obviously painted with too broad a brush there, Drew. So I replied with

Drew Okay, not all conservatives are morons; but Beck is, Palin is, Rush is… and every dumbass who swallows what these clods serve up is- at the risk of sounding redundant- a moron.

To which Jon says

Jon You’re proving my point. Doesn’t screaming `you’re an idiot’ at someone you disagree with (without, of course, actually addressing anything specific) show more about your own lack of understanding than anything else? And by the way, Buckley and Rush were friends, I was a big admirer of his. Was it the PBS show and his aristocratic accent that made him more palatable?

Really? What does he expect, citations? This is a Facebook comment thread, not a formal debate. Also, I was not screaming anything.

In any case, a mutual friend’s FB wall is no place for what was shaping up to be a good ol’ political argument. Still trying to keep it light, I clarified my position and ignored the fallacy implied that just because Buckley was friends with Rush (something of which I was unaware) that makes Rush smart by association. Very smart people are bound to have friends with room-temperature intellects. The law of averages demands it.

Drew I’m not saying they’re morons because they disagree with me. They are morons because of their reckless and childish adherence to logical fallacies and hate-filled speech.
I referenced Buckley as a counter-example. He was smart- not because of his accent -I’ve read many of his books and articles and in my head he has a very different accent

Of course, our intrepid conservative is having none of that

Jon Reckless and childish adherence to logical fallacies = faith? Hate filled speech = the state has to shrink?

Really? not sure I said anything about faith (though I will) nor the size of the state (which I feel is a red herring- conservatives are generally quite happy to increase the size of the state when it can enforce their agenda- remember faith-based initiatives and the Patriot Act?)

Still, neither of those are things I even remotely referred to, so I posted this rejoinder… plus an apology to the friend whose wall is now filling with these comments

Drew Wow, I didn’t think it was possible to present a strawman in such a short post. Well done, sir.
Jon, you’ve inspired me. Let’s take this to my blog- FB comment thread is not the best forum for a political debate. Sorry, Sian

Hence this blogpost where the debate can continue, should Jon care to.

He has the last word on the thread with

Jon Strawman? As you didn’t give me much I was guessing. And I’m not interested in debating, just trying to understand. You’re a liberal (right?), and that’s fine, I’m just fascinated by the dismissiveness. Political opponents aren’t just misguided, they’re morons, hated filled, etc.
And Sian, I’m sorry too if this has gone too far.

For the record, a Strawman is when you characterize an opponent’s position in such a way that you can easily tear it down.

The example here is Jon assuming that my (liberal) argument equates the concept of faith with logical fallacy. Many people of faith live their lives based on a house of logical fallacy cards, however I never said or even intimated that faith was even part of the equation.

So, I have invited Jon to come read this post and comment in a more robust forum where he can refute my proposition, which follows:

Glen Beck, Sarah Palin, and Rush Limbaugh areis a stupid and/or disingenuous peopleperson who havehas managed to sway thousands of credulous and stupid people into believing practically everything they sayhe says.

Since I am affirming, I accept the burden of proof and will provide it, should Jon accept this friendly debate.

For some odd reason, I have always harbored a deep loathing for organized crime and all its trappings.

The fact that it is glamorized in popular culture in the way of movies and television literally makes me sick to my stomach. No, I’ve never watched The Sopranos, and no, I don’t care how good you think it is.

The only reason this is odd (I think every person with a conscience should be repulsed by mobsters) and how strongly I feel about it has nothing to do with any direct personal experience. My only contact with a wise-guy is like most of us- movies and television.

There’s just something about the very notion of mafia-like organizations. The cruelty, the utter lack of a sense of fair-play (again, don’t give me the crap about ‘family’ and stupid shit like that. Even the most despicable of people loves their mamma and their own kids… while they kill and orphan those of others)

Anyway, I’m done with my little venting. I found this story quite disturbing… for obvious reasons.

ZDNet article

Yeah, it's for real...

Now you know what to get that someone in your life who has absolutely everything… everything BUT a super-sharp pencil. (pencil not included)

Just moved ISPs and was expecting a HUGE hassle getting my blog back up and running.
Amazingly, once I uploaded my database and edited the new configuration files to match slight changes in DB names and passwords, everything just worked(!)

Well, truth be told, not *everything* worked right away. I did have problems accessing the administration screens. However, once I re-uploaded 3.0 manually, all that was needed was to fire up the upgrade.php script and accept the prompt to update the database, everything worked almost like magic!

When I’m asked to show an example of opensource delivering truly wonderful UX, I don’t hesitate to answer, “WordPress”. I’ve said it before, but this thing just rocks. Well done, team!!

Great movie, if you haven't seen it, it's wonderful. Old skule Austin at its finest.

Anyway, news to come of a new travelblog my lovely wife Jeanette and I are putting together. Don’t believe she’s lovely? just look at her! she’s gorgeous- [pic to follow]

We both love to travel- though lately she’s been doing all the fun travel. Over the past few years I was doing all the business travel. Spending time on both coasts and even the Caribbean (it’s not nearly as much fun to work there as you’d imagine).

Hoping to put together an entertaining and informative podcast that will likely alternate between audio and video segments.

In an interesting talk, designer Stefan Sagmeister shared a list he keeps of things he has learned in his life.

See the TedTalk video

I certainly agree with most of the things that made his list, but it strikes me that we only keep lists of things we’re still trying to learn- those we already know, it is not necessary to write down… unless we’re trying to teach someone else.

Here’s his list, though- I think it is good to make such lists of the things we haven’t yet fully grokked.

• Complaining is silly. Either act or forget.
• Thinking life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.
• Being untruthful works against me.
• Helping other people helps me.
• Organizing a charity group is surprisingly easy.
• Everything I do always comes back to me.
• Drugs feel great in the beginning and become a drag later on.
• Over time I get used to everything and start taking it for granted.
• Money does not make me happy.
• Travelling alone is helpful for a new perspective on life.
• Assuming is stifling.
• Keeping a diary supports my personal development.
• Trying to look good limits my life.
• Worrying solves nothing.
• Material luxuries are best enjoyed in small doses.
• Having guts always works out for me.

I’m still working on my own list.