You couldn't be here if stars hadn't exploded.
To the question, “Why me?” the cosmos barely bothers to return the reply, “Why not?”
Atheist: Natural Morals, Real Meaning, Credible Truth

29 January, 2005

Wired News: Scientists Clamor to Save Hubble

Wired News: Scientists Clamor to Save Hubble:

Peter thinks the Mars initiative by Bush is smoke to dismantle exploration in space. Science goes against Bush's religion. I am not sure I disagree!

"'The goal of the shuttle is not safety, it's mission success. That's like saying we can only go to Mars if there are six rescue ships available and no chance of launch problems, or Columbus saying, 'I'm willing to sail across the Atlantic only if you promise me there won't be any storms,'' Zubrin said.

Paolucci concurred. 'There's no political risk in saying you'll put a man on Mars in 30 years. It's so bold-sounding, but at the same time we're afraid to fly 350 miles to the Hubble to fix it? I won't use the word cowardly, but we're stepping away, we're retreating,' he said."

24 January, 2005

Religion Vs. Unity (washingtonpost.com)

Religion Vs. Unity (washingtonpost.com):

"Take this item: Even elected officials who are deeply religious sometimes have to make compromises and set their convictions aside to get results while in government.

The percentage of Americans agreeing with that statement fell 10 points -- to 74 percent -- from 2000 to the time of the Public Agenda survey, just before the 2004 elections. Those who never go to religious services favored compromise by 82 percent (down slightly from 85 percent four years ago). But for evangelicals and weekly service-goers, the support for compromise was down to 63 percent. This represents a decline in just four years of 16 points for evangelicals and 19 points for regular worshipers."

The beginning of the end... In twenty years, the EU will have to invade the US to save us from the fundementalist Christian government that has become the worst of tyrants. Kind of like Spain in the inquisition.

CNN.com - Report: Global warming approaching critical point - Jan 24, 2005

CNN.com - Report: Global warming approaching critical point - Jan 24, 2005

Fat chance current administration will listen. They don't care, understand or believe it.

20 January, 2005

I found an old rant from before blog (June 2002). It still holds true today. It's Allena's birthday and Bush got re-oathersized today. An up and down day. I asked her how she felt being this is the third time in her life she has had a birthday on a Bush's ignaugeration day. She said, ech.

Rant on Pledge of Allegiance

I am horrified by the furor about the "under god" ruling from the appeals court in San Francisco. A judge made a ruling. Now it is time to debate the issue, not all this ranting and raving and religious posturing.

I for one agree with the ruling. I don't think the "under god" phrase belongs in a pledge that people actually use in public government settings. I don't think it has to be removed from currency and public buildings, but don't make me say it when I don't believe it in part of a pledge that I do take seriously.

President Bush's statement the other day where he said something like "we need judges who understand that what we have was given to us by god" sent chills down my back. What the hell was that? Didn't we fight and scratch out our freedoms and keep them over the years through the blood and wisdom of our forefathers? I don't see "god's" hand in any of it. Didn't he swear to uphold the constitution? Isn't there some specific intent in the constitution to keep religion out of government?

Keep religion out of government and keep a professional attitude about this ruling. I'll fight for anyone in this country to be free to practice their religion, whatever it is. But I'll also fight to keep any religion out of my government, whatever it may be.

15 January, 2005

ESA - Cassini-Huygens

ESA - Cassini-Huygens

Huygens at Titan... very cool. Some good news for a change. I wish it has splashed down into some methane ocean but this is pretty good too. It was quite a feat, and we managed to not screw it up. I had this fear that NASA would send Cassini into Titan and have Huygens fly by accidentally due to a file naming error, kind of like when they sent the Mars probe too steeply into the Martian atmosphere because of a English to Metric conversion error. :-)
Cool pics coming in from the analysts! Take a look.

12 January, 2005

Yahoo! News - White House: Iraq Weapons Search Is Over

Yahoo! News - White House: Iraq Weapons Search Is Over: "White House: Iraq Weapons Search Is Over"

No shit. And nothing found. And the American people voted the guy responsible back into office. Boggles my mind. 1000+ Us dead and $220+ Billion for nothing but to get Saddam's hairy ass out of Baghdad.

It continues to piss me off!

09 January, 2005

I had the following comment on my "Intelligent" design post earlier...

"Tom where have you been looking to create an illusive existence of an introgressant cosmic universe without a supreme creator (atheist). I have many challenges for you, if you are willing to humble self and then prove to self if there really is or is not an intelligent creator. Using a little math. Examine the absolute necessary multiple combination of the equations of the ear- find the speed of sound approximately 600 mile an hour. Find the speed of electricity 186,000 miles per second. Now reason the multiple of combinations found in the equation of creating the ability to hear and all must be perfectly present in genes (a million more multiples) and reproduce to off spring of both male and female immediately."

It went on and on pretty incohearently and since it was no-reply, I couln't respond. Bill needs some more education... he has some facts at his fingertips but he doens't see the whole picture, hasn't had the education necessary to conceive of how phisyics, chemistry, and biology play together to give us the intelligence to have this disagreement. I am just an engineer 25 years out of college and even then it was easy for me to see and understand that life is amazing but doesn't require the hand of a creator to exist. Nature, from the largest and most energetic center of a galaxy down to the activities of a virus is both very complex in the interrelationships involved and very simple in how discrete processes work.
Yahoo! News - Bush Paints His Goals As 'Crises'
Bush and his crises management style of government. SS in crisis... will run out of money in 2055. Crisis. Trial lawyers killing health care... 2% of medical cost. Crisis. Democrat obstruction of judicial nominees... the blocking of 10 out of 229 nominees blocked by Democrats. Crisis. Just like Saddam being ready to launch chemical and biological weapons on the US, restarted nuclear program, and a collaborator with OBL on 9/11. Credibility of his "crisis" is getting low.

The 51% who voted for him will regret it... I am sure of it. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

08 January, 2005

Scientific American: 15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense

Nice article on answering Creationist nonsense. Saw a bumper sticker today I like, but can't find now... Something like:
Evolution is a theorey
Intelligent Design is a fairy tale
bla bla bla....

I can't remember the bla bla bla part.... nuts, but I liked it. It is hard getting old.