Thursday, August 25, 2005

New Evolution Theory

Spaghetti Monster

13 comments:

Kidsis said...

From John Rogers' recent heated debate. Thank God there's someone out there already doing what I've been training to do the last twelve years. Flank assault!!!! I'll follow you throught the gates of hell John, but you've got to lead us...

"Oh, I forgot -- econcolast "Grow up and stop being so mad?" Brother, I am NONSTOP mad. It's what gets me out of bed. It's what motivates me to donate to progressive candidates, raise money for worthy causes, pay out of my own damn pocket to support charities and food banks, and study my ass off in not just politics, but sciences and even emerging linguistic and meme theory so when I fight back in print, on screen or in person against conservative talking points I know my shit, my blade is sharp and I can communicate my message in a way which will effective, convincing and memorable." - John Rogers

And he actually knows what a meme is and is using them! What a guy!

ecogrrl said...

Can't stop laughing...can't stop...I've been on that site for half an hour, and it just keeps getting better...

And I ordered a "Kansas Museum of Science" t-shirt. Oh yeah!

Kidsis said...

Meg, Excellent purchase!

So much good stuff on that website! Love the part where Bobby's trying to get hired and has drawn a picture of the projected cowboy casino employer offering him a sack of money.

Love the merchandise for sale - (This mug holds coffee AND pisses off Jesus)! I'm tempted to get an FSM car emblem. Or the "I was touched by his noodly appendage" G-string. For S Factor, naturally.

Or any of the "I want to believe" merchandise. Christ, is this guy single? I can't stop laughing.

Thanks for sharing the giggle with me!

Christina said...

I think Jesus has a sense of humor. After all, we were made in God's likeness.

Anonymous said...

OK, allow me to say:

I believe in God. I believe in Jesus Christ. I would like myself, my wife, and my kids and all my loved ones to get to heaven.

And I think that any parents that say it MUST be a mandatory part of science education in either public or private or parochial schools in this country really need to get a grip.

My folks raised me Catholic, and put me in Catholic schools, from K through freshman year of HS.

We had 45 minutes of religion/ theology, and 45 minutes of science a day. And never did the two get mixed up.

My freshman year of HS was at a Catholic, engineering-oriented HS. Our instructors were either laypeople or Brothers of the Salesian Order -- and we learned Ohm's Law, not God's Law. Electrical current was measured in amperes, not Adam-eres.
Our key trinity in electronics class was not the Holy Trinity -- it was the basic trinity of Current/ Intensity = Voltage divided by Resistance. I = V/R.

And my mom still took us to church on Sundays. My dad led the family in nine days of rosaries for relatives and close friends who died. They dragged our bodies to Midnight Mass on Christmas eve.

I think there's some merit to a divine creator establishing the rules of the universe.

I just don't feel the need to force everyone in a public school classroom to learn something so abstract, so personal, and so open to interpretation as SCIENTIFIC FACT.

Enough from my soapbox.

MIM

Christina said...

MIM:
I think that you are making a good point.

Personally I'm tired of hearing about Theories and teachers preaching about them like they are fact, global warming, global cooling, big bang...Who the F knows anyways. Give me a frickin break. I think that's why I liked the Spaghetti story so much. We don't know what we don't know. We can try to know it, but ya never really know.

Kidsis said...

Christina, if not you're in big trouble for all that tarot card reading! :)

If so many members of the Kansas City School Board can think this is ridiculous and laugh, I think we can, too. Of course it's not ridiculous at all. It's another terrible sign of the apocalypse, sponsored by Diebold and Halliburton. When the apocalypse finally gets here, THEN we'll see whose god is there to sort out the non-believers. I'm hearing she's pissed at all the sheep not using the brains she gave them.

MIM, I went to parochial school for six years myself, but the separation of church and state allowed my little brain the capacity to develop critical thinking skills. I fear that will not be the case for the current school generation if W and his pals get their way. Superstitious automatans are soooo much easier to control come voting years...

Kidsis said...

Christina, totally! I just saw the cutest/sweetest indie film about a teenage boy figuring out that EXACT sentiment..."We don't know, and we have to be okay with that...I think."

It's called "Thumbsucker." Terrible title, I know. But really worth your time if you like little indies films with great dialogue.

Anonymous said...

kid sis -- We be on the same page, my dear. And Bowl tix are looking like a go!

christina -- My first response to you! Hello!

First, permit me to say I find your posts to be intelligent and witty, and I enjoy your occasional verses of poetry as well. Also, allow me to say with all respect for your intelligence and abilities, that you have a very lovely pic. :)

Second, I must respectfully disagree re your inclusion of global warming as a mere theory akin to I-Design. Granted, the overall concept of the entire planet having its temperature raised and ecological balance forever disturbed is unproven.

However, it's been my understanding that many of the associated factors -- increased hyrdrocarbon and petroleum omissions in the atmosphere over the last 50 years, increased levels of UV-radiation around the North Pole, and damage to the atmosphere -- have been empirically confirmed and proven. I submit that GW can certainly be presented to students as a tehory, and scientific facts and data can be rpesented to explain why many people believe that it is fact.

Similarly, the Big Bang (while still very much theroetical) at least can be somewhat supported by empircial evidence -- presence of stellar matter at differnet positions in the galaxy, decay rates of pulsars and stars, etc. Theories and hypotheses certainly have their place in scientific instruction.

I-Design, however, according to my very limited understanding of the concept, is simply the BELIEF that because something CAN'T be proven, it must be the work of God, or some other heretofore unseen "intelligence".

"Can't figure out who created the universe? What sparked life in the primordial ooze? Too coincidental that coffee swirls look like galaxies? Why is there an algorithm that determines the order of prime numbers? Must be I-design!"

IMO, that is not exactly application of the "scientific method" in the purest state.

Again, no disrespect intended to you or to our lovely host on this blog.

Input is welcome.

MIM

Christina said...

MIM:
I don't feel any disrespect on this matter. I just finished an Environmental Biology class and been a huge supporter and volunteer for Green Peace, CALPIRG among others. I am pleased to hear your knowledge on the subject.

I am also pleased to hear your comments on Kid Sis's site. You always have something interesting to say and I enjoy reading it.

Just so ya know, I'm not trying to discount the Big Bang, Global Warming, or the theory of an impending Ice Age. All I'm saying is that there are reasons that "theories" are not considered "facts." Theories have to be proven, facts are proven. I don't like it when people present something to me as a fact when it is merely a theory. Those are two very different words in my world.

Trust me when I tell you that there are as many statistics to support another ice age as there are for global warming. They completely contradict each other and I find it heartbreaking.

On a better note we all know simple things we can adjust in our lives to make this planet continue to maintain most life. Due to survival of the fittest, biodiversity etc. etc. life and ecosystems are supposed to adapt to changes over time.

Although, it pains me to say that the pollutants we are putting into the atmosphere, plant life, fish etc. (i.e.: mercury) are introduced too quickly into the environment for the ecosystems to adapt. That is a fact. Look at the biomagnification of mercury in fish and wildlife. (this is just one of many examples)

Plant some seeds today, recycle your cans, paper, plastics, turn off unnecessary lights, don't put the pedal to the metal in your car, use neutral when rolling down hills, water your lawn only when it is dark, don't use pesticides or insecticides, and for gosh sakes people, walk once in a while.

Thank you MIM and Kid Sis for inspiring my soap box rant.

Best to you both!

Christina said...

Yah, and btw, as Kid Sis said: I may be going to hell for reading tarot cards to my friends for fun.

Gotta love it!

Anonymous said...

christina -- Fair enough. And my apologies to you if I came off as condescending in any way. Peace. :)

kid sis -- Thanks AGAIN for setting up this blog. You meet some of the most intriguing people.

MIM

Kidsis said...

Gosh, i was gone again and came back to a debate where no one called each other hateful names for having differing views! How respectful and lovely, and I think you two still managed to get your points across. Smashing, baby!