Our Incredible World

Check out this beautiful time-lapse video of various skies. Even a hardened cynic like me has trouble being too cynical after viewing something like this. We live in a beautiful world and it's too easy to forget it, getting caught up in the sturm und drang of day-to-day life.




H/T: GeekDad

The Uneducated Masses

In a complete non-surprise, more Americans believe in Hell, the Devil, and angels than evolution.

-- 80% of adult Americans believe in God - unchanged since the last time we asked the question in 2005. Large majorities of the public believe in miracles (75%), heaven (73%), angels (71%), that Jesus is God or the Son of God (71%), the resurrection of Jesus (70%), the survival of the soul after death (68%), hell (62%), the Virgin birth (Jesus born of Mary (61%) and the devil (59%).

-- Slightly more people - but both are minorities - believe in Darwin's theory of evolution (47%) than in creationism (40%).

-- Sizeable minorities believe in ghosts (44%), UFOs (36%), witches (31%), astrology (31%), and reincarnation (24%).

My favorite bit was this part, though.

Slender majorities of all adults believe that all or most of the Old Testament (55%) and the New Testament (54%) are the "Word of God." However, only about a third of all adults (37% and 36%) believe that all of these texts are the word of God.

Interestingly, only 26% of all adults believe that the Torah is the word of God, even though it is the same as the first five books of the Old Testament. Presumably many people do not know this.

I think this speaks to the problems we have in education today. I don't think it's a problem for people to believe in angels and devils and such; that's a matter of faith. I do think it's a problem when a majority of Americans do not believe in scientific theories that are constantly accumulating more evidence to back them up. The problem is that most of these people do not understand what evolution is. "It means we came from monkeys," someone will say. Unfortunately that is not true; that is emphatically not what evolutionary theory says. This is not the post to get into the ins and outs of Darwin's theories, but Wikipedia has a good mostly non-technical article on the subject.

We Americans tend not to respect scientists and experts much anymore, though. We let people who know nothing on a topic tell us how to think. It's the truthiness problem. Facts get in the way of things, so it's easier to ignore them. It's more convenient to feel what the truth is than to confront reality. Now, that's not to say that we should blindly accept everything scientists tell us, but isn't it absurd to say, "I don't care that this person has devoted their entire life to studying this topic. This other person I know who has never studied the subject other than what he read on www.itsallabigconspiracy.com told me something different and I believe him"? When we have trouble with our cars, do we ask our neighbor who is clueless about cars or do we take it to a car mechanic who has devoted his time to learning how cars work? Of course we take it to a mechanic. I'm sure, though, that if someone found some religious/metaphysical aspect to cars, we'd all stop believing mechanics and asking our pastor or clueless neighbor what the problem was.

We need to get back to at least respectfully listening to experts instead of so easily dismissing them out of hand because some non-expert told us so.

Rice's View of the Bush Legacy

Condoleezza Rice thinks that people are going to "thank" Bush for what he has done.

That sound you hear? That's the crickets chirping.

Let's see, he presided over...

the worst foreign attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor,
the failure to catch the primary culprit for said attack,
the authorization to defy the Geneva Conventions and permit torture,
the botched invasion of Iraq on trumped up evidence of non-existent WMDs,
the comically inept response to Hurricane Katrina,
and the biggest financial meltdown since the Great Depression.

But, I'm sure that other than these minor things, people will be thanking Bush. I'm not sure for what, but no doubt they will.

Israel vs. the Palestinians, cont.

Related to my post from yesterday, Aaron David Miller offers some smart suggestions to the Obama administration for handling the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Dating Advice

My sister, Shawna, tells me that I really should ask her advice on matters concerning dating and relationships. I don't think she realizes that I already have a plan.



That's style right there. No, better than that - panache. That guy has panache.

Shut Up!

I hate people who talk during movies as much as the next guy, so on a certain level I do sympathize with this guy.

A man angry that a family was talking during a movie threw popcorn at the son and then shot the father in the arm, according to police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

I think the best bit is definitely the throwing of popcorn at the kid. From that to shooting the dad. That is some serious escalation of force.

"Those bastards won't shut up. Maybe if I throw popcorn, that'll shut 'em up."

Throws popcorn.

"Damn it. That didn't work. I guess I'm just gonna have to shoot Pops. In the arm, of course. Wouldn't want to hurt him too badly. Just enough to tell him to shut the hell up."

Proceeds to shoot dad in arm.

Ha! That'll learn him, he thinks too himself. "Oh, quit yer cryin'! It's only a flesh wound."

Returns to movie. A few minutes pass.

"Oh, hullo officer. What's the problem?"

My Sentiments Exactly

There has been lots of snow here lately and more is to come. I don't know where this pic originally came from but it sums up my feelings about winter rather succinctly.

Israel vs. the Palestinians

While much of the world condemns Israel's recent attacks on Palestinians, some, like Rod Dreher, though fervently defend Israel's move.

How can Israel be expected to make peace with devils like that? Why should Israel tolerate rockets being sent by Hamas against Israeli villages? It is terrible that Palestinian civilians are dying today by Israeli bombs. But their blood is on the hands of the jihadi terrorists of Hamas.

Of course Israel should not tolerate terrorism against their citizens. And, of course, Israel should take steps to defend itself. The problem is that Israel is not taking the hard political action they need to in order to make progress on this issue. Why have they not completely their illegal settlements? Why have they not been more willing to work out a two-state solution? Why do they not realize that there is no military solution for terrorism?

Let me stress that none of Israel's actions excuse the terrorist actions against them. However, isn't it understandable on a certain level what the Palestinians feel? They were forced out of their homes, forced from their land and they watched it all given to the Jews. Wouldn't that make anyone mad? Not just mad, but furious? Especially when no suitable compensation was offered in return. The Palestinians were not offered an equal political say. They were not given anything in return.

This post is not to debate the morality of the creation of the modern state of Israel, but I do believe that the circumstances of it place a greater moral burden on the Israelis. They should not compromise their safety, but if they need to go more than half-way, then they should. By occupying land that was not theirs, that someone else was forced out of to make way, the Jews took on the burden of having to be the ones with the greater imperative to make the new situation work. The Holocaust was horrific, but that does not give the Israelis an excuse to treat others poorly.

The Captain Returns

Alright, it's about time I got back to writing here. I've been bookmarking articles and flagging stuff in Google Reader like crazy, but with everything that has been going on, I have struggled to find the time or even the will, really, to get on here and post. However, now that things are looking up, I want to get back into the swing of things. So, without further ado...

The Custody Hearing

It's hard to describe what I feel right now, an odd mixture of relief and euphoria. The show cause hearing was today for my custody case. I've hardly been able to think of anything else these past few weeks as today drew nearer and nearer. At times I felt very confident while other times I felt like I didn't stand a chance. I've been listless and distracted much of the time, barely able to concentrate on work or homework. My mom asked me yesterday if I felt optimistic about the case. "No, I don't," I said. "But I don't feel pessimistic either. I just feel...like I'm drowning." It seems an eternity has passed since I first began this process, but it has only been about six months. I had to keep telling myself that as stressful (I hate how that word has become overused, but I think I'm justified this time) as this has been for me, this is much harder for Erica and Shaena. I also had to bear in mind that as bad as this is going to be for them, it is for a better end. Keep your eye on the prize and all that.

Today it paid off. My ex-wife did not even show up for the hearing. Oh, she knew about it and no doubt she has an answer for why she did not that makes sense to her. I'll go ahead and thank her for making my job easier. The girls' counselor testified first and then I did. Probably the most nerve-wracking thing I have ever done in my life. I'd rather jump out of a plane. Then the judge made her decision.

She ruled in my favor for the most part. In the interim I will be the primary custodial parent. Provided my ex-wife gets a day job so that she can be with the girls in the evening, attends counseling with them, allows them to participate in extr-curricular activities, and makes sure that they get to the (public!) school I will be enrolling them in during the time they are with her, she can file for a 50/50 custody arrangement. I have a hard time seeing her do this especially counseling.

I am so excited. This has been a weight on me for so long now. Before I took actual concrete steps this summer to make this happen, I had been contemplating it for years. Erica and Shaena have been in such a negative, abusive environment and it pained me to see it. Now, though, perhaps some healing can begin.

None of this would have been possible without some very generous people. The St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation and my co-worker and friend, Brenda Nagel. They donated a very generous sum of money which allowed me to obtain a lawyer. My lawyer, Brooke Baracker, at Elk River Law did a wonderful job guiding me through this and helping me make the best case I could. And, of course, all of my friends and family who have offered moral support through this ordeal. To those who came to court today - Mom, Dad, Jean, Sharie, Shawna, Brenda, and Jeromy - you don't know how much that meant to me. You couldn't be in the courtroom (privacy issues because of the minors involved), but just knowing you were waiting right outside made it that much more bearable inside.

Finally, of course, I have to say thank you to the two smartest, most talented, most compassionate, and most beautiful girls in the world. Erica and Shaena, you have come through so much and, unfortunately, the journey is not over, yet. There will be many more obstacles and pitfalls along the way. I am only human and though I try to be the best father I can, I know I have made mistakes. I will make more of them. Thank you for putting up with me and my follies. Thank you for staying with me through all of this.

Thank you for continuing to say, "Dad, I love you." Erica and Shaena, my sweet angels, I love you, too.

Overconfident Teens

A new study says that teens are no longer too insecure, they are overconfident.

Researchers compared responses from teens in 1975 and 2006, asking questions about their qualities and abilities. The study, published last month, found that today's kids consider themselves to be far more intelligent and capable than their 1970s counterparts, and more likely to report being "completely satisfied" with themselves.
...
In fact, according to the study's co-author, associate professor of psychology at San Diego State University Jean Twenge, for today's youth "confidence has crossed over into overconfidence." Too much self-esteem (overconfidence) may be just as damaging as too little self-esteem.

Twenge and other researchers believe that the decades of efforts to boost self-esteem may have created unrealistic expectations in today's youth, and their inflated self-esteem may lead to a sense of entitlement: "I'm great, so I deserve great things."

Sadly, it's not just teens. The entitlement mentality seems to pervade much of our society. I think it's one of the reasons we are currently in the dire economic straits we are. Everyone thinks their special, that they deserve special treatment, and that the rules really don't apply to them.

I think these people need to be introduced to Tyler Durden. "You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everything else."

Weekly Music Video

'Tis the season. And who better to say "Happy Lootday!" than these guys?

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - "Christmas Canon"

Weekly Secret

PostSecret

Unfocused

I mentioned awhile back that I have filed for custody of my daughters. The show cause hearing has finally been scheduled, the 16th of this month. As the date approaches I am finding it more and more difficult to focus on anything. Trying to get any homework done has been a joke. Work? I find myself sitting at my desk staring at my computer, clicking the mouse around, looking around a little, and suddenly an hour has passed. I can't hardly think about anything else, at least not with any modicum of concentration. It's aggravating because I have a lot of stuff to do, but I don't think it's going to change until after the hearing. It's just the initial hearing so it won't be the end of it, but at least it will be started. I'm on the edge of my seat.

The Emptiness of the Prosperity Gospel

Lisa Miller has harsh words for the Osteens and their message.

Prosperity preachers are neither new nor unique in America, but the Osteens' version seems especially self-serving. Victoria's book betrays her interest in the kind of small gratifications that rarely extend to other people, let alone to the larger world. She recommends that women take "me time" every day, and indulge occasionally in a (fat-free!) ice cream. She writes repeatedly about her love for the gym. Her relationship advice is retrograde dross: submit to your man, or at least pretend you're submitting, and then do what you want anyway. "I know if I just wait long enough," she writes, "eventually my idea will become Joel's idea, and it will come to pass." When I asked her how she kept her two children interested in church, she answered that even though they were a broccoli and lean-meats household, she gave them doughnuts as a special treat on Sundays. All this is fine, in the pages of a women's magazine or a self-help book. But what has God got to do with it?

The problem with the prosperity gospel is that it is not rooted in any honest reading of the Bible. Bits and pieces get picked out to support the message, but you can't take Bible verses out of the context they are packaged in. Prosperity preachers are certainly not the only Christian group to do this, but their interpretation certainly speaks to our culture today, doesn't it? The message is all about getting stuff and taking the easy road. God wants you to be rich. God wants you to have lots of material things. God wants you to have a luxurious life without hardship. I find it hard to reconcile that with the teachings of Jesus, but maybe that's just me.

It will be interesting to see how the prosperity gospel weathers the global economic crisis. Will people be comforted by a materialistic message like the one preached by Joel Osteen or will we see people start to move away from their incessant desire for things robbing the prosperity gospel of its base? Who knows, but it will be interesting to watch.

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

I hope that the economic downturn does not affect projects like the Allen Telescope Array which searches the cosmos for radio signals that could indicate intelligent life. There seems to be a number of people who question research like this that isn't producing hard, tangible results right now, but I don't. Maybe it's the dreamer in me, but I get excited about stuff like this. All science, all research has value because it is the quest for knowledge and that cannot be a bad thing.

Google: Free Speech Guardian?

Check out this fascinating NYT article about Google and their need to have a team of people dedicated to checking content to see what needs to be blocked where to follow different nation's laws. It raises some tough questions about free speech and whether or not Google should or even can be the final filter of web content.

Weekly Music Video

This song has become one of my favorites since I picked up this album a few months ago. It's a dark, moody epic about...well, I'll just let the liner notes tell you.

The Scarecrow is a tragic story of a lonesome creature, emotionally isolated from his environment and suffering from a distorted sensory preception. His feelings for the love of his life unrequited. He sets off on a journey exploring the left-hand path, striving for inner peace, ploughing his way to approval and eventually facing temptation at the inner depths of the human soul...

It's hard finding good videos for European bands especially for long (11+ minutes!) songs, so you'll have to settle for this fan made video which is just a collection of images that the creator thought of while listening to the song. It also has the lyrics for those who have trouble understanding the singer's German accent.

Avantasia - "The Scarecrow"


Avantasia is an awesome symphonic metal band that you really owe it to yourself to check out. I caught an interview with the band's founder, Tobias Sammet (who also started Edguy), where he said that growing up he was a huge fan of classic metal groups like Iron Maiden, but that he also loved the bombast of Queen. With inspiration like that, what's not to like?

EDIT: Don't mind the still image for the video. Yes it's an Iron Maiden album cover, but it's just an image used in the video. Really, it's Avantasia performing "The Scarecrow." Honest.

Weekly Secret

PostSecret

Happy Thanksgiving

I have a lot to be thankful, but right now I am most thankful for the monetary aid given to me by the St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation and my co-worker, Brenda Nagel, which has allowed me to pursue custody of my daughters. I don't go to court for a few weeks, yet, and the outcome is, of course, uncertain ("Judges are human" as my lawyer is wont to say) but the fact that I even have this chance is just overwhelming as I wasn't sure I ever would. It is a debt I cannot repay and a definite reminder that there are good, gracious people in this world despite the occasional evidence to the contrary.