Oh boy, I thought class was going to suck

August 29th, 2008 • 1 comment education
Tags: creationism, evolution

But I’m now assured that it will never be uninteresting. We actually had a new student today join us. In her defense, I don’t think she read the course description at all. She looked like a nice Jewish girl but has punctuality problems. But then she ended up leaving less than halfway through. I guess she didn’t think to READ the course description and realize that this probably wasn’t a class she’d like. Tough tits for her. This Evolution and Creationism class is going to be great. Not because it’s a discussion of a very pertinent and very current topical issue but because of the people in it. We’re all in school. We all got there somehow, hopefully retaining some intelligence on the way there, right? HA! Boy, am I wrong. Now, I’m not discounting the average IQ of the class at all. I know full well it’s right in the ball park of the average 7th grader. I’m not discounting the fact that this is a class mostly full of people who don’t know what Anthropology is although it is the first word of the proper course title. Hell, most probably don’t know what creationism is exactly. But they’re finding out.

Finding out real fast. Today Professor McCarthy trotted out a PowerPoint slide based on Eugenie Scott’s Creationism/Evolution continuum from the NCSE. Most people got lost right there. A simple slide outlining what she wrote, with pictures nonetheless. Many of my classmates couldn’t fathom the different types of creationism. Now, Professor McCarthy didn’t give the best descriptions but most of the names are self-explanatory. Flat Earthers? Well, that’s easy. Young Earth Creationist? Fairly easy too. Old Earth? Just as easy. But no, it was still difficult. This is further compounded by people who don’t know what evolution is or what creationism is (or was, now they do). I know Florida’s school system is a laughing joke but really, where were these kids in Physical Science or Biology? Just keeping quiet in class is an exercise all its own.

Then we leaped off on a groupthink about whether religion is ‘hard wired’ — meaning, in our DNA now — versus being nothing more than a behavioral or social construct or idea. First we were asked “what do you think religion is for?” and there was silence. My friends and myself were just waiting for answers, the most proper of which came about 15 minutes after the question was proposed and more people were suffering from footinmouthitis. One squeaky voiced guy, whose yet to hit puberty I believe, stated religion is hardwired into our DNA for social cohesion. I let this sink in for about 5 minutes before I said anything. At all. I was laughing inside but I stayed quiet. Then I valiantly raised my hand and simply stated “Well, if it’s hardwired for social cohesion, wouldn’t that mean that it would bounce back and forth between the two extremes [in our DNA versus behavioral adaptation]?” The teacher tried not to agree in order to stay non-biased but he did agree. I was accused of making the “chicken before the egg” argument which I’d made no allusions to doing so. I merely stated what I said I did, nothing more. I didn’t propose which came first or second, nor did I want to, purposefully. I pretty much got the reaction I was looking for. Mr. Balls-not-yet-dropped got huffy and defensive trying to back up his point. But does he not realize you cannot have a social construct without a pre-existing society? Religion could not have become part of our DNA without it first being socially introduced. For that, you need a society first. Societies develop just like humans do, in small stages. We don’t run before we walk and societies do not develop widely held beliefs of any kind on day one. According to this kid, they pretty much do and it’s in our genes. That was but one highlight of the day. We still had people positing the idea that if we evolved from Great Apes, they must have religion too because it’d serve monkeys and apes some great purpose for societal means, like keeping alpha males from killing each other (actually said by some girl today). Yep, religion keeps people from killing each other. Oh, hello Crusades. Hello, Inquisition. Hello, West Bank. I’m going to try and record this class just for the laughs.

And we’re not even close to getting into any material at all, today’s class was merely about defining the debate between evolution and creationism, and outlining why this is and has been an issue. We haven’t touched The God Delusion yet, haven’t read any nonsense from Behe, or struggled through The Wedge Document (that’s later in the class!). People got to hear about the Disco Institute but haven’t yet even begun to hear anything about that mess. I’d love to know that when we get to Joseph Campbell’s movie, it’d open some eyes but I know it won’t. Crazy wonks will always be crazy wonks.

So far, I love ANT4930-009 because I don’t have to take any notes or really even listen at all. I get to do some light reading, watch South Park and Expelled and The Power of Myth, and along down the road read excerpts from PZ Myers. In other words, I get to basically do everything I already do and get a grade for it. How sweet! A class where I get a grade for merely being a science-loving atheist.

I have returned

August 26th, 2008 • chatter, education
Tags: creationism, school

The blog hiatus was over and I was due for one. The Olympics really helped steer me away from my huge daily intake of news articles and blog posts, I was beginning to get a little burned out. Also, school started this week and it’s going to be a doozy for sure.

Today’s class was aptly titled Anthropology, Evolution, and Creationism. I didn’t make a typo, this is my new Tues/Thurs. class and it’s definitely going to be interesting. Professor McCarthy was trying his hardest to maintain a non-biased stance in class but I certainly didn’t make it any easier for him. It was interesting to hear comments from people who didn’t really know what evolution or creationism were, I’m wondering why they even signed up. If they weren’t scared off after today’s all over the place discussion, I’m not so sure they’re going to enjoy the ensuing weeks.

I got a huge chuckle out of our syllabus. We’re watching both the South Park episode on Scientology (and discussing Mormonism the same week) and watching Expelled in class! I thought I was seeing things at first until the teacher began talking about the syllabus. Yeah, it’s no joke. We get to talk about Xenu, the Disco Institute IDiots, and all sorts of crazy stuff interlaced with Dawkins and Nietzsche.

Anyway, I’m neck-deep in two weeks’ of RSS feeds and I need to go read for class on Thursday. I’ll be back to update on the next real class we have of Evolution and Creationism.

Blog hiatus nearly over

August 19th, 2008 • chatter

I’ve been on a self-imposed hiatus here in the last week or so for various reasons. Mostly, I was busy with the Olympics and some home-related stuff. I would’ve made a big post tonight but we’ve spent most of the night preparing for a tornado that may or may not (read: probably won’t) come.

Right now, I’ve got to go make sure we have everything prepared in case we have to hide in the bathroom.

Some helpful and not so helpful ‘hacks’ on saving electricity

August 13th, 2008 • 1 comment environmentalism
Tags: environmentalism

Here’s a Carnival of the Green #140 (URL lists it as #2 because it’s the second time Everyday Trash has hosted it).

However, if you read the list carefully, there are some very glaring errors:

1. Not exactly a way to save electricity but a way to identify biggest consumers of it (always these: big screen TVs, fridge, A/C, hot water heater, multiple computers).
2. If it’s off and not on standby then it’s using no electricity at all, not even phantom energy.
4. Small conventional TVs and small LCD TVs consume very little power to begin with. Better tip: watch TV on your PC as much as possible. One device, one source of consumption.
6. Use a push-reel mower instead of either. An electric mower uses…electricity and I thought this was a list on how to cut down on usage? Use a gasoline mower if you have a huge yard as you will not have an extension cord long enough and arguably less stamina to push a push-reel around.
8. Use a ceiling fan instead of A/C if possible. This is not always feasible in places with high humidity (Florida, much of the South) or people with airborne allergies.
11. Instead of turning off, set heat lower than needed and bundle up on blankets. It’s easier to take them off in the middle of the night than to add them or to jack up the thermostat.
21, Should be common sense to anyone, I don’t call common sense a ‘hack’.
23. Letting certain foods rest outside of a cold temperature can invite bacterial growth or make them spoil more quickly.
24. Defrosting isn’t about keeping foods cold, it’s about defrosting them to warm them up. If really worried, let the food sit out in the kitchen and use the microwave. 2 minutes in a microwave versus a day or two in the fridge consumes much less energy.
31. Vacuum the coils if you can, not a lot of people can — or want to — move a fridge that weighs a few hundred pounds.
33. Wash and rinse clothes in cold water. If warm or hot water is needed, use a sink. Washing for a few minutes in the sink versus a 20 to 30 minute wash cycle consumes much less electricity from the water heater.
35. Take a navy-style shower or simply fill a bucket with water instead. Both will use less water and electricity than a shower or a bath.
37. Again, common sense. I don’t know any men that shave with running water except in the shower (closer shave) and I don’t know any women that shave in a sink (they just shave in the shower/bath too).

There are some helpful hints there otherwise, despite the fact that many of them are a bit off base given both common sense and what many ecogeeks already consider ’standard practice’. Here are some things that should’ve been on the list instead of others (like putting your computer into sleep/standby/hibernate, just turn it off):

-insulate your water heater
-get an on-demand water heater
-use a solar water heater
-insulate your fridge
-use a smaller fridge
-use a laptop instead of a desktop
-use energy efficient PC components, such as ULV (ultra low voltage) processors and EnergyStar rated components
-use smart power strips or unplug devices when not in use (or turn off existing power strips)
-use light timers
-switch as many bulbs as possible to fluorescent, CFL, or LED.
-use natural sunlight during the day to light your house/apartment/condo, this is completely free
-use window films to reflect light (summer) or hold in heat (window)
-use windows with higher R values
-use higher R value insulation in your walls and roof
-dress warmly in the winter and try to utilize space heaters
-use small area fans in the summer to cool yourself instead of the entire room
-make sure your ceiling fan is rotating the proper way during summer or winter
-instead of boiling a pot of water for a cup of tea or instant coffee (yuck!), simply microwave a cup of water;it’s faster and uses less electricity
-slow cook or smoke your foods
-contact your power company about energy saving options such as smart meters, on call boxes (to turn off idle appliances during peak usage times)
-conduct an energy audit and implement those changes; if conducted by your power company, they can sometimes give you incentives to use less energy
-use solar panels to charge/power small electronics
-use wind-up electronics such as radios

These are more tried-and-true than some of the options on the other list, put them together for more savings.

(I’m not bashing Kacper’s list entirely but much of it won’t actually save you much, if any, electricity overall hence my numbered list rebutting portions of it. Much of my list aren’t things I’ve thought of but suggestions people have been giving out for quite some time.)

Busy, busy

August 11th, 2008 • chatter
Tags: olympics

This has been a busy last few days. First it was the Olympics and then the Bon Festival at the Morikami Japanese Gardens and a few nights’ out drinking with friends. I am going to be editing the pictures from the festival this week and will have them up on Flickr; I also finally got our second visit to Lion Country Safari online at Flickr although it only took nearly 3 months to do so. There will also be other photos up this week such as when we went to the Florida Supercon a few months ago and a few other events. I’m just lazy when it comes to post processing .

We also saw Pineapple Express Sunday night, it hilarious. Theater full of people and riotous laughing for the entire thing. Of course, some people laughed at things that weren’t even funny but I’m guessing they were simply high.

We got a few more plants this weekend courtesy of our neighbor. They’re kind of dead at the moment but I’m going to get some worm castings shipped here ASAP so I can revive them. I don’t have much of a green thumb but I don’t want to get new plants that are already dead and just let them die. We haven’t started the garden yet but it should be happening soon, we’re still trying to clear up the patio to get some planting space since we have a lot of stuff to donate to people out there right now. The last few weeks have been slow on the Freecycle front, mostly getting moving boxes. I wish we could find some more cool stuff, it was fun digging around in the dumpsters.

Right now, it’s more Olympics! I love watching this stuff in HD, geez.

I thought cowboy boots were supposed to be super comfy

August 7th, 2008 • music
Tags: concert

I can tell you they were at the beginning of the Coheed & Cambria show, when we arrived around 6:15PM to The Revolution. About 45 minutes later, we were inside. We haven’t been there in over a year, since we saw Gojira (that was a helluva show too). But tonight was special, tonight was a concert my girlfriend had been waiting months for and at the end of the night, she was majorly not disappointed. There were three bands on the bill total, including Coheed. First up was Russian Circles. These guys are phenoms of instrumetal (sic). They do not fuck around with their music and have toured with the likes of Daughters and Red Sparowes. I don’t know, or care, what they put in the water in Chicago to churn out quality instrumental bands like this but they have an amazing scene.

After that was The Secret Machines, who ended up getting booed half the time. They were forgettable in my book but they weren’t bad (an eclectic mix of shoegaze/crust with some drone-fuzz and their “space rock” along with “heavy” influences from other bands). Apparently, no one there even liked them but had to tolerate them anyway.

Eventually Coheed and Cambria came on and truth be told, they can rival Opeth in sheer set length; one Opeth show ended up running nearly 3 hours for them alone. The show was great, played like their studio recordings but completely upscaled with Claudio Sanchez’s showmanship. The man knows how to get a rise out of the fans. It was a great show even though I looked mad the whole time — standing around for 5+ hours in one spot sucks for sure but I was busy concentrating. The night ended with, I swear, a near 30 minute rendition of Welcome Home (which I think it was, I actually forgot what song it was once the solos ensued). Simply amazing. Their prog rock influences were blazing through during the solos. Travis Stever was simply shredding for a good 6-7 minutes with a voicebox while Claudio Sanchez ripped the stage apart before firing up….a THEREMIN. I posted this on Twitter but really, who the hell plays a Mellotron these days?! There’s a slow revival of theremin playing these days but you’d think Sanchez was an old hat at it, blazing through his own solo with it. It was a mix of guitar (and pedal malfunctions/overheating), theremin (played with hands, guitar, and hair), and shredding around on the stage. Very excellent. Then came Chris Pennie’s drum solo, I swear he was channeling Neil Pert. I’m glad he left Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed fits his playing style much more closely. His solo was ripping about the 25 minute mark (yeah, I timed it) when he was the only one left on stage and the other members came back on to finish the song. Sanchez had donned an Imperial Stormtrooper helmet, I want to know how he fit it over all of his hair.

This was by far one of the best concerts we’ve ever witnessed in terms of musicality (ok, that’s just me) and enjoyment. I’m keeping my eye out for when Russian Circles come back down, they have most definitely piqued my interest in more Chi-town instrumental metal.

(Yeah, I’m now a fanboy)

I’m innocent, I tells ya!

August 5th, 2008 • idiocy

Does anyone else find it, in the least bit, fishy as hell that Mary-Kate Olsen is requesting immunity from the DEA’s prosecution in discussions regarding Heath Ledger’s death? The reports state she’s told the investigators “everything” she knows. If that were even slightly true, why would she be so adamant about getting immunity for being innocent and forthcoming? Dead men tell no tales but innocent people don’t request immunity for being innocent either.

The gossip blogs have to be loving all of this. It’s like a goldmine of avenue-generating speculation for them.

So what’s this I hear about the Templars wanting to sue the Vatican?

August 4th, 2008 • christianity, idiocy
Tags: christianity, legal

While thumbing through my shared RSS feeds in Google Reader, I came across this little gem: Knights Templar demanding “good name” and assets back from Vatican after 700 years. I’m not joking, this is a real article. Now, the fact that it’s from The Register makes it suspicious enough as they’re not only an IT site, they’re a bunch of wily prankster, treating everyday like April Fool’s Day.

I have a feeling this is another parody article but if it’s not, more power to the Templars! Not so much for sticking it to the Pope but for having the balls to go to court over 700 year old assets that may or may not have actually existed. I’m sure, locked somewhere in a dusty “Eyes only” vault, the Vatican does have some records of what assets they seized from the Order seven centuries ago but good luck getting it out of them. Suing for 100 billion Euros? Which one of them is doing the Dr. Evil pinky-to-mouth expression? There’s a part of me that wants this so very much to be real. A (now vaguely) religious and righteous fraternal Order suing the pants off the (now vaguely) relevant keepers of the coffers.

There’s just so many Monty Python jokes that can, and will, come of this.

Via Mark “Rizzn” Hopkins’ shared news items

Florida Governor Crist starts statewide push for alternative fuels

August 4th, 2008 • environmentalism
Tags: environmentalism

In a statement at the 3rd annual Florida Farm to Fuel conference, Crist announces enhanced support for alternative energy sources. No doubt much of his new found environmentalism enthusiasm has been spurred by his recent visit to the UK, meeting with leaders in their country’s push to energy alternatives.

I never thought much of Crist when he was elected, I knew I was just happy to have Jeb Bush no longer in office and in a position to plummet our state further away from progress. While there were some recent slip-ups with the proposed “I Believe” rights-infringing license plate and the push by legislators to “teach the controversy” in science classes — both of which failed — Charlie’s proven to be a pretty resilient guy in office. It seems not a week goes by when Gov. Crist isn’t making a statement about a support for or a push for developing alternative energy sources or trying to increase government-backed conversation efforts in the state. I applaud pushing for more alternative energy sources, especially in the way of solar and wind given that there are literally huge portions of this state completely unused. Putting up wind farms in central and coastal Florida can generate quite a bit of energy but one must be careful of ecological damage. The latter will be difficult to avoid with solar farms given how much room they need so I hope that Crist is taking it to his cabinet and underlings to vie for and research ecologically-sound and profitable solutions for us to use.

Maybe he’ll start taking hints from places like California that are offering huge incentives to install solar panels on homes and increase grants and incentives for businesses and developers to build more environmentally intelligent.

Orlando’s LYNX transport switching to biodiesel

August 3rd, 2008 • environmentalism
Tags: biodiesel, environmentalism

While there isn’t much information coming out of the 3rd annual Florida Farm to Fuel conference, it was announced last week that Orlando’s LYNX bus lines will be switching to biofuels entirely by Fall 2009. The transport authority serves much of the Central Florida region but has its highest traffic in Orlando, no doubt due to both the University of Central Florida and the numerous theme parks in the town. I see dozens of these buses when we go to Orlando so this will help their local economy quite a bit and will help cut down on their growing smog problem.

It’s reported by LYNX’s CEO that they will not only be switching their buses to biodiesel, they’ll also be building their own manufacturing and processing plant for making the fuels. This will greatly cut down on external costs for LYNX and will create a number of green jobs in the area. Movements like this will undoubtedly help convince Gov. Crist and his cabinet that we, Floridians that is, don’t need any new off shore drilling projects to more imports to sustain transportation, especially in the larger cities. If this LYNX project proves successful, I’m almost positive that transport in other cities like Tampa, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Gainesville, and Jacksonville will want to convert to similar methods if not the identical ones using the same contractors. I know Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Gainesville could see huge savings in public transportation costs since two are huge college towns (Miami and Gainesville) and two have heavily trafficked bus systems as it is now (Miami and Ft. Lauderdale).

If this proves more successful than they realize, hopefully the cities can also convince their local cab companies to switch to alternative fuel sources as that would help immensely as well. With night life such a huge part in some of the larger cities in Florida, there are hundreds of cabs in use late at night and even more during the day, even here in Boca where more and more people are driving less. When I was living in Ft. Lauderdale, I would see a few dozen cabs on the way to school during the afternoon and I would only drive about 5 miles. I hope the savings accrued by LYNX will be a model to other transport systems both statewide and nationwide.