Month: August 2010
Either Tony Abbott is behind an organised campaign, or he has no control of his party
Either way, the barrage of intimidating phone calls to the Independents from Liberal politicians is just more evidence that Abbott is unfit to be Prime Minister.
I try to accentuate the positive…
… in relation to environmental stories, and seek solutions rather than just report catastrophes… but it’s hard to find a positive spin on this story: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/aug/22/global-resources-deficit-land-water-oil I still believe that, given the will, there are technological fixes available. But, absent the will, we’re gonna see some hard times.
Something I’ve been thinking about
First, check out this amazing video. You might have seen it before, but watch it again anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ve4M4UsJQo&feature=search Now, God could have just walked over to the car and switched it on, metaphorically speaking. But how much more amazing and awe-inspiring to do it this way! Similarly, he absolutely has the power to speak and…
Just in case you thought, for a moment, that ‘Lord’ Monckton was credible…
George Monbiot gives the overview in the Guardian Here’s John Abrahams’ actual presentation, slides and audio: http://www.stthomas.edu/engineering/jpabraham/ It’s about 67 minutes, so set aside some time, but it’s a worthwhile watch, partly because it will help you learn some science, and because he’s not about telling you what to believe, but about empowering you to…
On Evidence
The ‘no evidence would convince you’ argument – usually bolstered with the relevant texts – from Christians wears a bit thin, particularly when those making it claim that no evidence would convince them to change their views. Those of us compelled to follow the evidence are deluged in it every day… but it’s evidence that,…
Bad News and Good News
First, one of the candidates for Australian Prime Minister – election coming up this Saturday – believes warming has stopped: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/abbotts-climate-doubts-20100816-126xm.html I’m not a one-issue voter, and there are plenty of other reasons to oppose him anyway, but this level of plain disconnect from reality in itself disqualifies him for the job in my opinion.…
Belated Evidence
Between general crazy busy-ness and the fact that there are fewer computers at home and the fact that my site was hacked and was down for a day, it’s taken a while to post these: Insurance assessor guy came out yesterday and a new computer is on its way.
Progfest Brisbane 2010
Saw a brief reference in one of the local free rags to ‘Progfest’ at Rosies in Brisbane on Friday night. Lots and lots of Aussie progressive bands, from post-rock to metal. For 15 bucks, at the end of a long week… how bad could it be? The answer, as it turned out, was that it…
The Ceiling Fell In
There will be photos, when I get them off the camera
I’m not antiChristian
I am antibigotry, antihomophobia, antiprejudice, antipedophilia, antisexism, antiracism and so on. And when I see Christians being pro… any of those things, I’ll call them on it. When I see them ascribing it to their faith, I’ll call them on it even more. As I said to Matt the other day, though, I still regard…
Arrghhh!!!!
A few years ago Trisha Goddard (who as far as I know now hosts a very trashy Jerry Springer style TV talk show in the UK) completed a stint on TV in Australia for a couple of years, and in leaving called Australia “the most racist country in the world”. I thought she was wrong…
Motivation
Just a kind of blah-mingled-with-panic day. It’s cold, I have half a flu, my office computer has died, I have to teach later. I have work piling up, and more and more of it coming in… and just can’t really get motivated to do any of it. At some point I’ll get started, I assume.…
On Certainty (again/still/more)
This status discussion on Facebook kinda took off, so I thought I’d share it here: http://www.facebook.com/bravus?v=wall&story_fbid=140589155963828&ref=notif¬if_t=feed_comment
Sigh
Recent creationism and plain bad science being taught in Queensland schools: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-students-taught-humans-coexisted-with-dinosaurs/story-e6freoof-1225899437968 Religious Instruction (RI) classes are taught by volunteers from the churches, not by teachers, and there is really no control at all of what kids are taught. Parents can opt their children out, but it takes effort and there are few meaningful alternatives.