JUST as the dispute over whether vaccines cause autism was dying down at last, a US government decision has added fresh fuel to the fire. Last week it emerged that the federal government is to compensate a couple who say that the regular childhood vaccines, given to their baby daughter in 2000, caused her to develop autism. Damages have not yet been set, but could exceed $1 million.
Significantly, the government's decision says nothing about whether vaccines cause autism. Instead, government lawyers concluded only that vaccines aggravated a pre-existing cellular disorder in the child, causing brain damage that included features of autism. Nonetheless, anti-vaccination campaigners are claiming vindication. "It's official," wrote one autism blogger. "The sky has fallen. The fat lady has sung. Pigs are flying."
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Does this settlement undermine the studies put forth by the government showing no links between autism and the vaccines?
-Do you think this will cause other families to line up expecting payouts due to their children being affected by autism?
-Why do you think this payout occured if there is nothing to link the two together?
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The Prosperity Gospel
First seen on Between Two Worlds
Some questions:
-What are your thoughts on the message of the video?
-Do you agree with the speaker?
-Why are we so quick to accept something without checking it against the scriptures we say we believe?
Moses Was High: A Probable Explanation
High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week.
Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times, Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy.
"As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics," Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Just because you don't believe something, does that make it not true?
-Just because something seems improbable, does that make it not true?
-What evidence is there that Moses was high?
-What evidence is there that Moses actually heard from God?
-What do you think of Benny Shannon's opinio0n on the matter? Does his personal experience validate his conclusion?
Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times, Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy.
"As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics," Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Just because you don't believe something, does that make it not true?
-Just because something seems improbable, does that make it not true?
-What evidence is there that Moses was high?
-What evidence is there that Moses actually heard from God?
-What do you think of Benny Shannon's opinio0n on the matter? Does his personal experience validate his conclusion?
Horrors From The DMV
So yesterday I spent part of my afternoon sitting at the DMV waiting for a letter to be added to my license. It only took 2 hours of waiting (a vast improvement from 4 years ago when my wife and I sat for over 4 hours to get my license moved from a different state to my current state). During those two hours I watched a man become so bored with his life that he actually fell asleep in one of those Department of Motor Vehicle chairs- no arm rests, no cushion, nothing to hold you in. He snored for about 4 minutes until something woke him.
You know, it’s funny that they have signs that say “No mobile phones or pagers allowed. You must turn them off or turn them to silent.” Even with these signs in multiple locations it did not detour the masses. Mobile phone after mobile went off. It is always interesting to hear one sided conversations. You really get a sense of how dumb you sound when talking on one in public. A majority of the conversations started like this: “Hello. Just sitting here in the DMV waiting.” I wonder why they wasted the paper and ink (read: taxpayer money) to print these signs if no one enforces the decree?
A young girl who goes to one of our many private schools showed up with her mother. She constantly was grooming herself in preparation for her license picture. You could tell she was excited. Her number was called. (By the way, what is up with the number system? G109, B269, B267, I412… No consecutive order and no way to anticipate the remainder of your wait. I think they planned it that way.) She had her mother to drive the car around to the side while she filled out some paperwork. The mother came back in and sat down and waited for about 10 minutes. Then it happened. The girl came running back in crying and sobbing looking utterly confused. She could not find her mom. I saw her mom shake her and she got up. She was trying to talk to her mother but whatever was coming out of her mouth was not English. They had to go sign for something and the girl never stopped sobbing. Apparently her 16 years of life on this planet was ruined and there was nothing else to live for. No, not even the driver’s test she could take the very next week.
To round out things a bit there was a lady sitting in the back to the left with two young children. Both children were not happy about the long wait and they were the only ones who would publicly display their contempt for the long lines and wait. Okay, maybe they did not grasp the situation but they did understand they did not want to be there and their mom was making them be there. For two hours they cried, whined, screamed, accused their mother of keeping them there, and demanded that she let them down. And yeah, while this was going on, the man was snoring, the 16 year old was crying and sobbing, several people did not allow the boredom to interfere with their public displays of affection and mobile phones were going off like an operator’s switchboard. Then, on the overhead you would hear: “B547 is now being seen at counter 8”.
What a fun and interesting day. If your DMV is not like this, please go to a bigger city and try to do anything with your license. Please. You have to do it at least once before you leave this world. I was to the point that I was thinking to myself, if my job was to come here everyday for 6 hours and sit and wait and listen and they paid me 1,000 a day, I could not do it. I would have to quit. I wonder if the DMV is a little taste of what a watered down Hell might be like? Hmmm.
Some questions:
-Do you have any interesting stories from the DMV?
-Do you have suggestions for how to increase the efficiency of such a state run place?
-Does my experience seem typical?
-Do you think the DMV employees enjoy their jobs?
-Do you think that since you are legally required to visit the DMV that is why they do not make strides to improve the efficiency of such a place? If you have to go, why improve it?
You know, it’s funny that they have signs that say “No mobile phones or pagers allowed. You must turn them off or turn them to silent.” Even with these signs in multiple locations it did not detour the masses. Mobile phone after mobile went off. It is always interesting to hear one sided conversations. You really get a sense of how dumb you sound when talking on one in public. A majority of the conversations started like this: “Hello. Just sitting here in the DMV waiting.” I wonder why they wasted the paper and ink (read: taxpayer money) to print these signs if no one enforces the decree?
A young girl who goes to one of our many private schools showed up with her mother. She constantly was grooming herself in preparation for her license picture. You could tell she was excited. Her number was called. (By the way, what is up with the number system? G109, B269, B267, I412… No consecutive order and no way to anticipate the remainder of your wait. I think they planned it that way.) She had her mother to drive the car around to the side while she filled out some paperwork. The mother came back in and sat down and waited for about 10 minutes. Then it happened. The girl came running back in crying and sobbing looking utterly confused. She could not find her mom. I saw her mom shake her and she got up. She was trying to talk to her mother but whatever was coming out of her mouth was not English. They had to go sign for something and the girl never stopped sobbing. Apparently her 16 years of life on this planet was ruined and there was nothing else to live for. No, not even the driver’s test she could take the very next week.
To round out things a bit there was a lady sitting in the back to the left with two young children. Both children were not happy about the long wait and they were the only ones who would publicly display their contempt for the long lines and wait. Okay, maybe they did not grasp the situation but they did understand they did not want to be there and their mom was making them be there. For two hours they cried, whined, screamed, accused their mother of keeping them there, and demanded that she let them down. And yeah, while this was going on, the man was snoring, the 16 year old was crying and sobbing, several people did not allow the boredom to interfere with their public displays of affection and mobile phones were going off like an operator’s switchboard. Then, on the overhead you would hear: “B547 is now being seen at counter 8”.
What a fun and interesting day. If your DMV is not like this, please go to a bigger city and try to do anything with your license. Please. You have to do it at least once before you leave this world. I was to the point that I was thinking to myself, if my job was to come here everyday for 6 hours and sit and wait and listen and they paid me 1,000 a day, I could not do it. I would have to quit. I wonder if the DMV is a little taste of what a watered down Hell might be like? Hmmm.
Some questions:
-Do you have any interesting stories from the DMV?
-Do you have suggestions for how to increase the efficiency of such a state run place?
-Does my experience seem typical?
-Do you think the DMV employees enjoy their jobs?
-Do you think that since you are legally required to visit the DMV that is why they do not make strides to improve the efficiency of such a place? If you have to go, why improve it?
Monday, March 3, 2008
The Death of Larry Norman & The Christian Music Label
Below is an excerpt from a journal entry by my favorite singer/songwriter of all time: Robert Deeble. Never heard of him? That's okay, now you have. Read below and note his comments about the entity that is "Christian Music".
i read this morning that larry norman died...
its strange he was one of the weirdest people in music. Larry is best known in the genre of Christian rock, a genre that I have fiercely avoided. Not for any denial of my own spiritual beliefs (I consider myself a Christian) but for the sick commercialization that accompanies it. Several of my albums had been partly distributed through that industry and what I witnessed behind the scenes was so traumatic that I pretty much washed my hands.
Larry's music focused on his belief in Jesus but never at the sake of denying reality around him. As Frank Black of the Pixies said recently of Larry "People might think of him as a so-called Christian singer or songwriter or whatever, but he's an individual. He has his own kind of thing going on. He's not all slicko, you know? He's real." Touring with bands like the Who and the Stones Larry's "Jesus talk" eventually wore out its welcome and he found himself in a subculture in LA that became a loose collective of artists who lyrically mingled life with a wonder for God...
Frank Black and Jason Carter filmed Larry in the hospital before his death and he looked pretty bad... ( video link ) but for a better picture of this who this strange man was search the record piles in your local thrift store until you find a edgar winter looking dude in his twenties all bellbottomed and crazyeyed, reaching out for something just beyond his grasp.
You can read more here.
*Of note: I would have never found Robert Deeble's music if it had not been added to the Downstream: A Weathervane Compilation (a "Christian Music" compilation). "Rock a Bye" is included on that album, and Robert Deeble does a duet with Victoria Williams (a guru in both Christian and secular circles). Simply beautiful.
Some questions:
-What are your thoughts concerning "Christian Music"? Christian Music Labels?
-Do you think Robert Deeble brings up a good point concerning the industry?
-If you bothered to click on Deeble's link above, what are your thoughts concerning his lyrics? His musical style?
i read this morning that larry norman died...
its strange he was one of the weirdest people in music. Larry is best known in the genre of Christian rock, a genre that I have fiercely avoided. Not for any denial of my own spiritual beliefs (I consider myself a Christian) but for the sick commercialization that accompanies it. Several of my albums had been partly distributed through that industry and what I witnessed behind the scenes was so traumatic that I pretty much washed my hands.
Larry's music focused on his belief in Jesus but never at the sake of denying reality around him. As Frank Black of the Pixies said recently of Larry "People might think of him as a so-called Christian singer or songwriter or whatever, but he's an individual. He has his own kind of thing going on. He's not all slicko, you know? He's real." Touring with bands like the Who and the Stones Larry's "Jesus talk" eventually wore out its welcome and he found himself in a subculture in LA that became a loose collective of artists who lyrically mingled life with a wonder for God...
Frank Black and Jason Carter filmed Larry in the hospital before his death and he looked pretty bad... ( video link ) but for a better picture of this who this strange man was search the record piles in your local thrift store until you find a edgar winter looking dude in his twenties all bellbottomed and crazyeyed, reaching out for something just beyond his grasp.
You can read more here.
*Of note: I would have never found Robert Deeble's music if it had not been added to the Downstream: A Weathervane Compilation (a "Christian Music" compilation). "Rock a Bye" is included on that album, and Robert Deeble does a duet with Victoria Williams (a guru in both Christian and secular circles). Simply beautiful.
Some questions:
-What are your thoughts concerning "Christian Music"? Christian Music Labels?
-Do you think Robert Deeble brings up a good point concerning the industry?
-If you bothered to click on Deeble's link above, what are your thoughts concerning his lyrics? His musical style?
USB Thumb Drive Movie Rentals?
For those who think a movie rental store is too cumbersome or digital download too slow, a new option may be in store for you: USB movie rentals.
PortoMedia says its technology can download a standard definition movie in less than a minute. A starter USB kit will cost around $60 (U.S. pricing isn't set), which will provide you with a USB drive, a USB dock, and six movie rentals.
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Would you pay ~$60 to just be able to start using this service?
-If their kiosks are plentiful and user friendly, do you see Netflix and Blockbuster a thing of the past?
-Do you find the idea of a thumb drive more convenient than say a disc or internet download?
-Do you see any potential setbacks to suing propriatary usb drives for this service?
-Would you rather see these kiosks sitting next to the gas pumps (download while you pump) or in an airport terminal or ______?
PortoMedia says its technology can download a standard definition movie in less than a minute. A starter USB kit will cost around $60 (U.S. pricing isn't set), which will provide you with a USB drive, a USB dock, and six movie rentals.
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Would you pay ~$60 to just be able to start using this service?
-If their kiosks are plentiful and user friendly, do you see Netflix and Blockbuster a thing of the past?
-Do you find the idea of a thumb drive more convenient than say a disc or internet download?
-Do you see any potential setbacks to suing propriatary usb drives for this service?
-Would you rather see these kiosks sitting next to the gas pumps (download while you pump) or in an airport terminal or ______?
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Motorcycles?
Have you ever wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle? Ever wondered what it was like? I have. Plus, with the rising cost of petrol I decided to find a good fixer-up motorcycle and learn with it and then find what I really wanted in a motorcycle.
So, I found a great deal on a used, running motorcycle. It is a Suzuki GS850. I bought it around 4 months ago for around $400- he needed the money and didn't need the bike) and have rode it several times around my neighborhood trying to get a feel for how it handles and the power it has. It is a big bike but handles well and I feel comfortable on it.
Shortly after I bought the bike, I decided to look for a motorcycle class so I could avoid reinforcing any bad habits I might have utilized while teaching myself. I signed up for them around a month ago and took them this weekend. Two days of classroom and course training from 7.45am to 5pm. Long days but well worth the money and time involved as they provided valuable instruction and made it fun being out there going through obstacle courses and practicing different defensive techniques.
So, if you ever had an inkling to hit the wide-open roads on a motorcycle, I would highly recommend signing up for a motorcycle safety course and not letting anything detour you from getting on a bike. A lot of people "warned" me about the dangers of motorcycles. Point taken, but it is funny that most of those who warned me were people who have never ridden one. Funny how that works. Point: if you are fearful of one, but you think it might be fun, sign up for a course near you and allow your fear to subside and enjoy the ride.
Some questions:
-What are your thoughts about motorcycles?
-Do you think you will ever ride one? Drive one?
-What do you think about the nay sayers who preach the dangers of motorcycles, yet have no first hand knowledge of them?
-Even without first hand knowledge, can they (the nay sayers) still be right?
*Disclaimer: I am not saying they are not dangerous. I am saying that if you know how to use one, understand the risks involved and take them seriously you can minimize the risks associated with riding a motorcycle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)