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Evolution, Ron Paul, etc
I was going to write a post about the evolution vs creationism debate, specifically about this post, but why? Granted, a lot of people really do care about their side of the debate, but what they really like doing is nagging other people about a matter with no consequences at all. What makes it more interesting is that no one denies the basic theory (adaptation, survival of the fittest, etc) but the origins of life are in question.
The religious impulse is strong in a high percentage of people, whether they believe in a higher power or not.
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Who would have thought it?
Unmentioned by the commentariat thus far is that the primaries (so far anyway) concern only domestic politics. Who would have predicted that four years, or even four months ago? This is the best proof of the the surge being seen as working I suppose.
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Sunday rapid fire
- Living in three centuries – amazing photography
- Public defender suspended for using n-word – while quoting someone no less! Inoffensive language has become the new way to show social piety.
- A profile of David Simon, author of two of my favorite books, and creator of one of my favorite television shows. The Wire starts tonight.
- The evolution debate is strange. Ron Paul says he doesn’t believe in some version of it, and an army of commenters jumps in to criticize. For something as trivial as the evolution-Creationism debate (trivial in the sense that being wrong does not affect the outcome) the level of vigor and venom is surprising. It would be interesting to know if belief in evolution was proportional in someway to having children.
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Wyoming
Here’s a little known fact, Wyoming is holding it’s caucus on Saturday.
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Iowa picks based on gut feeling
Democrats –
- Clinton
- Obama
- Edwards
Republican –
- Huckabee (by a margin that will surprise everyone)
- Romney
- Paul – maybe wishful thinking, but all of this money and energy has to translate into something.
Clinton and Huckabee are hardly my preferred choices, but neither of them are Edwards or Giuliani, who (I think) would do America irreparable damage.
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Quote of the morning
At eighteen our convictions are hills from which we look; at forty-five they are caves in which we hide. ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald,
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Quote of the moment
I was perusing Marginal Revolution (about vouchers) and came across this comment
In other words, even if a child’s chance of going to the state university is not increased by his new school, the kid’s chance of ending up in the state penitentiary is radically decreased. This consideration might not be of primary concern to many who support vouchers, but to those who live in the ghetto, it is of PRIMARY concern. Schools, more than anything, breed gangs. Like the projects of old, when you are FORCED to a geographical location, you make gang recruiting easier – and your kids chances of entering the prison system that much greater.
I saw a lecture by Nobel Laureate James Buchanan many years ago and before he veered off into pure math he said that there were three types of social organization, which he dubbed (something like this anyway), the closed circle, the open circle, and the broken circle. The closed circle is a prison, the open is free association, specifically where members have the right to exit and the right to exile rouge members and the broken circle, which is no association at all.
The Buchanan point came to mind…
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Happy New Year and all that
I’m not feeling it this year.
On another note, work on the Batcave has begun. I do believe it will be a multi-year project.
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Recommended viewing
The stuff of thought, an interview with Steven Pinker. It’s a lovely interview with braniac Steven Pinker on the development of language. Not safe for work, surprisingly.
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John Mayer supports Ron Paul
Sorority hearththrob John Mayer seems to be a Ron Paul supporter. I suppose he’ll make inroads in new arenas now Some friends of mine used to play with him many years ago at open mics here in Atlanta.
If only he could get Merle Haggard, he’d be set.