It amazes me how much we still don't know

Scientists these days seem to take so many things for granted - the big bang theory, Darwinian evolution, and even more mundane things - but it always amazes and amuses me when theories crop up that offer alternative reasons for some of the phenomena we observe and try to rationalize through complex theories (like those mentioned already). Here is one such example I ran into today while reading through the news: the Earth may exist inside a cosmic bubble, of sorts.

It isn't so much a bubble that they describe, just that some of the things we currently interpret as the universe expanding may actually be the result of Earth being in a relatively low-density section of space. Apparently this bucks traditional astronomical reasoning, which requires that things follow the Copernican principle. By suggesting that the Earth is in a unique region of space they seem to think that we are stepping beyond what we can demonstrate or presuppose - but I would also point out the opposite: by assuming that the Earth is in an average or 'normal' part of the universe, we are presupposing that such a norm exists. I don't think that with our limited knowledge of cosmology we can really be safe in that assumption; it is very possible that every part of the expanses out there is different and unique!

This is certainly a fun topic to discuss, and I look forward to more things that turn the scientific status-quo on its head. In the end, though, such things don't really matter all that much. As much as I like science and exploration, I sometimes do think that we should deal with some of the problems we have here on Earth before unleashing humanity on a poor, unsuspecting universe ;)

A New Declaration

Its been over two hundred years - I wonder if it is time for a new Declaration of Independence:

'When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and failures, showing ever a lack of commitment to these principles, leads a people to the edge of financial and social ruin, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these States; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present and recent Legislatures and Presidencies is a history of repeated taxations, budgetary deficits, and trade imbalances, all having as a direct result the near-bankruptcy of the peoples of these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

They have raised Federal taxes on Citizens of these States consistently and through numerous channels.

They have allowed the Nation's debt to rise nine-fold in the past forty years.

They have generally not provided for a sound, balanced budget in their stewardship of the people's money each year - further contributing to the aforementioned debt.

When private businesses have faltered they have often seen fit to bail these out, resulting in further debts and preventing the natural laws of economics to run their due course.

They have sent money to the aid of foreign regimes and peoples, when there are needs among our own just as dire.

They have spent precious resources and funds on pet projects and endeavors of social and other natures which the Government has no need to busy itself with.

They have grown bureaucracies beyond measure which interfere with all manner of Rights of the Citizens, and which furthermore waste away our Monies.

They have begun and continue to force upon us a plan of 'social security', which is rapidly failing and will only compound the other Crises already mentioned.

In every stage of these Failings we have been beset by False Promises, Misinformation, and Blatant Lies from those we elect to represent us. These men and women seem more motivated by Greed and lust for Power than the needs and desires of the Citizens, which should be their wont. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity to begin anew with a government more suited to the needs of the States and their People.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of this Country, solemnly publish and declare, that these current Officials, Representatives, Judges, and Administrators shall be removed from office post-haste, and that all manner of Laws and Decrees they have foisted upon us shall be removed and a new Form of Goverance be put in place - that the greatest Good and best Interest of the People may be put forward. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.'

I'm not actually sure that I think the premises of the original Declaration of Independence are valid - I may dedicate another post to that discussion, though, as I think it deserves its own place. This 'new' declaration is intended to get folks thinking about the situation our government is in, and is in no way to be construed as an actual suggestion that such actions be taken. For reference, the text of the original document on which this is based can be found here.

The Fall of America

I just had a moment of clarity, and figured it would be a good thing to blog about. Please be aware that what follows may be offensive to many, and is certain to be controversial, but I think it holds at least some element of truth.

The American economy is in a dangerous position, with the falling stock market and the general instability among many large banks and lenders. I was lamenting this earlier today, and discussing with coworkers what the root of the problem is and what could be done about it. I'm not an economist, though, so I'm sure most of what I said would be laughed at by anyone with actual experience in that field.

When that was over, though, I reflected on the state of our country and how attached I am to the idea that it needs to keep running. Of course, my job and my family's livelihood depend on our economy not falling apart - I have a horse in the race, so to speak. Still, it seemed like I was overly attached to the sort of life I am leading and that I was not seeing the situation from a balanced viewpoint.

As I pondered this more and more, and a few other conversations at work played out, I began to realize that there are things our country has done and is doing which probably - in God's eyes - would merit all sorts of judgment. Some of you might assume I am speaking of the current war in Iraq, but you'd be wrong. I am referring to the disintegration of the family, the rampant abuse of various drugs and other addictive materials, the wholesale slaughter of unborn babies, and a whole host of other evils that we either endorse or overlook. We still do some things right, like supporting Israel, but I think anymore that our sins as a nation far outweigh our good.

Furthermore in the past, a king or emperor could be pointed to as the origin of policies that led a nation one way or another - but today in our culture we all bear the burden of electing leaders who make those policies. It isn't a single person, then, who will reap the rewards of those actions: it is the whole of our society!

Perhaps, then, some of the trials we face as a country are not unfair. Perhaps we are being judged for our crimes. Maybe, just maybe, a lot more of the horrors we see and hear about every day are our 'just deserts'.

On the subject of Origins

One constantly reads and hears these days about the "creationism versus evolution" debate. Almost everyone has an opinion one way or the other on this, and most (on both sides) are so steadfast and unwavering in their beliefs that the "debate" usually devolves into more of a name-calling fest. I'd like to outline my thoughts on this subject, and see what you folks out there think.

First off, let me say that I believe God created the universe and everything in it. A lot of people might stop reading right there, writing me off in their minds as a lunatic or simpleton - but I think if you continue reading you will see that I am not. I am a Christian, so I cannot accept that God had no involvement in the world that we see around us; neither can I believe that God simply does not exist.

Many folks who espouse the modern theory of evolution would come down on the opposite side: they would say that they cannot believe in a God, and therefore "creationism" is impossible. Either way, it is not the evidence at hand that sways people one way or the other - it is the world view we start with that leads us to look at the world and interpret the things we see in a way that fits with our fundamental beliefs.

In fact, to truly understand where I fall on this one must take a step back and look at the terms that are bandied about so loosely:

Creationism - Many think that this is a purely Regis view that takes no science or evidence into account. To me, though, it is not so much a statement of how God created the world as it is simply a believe that it was created and did not simply come from nowhere. This topic is a worthy philosophical discussion, but science can in no way touch on it: if one posits, for a moment, the existence of a supreme being (as most who believe in Him think God is) and that He created the universe, there is no way that science can either prove or disprove that. We can see evidence for - or potentially against - it, but in the end one could point out that this Being could entirely hide His presence and yet still exist. As such, this is indeed a matter of faith.

Evolution - Usually when someone uses this term they refer to Darwin's theories on the origin of species, and the various other thinking that has come as a result of that. I would like to point out, though, that there are two clear types of evolution: micro and macro. Micro evolution deals purely with variation in a species, and can clearly be seen over time. Certain colorations of animals might tend to outlive others, or animals with longer or shorter physical attributes might fare better than others. All of that is due to environmental situations, and only results in cosmetic changes over time. Macro evolution, on the other hand, is the idea that one species can change into something very different given enough time. This, so far as I know, has never been observed - even in the fossil record; if someone out there has evidence to the contrary I would dearly like them to provide it. It is my opinion that micro evolution is fact, and that because it works so well people were drawn to the idea that over time-spans far beyond what we can readily observe macro evolution might be possible. I would hold that as far worse pseudo-science than anything that "creationists" have come up with, since it in no way adheres to the scientific method!

There is one other term that I would like to mention, and which when it comes up is often equated with creationism: Intelligent Design. This is the more scientific approach to the creation side of the origins debate; rather than going purely on faith, this pursuit looks for evidence of a Creator in various scientific fields. Having read somewhat on this relatively new approach, though not nearly as much as I would like to, I think it has a lot of merit. When the topic of what should be taught in schools comes up, I think that if you are going to teach at all on the origin of man (and I don't necessarily think this even belongs in modern curriculum's - but that is another topic entirely) then both Intelligent Design and Darwinian evolution should be represented. Each should be shown equally, both the good and the bad, and it should be left at that.

Now that this post has gone a bit off of the direction I had planned, let me pull it back on course. As I said near the beginning, I believe that God created the universe. I think that He did it in six literal days, as is described in the first chapter of Genesis, since if it had been done differently I think He would have told us. I am, however, open to the possibility that God chose to use a longer period of time - and perhaps even other methods than simply making things out of thin air. I don't see any evidence of that, though, either in Scripture or in the world. In the end, the key thing to me is that He is the Creator, and as such the final authority on how we should live our lives. The fact that He made me, and the whole of the universe that existed before me, lets me know that there is a reason for all of this; moreover, through His words to us in scripture (the Bible) we can know what that reason is!

Without that, we would simply exist for no reason. There would be no justification for morality, right and wrong, and might would simply 'make right' as the old saying goes. I don't think I could live in a world like that, and if most people thought on it long enough I doubt they could either. Because of the way evolution it taught, though, and because people are more and more divorcing themselves from God, that is the way many people think - and look at the horrors it has led to in our society! I digress, though, and have dragged this on too long for one day. Please, though, if you have read this far why not leave a comment? :)

On the subject of Politics

As many of you know - and the rest are about to find out - I am very conservative when it comes to politics. My views are actually a little tricky to pin down: when it comes to real-life government and sociology I am far to the right of center, but ideologically I am more open. As an example, I think the government of the US needs to keep itself out of business as much as possible because our capitalist economic system depends on competition, as well as on companies that do poorly failing rather than being propped up. The same goes, in my opinion, for individuals in our current society. However, if I were able to set up my ideal form of government it would be communal (not communist - there is a difference): everyone would share all things equally, and there would be no classes, money, or possessions.

The problem is that no large group could maintain such utopian society, so it is out of the question for the US or any other existing country. I will be posting more thoughts on my ideal society in the future, since my wife is tired of hearing me ramble on about it, and I'll come up with a unique title structure so that you can easily spot such writings in my blog. When I'm not specifically on that subject, though, you can expect me to have very "right-wing", conservative viewpoints on almost all aspects of government. Please note, though, that it does not mean I automatically support every Republican candidate: in fact, I am usually further right than anyone who will actually get elected in this day and age :) If you read things here that you disagree with, though, please reply with your own opinions - after all, intelligent discourse is the foundation of a democratic republic!

On the subject of Blogging

So I've now got three blogs going (check my profile if you aren't familiar with all of them), but I'm running into one problem: no one seems to read them! Or more precisely, no one posts comments on them. I can definitely understand that not everyone who reads a given blog entry will have worthwhile things to say, and even many of those who do won't take the time to leave feedback - but seriously, folks, how am I supposed to know if anyone is reading these things if I don't get any comments?

This blog has (so far) absolutely no comments, and both of my others are averaging less that one comment per posting. I'm going to keep writing, but I'll post more often if I know people are actually getting something out of it - even if it is just a laugh. It will be really sad if I have to start responding to my own ideas, and holding conversations with myself, but I will if it comes down to that! ;)

On the subject of Energy

So a big topic these days is the "energy crisis", by which people usually mean that we have increasing prices and demand on energy - especially portable forms of energy like gasoline. It is also closely tied to concerns about global warming and carbon footprints, which shows that folks are worried that the energy we do use is having negative side-effects on the environment. To further confuse this, we are heavily dependant on foreign sources for some types of energy (gasoline, again, being the main culprit). This is a complicated issue, to be sure, but I wanted to provide some thoughts on what I think could be done to help.

To me this can be separated into three sections to make it easier to deal with:

1) Reducing the need for gasoline. We can do this by moving all consumer vehicles to either rechargeable hybrid or full electric, and this is step the government could take through mandates and requirements for cars being sold here in the US. If we can keep gasoline and derivatives of it for use in ships and the trucking industry that would be excellent, and perhaps eventually those could also be converted.

Some people are interested in going to alternate portable energy forms, like natural gas or hydrogen, but to me the costs of researching and implementing these technologies - not to mention the changes that would be needed at fueling stations across the country - would be far too high.

2) Reduce our dependence on foreign sources for oil, especially those in the volatile Middle East. This can be done via further domestic exploration and exploitation of sources, including those in coastal US waters and Alaska. This can't replace all of our current needs, but every little bit helps. Furthermore, if we use the ideas from #1 above we can reduce our consumption while also moving more to our own sources of oil - and perfect combination!

3) Produce more "clean" and renewable power. We already make great use of hydroelectric energy, especially here in the Pacific Northwest, but we should also take as much advantage of solar, wind, and geothermal power as possible. All of those are limited in terms of where they can be used effectively, so wherever they are not appropriate we should fill in with nuclear power (gasp!). I know this makes some folks freak out, but it really is one of the safest and most cost-effective methods of producing electricity. As we move more toward electric power in cars, additional power will be needed here - and I am all for moving away from more polluting energy sources like coal and oil.

That three-pronged attack on our energy crisis would be very effective, I think, and while it would take a decade or two to fully implement that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. If anything, it means we need to move forward sooner rather than later!

Welcome, people of Earth!

This blog, my third, is going to contain a wide range of postings on a variety of topics. In general they will be ramblings or rants on what's wrong with the world, how it could be fixed, and my political, philosophical, religious, and societal ideals. There will probably be a few continuing themes mixed in, and I'll try to separate those with titles and labels that will let you know what to expect.

I love feedback and discussions, so please don't hesitate to comment, criticize, or disagree with me!