How to Determine What Religion You Are

I especially love the "I f*cking love bacon" choice

Hat-tip: the Friendly Atheist

Useless Research

I was reading an article today that touched a specific nerve on the funding of "useless" research which I found linked at the RichardDawkins.net. The original article is in the Timesonline.UK and deals with the idea of creating a committee to review science projects based on economic value which is a STUPID idea. This touches home because several people have asked me what good my research is for or what will come of it and honestly right now there is nothing that will "come out" of my research that would be of any economic value. Chickadees aren't rare, this technology won't cure any disease, won't make any profit for Apple/Sony/Walmart etc..... but people really need to think about this. The idea that research has to have value beyond knowledge or some sort of profit/economic purpose is relatively new yet has permeated most of popular society. One of the commenteres at RD.net made a great point and referenced Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World (which is a great read btw):

"I think more people need to read Sagan's Demon Haunted World. He dedicates a whole chapter on exactly this subject, using an allegory in which the queen ordered Sir Maxwell to stop doing his useless research on electromagenetism but in stead build a device that can transmit pictures over distance... point being of course, that with Maxwell's research into magnetism, there wouldn't be TV, radio, fancy electronic devices, etc.

This is exactly the same thing. Look at what NASA and ESA have given to the world without every thinking about the economic impact: MRI, networking systems, teflon, fancy polymers, etc. None of that would have existed because the research that led to these fruits of science would have deemed unworthy. "

Cited in the above Times article: "Over 200 chemists, physists and medics say the measures will mean universities will lack the cash to fund academics to undertake the kind of “blue-sky thinking” that led to the discovery of DNA, X-rays and penicillin."

I thought about looking up some more things that were discovered during the pursuit of "useless" knowledge but then realized there are probably way too many.... and I have work to do.

Picture says it all

picture source: National Geographic

In the wheelbarrow is the body of Dorothy who died of natural causes and is about to be buried, while the rest quietly look on. I really wonder what they are thinking!

Redundancy

Do I really need to say anything? Just one question though - how do you tell the difference between "hearing voices" and religious "conversations/messages"? Don't get me wrong, I know that schizophrenia is a serious illness! Still, what would be the difference and how would you know?

Redundancy

Do I really need to say anything?

see more Epic Fails

Redundancy

Isn't the second part a given?

see more Epic Fails

cats!!!

I found this link at Skepchick and for all you cat lovers, just on more reason to like them I guess and now you can get therapy for free although I think this just shows how evil cats are and that they are just manipulating all of you into loving them in the first place (evil evil things!!!)

“The regulation of hypnotherapists in the UK is so lax that even a cat can become accredited, the BBC has found.” From Madfishmonger

Is this still porn-O-graphic if it has science?

I found a link at Skepchick to a picture at College Humor and thought I would share: is it still nerdy or is it just hot?

In my opinion it's event better with the formula's LOL

Update

OK so I had a great Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and got a little work in while I could. It has been getting colder (-7C) at times and the days are getting shorter: sucks! My comprehensive exams start soon which means 4 weeks of hell but at least it will be over with. Up till now this semester I have been primarily working on getting my DNA sequencing to work and extracting DNA from the blood samples so lots of time in the lab which won;t end for another oh... 8 months!

Couple interesting links for your entertainment:

for those that think all morality and good deeds come form a god (i.e. all morality, empathy, altruism has a divine origin etc.,) I would like to know why this dog does this (Warning - a dog gets hit by a truck):

for those that think including religious ideas about the origin on life (intelligent design being a main one), you have to realize that ALL stories of origin without any real evidence would also have to be included in school curriculum such as the Norse story and this summary over at Pharyngula provides a good description which is entertaining, and no crazier than Genesis by the way!

OK I am off for a meeting....

A little Cat-ertainment

Quick note and a picture

So I am slaving away at dna crap and wanted to just post a quick note: My buddy Rusty was kind enough to send a little reminder of "good times" that I thought I would post on this blog. You may have seen the scar but this is the day I took off the stitches!

OUCH - try to "hand, reef and steer" with that!

there is actually a video of us taking the stitches (24 total) out which I will post if I can get it

Some Random Points

Alrighty, so after a few days off I am back now at school and ready to get back to it. I do have lots of things to start writing about and will get on that a.s.a. p. I am also starting my comprehensive exams soon so wish me luck!

A couple cool things I have found lately:

There was a good piece in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Man vs God with essays by Karen Armstrong and Richard Dawkins (for a great detailed write up go see Jason's at EvolutionBlog. Dawkins says it much better but basically evolution leaves the gods nowhere, with nothing to do - or gives them their pink slip and explains how the world trundles along according to the laws of physics without ANY violations, and god has become irrelevant. Armstrong argues that religion is [was] not supposed to provide "explanations that lay within the competence of reason but to help us live creatively with realities for which there are no easy solutions and find an interior heaven of peace" or as PZ puts it "ignorance is bliss". She even argues that religions explains nothing and isn't supposed to which means what exactly? I have no idea. And, I don't know where she gets this from because throughout history religion was used to explain what we didn't know (where we came from, how it all got here etc.) and still is for many; just look up anything on Intelligent Design - it will end with something we can''t explain so "god-did-it" because we need SOME explanation) and I'm pretty sure that if you go into any major church service they won't like being told that "god is just a symbol" - even though she argues many have thought that before. Do you know anyone or any religion that that professes this.......

"many of the most influential Jewish, Christian and Muslim thinkers understood that what we call "God" is merely a symbol that points beyond itself to an indescribable transcendence, whose existence cannot be proved but is only intuited by means of spiritual exercises and a compassionate lifestyle that enable us to cultivate new capacities of mind and heart."

A close relative to my study species, the great tit apparently will go into caves and attack bats! This is a tiny bird that normally eats seeds, insects and fruits but when it goes through tough winters it becomes "a ruthless killer" which I think is really cool.

Just for my Canadian friends: states which do well educationally can blame, well... Canada! Razib Khan over at Gene Expression has a few blogs on how being close to Canada also prevents murder and increases life expectancy.

And finally, I liked this video and I think it's a good way to make a point -