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Natural selection is proven wrong
Discussion of everything related to the Theory of Evolution.
Moderator: BioTeam
Colonial insects are an interesting special case. If we look at mammals, the reason parents so often go to such lengths to protect their offspring is basically out of a desire to see that their genes will have a future. In mammals, parents and children share 50% of their genome, and so do siblings. In colonial insects, the entire colony is centered around the queen and her constant reproduction. Every offspring she hatches is a sibling to the entire rest of the colony; thus they already have a very strong and evolutionarily valid reason to ensure each other's survival. I read somewhere that worker bees share about 75% of their genome, significantly higher than the 50% shared among mammalian siblings and giving them a much stronger reason to work together for mutual benefit. Overall, the system these insects have worked out is really "thinking outside the box" in evolutionary terms. Even though many of them don't reproduce in the classical sense of the word, they still are very successful at ensuring the continuation of their genes.
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
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Re: Natural selection is proven wrong
I guess what saddens me about evolution, uniformintarianism (belief that almost all natural processes have always proceeded at the same rate we see today), and naturalism (belief that all creation is the result of only natural processes) are two things.
1. Teaching these things as though they are scientific law.
a. The evidence we have to observe today is limited in what is testable scientifically. Therefore there is an abundance of storytelling, conjecture, and suggestions from the so-called authorities of the subject (all of these people do not even agree among themselves when it comes down to the actual DYNAMICS of how things happened).
b. To claim evolution is a fact is in a nutshell cheating. A true scientist is bound by the scientific method--by repeated experimentation and testing theory moves to scientific law. But now evolutionists have replaced this process with CONSENSUS. As though the scientific method can be usurped by democratic majority.
c. This does not mean that a paleontologist or stratigraphist does not observe evidence--he does--but his evidence is incomplete-- he was not there in the past to see how it came to that state of being. Therefore the history of the object must be there to draw a deduction--but it is not because he was not there. He must interpret then it according to the teachings he has received--his beliefs about the evidence. And anything that does not seem to fit is tabled or ignored.
2. The huge infrastructure by which these teachings are propagated.
a. Who can stand up against the government itself, who has legislated anything but these teachings, and philosophy out of our education system.
b. The majority of higher education and the media are liberal politically and at most deistic, pantheistic, or agnostic religiously and so these things fit fine with their beliefs and philosophy of life.
c. All dissenters within these systems will be hushed or eliminated.
I leave you with this thought though--a telescope operates by refracting light to a focal point and thereby magnifying the observed object, but it was not made by these principles. Neither can we interpret or explain the existence of, the separation and organization of, the continual power of all the elements, compounds, mixtures, and molecules--- the information and complexity of life's systems and micro-systems, and sustaining power by which life exists-- the immensity and unimaginable power of the galaxies, and the order thereof. All of the power and order contained in creation can not be explained by current natural laws, but only by God who loves all of us, and who planned our salvation and the sending of His Word made flesh--His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins--and to raise again to be Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings--and by Him all these things consist!
Of course there's some lively debate going on, but it wouldn't be science if everyone agreed with each other. "Storytelling" is too harsh of a term; conjecture, yes, but it's the same sort of conjecture that an auto mechanic might make when he hears an engine making a particularly nasty-sounding noise. Until he actually peeks under the hood he won't know for sure, but that still doesn't mean he doesn't have a pretty good idea of what's causing the trouble. Similarly, almost nothing in science is known with absolute certainty, and that's why there's always a healthy degree of conjecture and debate going on. But that doesn't mean that scientists are engaged in some massive conspiracy to pass off some fairy-tale on the genera public.
To claim that evolution is a fact would merely be a statement of what we have observed, sort of like calling a banana yellow. No one can seriously doubt this unless they're also willing to claim that the sky doesn't occasionally exhibit a slight shade of blue. I think you're confusing the observable facts of evolution with various theories behind mechanisms which drive it (natural selection comes to mind, but there are others). Those theories are themselves debatable and not all of them are widely accepted, but just because we don't fully understand how evolution works doesn't mean it doesn't work any more than not knowing how to drive a car or ride a bike invalidates the fact that cars are driven and bikes are ridden.
Again this is probably being more than a bit unfair. If it just so happens that the majority of scientists accept evolution or the theory of natural selection, then it is probably because the majority of evidence we have so far been able to collect supports such a view. Unless you're willing to argue that all physicists have secretly banded together to present a unified consensus designed to convince us to believe in a little myth called gravity even though they don't have a shred of evidence to back it up.
Sort of like how certain members of certain religious organizations have a habit of ignoring anything that might challenge their faith? Ditto for politicians and political parties? Come on now, even the most casual reading of any scientific journal will show that scientists are constantly seeking and exploring new ideas, not simply clinging doggedly to old dogmas!
The government has a certain obligation to ensure the competency of public education, which has a certain obligation to ensure that what our children are taught bears at least a passing resemblance to reality, unless you want our chemistry teachers to go back to teaching that the only elements are earth, air, fire, and water.
As a college student myself, I'll grant you that some professors are militantly liberal, but let's be fair. At least as many have just as strong of a conservative bias, so overall I'd have to say the perspective among collegiate educators is pretty balanced. As for the media, I would rate their bias as at least slightly on the conservative side.
Once again, even the most casual reading of any scientific journal will show that you are wrong. Quit confusing scientists with the Republican party.
Yes, we should all pay much closer attention to what Jesus said, especially where he instructed us to prepare for the coming of the final prophet that would come after him, the great Muhammed, who proclaimed the way to all of us who live in ignorance. Only a deity as powerful as that which Muhammed proclaimed can possibly explain the wonders of the natural world all around us!
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
#2 Total Post Count
Alex, I tried to do this as you do, by quoting portions but I did something wrong--so I did this manually. Maybe you can give me a lesson. You know us middle aged people! lol
ALEX "Storytelling" is too harsh of a term;"
AFJ--By story telling I mean it literally--professors have to make up scenarios which no one has proved or seen. Chemistry on the other hand can be proven and tested, medical science can be researched and proven to be true much more than the geologic time scale or the diagram of primate to man. The latter are impossible to prove because they are historical science not applied science.
ALEX "...conjecture that an auto mechanic might make when he hears an engine making a particularly nasty-sounding noise. Until he actually peeks under the hood he won't know for sure, but that still doesn't mean he doesn't have a pretty good idea of what's causing the trouble."
AFJ---But we can't "peek"-- that's my point, you can only interpret evidence according to your model which is the big bang, collapsing nebulae theory, the geologic timescale, and microorganism to man evolution. Creationists have no problem fitting the evidence into the model of creation by design and a worldwide flood. We still ask questions and investigate, there are still unknowns.
ALEX "Similarly, almost nothing in science is known with absolute certainty, and that's why there's always a healthy degree of conjecture and debate going on. But that doesn't mean that scientists are engaged in some massive conspiracy to pass off some fairy-tale on the genera public."
AFJ---Again, there are scientific laws in the applied sciences and mathematics which are laws which can be tested and proven to the greatest degree that science allows. Historical science cannot do this whether one believes in evolution or creation by God. I do not believe in conspiracy theories, although I know how the science field is political, because man is political.
ALEX "To claim that evolution is a fact would merely be a statement of what we have observed, sort of like calling a banana yellow. No one can seriously doubt this unless they're also willing to claim that the sky doesn't occasionally exhibit a slight shade of blue."
AFJ I don't doubt many results of research. Just one instance, chimps and humans apparently have what 95% DNA in common. Of course until we count sequencing and "junk DNA" which I am quite sure will be found not to be "junk" as time goes along. But it would seem apparent that a common designer would have a common method of design. We have many things in common with chimps in design, but we also have many things that are different. The word of God declares that man is not a beast but a living eternal soul. He did not come from another species but God breathed a soul into him. Common designer, not common ancestor.
ALEX "I think you're confusing the observable facts of evolution with various theories behind mechanisms which drive it (natural selection comes to mind, but there are others). Those theories are themselves debatable and not all of them are widely accepted, but just because we don't fully understand how evolution works doesn't mean it doesn't work any more than not knowing how to drive a car or ride a bike invalidates the fact that cars are driven and bikes are ridden."
AFJ--My head is not in the sand sir. I have been hit in the face with evolution for 47 years. I have studied to see why many scientists believe this way. Do you yourself know the history of uniformintarianistic thought upon which Darwin's books found fertile soil to produce the evolutionary faith?
Also you are using circular reasoning here. You admit that the theories upon which evolution rest upon are debatable, but then you equate evolution to a car as though it is undebatable reality.
What you can actually observe is natural selection (which by critical research has also been observed to reverse itself) and speciation. There is obviously a variation allowance in the genome which allows adaptation to different environments through natural selection. A creator would have surely put this variation within the genome for survival. The bible says that God created the different "kinds" not species. Species is a modern scientific term. "Kinds" is obviously a general term but we are researching to see how general. Is it the same as a family or order?
But what no one has observed is a mutation that adds information to the genome, and which also results in a higher species. This is a critical issue that is ignored by evolutionists. They tout observable NS and say little of this kind of mutation---and it is absolutely NECESSARY for evolution to take place. If it had been observed it would have been on every headline and TV channel worldwide.
This is why you can not make such an arrogant claim that evolution is scientific law! If you want to teach it as theory, I can handle that, but to ignore the scientific method and to blend evolution, which is a historical science, with applied science, with the purpose of borrowing from it's creditability is not at scientific, but being slick.
If it just so happens that the majority of scientists accept evolution or the theory of natural selection, then it is probably because the majority of evidence we have so far been able to collect supports such a view. Unless you're willing to argue that all physicists have secretly banded together to present a unified consensus designed to convince us to believe in a little myth called gravity even though they don't have a shred of evidence to back it up.
Again you are taking applied science--in this case Newtonian physics-- and applying it to historical science. Historical science requires observed history in order to correctly interpret what we see today. But then you have bought the fact for instance that carbon 14 and other radiometric dating methods are infallible, without considering critical research that has shown the contrary.
Sort of like how certain members of certain religious organizations have a habit of ignoring anything that might challenge their faith?
Evolution does not challenge my faith, but it challenges your soul. I am writing to you not for my sake but for yours! Microorganism to man evolution--not natural selection or speciation--is an idea in man's mind that finds its rudiments in atheistic philosophy--not Judeo-Christian or Islamic faith.
The government has a certain obligation to ensure the competency of public education, which has a certain obligation to ensure that what our children are taught bears at least a passing resemblance to reality, unless you want our chemistry teachers to go back to teaching that the only elements are earth, air, fire, and water.
First of all, please don't be guilty of the arrogance of our generation. Science was birthed in the philosophy of the Greeks. If they had not built the foundation of scientific inquiry, we would not have the discoveries we have today. In 200 years they will look perhaps at our primitive understanding. And you again seem to lay evolutionary thought on the applied science of chemistry, as if to borrow from it's credibility and scientific law. You err my friend in this.
Re: Natural selection is proven wrong
Just type this code: [xquote="name"x]text[x/quotex] Fill in the name of the person you're quoting and the text he/she typed, and delete the x's (I only have them here to make the code visible to you).
Almost nothing in science is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, so that's an irrelevant point. Seen? Yes, I'll grant you that no one alive today was able to see what happened millions of years ago. Of course, no one around today witnessed the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, either. Some people believe the pyramids were built by aliens. So-called "serious" scientists discredit such explanations as lacking in sufficient evidence, and go with hypotheses more consistent with observable data. If scientists used your methods, we'd be giving those alien theorists a voice in scientific circles that they just don't deserve. My point is that just because something happened in the past doesn't mean we can't figure out a little bit about what happened.
And yet very little in chemistry is provable, and there's a lot that doesn't even make sense to the casual observer, but the theories we have fit the evidence better than anything else, so chemists go with it even though some parts of it seem downright weird. p-orbitals are a perfect example. The p-orbital exists in two lobes projecting in opposite directions from the nucleus, with a gap in the center. Somehow, an electron is capable of crossing from one lobe to the other without ever passing through the gap. No one's sure how it happens, but as far as we can tell, it does. Does this mean p-orbitals don't exist? Certainly not; it just means we don't understand them as well as we'd like to.
If this was true, then every police detective in the world would be out of work. Again, just because something happened in the past doesn't mean we can't piece together clues and figure out what happened.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to call an untruth on this one. There is no evidence that a worldwide flood ever occurred, so I'm at a loss to see how you can fit evidence that doesn't exist into such a model.
I've got to agree with you on this one. At my university, I've met more than a few professors who think the classroom is the perfect place to preach a political agenda. It's regrettable, but as you say, it's only human, so sigh . . .
Are you willing to bet your soul on that one?
I know a little bit about how some people have twisted Darwin's theory around to suit their own political agenda, just as countless people throughout history have subjected the Bible to similar abuse. Politics should be kept out of science (and religion too, for that matter). Pity that such idealism rarely comes to pass.
This is not circular reasoning at all, because evolution is an observable phenomenon just like gravity. The theories explaining evolution are indeed debatable, just as multiple theories have been proposed to explain gravity; however, these multiple and debatable theories do not change the central irrefutable fact of the phenomenon in question.
In fact, given the nature of some of the statements you have made, do you really want to be the one bringing up matters of circular reasoning? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
No, natural selection is a theory put forward by Charles Darwin to explain how organisms evolve. Evolution is an observable fact of nature that scientists have been aware of since at least the period of classical Greece.
This is a question I have often asked and never heard answered. Can you answer it?
First of all, yes, mutations have been observed that add information to the genome, especially in the medical sciences. Secondly, how do you define "higher" species?
I'm not saying it's a scientific law, merely that it's an observable phenomenon. Those aren't exactly the same thing.
Of course C14 dating is not infallible! Neither, for that matter, is any other form of radiometric dating. There's always a margin of error involved. However, that margin of error is much, much smaller than some people would like us to believe.
Does it? Because the Church I belong to would disagree. In fact, it was my Church that first put forward the Big Bang theory. Top that!
I am glad to see you are so concerned about me! I am writing this because, for some strange reason, I enjoy discussing the topic.
You might want to read some of the works of St. Augustine of Hippo, a 4th century writer who was one of the leading pioneers of Christian philosophy and theology. He was also an evolutionist, which is why I am citing him as an example of evolutionary thought that existed in Judaeo-Christian thinking long before atheism came into existence.
I try not to. After all, I often find myself sickened by some of the ideas put forward in modern American culture! If you happen to catch me in such an act, however, please be so kind as to point it out so I can correct myself.
There's a lot of truth in this, since the Greeks contributed significantly to humanity's intellectual development. However, the roots of science can be traced back even further than the Greeks, at least as far as the Babylonians and Egyptians. I know, I'm a history nerd!
Actually the biological sciences in general are heavily founded upon chemistry; this is why I have no choice but to take a minor in chemistry if I want to earn a BS in biology! So I don't think I've erred in anything. As long as living organisms continue to be composed of carbon compounds undergoing all sorts of chemical reactions, then it will continue to be justifiable to look to concepts of chemistry to help explain certain phenomena of biology.
Now that I'm finished discussing my favorite theory, I'd like to hear you explain yours. You've already given a few indications of what you believe. Would you mind explaining it in detail and presenting some evidence for why you believe so?
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
#2 Total Post Count
Re: Natural selection is proven wrong
I saw a TV documentary several years ago where a small, that time about 10-year-old Tutsi girl from Rwanda was interviewed. The girl was attending a christian school near the capital Kigali. In the interview this girl told that her life-long dream had been to become a nurse. However, during the Rwanda massacre in 1994 Hutu invaders had raided her village and took her captive. The captors had cut off both of her hands with a machete, and thus, in the interview it became quite obvious that she had given up all hope of achieving her dreams.
That day I realised that despite God claims to love all of us, he lies. If one who is almighty does not intervene in such brutality as cutting off a small girl's hands even if he could prevent it, it cannot be called love. If you loved your child, or anyone, you would never ever let anyone do things like that. But God, well, he apparently had better things to do. This is of course just one of the billions of horrors innocent people (such as little children) face on this planet, but it is all good as far as God is concerned. He just couldn't be bothered.
You can argue that people have the freedom of choice, they are the ones who do these brutalities, but this girl had absolutely no chance, no way to choose her fate. She probably prayed before she was dismembered.
God, who is almighty, could have prevented this without any problems. But as it turned out, he chose to not to do anything. A little girl had to endure unimaginable pain and fear beyond our wildest nightmares, and saw all her dreams crushed. In this light, it seems pretty obvious that God doesn't give a ****. Actually, it often looks like god is like a little boy with some sugar and a magnifying lens at an ant hill: with one hand he gives sugar to the ants who rush to the treat, thinking it's their happy day - and then with the other hand he brings the lens, burning all the ants at the surgar piece under the blazing sun. To me, God seems like a sadistic person, much more so than vast majority of us humans. After all, unlike us humans, he could end all the misery, pain and sorrow in the world now.
Ok, by now you must be wondering what the hell does all this have to do with evolution and natural selection. It is this:
People who share this twisted and sick idea of love with their creator come here and try to argument their case by claiming that this sadistic, irrational, unpredictible supernatural entity that loves us by letting little girls get mutilated beyond recognition has also created all what is around us. Well, I say that if he creates like he loves, we'd be better off dead.
But luckily all the beautiful, interesting nature, though often perilous and brutal, can be explained by the laws of physics, chemistry and biology, and we do not need to invent any supernatural forces to explain things. Also luckily it looks like God is just imagination of some superstitious people, because no evidence of him or his doings can be found whatsoever. Were this vengeful and wicked entity really around, we'd be majorly screwed.
You can bring your gods into the conversation for all I care, but at least take a moment to reflect on how absurd and contradictory YOUR version of things is!
Actually, as I mentioned previously with my reference to p-orbitals, there is much in the natural sciences that cannot be explained. I'm not saying that we should revert to the supernatural by default, just pointing out that if you're going to throw rocks about absurdity, you should make sure your own facts are straight first. People who live in glass houses . . .
Again if you really want to split hairs here, you'll likely find yourself on the losing side of that debate. I'm hesitant to go there, as that's a debate that really doesn't belong in this forum. I'll just repeat my previous warning, and point out that if you want anyone else to respect your own beliefs, it would be wise to likewise respect th beliefs of others.
Discussion about the presence of good or evil in the world is pointless, because those are subjective terms that depend not only on how we define them but also on the bias of the person making the argument. In fact, one could even argue that the presence of evil exists to make good even stronger. For example, would a life as inspiring as Martin Luther King, Ghandi, or Mother Theresa have been lived had the evil they fought against not existed? I don't really intend to get too deeply into this discussion, just pointing out that the very nature of this subject means that almost anything you say can be legitimately interpreted another way and used against you. You would be wise to avoid this topic entirely.
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
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Alex, I don't have alot of time during the week, so i really can't do anything justice.
The only thing I can say is let's define evolution. Rubber meets road there are two types. Micro evolution which is observable in the present which would be species changes in FAMILIES of fauna or animals. Example would be the interbreeding of dogs. Varied species in the same genus, order, or family, which have been OBSERVED to change. Creationists have no problem with this. Also some of the principles of NS are observable in the present, but research also has shown the return of disappearing traits when favorable environmental factors return. This could indicate that the DNA contains pre-programed material which allows variance in traits --or adaptation to environment. That is some traits may lie dormant in genetic material depending on environmental conditions.
Then there is macro-evolution which no scientist has ever observed. He has never seen a chimp evolve into the pilt-down man, which was diagrammed in the primate-to-man illustration and was based on the tooth of an extinct pig. No one has ever seen the genome mutate to ADD information and create a new family. The evolutionists take micro evolution and assumes that there will be no genetic boundaries, but God has them there and has always had them there. I know all about the theories of speciation and the separation of species from each other. And i'm talking about change in families not species. But may I say no one saw it--so one has to BELIEVE it.
Evolution takes faith Alex--bottom line. Alex, you've only heard one side of the story all your life, and there are always two sides of the story.
Where is the anti-matter from the big-bang? Energy transforming into matter produces anti-matter in the labratory. The universe shoud be full of antimatter which would in turn destroy it.
Why are there fossilized fish in the himalayas, and the upper layers of the grand canyon? Why are there severe bends in the multiple strata that is supposed to have been layed down over millions of years--should be cracked not bent? Because it was laid down quickly.
Have you seen how large canyons can be formed by floods? Or how large boulders are where they should not be?
Why is there so much buried material in the earth's crust which has been oxidized? Because it was once wet sediment or material covered by water. Please-- water rust things much quicker than air. Leave some water droplets on a hatchet and see how long it takes to oxidize where the droplets are sitting.
Re: Natural selection is proven wrong
Welcome to my world. I've got four tests this week and then finals next week. Busy busy, but here's a few brief thoughts:
There is only one type of evolution. The difference between micro and macro is meaningless; in fact, it's not even a difference that is recognized by scientists! This is merely a creative tactic developed by the anti-evolution crowd to try to create uncertainty where there isn't any. It's a pretty neat idea, isn't it? If you wish to attack an idea that is solidly supported by evidence, you can just change the idea itself until it no longer fits. If only science worked that way!
What makes this such an effective tactic for the anti-evolution crowd is that they have conveniently forgotten to define where the boundary lies between macro and micro, sort of like how they never bothered to define "kinds". Originally, macro was considered anything above the species level, until several cases of speciation were demonstrated. Then they moved the definition up to the genus level and then to family, because as long as they keep changing the definition they can keep claiming that it's never been observed. I'm sure I don't have to explain to you why this is a logical disaster as a debating tactic.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt here because you don't know me, but I'd appreciate it if you'd not make any unnecessary assumptions about my faith life. I live in the south, where the religious right is the dominant force in politics, so I've had ample exposure to "both sides" during my lifetime. Not to mention the anti-global warming types in my church who are less than happy with my decision to major in environmental biology. One even went so far as to warn me that ecology is becoming the new religion.
No, because the rock that now forms the tops of mountains was once at the bottom of the sea, and was gradually pushed upwards as the mountains developed over millions of years. Look up plate tectonics.
Interesting you mention the big bang, one of my favorite little subjects of astrophysics, and I believe still one of the best pieces of evidence for the existence of a creator ever put forward. Pity so many people seem to associate it with atheism, when the theory was created by the Catholic Church in order to prove that the universe had a moment of creation as described in the Bible. But that's getting a little too much into history, and I have a test tomorrow I should be studying for, so if you're interested in discussing the topic some more I'm sure we can find time later in the week.
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
#2 Total Post Count
If we cannot explain something currently does not mean it cannot be explained. It is just our limits that prevent us from doing it, but it doesn't mean something couldn't be explained by the laws of nature. I know it's been the way of the mankind for ages to explain all they don't understand by calling it an act of god. Just take a lightning bolt as an example: not too long ago just about every civilization believed it to be a sign of god's anger, the great overgod venting out his anger upon us puny mortals and so on - just look how often Zeus is portraited with a bundle of lightning bolts in his hand. But when our knowledge increased it became apparent that it could be easily explained by the laws of nature. Not so godly anymore?
Surely there are many difficult things to explain, some of which may remain unexplained for us forever. In this cases it is of course easy to just call it god's doings and not confess that it is just our limitations that prevent us from seeing the real nature of certain phenomena.
Nice evasive action. Yes, I know christians are good at twisting words, because that's what you usually have to do to get even some tiny amount of logic in the bible's promises about all-loving god and the complete lack of it in the actual world :)
No matter what definition of love in the world you choose to use, the fact that you choose not to act, when you can, if a small girl's hands are being torn off is not love. If God had loved that little girl, he would have intervened. That is all I need to know about God.
Yes, I know that soon I hear something about God's mighty plans that are too complex for us to understand and which probably involve a handless girl. And yes, I know that the same guy let also his son to be hammered onto a cross with nails piercing through his hands and legs because he loved him so much. Or was it so that he loved just us so much that he let us torture and kill his son? I wish I had as cool a father as Jesus had :/
When I was a kid and they taught us what happened to Jesus I remember thinking that "man, we really have an evil God", and that view surely hasn't changed except that I'm starting to hope that there is no God.
You say this is off-topic, and maybe so, but as long as I keep bumping into god and religious dogmas as arguments in half of the scientific debates, and especially when it is not just an ethical argument but actually explaining how things are ("well, God just made it so!"), just proves that this is an important topic that should be addressed in order to prevent people from being completely mislead.
And I respect you Alex, as well as other people on this forum. You seem like an intelligent, well-educated person with good scientific skills. I have actually enjoyed reading most of your posts here, which are well-structured, clever and rarely miss the point. That probably also makes you a difficult opponent in this debate ;)
But religions in general, I can unfortunately only respect as interesting cultural and historical phenomena rich in tradition, which had their place in the past, but not in today.
To me it strongly looks that religions have formed to explain things we haven't been able to explain and to alleviate our fear of death (ever-lasting life in the heaven sounds very nice and all when the true life is hard and bitchy, your crops fail and your son dies of pneumonia, or when the Black Death wipes out your village - or any such small joys the life offered to people in the past and still often offers today). Also, religions have always been excellent means of controlling people. You can still today see how the Chatolic Church and Islam suppress and manipulate their people. No wonder virtually none of the most developed and equal countries in the world are neither Catholic or Islamist. The apparent wealth of a few Arab countries is simply because of oil, if they had none of it they'd be developing countries like the rest of them.
Well, I have to side with biohazard on this one. Science has few final answers on anything, but at least it tries to find answers based on observation and testing the validity of those observations. Because hardcore atheists have no final answers, faith does enter the picture. Our faith, however, and this is the crux of the matter, is not a blind faith. It's based on probability - the probability that what we observe and verify by testing is LIKELY to be true. We find it difficult to believe in gods of any sort because there is precious little evidence, or need, for doing so. We've learned a lot about ourselves and our world since the days of comparative ignorance when today's religions were founded. We humans are what we are because of our brains, not our physical strength or speed or sensory acuity. We have survived and become dominant because we are good at figuring things out. Religions are attempts at explanation and served us well in the absence of anything better. But now there is something better at explaining the world we live in. Sure, there are plenty of unknowns and gaps and maybe's, and some of our cherished notions will some day be shown to be inaccurate, but we are slowly ratcheting ourselves towards understanding. We are doing so by using what has got us this far, not by clinging to what we wish were true.
How many gods have we imagined there to be over the millenia? How many are independent of culture or geography? How many remain in contention? How many can vie for top spot? Which god is the one and only god? Why do we need gods? Why do we kill each other in their names? Why can't we just move on? What is it about death that scares the **** out of us and turns us into blithering idiots? Why can we not become worthy of living up to our name and claim sapience?
Sorry if I've offended anyone, but sometimes a good smack in the head is useful.
You are absolutely correct, but I think you missed my point. You said that the laws of biology, chemistry, and physics, are sufficient to explain the world around us. As it currently stands, they are not, because there is much that still baffles us. I'm not saying we should automatically invoke the supernatural for the unexplainable path of every single electron; I'm just pointing out that claiming that we can fully understand our universe through purely natural means is just a tad bit on the prideful side. Maybe one day we will, although I doubt it; today, we certainly cannot.
I understand where you're coming from, but you're still using a purely subjective definition. Based on my own understanding, I'm obviously going to disagree, and I feel confident that I can defend my position with just as much logic and reason as you claim is inherent in yours. But as I said before, that's not a debate that's going to lead anywhere other than possibly getting us all ticked off with each other, so we'd do better to stick to pure science.
And besides, let's assume for a minute that you're right, and God (if He exists) is really a sick, sadistic bastard. Does that prove that He doesn't exist? Of course not! It just means that many people have a very inaccurate view of Him. This is why this topic is best left alone. Nothing you can say will ever disprove God's existence, just as I stand an equally fleeting chance of proving that He does. All we can do is accept that some of us believe and some of us don't, and some of us have different opinions about Him, and just agree to disagree.
Ok, I'm going to break my own rule and indulge this topic a bit, because I think it might help if I try to explain why I believe as I do. The spectrum of religious belief is so broad and diverse that it is probably wrong to make such sweeping generalizations about all believers. I can only answer this question for myself, but for me, belief in God has nothing to do with explaining mysteries of the universe or a happy place to go when I die. To be perfectly honest, I really don't give a rat's hind-end about what happens after I die; I simply believe to make my present life a bit more bearable. From what I've seen so far in my life, I am simply unable to convince myself that God does not exist. From the countless people in the Church who have reached out to help me when I was in need, to the equally countless happy coincidences (dare I say miracles?), to my own peace of mind that derives from encountering such an infinite and total love, I simply find myself unable to comprehend a world without God. Add in a few experiences of my own with the supernatural that convinces me that there must be more to the universe than what we can see, and I hope you can appreciate that there are at least some legitimate reasons why an educated, intelligent person would want to believe in God.
Also, if we're going to be brutally honest, I've seen a few atheists on this forum who make even the most hard-core creationists seem downright logical by comparison. So maybe we're all just a little bit crazy!
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
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text:
Friends call missing Janesville woman 'a lovely lady'
JANESVILLE — Friends of Mary Coulthard describe her as a lovely lady and a reliable friend.
"She's very dependable," said Jerry Amstutz, chaplain at Garden Court, a low income housing complex for elderly and disabled people at 208 N. Main St. in Janesville. "Very reliable. This is unusual for sure."
Coulthard, who lives at the complex, has been missing since Friday evening. Janesville police were notified Saturday morning.
Neighbors said Coulthard is well known around the housing complex and seems to be well liked by everyone she knows.
Her friend Mary Falk said Coulthard, 75, left the complex at about 10 p.m. Friday and never returned.
"It's really uncharacteristic for her to even leave the building at that time of night," Falk said. "I'm very, very worried. I have no idea why she left."
Dan Davis, Janesville police deputy chief, said Coulthard has a history of depression. He said officers received information leading them to believe she was not taking medication. It is unclear if that led to her disappearance, he said.
"Information that we have is that this is out of character for her," Davis said.
Police are being assisted by the Janesville Fire Department in searching the river with boats. Flyers have been posted throughout the community asking for her whereabouts. Officers are canvassing neighborhoods and searching vacant dwellings. Police dogs have been used, too, he said.
Davis said he doesn't believe�Coulthard's case is related to that of Clayton Courtney, who was charged Tuesday with stabbing his roommate Sunday and is suspected of killing a female friend the same day.
"It's one of those things where we're not prepared to rule it out, but nothing indicates that's the case at this point," Davis said.
Personal property of Coulthard's was found by police on the Milwaukee Street bridge as well as south of the bridge on land near the Rock River. This prompted the ground, water and aerial searches of the river, police said.
Based on the location of the property, police believe she traveled along the river at some point, Davis said.
Amstutz, who has been a chaplain at Garden Court since 2005, said Coulthard is a sweet, compassionate person with deep faith.
"I don't know of anyone who doesn't like her," Amstutz said. "She's very concerned for others and always helping other people."
Davis said a search of Coulthard's apartment revealed nothing out of the ordinary.
"If anybody sees her or has information about seeing her or anything helpful, they need to let us know," Davis said.
Police are under the impression that she doesn't drive, and there has been no activity on her cell phone or bank accounts in recent days, Davis said.
"This has been very difficult for everyone in the building," Falk said. "The Janesville Police Department has been working above and beyond the call of duty."
"But at this late date, I don't expect her to walk in the front door. My worst fear is that she's not alive."
When she was last seen, Coulthard was wearing blue jeans, white tennis shoes and possibly a tan winter jacket.� She is about 5 feet 2 inches tall and 100 pounds. Coulthard has gray hair and hazel eyes.
Last updated: 10:26 pm Tuesday, May 6, 2014

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
Wisconsin Supreme Court hears Lake Geneva case in hearsay evidence debate
MADISON — A Lake Geneva couple is at the center of a debate the Wisconsin Supreme Court is considering about the admissibility of hearsay evidence at preliminary hearings.
At oral arguments Friday afternoon at the state Capitol, Jerome Buting, lawyer for Martin and Kathleen O'Brien, challenged the statute that went into effect in April 2012. The statute allows hearsay evidence to find probable cause at preliminary hearings.
Buting and fellow petitioner Terry Rose, who represents another case cited in the challenge, suggests the court implement "some sort of guidelines or rules to tell the courts what type of hearsay is permitted or not."
In May 2012, the O'Briens were charged with several felony and misdemeanor counts of abusing their six children from Russia. Offenses range from making the children stand outside shoeless in the winter to spraying them with pepper spray.
The O'Briens were bound over for trial after a July 6, 2012, preliminary hearing in Walworth Count Court.� At the hearing, testimony was taken from a police officer who had interviewed the children.
The defense argued the hearsay evidence should meet a certain level of reliability before the court can use it to find probable cause.
Under the statute, a police detective, for example, is allowed to testify at a preliminary hearing about what a crime victim told him or her. The victim is not required to testify.
The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine if the defendant probably committed a felony.
Before 2012, hearsay was inadmissible at preliminary hearings, unless it met other exceptions.
According to a brief filed by the O'Briens and the attorneys challenging the statute, they argue that the court:
-- Not allow a "mere reader" to offer evidence by only reading the criminal complaint.
-- Require the testimony or sworn affidavit of a witness with personal knowledge of the alleged crime be provided.
-- Require that an affidavit contain enough underlying facts to judge its reliability.
-- Require hearsay statements and information be provided to the defendant at least five days before a preliminary hearing.
Buting and Jeffrey Kassel, assistant attorney general, repeatedly cited a criminal complaint during oral arguments.
Buting said the criminal complaint is "very sparse" with information pertaining to the allegations made by a then 17-year-old adopted son who claims to have been hit and hurt by a flashlight.
The O'Briens argue their adopted son ran away and reported the allegations to police and is the primary source of information for the police.
The defense had subpoenaed the 17-year-old to testify at the preliminary hearing, but the court nullified the subpoena, and the O'Briens were bound over for trial, according to the court documents.
The defense appealed.
In July 2013, the District 2 Court of Appeals affirmed the judge's decision to disregard the subpoena and restrict the defense from cross-examining the 17-year-old at the preliminary hearing.
"The statute is worded so broadly it's opened the door for meaningless exercise," Buting said "unless this court provides some guidelines."
Kassel argued against changing the statute, saying the credibility or reliability of hearsay should be determined by judges on a court-by-court basis.
"While it makes hearsay admissible, it says court may base it's decision on that," Kassel said.
In the 53-page brief filed the O'Briens and the attorneys challenging the statute, it states the court should not allow the use of "unreliable, multiple layers of hearsay" when finding probable cause. The defense argues that a police officer relaying information obtained through interviews is multiple layers of hearsay.
It's not clear when the Supreme Court will issue a decision in the case.
The O'Briens remain free on signature bonds.


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Sound Off for Wednesday, April 30, 2014
On Mike Sheridan: When are you guys going to stop beating a dead horse? His misstep happened years ago, and it seems like that's all you guys can talk about. I would appreciate it if you stop printing that stuff and start printing all the good stuff he's done and will bring to our community.
-- I was glad to see Sheridan make his candidacy official. He is the most experienced and the best to offer of all the fine candidates.
-- Mr. Sheridan, have you no shame? GM, with all its problems, dumped its manufacturing future not only in Janesville but also in the U.S. It transferred the so-called jobs to Mexico and China. Much less, it is shameful about your own checkered past.
-Regarding Page 8A Monday, so it turns out Sheridan is just a shill for Bill Watson. The truth comes out. Thanks, Mike, but I'll pass.
-- Sheridan shows his commitment to the Interstate 90/39 project. Hopefully, he can reach across the aisles to work continuously with members of the other party, as did retiring state Sens. Dale Schultz and Mike Ellis.
On Janesville School District: There are many changes in education. Janesville has been an advocate for promoting what research shows. Some would say we're on the cutting edge. The current environment has caused frustrations and talented employees to retire or leave. The newest initiative is an international program. Stop and let's look at what's going on in our own buildings.
On city changes: Possibly close the landfill. Build a new fire station. Turn out the parking space on the river. Destroy old buildings and haul them to the dump. Put in a river walkway. What does the new city manager have to say about all this? If he isn't involved in any of this, why do we have a city manager?
On landfill: The city may close it, per John Whitcomb. Don't insult citizens' intelligence. If you close or sell the landfill, you're selling out each Janesville taxpayer citizen who uses it and pays you your living. I suggest you find a way to keep the landfill without closing or selling it.
On dog walkers: I'm wondering when the Janesville Police Department is going to go back to the law where dogs have to be on a 6-foot leash? I'm tired of dogs coming into my yard that are on 20-foot leads. You don't want to put your dog in your own yard, but then you can walk in the neighbor's yard. It's getting ridiculous.
On students building home: Regarding the article on Craig and Parker building a house (Page 1A, April 26) I'm glad to see the South Central Wisconsin Builders Association sponsorship the past seven years. However, the program has been in process since 1990 when the advanced construction classes were teamed with Habitat for Humanity.
On traffic patterns: While street engineers are studying possible changes at Milton Avenue and Lodge Drive (Page 3A, Saturday), I would urge them to look at the post office corner of Milton Avenue, Randolph and Kennedy. Without left-turn provisions, this is the most dangerous intersection in Janesville.
On food stamps: In answer to last Wednesday's Sound Off, why do you feel taxpayers should pay for your food plus their own food?
On secession: So the tea party wants Republican Party members to secede Wisconsin from the union. I have a suggestion. Let the radical tea party members secede from the Republican Party. Then they can call their party the Donner Party—alone and lost in the wilderness of politics.
On Bundy issue: Regarding Kathleen Parker's column ("GOP must choose wisely or reap whirlwind," Page 7A Monday), first the media ignore the Cliven Bundy story. Now they're trying to demonize the guy as a racist. This story isn't about race; it's about out-of-control federal government. Anybody who disagrees with the left of the Democrat Party is a racist.
On investment board: State pension fund managers got 66 percent bonuses on top of their big incentives in 2013. David Villa got over $660,000. I got 4.7 percent plus losses for five years while they got big raises and bonuses. Talk about greed. No wonder the middle class is losing.
On renters insurance: Monday's Gazette editorial seems to be vilifying the couple who had the house fire, suggesting they did not have enough renter's insurance, like they're to blame. You don't know the personal income and what they can afford. They're probably among the 99 percent in this country who can't afford anything anymore.
On weather page: The Accuweather forecast in The Gazette every day is not very accu—ha ha that's a joke.


text:
GRASS (the Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) is a software raster- and vector-based GIS (Geographic Information System), image processing system, graphics production system, and spatial modeling system. It contains many modules for raster data manipulation, vector data manipulation, rendering images on the monitor or paper, multispectral image geocoding and processing, point data management and general data management. It also has tools for interfacing with digitizers, scanners, and the PostgreSQL, DBF, and ODBC connected databases. GRASS operates on all common operating systems.
white_dune is a graphical VRML97/X3DV editor, simple NURBS/Superformula 3D modeller, animation tool, and VRML97/X3DV commandline compiler in development. VRML97 (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) is the ISO standard for displaying 3D data over the Web via browser plugins ("HTML for realtime 3D"). X3DV is the direct successor of VRML97. VRML97 and X3DV have support for animation, real-time interaction, and multimedia (images, movies, and sounds). white_dune can read, create, and display VRML97/X3DV files and let the user change the scenegraph/fields. It also has support for stereoscopic view via "quadbuffer"-capable stereo visuals, and support for 3D input devices like a joystick, spaceball, or magnetic tracker.
cmus is a small, fast, and powerful console music player for Linux and *BSD. It supports almost all common file formats, SHOUTcast/Icecast streaming, and multiple output plugins. cmus features multiple media library views, a playqueue, a directory browser, powerful filters, and vi-style search and keybindings. It also features gapless playback, ReplayGain, Unicode support, and customizable color schemes.
Podget is a simple podcast aggregator optimized for running as a scheduled background job (i.e. cron). It features support for downloading podcasts from RSS and XML feeds, for sorting the podcasts into folders and categories, for importing podcast URLs from iTunes PCAST files and OPML lists, automatic M3U and ASX playlist creation, and automatic cleanup of old podcasts. It also features automatic UTF-16 conversion for podcasts hosted on Windows servers and includes the ability to handle authentication for premium podcasts.
Webfwlog is a Web-based firewall log reporting and analysis tool. It allows users to design reports to use on logged firewall data in whatever configuration they desire. Included are sample reports as a starting point. Reports can be sorted with a single click, or "drilled-down" all the way to the packet level, and saved for later use. Supported log formats are netfilter, ipfilter, ipfw, ipchains, Cisco routers, Snort, and Windows XP. Netfilter support includes ulogd MySQL or PostgreSQL database logs using the iptables ULOG or NFLOG target.
GNU TeXmacs is a free wysiwyw (what you see is what you want) editing platform with special features for scientists. The software aims to provide a unified and user friendly framework for editing structured documents with different types of content: text, mathematics, graphics, interactive content. TeXmacs can also be used as an interface to many external systems for computer algebra, numerical analysis, and statistics. New presentation styles can be written by the user and new features can be added to the editor using Scheme.
A simple image viewer for Java.
A groupware suite with a calendar, mail, todo, notes, and many more modules.


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Shut up and play? No, Michael Sam should do it the way Tim Tebow did
Jackie Robinson is the blueprint, or at least that's what so many seem to believe.
It certainly wouldn't be a bad example for Michael Sam to follow. Robinson broke MLB's color barrier by putting his head down and competing. He won over critics by winning games for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Just shut up and play. Jackie Robinson is an undeniable American hero for what he did. How he accomplished it was his choice. For him and his day, it was perfect.
That day, though, was 1947.
The suggestion Michael Sam – as he reported for duty in St. Louis on Tuesday as the first openly gay player in NFL history – needs to follow that lead, nearly seven decades later, is ridiculous.
Just shut up and play?
That suggests he must still be a prisoner to the bigots among us. It means he needs to avoid stepping on offended and uncomfortable toes while smashing down walls that no reasonable person believes should be standing. "I'm determined to be great," Sam said Tuesday at a news conference in St. Louis with the other Rams draft picks. "I want to train hard and try to make the team. All my focus is on trying to make the team."
Maybe Sam will be like Robinson. Maybe that's the path he'll follow. It's his choice, though.
It certainly isn't about the comfort level of those who believe their personal comfort is of any importance. Or that anything that jostles it is an affront that can't be tolerated.
It also isn't about any coworker who arrogantly wants to claim the stereotypical culture of a football locker room overrides the decency of a modern workplace and an enlightened society. Sorry, but if the integration of sexual orientation can work on the front lines of Afghanistan, no one wants to hear about whether the kickoff team can handle it.
The players will adjust. They always do. NFL locker rooms are already diverse and transient. One more player from one more background won't ruin anything. There will be plenty of support.
Thus far Sam hasn't acted like most expected he would, which is part of why he's caused so much sensation and condemnation. In kissing his significant other on television, he did nothing on Saturday that other draft picks haven't done for years. Yet every gay person in the world knows that doing what straight people can – especially in front of rolling cameras – can, in itself, be something unusual.
Michael Sam didn't care. He blasted into the NFL like a cannon ball, full force, front and center, unconcerned and unapologetic.
It was a thing of beauty, at least to those of us who find beauty in watching individuals blaze their own trails without concern for conventional wisdom or stagnant opinions.
"It's OK to be who you are," Sam said. "Whether you're gay, straight, black or white, it's OK to be comfortable in your own skin."
Anyone who thinks a gay man shouldn't be allowed in the NFL is just hateful and confused. And the people screaming that it's no one's business and shouldn't be reported are mostly, I suspect, just trying to justify a way to hide behind their intolerance.
Besides, they are ignorant to the undeniable potency in both the message and the messenger here. Generations of teens (and adults) have succumbed to substance abuse, depression and suicide, as they wondered why they weren't "normal." Some never came to terms with it, living lies as adults. It's a disaster with real human carnage. It's probably hit your own family whether you realize it or not.
Sam helps those kids, those people, just as NBA player Jason Collins coming out helped Sam. We're supposed to be against comforting the at-risk because something makes someone out there queasy?
It's the same reason it's impactful for young Christians to see successful people of faith. Tim Tebow blasted into the NFL like a cannon ball too, you know.
Yes, Tebow. Same game, different angle. Just as some on one side screamed for Tebow to keep his faith to himself, or mocked his kneeling and praying after touchdowns, now the other cries that Sam needs to just pipe down and play football.
Round and round it goes, prejudice clouding commonality, the profitable politics of division obscuring an appreciation for a couple of American originals, two men doing it their way.
If you can get past the nonsense, it's easy to be a fan of both of them.
Job one for Sam now is being more than a pioneer. He needs to be a St. Louis Ram. Making the team is critical.
How Sam goes about that isn't up to everyone else, though. He doesn't have to conform and be a robot.
And I doubt he will. Thus far he doesn't seem interested in altering his ways to appease others. That's what makes him so interesting.
If that means having a picture of his boyfriend in his locker, then so be it. If that means talking to teammates about his love life, then go ahead. If that means having a signature celebration after a big play that speaks to his fans, then bring it on. His choice.
Will there be ramifications? Perhaps. Tebow's career was impacted, at least somewhat, by his faith. It wasn't fair. He almost exclusively spoke of religion in the most positive, empowering and nonthreatening of ways. He was incredibly welcoming to all. You'll search long and hard to find anyone saying a single bad word about the guy. He's almost impossible to dislike.
Yet his roaring fans (and critics) and the media that fed the debate scared teams who might otherwise have given him the chance. He was the center of the circus, unwittingly or not.
That can, and perhaps will, happen to Sam too.
Tebow says he wouldn't change a thing about how he approached the NFL. In the end, he wasn't good enough. His release wasn't quick enough. He took on the league honestly, though. He was just himself. Take it or leave it.
That's what it looks like Sam is doing, too.
Just shut up and play? Nah. No one has the right to tell him that, just as no one has to right to expect him to care that kissing his boyfriend is a problem because they are unwilling or incapable of having an honest conversation about sexual orientation with their children … or themselves.
These aren't the days of Jackie Robinson.
That path worked in that day. Maybe Sam will follow it now. Maybe we've come far enough he doesn't have to. We'll see.
In the end, this is Michael Sam's story. He gets to write it. He gets to live it. He gets to decide how he wants to make the NFL. He doesn't have to shut up for any of us.
That's the whole damn point.


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State transportation secretary: Budget shortfall could delay I-90/39 project
JANESVILLE—Wisconsin's top transportation official said it's "very plausible" the expansion of Interstate 90/39 would be delayed if funding isn't shored up in the state's next budget.
Interviewed by WisconsinEye Network on Monday, Department of Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb said the state is facing a transportation budget shortfall of between $600 million and $700 million for the next biennium, which runs July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2017.
In addition, Gottlieb said a commission appointed by Gov. Scott Walker has identified a total of $6.8 billion that will be needed to fund road projects in the next 10 years.
The state's Transportation Projects Commission approved the I-90/39 project in 2010. Construction is scheduled to start in 2015 and end in 2019.
It will expand the Interstate from four to six lanes from the Illinois state line to Madison and from four to eight lanes through Janesville.
The state's main source of transportation revenue—gas taxes—has been declining as people drive less. Gottlieb said Monday that new revenue ideas likely would be part of his department's budget request later this year.
The state also gets a pot of money from the federal government that it then divvies up among state projects.
Starting Tuesday in La Crosse, the department is kicking off a campaign to discuss and gather information about the future of transportation in Wisconsin.
Part of that, Gottlieb said, will be a discussion about funding.
Last year, Walker established a commission to review major highway projects and report back to the Legislature by January 2016 on any projects appropriate for removal from the list.
Faced with a projected shortfall that could amount to about 30 percent of the state's major transportation budget in 2015-17, Gottlieb was asked Monday what effect that might have on the $950 million project in Rock and Dane counties.
"I think it is very plausible to say that we would delay the I-39/90 project if we were facing those kinds of reductions," he said.
As of February, the state has spent more than $41 million on the I-90/39 project, with about 78 percent of that money being allocated to design work.
In 2015, 2016 and 2017—a portion of which would be funded by the state's next budget—the state plans to spend $443 million on the local project.
Forward Janesville has been a long-time supporter of the expansion project, touting its safety and economic development benefits.
Dan Cunningham, the organization's vice president, was not surprised by Gottlieb's comment.
"It's big on our minds as well," Cunningham said. "We've been trying to take a proactive approach, but we know what's coming. The funding challenges are very real and they're definitely out there."
Cunningham speculated that Gottlieb is trying to spark a meaningful discussion about the future of transportation and how it's funded.
"We've got to find a more permanent, lasting funding mechanism for transportation in Wisconsin," Cunningham said.
In a lengthy report, Walker's commission recommended a variety of ways to raise revenue, including a gas tax hike, charging drivers at registration time based on how much they drove the previous year, increasing registration fees for larger vehicles and boosting driver's license fees.
While the commission's recommendations initially went nowhere, Cunningham suspects they'll resurface as the state wrestles with its transportation budget shortfalls.
"They will come back, and there will be some difficult decisions to be made," he said.
In the meantime, Forward Janesville is continuing to stress the importance of the project with state and federal lawmakers.
A recent trip to Washington included lobbying efforts for a reauthorization of a federal highway bill that expires at the end of September.
Without a new reauthorization bill, federal infrastructure investment falls to zero in 2015, at least theoretically. In the past, Congress has been unable to craft an acceptable bill on schedule and has instead relied on repeated extensions to cover funding while it worked out the next reauthorization.
"It's possible that will be extended," Cunningham said. "While we think we can count on the feds for some help, we've got to address these issues at home."


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Global Environmental Change
Discussion of the distribution and abundance of living organisms and how these properties are affected by interactions between the organisms and their environment
Moderator: BioTeam
It's September 26, 2009 in the Philippines & I just notice how rainy it was. I just don't mind and I keep myself busy reviewing for our recitation this day. But it was really rainy and some of the street near our place has a small flood already. I still manage to go to school and even traded my cell phone for a pair of slippers (of course I just made it as a piece of proof that I would be paying those sandals that is worth 150 pesos only!!! Gosh after my parents find this out they have confiscated my phone, thankfully I have extra!! Hahaha , it's just that I don't have enough money that time). And so I got stranded near our school, I waited for the heavy rain to stop, but it never did. After five hours of waiting, I eagerly strive to go home and travel for 3hrs when it would only take me 1hr to go home from school! It's like a dead city in some places of Metro Manila. Many Cars where stock-up at the middle of the flooded road. Some of the houses had no electricity and every street's in Metro Manila is flooded. There are so many trashes, insects and rats swimming and floating! There are even couples dating in the flood, walking happily even if they get wet and crossing the eeew flood! Ahahaha. Who would have ever thought that all the while, the whole Metro Manila is panicking and suffering for this day? These Circumstances where never new since the explosion of the population here on earth particularly the human population. Every year there is a huge increase in the number of new born babies mostly because of the tremendous cases of uneducated people that has no access to sex education and reality of life and some are the result of rape cases. I believe it is all because of the kind of attitude that individuality possesses and how they deal with everyday living. There are only two general people in this world, the good guy and the bad guy. These two aspects are molded by the environment around us. There's always an opposite on every side of us. If you care, someone's don't care and in point of time you'll also going to adapt this kind of mentality after you get tired of fighting for your principle, unless you're a tough one.
Now what do I really mean for not meeting equality? I'm actually referring to the whole. Changing the world is never been that easy. We can never make a picture perfect for our planet to be. Only individuals could control themselves because no matter how a person hears so much good advices, the action is still up to him, that's why not every man can be a good guy and this has really a huge contribution to our planet earth. As you can see and notice, we are getting closer to the full annihilation of our planet. So will you be one of the good guys or not?
There is no permanent thing in this world except CHANGE. People change as well as the environment surrounding them. They shape the environment they have. Indeed, the environment reflects the people inhabiting it.
Unlike before, we can no longer count the factories we see. It seems that everywhere is a place for business, a place for establishments, a place for industry. Of course, making a living is the main reason for this while forgetting the real essence of it. Can money afford to buy a clean environment? Can money prevent us from having sicknesses caused by the pollution we make? It can help cure but not prevent. Are we feeling compensated this way? It's for you to answer.
Remember that money cannot buy everything and that the best things in life are those unseen. Making a living is not bad. We just need to set boundaries. God entrusted us to become the stewards of His creations and so, we will be accountable for them.
The life of every organism is dependent on the lives of the other organisms. The way organisms affect one another is equally as important as the effect of the abiotic factors of the environment. Just as each organism must cope with the conditions in its physical environment, it must cope also with the conditions in the biotic environment.
There are two sides to the issue of global warming and climate change. Those who believe the earth is in danger of reaching temperature levels that will adversely affect the lives of millions of people worldwide, and cause massive flooding and other environmental anomalies, point to increasing amounts of CO2 in our atmosphere as the cause. They cite industrial activity and the effects of man-made CO2 as a major factor in the rise, and more often than not call for legislation that will cap emissions as a means of slowing the process and putting an end to global warming. There are others who disagree. Their argument is that global warming is part of the natural cycle of climate changes that have been taking place for thousands of years, sometimes exceeding temperatures that have been recorded since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and that a downward trend is on the way. Neither side can claim with absolute certainty that their view will prevail, since there are so many variables involved, including solar output, cloud cover, and natural emissions of CO2, to name a few, and there may never be an agreement as to what we can expect in the future, but one thing is certain: the Earth is constantly changing, and will continue to change, simply because of the natural cycle of warming and cooling trends, and human activity is the only variable that we have the power to change. Whether or not that will make a difference, and at what cost, is at the heart of the debate.
What is global warming? Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. The effects of global warming and climate change are of concern both for the environment and human life. Evidence of observed climate change includes the instrumental temperature record, rising sea levels, and decreased snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere.
CAUSES.As said, the major cause of global warming is the emission of green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc into the atmosphere.The major source of carbon dioxide is the power plants. These power plants emit large amounts of carbon dioxide produced from burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity generation. About twenty percent of carbon dioxide emitted in the atmosphere comes from burning of gasoline in the engines of the vehicles. This is true for most of the developed countries. Buildings, both commercial and residential represent a larger source of global warming pollution than cars and trucks.Building of these structures require a lot of fuel to be burnt which emits a large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Methane is more than 20 times as effectual as CO2 at entrapping heat in the atmosphere. Methane is obtained from resources such as rice paddies, bovine flatulence, bacteria in bogs and fossil fuel manufacture. When fields are flooded, anaerobic situation build up and the organic matter in the soil decays, releasing methane to the atmosphere. The main sources of nitrous oxide include nylon and nitric acid production, cars with catalytic converters, the use of fertilizers in agriculture and the burning of organic matter. Another cause of global warming is deforestation that is caused by cutting and burning of forests for the purpose of residence and industrialization.
EFFECTS.The effects of global warming and climate change are of concern both for the environment and human life. Evidence of observed climate change includes the instrumental temperature record, rising sea levels, and decreased snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere. According to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, "most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in [human greenhouse gas] concentrations". It is predicted that future climate changes will include further global warming, an upward trend in global mean temperature, sea level rise, and a probable increase in the frequency of some extreme weather events. Ecosystems are seen as being particularly vulnerable to climate change. Human systems are seen as being variable in their capacity to adapt to future climate change.
To reduce the risk of large changes in future climate, many countries have implemented policies designed to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases.
Help each other. Help our environment. Help our Mother Earth. Your Environment is You.
wake up filipinos!
The Environmental changes and effects are now experienced by many filipinos.It was caused by different pollution and our being irresponsible in the proper disposal of our wastes.
Last September 26,2009, when tropical storm "ondoy' strike in Manila and brought tragedy to many filipino."Ondoy" detroyed many establishment, stores,and rice feilds. It doesn't only took matrial things but it also took hundreds of lives.Many people save nothing but the piece of clothes they are wearing during that time.
A week after,when many people are still under shock and not yet been recovered, another typhoon went to the country,typhoon "Pepeng" . this typhoon also took many lives and great damage to different places.
After all the things happened, many of us is still not realized that all of these was the effect of our being irresponsible. When should be the time that filipinos will be awake on the different changes happening in the environment, what if what we had experienced was just an example of the other effects, are we prepared enough for it?.
Environmental changes and effects
Our environment as of today have so many changes.People not aware of those effects.
"Global environmental changes constitute a major new category of health hazard, arising predominantly from human-induced systemic changes to the natural systems and processes that underpin health and life."Population health is a crucial bottom-line indicator of the impacts of global environmental change on human societies.Many elements of human society and the environment are sensitive to climate variability and change. Human health, agriculture, natural ecosystems, coastal areas, and heating and cooling requirements are examples of climate-sensitive systems.Rising of this changes are already affecting our environment.Some observed thing is in the Philippines last September 26,2009 typhoon Ondoy took the central and northern part of Luzon.The heavy and non-stop rain that cause a high flood.After that another super typhoon came called Pepeng.
The extent of climate change effects, and whether these effects prove harmful or beneficial, will vary by region, over time, and with the ability of different societal and environmental systems to adapt to or cope with the change.
Throughout the world, the prevalence of some diseases and other threats to human health depend largely on local climate. Extreme temperatures can lead directly to loss of life, while climate-related disturbances in ecological systems, such as changes in the range of infective parasites, can indirectly impact the incidence of serious infectious diseases. In addition, warm temperatures can increase air and water pollution, which in turn harm human health.
Human health is strongly affected by social, political, economic, environmental and technological factors, including urbanization, affluence, scientific developments, individual behavior and individual vulnerability (e.g., genetic makeup, nutritional status, emotional well-being, age, gender and economic status). The extent and nature of climate change impacts on human health vary by region, by relative vulnerability of population groups, by the extent and duration of exposure to climate change itself and by society's ability to adapt to or cope with the change.
The future generation will be facing more dangers from natural disasters than we are facing now. The temperature level will rise the summers will become more hot and winters will become more cold and the seasonal distribution will be affected adversely and ground water level will decrease - whole story in short - it will be a worst nightmare if we don't take any concrete steps now.
So what were waiting for let's save our nature our environment and our lives!!!!!!
The Wake Up Call
It was sad to know that our environment today suffer many changes. And because of this changes, we also suffer its effects. Just like the recent flood that we encounter because of the typhoon Ondoy. There are so many people die because of drowning and electric shock, lost their belongings and even lost their family members. Rich or poor, everyone was affected of the typhoon. The tragedy that just happen was all because of us. We forgot to take good care of our environment. Instead, we destroy it by the pollution that we did every single day in our life. Every waste that we throw would destroy our environment. When it rains, there is no way for the water to escape. It would be just stock on a place. And if it stay for long, it may be contaminated by mosquitoes which may carry dengue that may kill a life. Because of the things that happen to us, hope it was the time for us to wake up and stop from sleeping. The time for us to heal our environment's wound. If we will not do it today, everything may happen again and all that would suffer is us.
Re: The Wake Up Call
climate change
The Central Luzon was disturbed by two super typhoon naming Ondoy and Pepeng. These two typhoons cause a severe flooding. The water level was high until it reaches the houses. It also the cause of releasing water from dams. The appliances were flash by flood. Many lives were endangered and sacrificed. It also results in loss lives and damages the infrastructure like roads, bridge and etc. And because of non stopping raining in Legaspi the lahar cause a death. All of us are victims whether you are rich or poor, no one is excused. And in this event there are people show their heroism to saved lives and help those people endangered. There are donations and relief goods came from abroad and other parts of the Philippines. In spite of this, it is hard for those people who are really affected in this situation to forgot and move on. And take time to heal it. This tragedy will serve as an experience and lesson. These things happened because of climate change. And we us people are the one who abused it. And I hope this will serve us a leeson.
It's time to change
Our environment is a wonderful gift given by God to us. It is a perfect gift that serves as way to sustain our needs and has a great role for us in order to have a happy and healthy living.
Before, it was glad to think that our environment is almost a perfect and undamaged that's why people are enjoying their lives with fresh air and clean environment. The health of people was not a big problem and I can say that their type of living is so natural and simple. But as the years passed, their simplicity is changed to a complicated and more complex one. It was because of improper used of environment, as well as the calamities and disaster being experienced by our country. Because of improper used of environment, this include our wastes throwing into improper places, cutting of trees and other factors which cause in the pollution of air, water, land and others. This pollution really affects all of us. Land pollution can cause floods landslide and reason for destroying the habitat of different animals. Also, one of the best things affects by the pollution is the health of the people. Because of polluted environment people can't assured theirselves with a healthy environment suitable for living. In these cases, there is a high percentage of acquiring different illnesses which is worst can lead to death.
We must learn to appreciate and give importance to the environment and other creations of God. Learn how to used it properly, because whatever happens, no one will suffer but all of us, God gave this wonderful environment to us undamaged. In return, I think we should also do our best to make this environment remain undamaged for the sake of the next generations.
environmental changes and effects
Our environment is very important to us. In the early years, environment is suitable, and beautiful and beautiful. It is able to give our needs and not polluted. People at this time are dependent on environment. Some of them, their main source of food came from the environment. They get fresh and healthy fishes in the bodies of water. The trees give us fresh air and even food to eat. Many species of animals lived in forests. The mode of living is orderly and very simple. There was no pollution at all.
As the time goes by, our environment has suddenly changed. The population becomes to bloom in our country. As the population grows, our environment becomes polluted. People are abusing the environment beauty; they did not mind its effect to human. Many modern technologies like transportations and factories; buildings were made that have a big distribution in polluting our environment. Many bodies of water become now polluted too, that's why the aquatic animals were destroyed. The land also becomes to change. Many calamities like landslide and flashflood were occurred in our country that gives a very big problem to our community. Our climate was affected in the changes of our environment causing global warming. Our ozone layer is not able to trap the ultra violet from the sunlight that causes skin cancer. The polluted environment has many effects to human and other organisms living here on Earth. We are the causes of these aspects. We must stop polluting our environment because we are the one to suffer. What we do is to cooperate to protect and care our environment as what we do in ourselves. It is the greatest give of our God to, so love and survives our environment.
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Fontana author pens 'Christmas Ship'
FONTANA �— A 19th-century schooner laden with Christmas trees, a brave sea captain, a terrifying blizzard on Lake Michigan in November 1912, shadowy images of a ghostly ship: the true account of the ship Rouse Simmons has all the makings of a classic holiday tale.��
Read the current edition here: http://www.server-jbmultimedia.net/CSI-WalworthCountySunday
Fontana resident Diane French thought so years ago when she saw "The Christmas Schooner," a musical based on the Rouse Simmons and its captain, Herman Schuenemann, at the Chicago Bailiwick Repertory Theater. Tickets to the play were a Christmas gift from her children, and the family liked "The Christmas Schooner" so much, they saw it again when the Door County Players performed it a few years later.
Over the decades, the Rouse Simmons was featured not only in a musical but countless newspaper, magazine and website articles, and Rochelle Pennington's comprehensive hardcover book, which sat on French's coffee table every holiday season for years. But French, a designer and former middle-school teacher, figured no one had an audience of middle-schoolers in mind when they told the story. So she tackled the job, piecing it together with research done online at the Wisconsin Historical Society and through back issues of Midwest magazine.
Read the complete story HERE.


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Are you looking for a last minute Halloween costume that looks like it took forever? Try building a TRON hoodie with EL wire! Watch the video on YouTube (please subscribe!) and Vimeo.
Every Wednesday is Wearable Wednesday here at Adafruit! We're bringing you the blinkiest, most fashionable, innovative, and useful wearables from around the web and in our own original projects featuring our wearable Arduino-compatible platform, FLORA. Be sure to post up your wearables projects in the forums or send us a link and you might be featured here on Wearable Wednesday!
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Maker Business — Presentation: Ten Year Futures – Benedict Evans
Wearables — Toy with inspiration
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Youth Futures: Mentoring for At-Risk Children
Youth Futures is a Jewish Agency flagship program that provides community-based mentoring for at-risk pre-teens and adolescents in Israel.
Trained mentors work as trusted guides to help students improve school performance, strengthen social integration, and inspire engagement with the community.
The Mentors also connect youth, families, and communities with the services and local resources to help them overcome barriers to success.
In the 2012-13 school year, 400 staff members worked with 12,000 students and their families in 35 communities.
"People told me I could be a leader, and now I am one."
Liron Vaisehon, Participant in Youth Futures in Arad, Israel: In Her Own Words
Report: Voices From Rocket-Battered Southern Israel
'This morning I woke up with the definition of an "emergency procedure".'
Youth Futures: In the Full Sense of the Word
We have been held behind closed doors for almost two weeks. A report from rocket-battered southern
Youth Futures Mentors Providing Care 24/7 - Under Fire
Berkeley is one of 95 Youth Futures Mentors living in southern Israel; together, they are trying to
"I Pray that God will Bring Quiet to My Home."
Hadar does not remember quiet times on the Kibbutz.


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I am an avid skywatcher. I photograph at least twice a day usually dusk and dawn for most images. I have been capturing unusual or uncategorized pictures nearly everyday. I have been diligent about debunking common causes. I can find no correlation with the photos and the weather (ie: humidity levels, temperature, barometric pressure, sunspot activity, electromagnetic earth readings, or even pollen counts).
Rainbow Cloud
Uploaded by: Kavannah
Saturday November 17, 2012
Naples, FL (Current Weather Conditions)
Caption: Rainbow Cloud clear dry day. 11 17 2012 4:00 PM Naples, FL USA
EXIF Data
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XP Keywords: Backyard Rainbow Clouds 11 17 2012
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Aperture: 8.19 EV (f/17.1)
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MaxApertureValue: 5.12 EV (f/5.9)
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode.
Focal Length: 20.0 mm
User Comment:
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Color Space: sRGB
PixelXDimension: 4000
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Focal Plane Resolution Unit: Inch
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: Auto exposure
White Balance: Auto white balance
Digital Zoom Ratio: 1.54
Scene Capture Type: Standard
InteroperabilityVersion: 0100
RelatedImageWidth: 4000
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