Busy, busy, busy...

Tommy is on my case because I haven't posted a blog entry for a long time. Life has been busy!

However, I did find this slide show on the NY Times website, which is very interesting.

Recently I've changed jobs. Wow--that takes a lot of time and effort to go through the whole process. The first two weeks have been busy, intense, and ultimately fun at the new place. I'm using technology that I haven't really had reason to do much work on since college.

One fringe benefit of the new place is a mile long walking trail through the woods around the building and parking lot. It is a bit bitter sweet, since we're moving to a new building in August. However, I hear that the new building will have walking trails as well--plus it is next to a public lake. Although there were many things about my old job I loved, the only walking you could do close to the building was through the business park in which it was located. Just blah buildings surrounded by blah parking lots.

I'll have to take pictures of the trails at my present building and post them.

The judgment of Eli Stone.

"And let’s hope that in future episodes, Eli Stone and ABC show better judgment in picking causes."--NY Times editorial, 2/2/08

Yesterday the NY Times ran an editorial condemning the show "Eli Stone" for its first episode. The episode dealt with autism and vaccines.

The studies say there is no link. The show pointed that out. As the father with two sons on the Autism Spectrum I honestly don't spend much time thinking about this--I have other more immediate issues that need to be dealt with.

However, I do want to point out that in years past the scientific community knew with certainty that the mother's actions were to blame for a child's autism. Although this theory of the "Refrigerator Mother" is largely dismissed in the United States, the "latest" theory regarding "Therapy Moms" seems to be a thinly veiled rehash of this garbage.

The scientific studies to date show no connection between vaccines and autism. That is different from saying there is definitely no connection. And given the "scientific community's" track record I'm going to keep an open mind about possible linkage.

Funny how scientists get flustered when someone questions them. It is almost like a religious war breaking out. Who says science and religion don't have things in common?

St. Nick at it again... the agony of Molnau

Watched part of the news conference w/ Carol Molnau, Palwenty’s Lt. Governor and head of MN-DoT. She was very defensive about the questions dealing with whether cost was a factor in not doing the reinforcement work that was proposed for the 35W Bridge. She also got very defensive when the suggestion was made that the gas taxes should be raise to fund the new bridge.

So defensive…

She doth protest so much..

This morning Nick Coleman has a article about her.

Gee, I wonder if it was such a great idea to combine the offices of Lt. Governor and the head of MN-DoT in the first place?

Truth or Politics?

“For half a dozen years, the motto of state government and particularly that of Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been No New Taxes. It's been popular with a lot of voters and it has mostly prevailed. So much so that Pawlenty vetoed a 5-cent gas tax increase - the first in 20 years - last spring and millions were lost that might have gone to road repair. And yes, [the bridge] would have fallen even if the gas tax had gone through, because we are years behind a dangerous curve when it comes to the replacement of infrastructure that everyone but wingnuts in coonskin caps agree is one of the basic duties of government.”

--Nick Coleman

Nick Coleman is taking a lot of flack about this article. My unfortunately response is “the truth hurts.”

The slogan has been “No New Taxes.” I’ve lived permanently in MN since 1992. Actually, I first came up here in 1985. Up until Pawlenty I felt my tax dollars were being put to good use. (As someone born in Pennsylvania and who attended college in New York, this is high praise not given lightly.) When we found that our boys had autism we also found the state sponsored services that helped them and us. Then the services began to be cut. The taxes (or the doublespeak “fees”) went up.

Am I politicizing this tragedy? Is it politics to point out the mindset (that Progressives have been foretelling, like Cassandra) will lead to tragedy?

Our society is like a bridge. A bridge stands through the balance of forces thrust upon it. If a link in the bridge fails, it can fall. It is not enough if a section stands while the rest of the bridge falls.

“We need a new slogan and we needed it yesterday:

‘No More Collapses.’”

--Nick Coleman.

Learning about tragedy

An interesting analysis from the Star Tribune. Did Bush learn from Hurricane Katrina?

Fun at Strong

Strong Museum of Rochester, NY makes it into WIRED via geekdad.

Just a balloon away from a Darwin award...

Although this stunt has not earned a real Darwin Award, it has gotten honorable mention before (for another guy).

Lawn chair man, lawn chair man
Flying high, you had a plan
You touched the sky, then touched the ground
Proving that your plan was sound
Pity that the chair got away

Back to Latin

The Pope has OK’ed the use of the Latin Mass. I have conflicting views regarding this action. I am very much a post-Vatican Council II Catholic. I grew up with all the changes. I don’t see a problem caused by variations regarding liturgy. But I also love the sound, the music of Latin.

When I started music school I was not very familiar with the masses and requiems that had been written by musicians through the ages. There is a beauty to the sound of “Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Dona nobis pacem.”

I understand the concerns caused by the Good Friday liturgy in Latin. (See the NY Times article.) I’m not looking forward to having the priest face away from the congregation. I don’t want to hear Latin every Sunday. But I would like to hear such a mass from time to time.