Posted by Benjamin Roudenis on January 5, 2010
This is my favorite speech from my favorite author. Here is an excerpt:
I regard consensus science as an extremely pernicious development that ought to be stopped cold in its tracks. Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because you’re being had.
Let’s be clear: the work of science has nothing whatever to do with consensus. Consensus is the business of politics. Science, on the contrary, requires only one investigator who happens to be right, which means that he or she has results that are verifiable by reference to the real world. In science consensus is irrelevant. What is relevant is reproducible results. The greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with the consensus.
Finally, I would remind you to notice where the claim of consensus is invoked. Consensus is invoked only in situations where the science is not solid enough. Nobody says the consensus of scientists agrees that E=mc2. Nobody says the consensus is that the sun is 93 million miles away. It would never occur to anyone to speak that way.
Take 15 minutes and read the entire speech here.
Aliens Cause Global Warming [MichaelCrichton.com]
Posted by Benjamin Roudenis on March 11, 2009
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a resolution introduced two days earlier that designates March 14, 2009 (3/14, get it?) as National Pi Day. It urges schools to take the opportunity to teach their students about Pi and “engage them about the study of mathematics.”
National Pi Day? Congress makes it official [CNET]
Posted by Benjamin Roudenis on January 22, 2009
CNet.com has posted 2 articles by Declan McCullagh, Obama to .gov agencies: More Internet openness and Obama’s Whitehouse.gov: Frozen in time?, which discuss President Obama’s desire to use the internet for government transparancey:
President Obama signed an order on Wednesday proclaiming that the entire federal government should be more open, transparent, and Internet-friendly. It said that agencies must “put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public.”
As someone who gets most of my information off the internet, I applaude this move.
Posted by Benjamin Roudenis on January 21, 2009
I’m amazed how many people seem to be able to summarize all of their thought on politics in less than 10 words.
Obama Hater: I don’t like Barak Obama.
Me: Why?
Obama Hater: He’s a socialist.
Me: What’s socialism? (I ask this because I usually think the person really doesn’t know)
Obama Hater: Redistribution of wealth. (If they have an answer, this is it)
Me: What’s wrong with that?
I’ve had this conversation multiple times in the last 6 months, and I’ve never gotten a real answer to my last question, just cries of “Are you serious?” or “You’ve got to be kidding!” save for once, when the person had a legitimate well thought-out response.
I don’t think Barak Obama is a socialist, and I’m not arguing for a socialist government (although I’m sure some will miss that point) but I do think we should put more thought into the subject than the rhetoric I hear every time I have this conversation.
Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
socialism
noun [U]
the set of beliefs which states that all people are equal and should share equally in the wealth of the country, or the political systems based on these beliefs
Acts 2:44 All the Lord’s followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. 45 They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever needed it.
Acts 4:32 The group of followers all felt the same way about everything. None of them claimed that their possessions were their own, and they shared everything they had with each other. 33 In a powerful way the apostles told everyone that the Lord Jesus was now alive. God greatly blessed his followers, 34 and no one went in need of anything. Everyone who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money 35 to the apostles. Then they would give the money to anyone who needed it.