Congratulations??

Approximately nine months ago, a close family member managed to impregnate a young girl, and the baby was subsequently born last Friday, the after my birthday. Now, regardless of the fact that the child was born out of wedlock, the parents (long since broken up), are causes for concern in the raising of this child. They are both relatively young, inexperienced, and have dubious morals. I foresee strained legalities and fierce arguments surrounding this child, since neither one of them is capable of raising it on their own, and will not be getting back together--ever. This is all a lead-up to my point.
Should such an event warrant the lauding and congratulations of numerous family and friends? Creating a child is not terribly difficult, barring any fertility problems. Worldwide, over 130 million babies are born every year. That's 360 thousand every day, 30 thousand every hour, 500 every minute, and 8 or so every second. Two stupid kids fooling around without condoms is not worthy of a celebration, in my opinion. I've been waiting for the phone call from whomever chastising me for not calling and giving my congratulations, when I feel I should be sending my condolences.
This kid is going to have to learn to grow up fast, since he hasn't done it yet in 21 years. You can't continue to act like a child when you have one. I'm not going to congratulate anyone, I would much rather sit down and have a serious chat about the ramifications of this, as if it would actually do any good. All I can hope for is that the child is resilient and surpasses his parents in intelligence and motivation. Sigh. Maybe I could get attention if I father an illegitimate child.

Racism: Alive and Well in the U.S.

Just in case you thought that racism was a thing of the past, it hasn't gone away. Sorry. I know, if you live here in Utah, specifically the area known as 'Happy Valley' to it's closed(and all too often empty)-minded inhabitants, you really wouldn't notice any problems with race, given the whole six or seven African Americans that live here. (Before I get any angry comments, it's actually about less than one-half a percent of the total population, about 900.) I am well aware that there are certain parts of town in certain major cities in the country where you do not want to be if you are of the wrong skin complexion. If you haven't heard, ask your father.
If you still don't believe me, just look at all the black hatred that came out as a result of Obama's rise to the White House. Death threats, wild accusations, and plain old, blatant racism. FoxNews is a major supporter of these people, making sure the messages of hatred and mistrust are spread far and wide, and vindicating any unreasonable suspicions as well. They have been subtly (occasionally not-so-subtly) playing the race card since Barack became a contender for the Presidency. And if you haven't been following, he has done nothing right, and had failed his job only weeks into it. And millions of Americans tune into this station every day. EVERY DAY. And believe what they hear. Racism and hatred of others for what they look like is always going to be a problem, but if venues for it and outright acts of racism like the pool incident went away, it wouldn't be such a large problem, and wold break down more quickly. But for now, FoxNews and racist clubs prevail.
This is why I have such a bad attitude sometimes.

Darwin vs. Republicans, the Battle Continues

HuffPost reports in a new and wholly unsurprising study that only 6% of 'scientists' label themselves as republicans, in contrast to 55% identifying with Dem's. Bwaaa?? Yes, apparently republican mindsets either do not last long in the scientific community or is just not inclined to search out theory and facts backed up by verifiable, repeatable data. But this is just America, only a small percentage of the world's population and scientists, what do the rest of them think?
Well, a poll by the British Council shows a broad international acceptance (even factoring in God) of evolution. And while we're sixth down on the list, and tied with Russia, more Americans accept it than do not. But then, enter Texas.
I mentioned earlier the Director of the Board of Education of this notoriously conservative state is a rather obdurate evolution-denier, which has since cost him his job. But, another denier, although less boisterous, has been appointed in his place. I find it quite possible that the appointed Texas legislature hates science, and is determined to wipe if from its state.
Maybe they should have seceded, it would have given all these logic-hating Christians a comfortable, beef- and oil-filled refuge from reality.

Can you say 'Christian Science' without smirking?

After watching another person in a position of power proudly show off their unfaltering ignorance, I got a little more depressed. This has been happening more often with this waning generation of religiously-raised baby-boomers, trying to get the message across before they all retire and move to various warmer climes. A few months ago a video surfaced of Texas' Board of Education Chairman vehemently dissuading the teaching of evolution to Texas' precious children. He even went as far as to attack (in the nicest way possible) the very 'experts' who support the verifiable and heavily researched theory. Damn experts, think they know everything.
I see the root of the problem as science in general, which time and again has gone against Christina beliefs in God and the Bible. Evolution is just one of several thorns in the side of Biblical 'truth.' Science, archeology and a thorough study of history have all cast heaps of doubt on many things in the Bible, including the very existence of Jesus, not to mention God. No one likes it when their erroneously held beliefs get smashed to bits by facts and logic, and I'm no exception.
But the theory of evolution has been around a while, right? Shouldn't Christians have gotten over it by now and accepted what all other rational beings have come to understand? I don't think it's going to be easy. Because if the earth really wasn't created in six days, and the earth wasn't covered in water, what else could be wrong in the Bible? Scary thought for a True Believer. So the hatred will continue, but the idea of Christian Science will never hold water. There is no way to prove the earth is six-thousand years old, especially given the fact that the very uranium that Senator Allen wants to be mined has a half-life of 4.46 billion years. Ironic, isn't it? I love science.