Musical Monday: Dreaming

I'm a big fan of Star Trek (especially The Next Generation). There are many aspects of humanity's evolution portrayed on the show that are appealing, such as the elimination of the need to work for a living, a monetary system, and poverty along with it.

Yet there's one human characteristic that hasn't changed: man's need to destroy and kill his own and other species. The Bible paints a pretty grim picture of this too; it seems we are destined to continue fighting each other until the world ends. At the moment, I share this view.

What do you think? Will Simon and Garfunkel's dream be realized, some day far into the future?

Happy 200, Mr. Darwin

I had decided to take a blogging break, due to a consulting project that will be occupying the majority of my nights and weekends. However, this day merits a post. I'm too lazy busy to join in the Blog for Darwin event, but encourage others to do so :)

Today marks 200 years since the birth of Charles Darwin. It is also the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. Two very different men, yet each had to overcome a great deal of prejudice and opposition to do what he believed was right.

I'd like to think we've evolved over the past 200 years. In some ways, we have. As an opinion column today suggested:

Maybe because Madison is a place less torn by the old divides between religion and science, there is an opportunity here for the kinds of dialogues between these two worlds that will enable religious leaders and scientists to find ways to make common cause on some of the most pressing issues of our time...

Yet, judging by the comments on another article, intolerance and prejudice is alive and well today. The antitheists (not atheists) and Biblical literalists are still battling in this centuries-old war.

We still have a long way to go.

Drake revisited

The Drake equation has made a significant impact in popular science, thanks largely to Carl Sagan. It attempts to predict the number of planets in the Universe that are capable of supporting intelligent life and with whom we might be able to communicate. Although it's a mathematical formula, the variables involved have wide ranges. Thus, the equation has been used both by exobiologists who believe alien life is plentiful (as I do) and by creationists who assert we are alone in the Universe.

Now, an interesting mathematical simulation has been used to make that number more quantifiable for our own galaxy, putting the number between 361 and 38,000. My own nonscientific hypothesis, in support of those numbers, is that God is a pretty smart entity; if he bothered with creating the Universe in the first place, why would he waste all that space?

Musical Monday: Movie time

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
(Mt 18:2-4)

Yesterday, M decided to organize an "alternative Superbowl event," part of which involved watching a movie that she picked out at the library. As it turned out, the movie didn't hold her attention completely, but D and I enjoyed it. It had a depth of meaning that went beyond a kid's movie, yet there was a simple message. Oddly enough, it also strengthened my resolve to write fiction for young adults, which is a completely new genre for me. I have the beginnings of a novel in my head. I still have to find the time to do it, but I'm not giving up (yet).

If you haven't seen the movie as yet, definitely check it out.