mathjax

Friday, February 27, 2015

RIP Leonard Nimoy

We will live long and prosper by remembering you.

Science is cool: a physics-based explanation of the origin of life.


Finally, a physics-based explanation of the origin of life.

https://www.quantamagazine.org/20140122-a-new-physics-theory-of-life/


Excerpt is the paper's astract:

Self-replication is a capacity common to every species of living thing, and simple physical intuition dictates that such a process must invariably be fueled by the production of entropy. Here, we undertake to make this intuition rigorous and quantitative by deriving a lower bound for the amount
of heat that is produced during a process of self-replication in a system coupled to a thermal bath. We find that the minimum value for the physically allowed rate of heat production is determined by the growth rate, internal entropy, and durability of the replicator, and we discuss the implications of this finding for bacterial cell division, as well as for the prebiotic emergence of self-replicating nucleic acids.


http://www.englandlab.com/uploads/7/8/0/3/7803054/2013jcpsrep.pdf


Here's a simpler interpretation of the paper:  entropy - the loss of heat and structure over time - limits how complex an organizing molecule can be come.  Atoms will always collide to form larger molecules. That probability is 1 over infinite time with trillions of participants.  They collide and get larger naturally.  Think cosmic filament or neutron stars, they collect mass despite electric charge repulsion.

Molecules are continually storing energy as they collide through space. Until they can't any longer.

Entropy makes larger molecules self-replicating at a certain point. They can get no larger so the split off.  When? When they reach halfway- or they double in size.  In that way, it regulates what are spontaneous probable atomic interactions so that smaller clones break off from the upper limit and the cycle continues: now with twice as many participants. Remember, we now have twice as many cloned molecules to start the process over.

The probability goes up as the participant population gets larger.  It is a forever positive trend, rate of change or derivative probability is positive.   Which means it happens, eventually. 

Now, imagine that you are talking about all the carbon atomic reactions.  Over time they become organic chains of the right length. Then we have the beginnings of life. It isn't improbable, it is inevitable.

No creator needed.

My Terminator Dream






I have this dream where the West gets fed up and constructs a Terminator army and sends it into Syria to wipe out ISIS. 


As the ISIS survivors try to hang on, the terminators walk over the defenses.  As the last jihadi crawls for life, a Terminator - programmed by a gay atheist from Hoboken, New Jersey - grabs the lone living terrorist by the throat and asks,


"Where is your god now?"

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Upper Class Twit of the Week



Congratulations are due to British MP David Tredinnick whose discovered astrology as a cure that will one day improve British health care. 

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/25/astrology-help-nhs-claim-conservative-mp-david-tredinnick


“And, yes, I have helped fellow MPs. I do foresee that one day astrology will have a role to play in healthcare.”
He dives deeper into nonsense,

“The BBC is quite dismissive of astrology and seeks to promote the science perspective and seems always keen to broadcast criticisms of astrology.”
Opposition to astrology is driven by “superstition, ignorance and prejudice”, he said. “It tends to be based on superstition, with scientists reacting emotionally, which is always a great irony."
Science is based on evidence. The fact you consulted astrology and got better most likely means you got lucky. A coincidence occurred.  If you can't produce the data that shows causation or even correlation then your beliefs are not founded in proof.

http://www.amsciepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pr0.1998.82.2.527?journalCode=pr0

There is no scientific evidence to back up claims that astrology cures disease. Opinion is not science, beliefs are not evidence, coincidences don't count, and if you can't distinguish what any grade 8 science student understands then you really aren't adding to the debate you are wasting people's time distracting attention from what actually works.

Perhaps the emotion he detects from scientists are aimed at him personally regarding his ridiculous beliefs and wasting their time to defend against nonsense influencing the public to try half-baked home remedies instead of chemotherapy etc.?  Why not look for cancer with divining rods?  Or recite incantations to remove your flu virus?

I looked it up before I made this claim; here's what a quick Google Scholar search found.






And for good measure, he resorts to calling his critics "racist" for mocking his  beliefs.

Here's a hint Mr. Tredinnick, if you don't hold such stupid beliefs then they won't be racist against you, I promise.

And for the British healthcare system, here's a way to improve health delivery, bar MP David Tredinnick from all healthcare-related activities.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Conservatives' neo-fascism "hidden agenda" comes to light...


The new "anti-terror" bill C-51 is the embodiment of everything that opponents of Conservatives warned the public about.  This act calls "Information Sharing" what is really government information oversight of any citizen on any level with the justification that it is in the name of protecting the people.

When you look at the US example, big brother George Bush and his so-called "Patriot Act", a law so laced with fascist ideals hidden in the guise of patriotism, it beggars the mind that someone else might try it as well.  It gave powers to the state that are still unreasonable, but if you object then you are unpatriotic and siding with the terrorists.

George Bush is now considered a laughing stock, and his work has brought not much more than problems for working people in America.  Look at what the Patriot Act allowed the US government to do:

Section Section title
201 Authority to intercept wire, oral, and electronic communications relating to terrorism
202 Authority to intercept wire, oral, and electronic communications relating to computer fraud and abuse offenses
203(b) Authority to share electronic, wire and oral interception information
204 Clarification of intelligence exceptions from limitations on interception and disclosure of wire, oral, and electronic communications
206 Roving surveillance authority under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.
207 Duration of FISA surveillance of non-United States persons who are agents of a foreign power
209 Seizure of voice-mail messages pursuant to warrants
212 Emergency disclosure of electronic communications to protect life and limb
214 Pen register and trap and trace authority under FISA
215 Access to records and other items under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
217 Interception of computer trespasser communications
218 Foreign intelligence information
220 Nationwide service of search warrants for electronic evidence
223 Civil liability for certain unauthorized disclosures
225 Immunity for compliance with FISA wiretap













Now look at the bill:

http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&DocId=6932136&File=9


It gives the Conservative the same powers the US Patriot Act did:

Income Tax Act Amendment:

(9) An official may provide to the head, or their delegate, of a recipient Government of Canada institution listed in Schedule 3 to the Security of Canada Information Sharing Act



(a) publicly accessible charity information;
(b) taxpayer information, if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the information would be relevant to
(i) an investigation of whether the activity of any person may constitute threats to the security of Canada, as defined in section 2 of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, or
(ii) an investigation of whether any of the following offences may have been committed:
(A) a terrorism offence as defined in section 2 of the Criminal Code, and
(B) an offence under section 462.31 of the Criminal Code, if that investigation is related to a terrorism offence as defined in section 2 of that Act; and








You as a citizen can have your tax information given away to some lookie-loo in the federal government and the justification is protecting society. 






This is just one amendment tied into this bill.  It is a government encroachment in freedom bill that is going to put us down the road to the same fascist oversight of anyone at anytime and there is no oversight to all this power.

Michael Geist, a legal expert, has a more detailed commentary here: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/michael-geist/bill-c-51-total-information-awareness_b_6722804.html?utm_hp_ref=bill-c-51

Cars with frickin' laser beams: Science is cool

Audi's new R8 headlights will include laser beams for long distance

http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/audi-R8-LMX-laser-headlight-01-660x371.jpg

Sleeping Habits of Famous People

http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54eb472eeab8ea143e5bc62d-3508-9695/sleeping-habits-rich-famous-infographic-103456.jpg

The tag line of the Business Insider article was famous leaders - some of them like Leonardo Da Vinci was not really a leader. 

It's interesting to see that most famous people are more active than the norm.  You would think once you are rich and famous, your needs are taken care of, and your life could be leisure full time.  And yet, it doesn't change who they are or what they do. 

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Why is the economy still broken?

The reason  the economy's not self-repairing is that national governments are giving the money to the same psychopathic banking people that caused the collapse with bad practices in the first place.




If we want the economy to grow and be trusted, then we have to stop giving the money to bankers, and give it to manufacturers, researchers, artists, accountants,  small companies, even the people but not the financial sector.  They are the beginning and end of the financial problems.

Main street needs to get better by bankrupting Wall street.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Tax religious institutions.

The time has come to question the special status bestowed upon churches and other worship institutions. Religions are part of the economy, they take up space and they use services. They should pay the fair value of their place in society.




Society may be separated from church, but right now we are subsidizing institutions like the Vatican, the Vatican that owns one of the richest banks on earth. They should pay their fair share. 

Why is it religious apologists turn their comments off?



I write things that come into my mind, I share them, and I let you comment on them. I don't hide from criticism.  Go ahead, I've gone in to 50 comment sprees.

So why do the fervent religious believers turn off their comments.  Afraid to let a little doubt into things?  If you are not willing to turn your comments on then I am not interested to read your work.  Why? Because your mind is closed to new ideas. And you are closed to facts that might jeopardize your own faith.

This is not a place for sermons. You don't get to preach. You can speak and be heard but there is no special place for religion here. And if your ideas can't match up then you are the person that will have doubt. WE thought our way to our view points. Not BELIEVED our way to our viewpoints. 

If your word is so certain, then what have you to fear?

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Convicted terrorists should get the death penalty



Every moral problem is a relative problem rather than an absolute problem. There is no moral absolute, therefore there is no absolute right way to deal with any issue, including criminals.

In the same vein, the most extreme punishment ( corporal punishment ) has been taken off the books as more people consider society more civilized in practices and principles.

But in the present day, there exists an anomaly from the another century, the terrorist.

Terrorism is anti-society. Terrorism is anti-civilized behaviour.  Terrorism should be punished with a punishment that fits the crime.  The random killing of innocents to make a political point deserves equal sentence.  Terrorism should merit the death penalty. Anyone convicted of terrorism, even attempted terrorists, should be punished by death.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Explain to me again why railroad oil transport is safer than pipelines?

http://i.cbc.ca/1.2959389.1424124523!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/west-virginia-train-derailment-fire.jpg



http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/cnbc/train-carrying-oil-explodes-in-west-virgina-400457795662

If the cars are DOT-111 ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOT-111_tank_car) then 100 tank cars holding 131,000 L of oil with a total value of approx.

                     $53.74 * 100 * 131,000 ~=  $ 703,994,000

was allowed to burn out into the atmosphere around a town.

One burning car went into the river. Tell me that's different than pipelines.

Remind me again why this is better for the environment than a pipeline spill?

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Imagine where mankind would be if we listened to religion over reason?

Do you like swords to defend yourself or would you prefer a pistol?  Do you prefer to be bled when you get ill or a healthy dose of prayer and faith healing or perhaps a séance to cure you?



This all seems like nonsense in today's world, but all the achievements, all the progress that is made comes from mankind striving to understand, to try new things, to learn, to write it all down and get back up and try again. All we have is the result of science and technology, from learning and reason.




Imagine if our forbears had listened to the religious nonsense and stopped wondering about the universe. We owe every modern invention to the work of those that spent their life improving the future, not following mindless dogma. 

Even ISIS uses technology that they take for granted

Even ISIS agrees that the internet is useful even if they don't agree we should be free to think on our own long enough to make that difference.

Science is cool. Dogma is not.



Not all religions are the same...

remember, there are no Buddhist death squads....

Islamic Supreme Council of Canada: Islamic dress is a problem


According to Islamic Supreme Council of Canada:
The Islamic Supreme Council of Canada says the Federal Court's decision to allow face coverings during citizenship ceremonies is "not an important issue," but that Stephen Harper is "unnecessarily" making it one.
The council says it's clear that wearing a niqab, which is worn by some Muslim women in public areas and in front of men who are not relatives, is not a security issue.

Except there is a problem with face covering dress, it is a security problem:



This was Britain's most wanted man, he escaped via Heathrow by hiding like a little girl in a face covering outfit. This isn't acceptable in our society.

In this age of radical Islamic terrorist's committing heinous violent acts, every hidden person could be armed and ready to kill people at random. Lone wolf attacks are a real problem while ISIS exists. This is not acceptable in this society. Even your safety is the job of police despite your ideas.

It is also used as the source of female domination and abuse.  ISIS executed this  lady for being an adulterer and running a brothel. Misogyny is also unacceptable in our society.



To live in this society, we all accept the rules that put freedom and safety above of any one groups' interests.  If you don't like that, you can go to the home of sharia law, where you might end up like this poor lady.


Saturday, February 14, 2015

Bill Maher: " A religious event is no place for facts"



Bill Maher likes to poke the bear, he went on a religion rant on Friday night. His best line was pointing out that a religious event has not place for facts, he mocked the Middle East for getting upset at burning a pilot, while still beheading people.

If his points are true, in particular that religious events are no place for facts, then what is the point of religious events? Emotions?

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Example of leading from behind... The Schizophrenic Empire




President Obama's ISIS Evolution

There are lots of false propaganda items perpetuated by Republicans in terms of President Obama's actions, and most of them I ignore.

However, this one does demonstrate how being reactive instead of proactive can make a bad situation worse.

I sympathize with President Obama's strong respect for military people and the sacrifices they have made - sometimes in vain - and his valiant try to protect them. This mandate to avoid conflict is noble, but often vainglorious and moot. The USA has already gotten bloody in Iraq, so no pretense is available but the duty and obligation to do as Colin Powell warned - "we invade, we own their hopes and dreams" which fell on deaf ears.

Look at this video and consider:
Say the president had directed the US Department of Defense to strike that ISIS convoy that crossed into Iraq from Syria to free prisoners near Mosul instead of observe events.

Then ask yourself one thing:

What would the situation look like now, and how much money and more importantly lives, rapes, damage, dreams, terror attacks, beheadings, hopes, and futures would have been saved? How much of the Iraqi army might have stayed instead of fled? How much shorter the border skirmish would be versus an offensive to take one third of Iraq back?

Monday, February 9, 2015

Shoe-bomber Richard Reid is a human robot...


 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/74/Richard_reid_1.jpg/230px-Richard_reid_1.jpg


If anyone needed a prime examplar of a semi-autonomous human being, this guy

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shoe-bomber-has-tactical-regrets-over-failed-american-airlines-plot-n296396


failed shoe bomber Richard Reid, who tried to blow up a plane full of innocent people, is a great example.

In the above linked story, he explains himself:

"I admit many people would dispute that and disagree with me on that point," the British-born Reid, 41, wrote.

"However, at the same time I also believe that it wasn't supposed to happen, not because it was displeasing to God … rather because it was not either my time to die nor that of those on the plane with me, and he had other plans for me which include my staying in prison and other matters which I may not be aware of as of yet." 

The only explanation he has as to why he failed was that god wanted it so, not there might not be a god, not that god was displeased, or any other credible explanation.

The researcher corresponding with him (Dr. Kimberly Mehlman-Orozco) asked if he had any regrets about trying to commit mass murder. His response suggests he wishes he had planned the attack better.
Further from the article

Mehlman-Orozco, who runs a non-profit called the Justitia Institute and has written to several convicted terrorists, said the letter shows how once terrorists are radicalized, they cling to their twisted interpretation of Islam, even after more than a decade in isolation.

"It withstands the cost versus the benefit, it withstands the will to live, it withstands years in the toughest prison in America," she said.
Richard Reid was programmed to follow a short set of instructions, never to question the reason why, nor the reality of the situation, nor to pity the people he might have killed, nor have empathy for anyone else his programming masters declare as enemy.


With all that time to think, his only answer is no, he got the plan wrong, but everything else is god's plan.


Sunday, February 8, 2015

Ted Cruz has no idea what he's talking about...




In an attempt to seem smart, Senator Ted Cruz wrote an op-ed piece explaining what the Internet needs.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ted-cruz-regulating-the-internet-threatens-entrepreneurial-freedom/2014/11/13/a0a852e6-6aaf-11e4-a31c-77759fc1eacc_story.html


Frankly, he has no vague idea what he's talking about.  He claims that net neutrality is Obamacare, in fact it's the opposite.

He argues that regulating the Internet would slow down the Internet to government speed.  In fact, without regulation the telecommunications companies CAN slow down your Internet with no penalty.  That's operating at the speed of a monopoly.

He argues that net neutrality will damage small business, in fact free reign to charge what they like would benefit the largest companies first and not the little "mom and pop" companies because they don't have the buying power.  This is the worst thing for free exchange on the Internet.

Look at how the Internet speeds went down during a business "negotiation" between telecommunications and Netflix. In comparison, Netflix is a smaller company than Comcast and Verizon.  Do you want your company to be held hostage while they "negotiate" your new rate?



I suspect Ted Cruz gets donor money from telecommunications companies that want to charge higher rates for the service they charge.

Whatever the motive he doesn't know what he's talking about, he is wrong on all points.

Frankly, I'm glad he's not a Canadian anymore...



Off for 6 weeks, parliamentarians out of town for another week...

Remember the Conservatives complaining that civil servants take too many sick days?  Well don't worry, your hard working parliamentarians took 6 weeks off for Christmas, back for 2 weeks and they are back off.


http://www.parl.gc.ca/housechamberbusiness/chambercalendar.aspx?Language=E



6 weeks in business days adds up to 21 days not at their place of work.

Remember when they complained civil servant took 18 days on average, which include people that weren't sick with people that were really sick all lumped together,  well don't worry, the politicians took more time in one month.

Kick the government, ignore their own actions...real leadership...

Ode to a dead fridge



This is the letter I'm writing to the president of Samsung.

This is the last remnants of a Samsung fridge that worked for 13 months and then gave us nothing but problems.  We bought this fridge, as we did a lot of Samsung appliances, not thinking that we would be throwing it out after 4 years. 

We paid a lot of money for a premium stainless steel large capacity french door fridge.  All went well, then after 13 months it lost cooling. Right after the warranty expired.  We were away on vacation and we lost hundreds in perished food. Paid hundreds to eat  out at restaurants. We paid for an emergency fridge so our life might be normal, hoping the repair would give us normal back.   We ended up waiting 6 months for a compressor, paid for it's installation and that lasted six months but in the end didn't work - nor did the three other fixes we paid for because the coils inside the sealed system are to blame.  |It ran out of coolant six months later. Again lost food, cost us more than the repairs. 

In the end we couldn't get anyone to take it for free to repair it. What a waste.

To say I am disappointed would be an understatement, this fridge has cost us almost as much as the purchase price, gave us lots of trouble because the sealed system is inferior, costly to repair, gave us constant worry, disrupted our lives and shattered our belief that your company makes pretty good products. 

Why would people pay for a premium item and then why would they take a warranty on a fridge? One expects a fridge will last 10 years, you are making them so cheap they fail within defect times.   This is outrageous.

Maybe your phones are fine, our Samsung microwave works well, so perhaps you should stick to electronics. 


Friday, February 6, 2015

If your god is so great...

Saint Thomas More


If your god is so great, and you are certain that you will join him in the afterlife, and every moment that you are apart from him is unbearable, and you are that faithful that you desire to be with him more than anything else

then

why don't you walk out into the street, aim a gun at your own head, and pull the trigger? Delaying is only making the time pass more slowly!

If you don't have a gun, don't worry, there should be plenty lying around with all those pious people departing.

If your faith is truly that strong, on the order of Saint Thomas More (above) - who disobeyed his king knowing he would be put to death for his principles then what is stopping you?

Sir Thomas More would rather die for his ideals than live without them. And he did.

If you cannot do that, then you really need to look at your own beliefs, with skepticism.  You need to examine just what is real and what isn't about your beliefs. 

Science is cool: 3D hover menus in Virtual Reality (VR)

They've been talking about VR since The Lawnmower Man. Well it seems this guy's getting closer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsNrTSH5wZw

Thursday, February 5, 2015

This is why pernicious Islam can't be saved...


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/raed-jasser-accused-of-train-plot-urged-co-accused-to-stay-
invisible-1.2946486

The minds of extremists, Islamic extremists, are the primary example of why religion gives people rights to act immorally where no self-justification existed.  
The barbarism against mankind manifests itself as a death cult where every infidel is ready for death with no provocation and without justification. Even believers are suspect and their death is acceptable if they are not pious enough. One jihadist on trial is caught explaining,

"Islam is a monster, is a beast," Jaser is heard saying on one intercepted conversation. "Islam is a very powerful weapon, OK, and if it's in the right hands...then you can bulldoze the whole world."
"Islam is here to conquer," he is heard saying. "There is no live and let live in Islam."

and anyone that declares themselves Muslim might be a two-faced backstabber - literally.  The accused went onto to explain his deception,

"We are in a war," he is heard saying. "The war is deception ok, so you need to play certain parts."

Jaser goes on to explain that he is one person around his wife, another around his co-workers, and a different one in front of Esseghaier and the undercover agent.
"But inside, inside I'm very comfortable," he is heard saying. "My heart is very happy."
 The rules of Islam allow this ill treatment including deception, and horrific evil in the name of religion is the result. Explain why anyone could justify this reasoning as an atheist?

If you take your guidance from a 1000 year old book, then admit you're a human robot.



This is Asimo, Honda's generational attempt to make a human-locomotive controllable robot, for a number of reasons one of the original reasons being toilet cleaning. He boots up from power-down into semi-autonomous mode.  Meaning he can accept commands from a person or an instruction list. He has a limited ability to think on his own but will cede to human direction.  He doesn't have the ability to be fully autonomous, in which case he writes his own instruction list.

People have a choice to be fully autonomous or semi-autonomous. Meaning they can choose to think for themselves or they can take their instructions from someone else /something else.

If that something else is a book, an ancient religious book, then you aren't fully autonomous anymore - you are now semi-autonomous. Your program and therefore your actions are restricted by what those instructions limit.
 
People who proudly declare that they take their marching orders from an ancient book, should really be comfortable with people calling them semi-autonomous. Essentially, you are a human robot.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Vaccines and reason



Are there people out there, who consider themselves rationale, that took one look at the ebola crisis and thought,"there is no need to vaccinate my children"?

There is an entire continent that hopes for a vaccine for Ebola. What was unclear about this?



There is only one hellfire...

and it gets launched from 5 miles above the Earth's surface from

a machine. Clearly, hellfire is on the side of science.



Scott Adam's Outragism is the new outrage

Scott Adam's has a really good post about the manufactured outrage syndrome that is sweeping the world. 

http://blog.dilbert.com/post/109482303301/outragists-are-the-new-awful

People are getting very accustomed to the recognition and popularity that comes with becoming upset over nothing.  Perhaps it's a narcissism outbreak, perhaps it's a consequence of the new social media attention.  The fact is, when everyone is connected anyone can contact many and perpetuate all sorts of nonsense.  Even poorly written blogs.

My word for the same phenomenon was "emotionalism".  People hearing something that vaguely offends their sensibilities and then they turn off their thinking portion of brain function and launch right into emotional attack mode, spinning arguments, warping quotes, and most unfortunately manufacturing rage.