A blow to the head will confuse a man’s thinking; a blow to the foot has no such effect; this cannot be the result of an immaterial soul.

— Heraclitus

Editor's Note: This post is about some important cosmological numbers and the curious relationships which exist between them.  The numbers used are quite exact in terms of the math involved, but the relationships I will discuss are not so exact.  You may lay aside your scientific calculator during this exercise; there will be no calculations of decimal places.  The relationships cited are in terms of "orders of magnitude" rather than precise numeric values.  In a study of this type, exact values are not indicative and do not provide any level of certainty, whereas factors of 10 or 100 are of marginal interest, and factors of 1,000 or higher are significantly more noteworthy.

As I previously mentioned, intelligent design proponents have included the anthropic principle as part of the argument which states that some aspects of the universe are simply too complex to have been the result of chance, therefore a designer is necessary, especially with regards to the development of life and, more importantly, humans.  Physics happens to be one of my strengths, so I feel compelled and qualified to examine this more closely.

Continue reading →

We know that chimpanzees possess language, culture, and self-awareness, so why don’t we afford them rights? The most common argument is that if we give chimps rights, the next thing you know we’ll be giving rights to squirrels. It seems to me, however, a pretty poor decision to deny rights to those who deserve them lest we accidentally afford them to those who don’t.

— David Liss

Ricky Martin's a dirty boy (from this).  Almost too dirty for my taste.  I like it!

On the exchange of goods and services, and the threat of greed and hunger…

And if there come the singers and the dancers and the flute players,—buy of their gifts also.
For they too are gatherers of fruit and frankincense, and that which they bring, though fashioned of dreams, is raiment and food for your soul.

And before you leave the market place, see that no one has gone his way with empty hands.
For the master spirit of the earth shall not sleep peacefully upon the wind till the needs of the least of you are satisfied.