Skepticism

I like to keep track of scientific thought and demonstrated proofs (theories) for how the world works. As a result I have seen evidence to convince me of global warming, peak oil, mass extinction, and a number of other not so fun phenomenon. However, I also get concerned when I'm around the passionate supporters of the causes around these issues.

Not that they are wrong. On the contrary, a passionate position is the only kind that has ever changed the world. No, my concern is that it is quite easy to use 'common knowledge' and extrapolation to put your views into the center of the universe. When that happens you can become closed to new ideas that can help inform your actions.

An example of this area is thinking about the Gulf Stream. The conventional wisdom is that this current is the reason that England and Europe stay mild, winter and summer compared to the frigid extremes of northern Canada, a place equally far from the equator. But, conventional wisdom may not always be true. This article about the Gulf Stream indicates that there is a grain of truth here, but the consequences of a gulf stream shift might be far different from those we expect.

I'd rather continue to educate myself and worry about the key issues. One article does not a rebuttal make, but my prior thoughts about the Gulf Stream and global warming have been called into question. And that is a good thing.

Mantra for the Repressed

I came across this internet phenomenon last fall, and it still is pretty amusing, so I'm finally getting around to posting about it. I haven't written much about my work thus far, but will probably get into it more in the future. Suffice it to say that I don't exactly condone this approach to dealing with frustrations. With that in mind, I titled my post after a classic Monty Python scene.

With that said, the spiritual quality of this song and simple message is a great counterpoint to the lyrics. Here is the original. It is worth listening to for the explanation of the setting. After that was released a whole lot of remixes were made. It even spawned thoughts of a music video (warning, embedded video) that is worth watching. This whole affair is wonderful in showing how a lot of amateur work can combine for something cool in a unique way.

Back to Blog

Well, I've demonstrated that I am not always great about maintaining a blog. With that said, a whole lot has happened in the last eight months and I have a backlog of stuff to share, talk about, etc. In the meantime, in the interest of giving a reason it has been so long I offer this:

I have been doing work that is hard. It is Hard Work. And only our president could say it so well.