Updates you didn't need to know about

I have not blogged in awhile. That does not mean I haven't written, it just means all that stuff is sitting in the blog post queue, waiting for me to finish them (or start them). To get back into the groove, I will write less ambitiously.

Anyway, my mom made me take vitamin B supplements. My pee is now neon yellow thanks to all the riboflavin that my body didn't need and flushed out.

You know how I love

dinosaurs, right? I think they are awesome. I love animals in general, but something about dinosaurs just takes it to the next level. They were so diverse and distinct in their size, shape and ability, with such a mysterious end, that one cannot help but be fascinated.

I went to the ROM last year as part of an exhibit promotion directed towards teachers (and would-be teachers). Even though all that I could see were merely fossilized bones (and replicas of extrapolated bones due to incomplete finds), it didn't take too much of a stretch to imagine those skeletons housing vast organs, covered in sinew and ligaments, layered with fat and pebbly reptile skin, teeth and claw and other biological weaponry jutting forth menacingly.

So when I see an institution defaming one of my few passions in life, I must say, I have to agree with this guy.

The Creation Museum is the brainchild of the Young Earth Creationist Ken Ham, founder of Answers In Genesis. I use the term 'brainchild' here very loosely.

I can only assume the goal of this museum is to educate the unwashed, heathen masses in the literal and inerrant truth of the Bible. I imagine the proposal went something like this:
"I want to build something to establish God's presence in the world and to teach everyone about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
"How about we feed the poor and serve the needy?"
"Mm, that's been done before. Let's do something new! Everyone loves dinosaurs, right? And everyone loves God too! Let's put them together in a museum!"
"Uhh, is that really a good use of our donated funds?"
"Of course it is! Can't you tell by all the exclamation points I'm using?!"
27 million dollars and 7 years later, we have this grandiose mockery of all that is reasonable.

Sigh.

I am not angry. I am just frustrated with the general slant of fundamentalist/legalistic religion in the American South. It is simply bewildering how they can do such a great disservice to God, science, education and dinosaurs, in one bullheaded move. They have my sincerest pity.

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, think about what you read earnestly and critically; just because it has one kernel of truth in it does not mean it is not a complete bumwaffle. To my brothers and sisters not affiliated with any Christian denomination, please don't be too hard on these folk; they are doing the best they know how, albeit severely misguided.

Sfumato

My life has changed

for the better, I think.



(courtesy of Lifehacker and Slate)

Canadian Politics and why I love it

This reminds me of that time Parliament put everything down to discuss whether or not Shane Doan should represent Team Canada as its captain because of his alleged remarks against the French. Or like that time no one could do anything about the economy because there was a big hissy fit about coalition governments being undemocratic.

Full disclosure: I'm not a fan of Stephen Harper's Conservatives (the political party), nor am I a fan of Roman Catholicism (the institution), so this confluence of events tickles me something fierce.

Catholics believe in transubstantiation, wherein the wafer and wine received during the Sacrament of Eucharist is transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into the body and blood of Christ. Literally. Only baptized Roman Catholics 10 and up are to receive the host (body). Those who wish to abstain are to cross their arms across their chests, or shake their heads, or tilt their heads up, or just don't get in the line to indicate polite refusal.

Stephen Harper is of the Protestant mold, and thus has a different view of the Eucharistic ceremony. But in the eyes of Catholics, it looks like he put a piece of Jesus, their Lord and Saviour, born of the Mother of God and crucified on a cross, into his suit jacket pocket. In my opinion, their ire -- however misguided -- is hardly justified. While Harper should have known better than to catch the priest's attention to receive the wafer, the priest should have known better than to serve the host to a Protestant; they are supposed to ask recipients if they are baptized Catholics first.

Harper's spokesperson/damage-control, Dimitri Soudas, has already issued a statement: "The story today alleges he put it in his pocket and did not consume it which is false. It's totally absurd and ridiculous."

This debacle completely overshadowed the event (memorial for Romeo LeBlanc). It's more fun to blow up a pointless thing into a huge kerfuffle rather than to talk about actual problems.