Mighty AC

I'm currently reading The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean. It's a fascinating and entertaining look into DNA and how it has shaped our lives, our past and how it will affect our future. Kean educates about science topics through interesting stories, sort of like how Dubner and Levitt deal with data in Freakonomics. For instance he discusses a very cool genetic link between crazy cat ladies and motorcycle crashes. Anyway, for those into entertaining science-fact stories, add this one to your wishlist.

An excellent book! 'Collapse' and 'The World Until Yesterday' are also very interesting reads.

Exactly!! However, if we simply replace aliens with God it all works out. We already have an account of how God created life the universe and everything and since he exists outside of space time we don't need to explain his creation. God has always been and always will be. Yet, the scientific community refuses to explore all the possibilities and simply dismisses supernatural explanations out of hand. I suspect that like the so called climate experts they need to keep this charade alive to protect their jobs.

Now there is the anger you new atheist types are famous for. Someone comes along and simply points out the holes in your little THEORY and boom you immediately start throwing stones. We can all enjoy and appreciate the work of observational science as we have this discussion on the internet, but how can you seriously subscribe to one man's THEORY when no observations were made? You evolutionists are relying on assumptions about what happened in the past not evidences. Why would anyone of sound mind completely discount the greatest book of answers we have without any solid, observed evidences?

Why are your beliefs any more correct than religious beliefs? Do you have tangible evidence of life being created from nothing? Or anything being created from nothing? Do you have any evidence of evolution creating a new species? And not just a new species in your made up scientific nomenclature sense, but a new organism that is genetically different enough that it can no longer breed with ancestor populations. Now we're getting somewhere. The idea of outside intelligence seeding life on earth is on the right track. Odd though that you accept an alien species as the potential creator but not a god. There is no evidence of either and gods solve the problem of life creation. You place a lot of faith in science, but don't the writers of your belief system frequently make up stories to fill in the gaps? Take dark matter for instance. "Hey our energy calculations are off, so let's give a name to some energy we can't see so they are correct again."

The lord works in mysterious ways.

Oh so you resent the implication that your belief is cockamamie yet you have no problem calling creationist beliefs fantasy and a disease? Why are your unproven theories any different? The THEORY of evolution is based on historical science not observational science. Let me know when you have talked to someone that has observed life just accidentally beginning and then changing into the complex forms we have today. Your evolutionist belief system has more holes than swiss cheese. You don't even know how life, the universe and everything began, yet you pretend to know that we are all evolved sea scum. Give me a break! If you are interested in theories backed up by the strongest evidences available you should start reading about intelligent design my friend. It's science without all the assumptions, hand waving and guesswork associated with evolution.

Ouch! Quit while you're behind.

Come on Waldo, everybody knows that the entire scientific community has joined forces to invent the climate change myth, so they can fool governments into funding their research. Unqualified bloggers like Stephen Goddard are champions just trying to level the playing field for the little guys like ExxonMobil, BP and Koch Industries. Waldo, why do you always side with Big Science over the altruistic intentions of the kind and neighbourly fossil fuel community?

Except that the mentioned spending freeze is also coupled with growing tax revenue as the economy expands and jobs are added.

Of course. For example education spending is frozen which is, as you said, actually a minor cut. However, the government has already reduced teacher compensation costs and will allow school boards to find savings where appropriate for each district. Some are axing board level admin positions and using the displaced staff members to fill school level admin positions. Some are under funding equipment and maintenance budgets, some are tweaking start and end times to save on transportation costs, etc. Schools seeing declining enrollment will lose class sections as well. This seems more sensible than cutting tax revenue and then erasing many thousands of education positions to offset the loss. Maybe Wynne will even have the balls to merge and erase the separate school system. If that happens I'll stop considering her the least of three evils and buy a 'Go Kathleen' foam finger.

I assume spending levels stay roughly the same as this year. What's your guess? Or are you implying that not increasing spending is the same as firing front line education workers and eliminating a source of tax revenue then erasing 100,000 jobs to make up for that loss? One plan is like dealing with minor hunger pains while on a calorie reduced diet, the other is like sawing off a limb or two to achieve the weight loss.

In her budget spending was frozen or reduced on some major portfolios including education. Spending freeze plus increasing economic activity leads us closer and closer to the black. Sure there will be hunger pains as we adjust, but at lease were not losing a limb or two. Personally I'm in favour of more cutting than we'll get with Wynne. However, I couldn't support the ridiculous plan proposed by Hudak. We'll move in the right direction under the Liberals, but if they drag their feet on this I hope the PCs have an intelligent alternative ready to go.

It depends on how it will be achieved. Cutting the legs off an obese man may achieve a weight loss goal but it's still a bad plan.

Good point. Computer controlled vehicles are already being tested on regular streets in several states. I believe Google has been testing their driverless car systems in Nevada, California, Florida and Michigan.

There is nothing wrong with the reverse system and it would be a great solution for seniors. As we age our reaction time decreases and our diminished eyesight can make night driving difficult. I have no problem with a graduated license allowing some seniors to drive on local roadways during daylight hours. You mentioned that people age at different rates which is very true. However, testing should be required much earlier than 80 years of age. I have first hand experience with a stubborn elderly relative who was no longer safe behind the wheel before the age of 80, yet refused to hand over the keys. He was a very real danger to himself and others, yet there was nothing we could legally do to take his keys away. We talked to both the police and his doctor about options and as the laws exist right now, there are no options. After a series of several near misses my relative finally turned 80 and had his keys taken away. However, he endangered the lives of many for way too long. Those, approximately 5, years of battling him over driving also severely strained our relationship. It would be nice to have a more sensible solution.

A bad choice...hence they were punished. I would love to see a leader like Michael Chong offer us an intelligent alternative, next time around.

A Lannister always pays his debts. It was nice that Tyrion, was finally able to settle his. It was also nice to see a rare glimpse of the human side of Cersei. Based on your succinct and witty GOT synopses, I am willing to bet that you write for a living.

Nice. An interesting look indeed. They failed to explain that King's Landing is full of secret passages. They were built by the Targaryens back in the day and nobody knows of all of them anymore. However, Varys has mapped out quite a few and much of the information he gets from "little birds" was likely obtained by listening from the passages. Anyway, one passage connects the tower of the hand to the underground system, that's how Tyrion got in so easily. This story line is the slowest in the books as well. The old dude that has been watching Bran through the Weirwood trees and visiting his dreams as the crow is actually part of the tree. His body has grown into the root system. Anyway, it appears as though he and Bran will be the link to the old times before the first men; when giants and the 'children' of the forest roamed the land. I suspect Bran's abilities will be necessary to save Westeros going forward.

Thank you! My kids are still young and want to spend all their time with me. I'll miss days like this a few years from now when they're too cool to hang out with their old man. Happy Father's Day to all and to all a good night.

I really like Chong; smart, level headed and principled. He gave up a cabinet position to oppose Harper's idiotic, Quebecois Nation, attempted majority buying, BS. I think he'd bring back the PROGRESSIVE Conservatism that Ontario could really benefit from.

We've had several threads on electoral reform but it is still a relevant topic that deserves a dedicated discussion.

I hear they spoiled tonight's episode with a teaser. Too bad. I haven't seen it but my neighbour claims they spoiled the big finish.