Marichal, Roseboro
Gwen Knapp
writes a nice article about the Marichal - Roseboro relationship 40 years after
Marichal beat Roseboro with a bat. From the article:
Over the years, the two had transcended the moment that linked them in baseball infamy. They had become friendly, genuinely respectful. In the 1980s, as a gesture of goodwill, Roseboro and his family flew to the Dominican Republic for a charity golf tournament hosted by Marichal. "It doesn't surprise me that he would do something like that,'' said John Werhas, a former Dodger who is now a pastor in Southern California. "John Roseboro was probably as nice a human being as you'd ever meet.''
I always thought of Marichal as a jerk who beat John Roseboro with a bat. If the Roseboros can get beyond, perhaps I should too.
Bill Frist chimes in
Bill Frist wants
"Intelligent Design" taught in public schools. I'm having trouble picking out the hypocrites -- those who are supporting the teaching of intelligent design in order to win votes from the religious zealots of the US -- from the religious zealots themselves. If I had to guess, I'm putting Frist in the hypocrite bucket.
BTW, here's a
nice FAQ about Intelligent Design. My favorite from the list:
Is intelligent design a credible scientific theory?
No. There has been no original research published in scientific journals providing evidence for intelligent design, nor does intelligent design provide testable explanations. The American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Sciences have both described intelligent design as scientifically unwarranted.
Parisian sourdough bread bakery closes
This hurts. Parisian sourdough bread bakery -- a staple in San Francisco for 149 years -- closed yesterday. We can thank
Interstate Bakeries, maker of
Twinkies and
Wonder Bread, for this. Quoting from the article:
Interstate Bakeries, which filed for bankruptcy protection last year, is shutting down two San Francisco bakeries as part of a cost-cutting move, an effort "to right the ship,'' said Interstate Bakery spokesman Jason Booth. The second bakery, on Bryant Street near San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood, made Wonder Bread, Twinkies and Ho-Ho snack cakes. It also closed Friday. Interstate said neither plant was profitable.So when you come to San Francisco, have a twinkie with that clam chowder.
What the f*ck?! Part 2
This was pointed out to me today... from 2003,
Barbara Bush's take on why we shouldn't see the flag-draped coffins of those returning from Iraq... dead.
"Why should we hear about body bags and deaths. Oh, I mean, it's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"This is relevant today because apparently the "total denial" gene gets passed from mother to
son.
BTW, notice in the article about Barbara Bush that they reference 700 American deaths in Iraq. Hopefully Mrs. Bush hasn't had to think about the over 1000 more who have returned in flag-draped coffins since.
What the f*ck!? Part 1
George Bush, in discussing why he won't meet with Cindy Sheehan,
says this:
" I think it's important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to
those who have got something to say. But I think it's also important
for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life...Part of my
being is to be outside exercising. So I'm mindful of what goes on
around me. On the other hand, I'm also mindful that I've got a life to
live and will do so."
Bush Panders to religious right... again
Bush is now
pushing for the concept of "intelligent design" to be be taught in public schools. For the unitiated (or unindoctrinated), the concept of intelligent design is this (from
Wikipedia):
Intelligent Design (or
ID) is the controversial assertion which states that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by positing an
intelligent designer(s). The majority of ID advocates state that their focus is on detecting evidence of design in nature, without regard to who or what the designer might be. However, ID advocate
William Dembski in his book "The Design Inference"
[1] lists
God or an
alien life force as two possible options.
This theory is being promoted by religious right fanatics (such as Bush) who believe that this is a way to push creationism back into public schools. If you're wondering what rational people think of this theory, here's a
link to statements from dozens of scientific and scholarly organizations. The two entries from the Ohio Academy of Science, one from 1982 and one from 2000 give you a good idea that issues remain the same, just the names ("creationism" to "intelligent design") have changed.
OHIO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
Forced Teaching of Creationist Beliefs in Public School Science Education
Whereas, it is a responsibility of the Ohio Academy of Science to preserve the integrity of science; and
Whereas, science is a systematic method of investigation based on continuous experimentation, observation, and measurement leading to evolving explanations of natural phenomena, explanations which are continuously open to further testing; and
Whereas, evolution fully satisfies these criteria, irrespective of remaining debates concerning its detailed mechanisms; and
Whereas, the Academy respects the right of people to hold diverse beliefs about creation that do not come within the definitions of science; and
Whereas, Creationist groups are imposing beliefs disguised as science upon teachers and students to the detriment and distortion of public education in the United States;
Therefore, be it resolved that because "Creationist Science" has no scientific validity it should not be taught as science, and further, that the OAS views legislation requiring "Creationist Science" to be taught in public schools as a real and present threat to the integrity of education and the teaching of science; and
Be it further resolved that the OAS urges citizens, educational authorities, and legislators to oppose the compulsory inclusion in science education curricula of beliefs that are not amenable to the process of scrutiny, testing, and revision that is indispensable to science.
This resolution, identical to the AAAS resolution published two months earlier, was adopted by the Council of the OAS on 23 April 1982 and published in the Ohio Journal of Science 82(3):inside back cover, 1982.
OHIO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE (2000) *
A Resolution by The Ohio Academy of Science
Advocacy for Teaching Cosmic, Geological and Biological Evolution and Opposition to Forced Teaching of Creationist Beliefs in Public School Science Education
WHEREAS, it is a responsibility of the Ohio Academy of Science to preserve the integrity of science; and
WHEREAS, science is a systematic method of continuing investigation, based on observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, and theory building, which leads to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena, explanations that are open to further testing, revision, and falsification, and while not “believed in” through faith may be accepted or rejected on the basis of evidence; and
WHEREAS, the theory of evolution, as presently defined, fully satisfies these criteria, especially when its teaching considers the remaining debates concerning its detailed mechanisms; and
WHEREAS, the Academy respects the right of people to hold diverse beliefs about creation that do not come within the definitions of science; and
WHEREAS, some Creationist groups are intent on imposing religious beliefs disguised as science upon teachers and students to the detriment and distortion of public education in the United States;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that because “Creation Science” and “Intelligent Design” have no scientific validity, they should not be taught as science, and further that the OAS views legislation requiring such religious views to be taught in public schools, as though these were legitimate arguments against evolution that should be included as part of a so-called balanced treatment approach, to be a real and present threat to the integrity of education and the teaching of science; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OAS urges citizens, educational authorities, and legislators to oppose the compulsory inclusion in the curricula, the state competencies or proficiency tests for science education of religious beliefs that are not amenable to the process of scrutiny, testing, and revision that is indispensable to science.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OAS urges citizens, educational authorities, and legislators to include, explicitly, cosmic, geological and biological evolution in the curricula, state competencies and proficiency tests for science education.
