Why bike?

So this week I managed to take the train to work 3 times. And instead of driving to the station, I rode my bike. My goal is to do this about 20 times this summer, thereby saving about 3 tanks of gas or about $120. Biking there is not a problem. It's about twenty minutes down hill. Biking back takes about twice as long and ten times as much effort. Not only is it uphill, but on windy days it's straight into the wind. I'll have to admit that about a third of the way up yesterday, I was telling myself I was crazy for doing this. Motivation? Mostly the money savings, a little of the green thing, (though when did bikes become a green thing?) Third exercise. I shouldn't be that winded after that short a ride. Fourth, it means I need a little more time in the morning so Wifey needs to do more of the baby prep in the morning and the pick up.

New Story

Okay, it took forever, but new story is finally out. http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue290/ankylosaurus.html

Will this issue ever go away?

I had a lot of things I've been meaning to get to that I haven't yet. Where's the time? I'll just take a quick moment for a quick rant tonight.

It looks like the California Supreme Court actually put some teeth into the meaning of "equal protection". The strict constructionist are saying this is equating deviant sexual behavior with an immutable characteristic like race. They're arguing that this was a bad decision and that the court is creating a new right that really wasn't intended by the Constitution.

In my mind this was a slam dunk correct decision. Equal protection means something. It means the law should treat everyone the same. It means two people in a committed relationship should be considered family when one of them is in the hospital. It means that two people in a committed relationship should be given immunity from testifying against their spouses. This is why something called a civil union really isn't the same as a marriage.

But in addition to being a legal union, I get that marriage is also a religious union. That's why it doesn't really upset me that the religious right gets this worked up over two percent of the population. This isn't the way for everyone to live. And there are passages in the Good Book that do prohibit this behavior. But it's not as simple as labeling homosexuality as a sin. God created people who are just this way. Just like he created the rest of us sinners. A little tolerance would be a good thing.

So ultimately, I think the state has to recognize gay marriage, even if I also think religions have the right to prohibit it in their churches. Sadly, after countless millions of dollars and years on this, we may not be any closer to an answer. There's yet another ballot initiative to argue this point in November. I hope to this all resolved sometime in my lifetime.

COI

The Supreme Court had to turn down a case against a bunch of multinational corporations because 4 of them had potential conflicts of interests. Not that the judges shouldn't be allowed to make money or have family that make money, and it's a great thing that they fessed up to the conflicts and recused themselves, but wow- at the least it makes me think, maybe the cards are even more stacked against the little guy than I thought.

On Science

I promised myself that before my story got published (next week) I'd expound some of my views on science and religion. I feel like I need to explain myself. If not to anyone else, than at least to myself.

My father and brother are both scientists. Unfortunately, I didn't inherit such an organized methodical mind, or I probably would have tried to be a scientist too. To use a rational method of discovering to truth. What could be better? This curiosity, this desire to know how we relate to this world. That's God's gift. I think science is wonderful. Think of all the miracles that now surround us on a daily basis because of science.

Is science the search for ultimate truth? I don't really think so. I think it's a search for how thing happen, but when it comes to real truth, the more subjective question is why? Science doesn't really answer that.

Science isn't perfect. There's always interpretation involved and people with agendas are very good at manipulating science to muddy the issues. Science does get things wrong, but over time, it usually gets things right. Meaningful understandings of how can be determined by facts. I believe that there are too many people using the planet's resources too quickly. I also believe in little things called atoms and even tinier things I can't name with properties that govern the Universe. And I believe that the theory of evolution is a fundamental principle of biologic science these days.

It saddens me when people choose not to reconcile religion the "why", with the "how" of science. When people say science can not be true, because it literally conflicts with the Bible. I think these people do a disservice to science because they don't understand it, but they do an even greater disservice to religion. As the evidence continues to pile up, religion starts to lose a credibility they should not be trying to stake out anyway. It allows people like my father and my brother to dismiss religion out of hand when people try and say dinosaurs bones are either not that old or simply a test of faith.

Okay, enough for the ramble for now. I'll try and get more into faith next time.

It's over.

Hey Hillary,

I know becoming POTUS has been a life long dream. You've sacrificed a lot to get where you are. And it's not all about your own ambition. You know you could do a lot of good for a lot of people and that's part of what drives you. That's why people believe in you. You're certainly one of the most qualified people in the world for this position.

But wanting something isn't always enough. Sometimes no matter what you do, you're just not going to win. You can argue about tactics and mistakes made during the campaign, but the end result is the same. There is someone else who people believe will do a better job than you. Not everyone gets to be POTUS. I know that's pretty hard to swallow considering the fool that resides in the White House right now, (you're infinitely better than him), but that's where we are today.

It's time to hang it up. I know it's a shot to the pride, but it's time to change your focus. It's been a good race, but just in case Bill and Chelsea and your other friends haven't mentioned it yet, I thought I'd let you know. Good race. Better luck next time. You've still got a lot of good to do out there. Maybe you can be VP or Secretary of State, or maybe you can continue to do battle for what's right in the Senate. You've gotten your points out. But it's time now.

Poked in the eye

Yesterday I tried contacts for the first time Honestly, I think I see better with the contacts than I do with my glasses. Still, I don't think I could do it full time. They are not fun to put in. And after a while they get irritating. Pulling them out isn't much fun either. I know a lot of people do this all the time. Maybe I'm just a big baby, but it's not worth it. Not just for the sake of walking around without glasses. The contacts don't move as quickly as my actual eyes. If I shifted my eyes to look in a different direction, the contacts would move and I would lose focus. I think I shift my eyes a lot, because it was starting to give me a headache. I also don't blink enough. Or my eyes are just naturally a little dry.