Science is a topic that many turn a blind eye to after they got lost in one of the aspects of it and declared it just wasn’t for them. This is partially the fault of the media, definitely governmental bodies, educational systems, and the greater part of the Western society. Parents mostly get a pass on this topic as the parents of school-age children today are victims of the same intentional misinformation their children are receiving.

As it was defined to my first grade daughter, Science is the process of trying to understand the world around you through observation, experimentation or study. Quite simply, you use the established empirical scientific method to determine what you can say and what cannot say is known to be true through observation of the results of studies and experiments.

For those who have forgotten, the chain starts with an observation of a something unknown or different, then an educated guess as to why something works the way it does or a hypothesis, followed by creating an experiment(s) to test the hypothesis from every potential angle, collect the data, analyze the data to see if the experiment results match the hypothesis. Repeat the process until you can demonstrate in an experiment that can be repeated by others that your hypothesis is correct. Only after extensive review and testing can a hypothesis hope to gain the level of a theory. This is the definition of science used up until about 4th-5th grade when curriculum in the public schools deviates from empirical science into scientific philosophy.

What is Scientific Philosophy?

This is what a collection of individuals want to believe is true about science. This rests outside of true demonstrable science as many of these concepts are impossible to experiment or truly study. Be careful though on this. There are a number of high level concepts that are unproven because we currently do not possess the technology to make observations with or know-how on what experiment to do.

For the ease of clarification of whether it is a limitation on our part or a permanent limitation of the idea, a very simple rule of thumb is based on time. When is the suggested concept taking place? If the answer is Now then we are likely lacking the means of testing it. If it is to take place in the future or the past and cannot be duplicated in the here and Now, it will forever remain a belief and not a part of what most consider true science. However, this is where those who wish to gain influence over the minds of others choose to obscure what science is with word play or semantics. Confusing the masses that largely do not care is just as good as winning them over.

All that leads to what is pushed heavily in the media today which is Scientism. Scientism can be summarized as a belief in an inerrancy of scientific statements. You’ve seen this stated as “scientists claim” or “a top scientist said” or any other permutation on that. Those that use these phrases, including some textbooks, revert to using the ignorance of the majority against them as if their select sources know better. This is to manipulate and control the people into living their lives they way the manipulators want them to live with disregard to truth and what science really is.

So throw up a major red flag when you see those words used in the newspaper, on a TV show, or in a lecture. Ask yourself instead a series of questions. When did this supposedly happen? Was it observed or is it a guess? Has this idea been proven to be true by many independent scientists or are they cherry picking?

Lastly always remember a few things on this topic. Science is NOT a democracy. What a majority believes is irrelevant in science. What can be PROVEN is what matters. If one source can disprove a hypothesis or theory, then the theory or hypothesis has to go back to the drawing board.

• 0 comments »

Yes, this is about a dream, a toe, and jam. No, not dreaming of toe jam but a jammed toe caused by a dream. How on earth can you permanently injure a toe to cause a reoccurring jammed toe from just a dream? Well, first let me tell you the dream then I’ll take you back to reality.

The dream started like any other dream. You find yourself standing in a familiar setting usually from your past. For me, it is usually my parents’ backyard from when I was a kid (prior to removing the white clothesline poles). This time was a bit odd though. You see my parents live in a city of about 16,000 people so their backyard isn’t all that big maybe 30’x50’ or so. In my dreams, the garage is still on the right, the neighbors on the left, a fence all the way around, the 2 white clothesline poles, and the Central Air unit with the black tarp on it. It was all fairly normal except for all of the livestock that was running around in the backyard. (Which my parents do not have in the city.) Oh, I forgot to add the black square monster with a ¾ football sized opening that needed feeding.

In my dream, I deduced that the black monster was hungry for a livestock to fit in the opening / mouth. However, when I tried the goat, it was rejected as it did not fit correctly. So I tried the rabbits, nope. Ducks? Close but the wrong shape!! I needed a chicken!! But all we had were baby chicks and they were not going to work. So I kept running around the backyard looking for a chicken to push into the mouth with my right foot until…my wife woke me up.

Back in reality, she woke me up as I was behaving quite bizarrely in my sleep. I was lifting up my right foot and pushing her feet around. Then I would rapidly kick her in bed (running in my dream) followed by grinding my big toe into the bed as if I was drilling for gold (pushing the duck in the monster’s mouth). She woke me up and the dream ended. I do not really remember that incident but I do know in the morning my toe really, really hurt.

Who was that monster in my dream? It was a flashback to something that scared me once in my youth. Once upon a time I was sitting on the Central Air unit nice and calmly when it roared to life and scared me. So now, a little under 30 years later I have received a permanent injury to my big right toe requiring me to frequently ask my wife to “please pull my toe.” So I now introduce you to the villain of the story:

FOWL VILLAIN!!!

• 0 comments »

Are all permanent injuries disabilities? No. Are all physical disabilities permanent injuries? Not all are but those not cause by genetic conditions or diseases are. What I am going to do is share with you what my permanent injuries are and how I got them. You will likely be surprised on just how easy it is to get a permanent injury.

Of my injuries, I have 5 permanent or reoccurring injuries which are to my right ankle, left ankle, right hip, 1 vertebra in my mid back and my big toe on my right foot. How I injured my big toe is a story all unto itself that is nearly unbelievable and hilarious (kinda). My right ankle was injured and started to break down by simply getting out of bed. I rolled over and put my foot down and crack. The pain started right away but each day went by with 8-10 more cracks and more pain. Just not fun.

One year later, the ankle bone in my left foot gave way when I went to get a drink of water. Literally all I did was step into the kitchen and crack. Then it ballooned up to 3x its normal size full of blood.
My right hip was a combo that killed it. I did a little bit of overstretching in a Tae Kwon Do class and popped it a bit. Then I went up to help my parents, aunt and cousins to clean out my Grandma’s house as she had passed away. None of us thought of taking the basement door trim off or the upright freezer handles before we tried to get it up from the basement.

Guess who got to hold the entire bugger up on the steps while they took off the handles, the basement door and the trim off? Me, lovely. Since I didn’t want to die by being crushed by a freezer, I didn’t have much of a choice. I challenge you to try that exercise. Try holding a freezer upright at nearly the top of an enclosed stairwell for 15 minutes.

The reoccurring vertebra that keeps slipping in and out was injured by my sneezing at work. The call center company was rather cheap especially on the chairs so my chair only came up to my mid back. Now I have quite a powerful sneeze. After enough times, the vertebra right above the top of the back of my chair started to slip in and out with each sneeze. It continues to this day. My wife and daughter duck when I sneeze. As for the permanent injury to my big toe on the right foot, I was sleeping in bed and had a dream. Yup, I got a permanent physical injury from a dream. Guess what the next entry will be.

• 0 comments »

As I was reading a post about The Misuse of the Napoleon Complex at Matthew Tabor’s site, a line under the first point on Napoleon jumped out at me. The line is:

“About 3 minutes into any responsible History 101 course, you’ll hear something about the fallacy of evaluating people/events in history by today’s standards - committing that fallacy perpetuates dumb myths like this one.”

These statements are all too true regarding responsible History. However, the key word is responsible in that line. But what about how the children are taught to perceive topics?

In the first grade curriculum, children are taught to believe in what has not been proven. For example, it is taught nomads of an unknown origin came to the Mesopotamian region and formed the first city. The omissions are where these people came from and the rest of the world. Furthermore, this is a concept and not a proven fact as the supposed events took place before the recorded past or history. Which means there is no observational data to confirm these beliefs and no method of validation or corroboration as it rests outside of the recorded past or outside of History. So History is not necessarily truly History from the onset. It is a set of beliefs about the past being asserted.

But where is the curriculum crossover? Quite simply, we get it from the Science curriculum. In particular, I am talking about the concept of Uniformitarianism. This concept in Science is largely attributed to James Hutton from his book Theory of the Earth. His book gave rise to the concept of the earth being millions of years old and uniformitarianism. Big word but it has a meaning strikingly similar to Matthew’s responsible History 101 line. Quite simply it is the assumption that the natural processes operating in the past are the same as those that can be observed operating in the present.

Let me break it down. In Science many branches took on the concept of Uniformitarianism as an assumed basis by which to form a bias or view of the world and the past. Assumptions are rarely correct and prone to error. But this is pumped into children starting as soon as they read a few Dr. Seuss books. It is drilled into the children that we are to view the past in terms of what we see and experience today. It of no coincidence that this concept has quietly seeped into the study of History as the same methods of studying history are identical to the empirical scientific method. A bias is forced and both subjects are then distorted both from the viewpoint of the students and those who desire to study History or Science.

The crucial issue to remember is the children are not like adults. They do not specialize in one subject as they are taught all of the subjects simultaneously. If one subject is off or promoting a fallacy, the fallacy will extend into the other subjects.

With this in mind, is it a surprise assumptions and a belief in fallacy rule the day when the true data is distorted or omitted?

• 0 comments »

What started out as a running gag on my part by picking on the white-tail deer has met up with reality. It is true that the primary focus of my blog space here is on the curriculum of the public school systems with a touch of humor tossed in.

Now, it ends up that a deer decided to interject itself into the 5^th grade curriculum in New Jersey. It is true. A deer broke through a window crashing into a 5^th grade vocabulary lesson in New Jersey. Don’t believe me then watch the video footage.

I suppose the white-tail deer population was getting jealous of a certain moose. Morris Goes to School must be the inspiration for this deer. After all, the buck ended up in the teacher’s lounge. I wonder if he found some gum drops there.

Hmm, so who wins the contest Morris or the deer? You decide.

• 0 comments »

In parenting, many try to offer advice or high minded theories. Some state the obvious and repeat known information. What will I do? I’ll take a slightly different spin on it.

First and most importantly, anyone who is, will be, or wants to be a parent should realize a few critical points. Parenting is the most important duty you will ever have on the face of this planet far beyond any job or career. Also, parenting is the one job most are the least qualified to do. You have no experience, no training, and learning on the job is not an option. The life and future of another person rests on your decisions; there is no time to grow into it.

In any career, job or any significant decision you will make, you have to get the training necessary to perform the duties of the position. Parenting, as many note, does not fit that bill. Or does it? Barring conception caused by rape, becoming a parent IS a decision. It is a decision by the male and the female to drop their pants and risk procreation. Given the life-long potential implications of that choice, it seems to be utter folly to take the risk carelessly. But alas, many do not heed warning and continue to barrel into bad choices generation after generation.

Before a person becomes a parent by choice, you need to do your studying. You will be raising a person from conception until you pass on. Their success or failure in life reflects heavily on the choices you make before and after becoming a parent. What choices are these? These extend into a series of questions. What kind of morals do you want your child to have? What kind of impact on this world do you want them to make? What type of association will you permit? What kind of media will you let influence their minds? And so many more details to think of but you get the drift.

With all of that going around in your mind, perhaps I can make this a tad easier. First, I strongly suggest finding a family that resembles one that you wish to emulate. The guiding rule is simple. Will all the members of that family be able to say “I have no regrets with my family.” Then the next challenge comes in realizing the full depth in the only 2 rules you will ever need in your household.

1) A smile always and laughter every day no matter what. Why? This sets the tone for your home.

2) Anything I do my kids can do. Why? This is the most ironclad rule of them all. Quite simply, they will do what you do and say what you say whether you like it or not. So it all starts and ends with you.

Rule #2 is the focal point of being a parent. It is said the personality of the child is set between the ages of 4-6. That comes from the example you set as a parent or surrender to daycare. Being a good, solid parent requires training. That training starts at least 3 years prior to being a parent. It starts and ends with looking in the mirror and making the changes you need to do to become the person you want your children to be.

• 0 comments »

In my prior entries on Disability Issues, I gave you the background on what joyous buggers my ankles are to me. In this entry, I would like to expound a bit on a topic very, very few can understand unless you have a physical disability similar to mine.

For the sake of ease, I am going to group physical disabilities into two categories. The first category is those physical life challenges that are permanent alterations to your life.

For example, my friend Bobby is a paraplegic. No, being a paraplegic does not stop him from attaining his goals. However, he does know that he will not be running as it flat out isn’t possible anymore. Another example is one my Mom tried to use to cheer me up initially. She pointed out a guy in the news who had lost his arm and how it will permanently alter his life. All this is true. One segment of the physical disabilities can be defined as disabilities that change certain life functions such as walking from what you could do to what you cannot do any longer.

The second group of physical disabilities is the one I belong to. They are disabilities that change certain life functions such as walking from what you could do to what you shouldn’t do. The word ‘shouldn’t’ is the key word in that line. I will do my best to explain this one as my mother missed it and still does to this day. In her example of the guy who lost an arm, she did not catch on to that minor detail or that I have a friend with a disability in the ‘cannot’ class. For anyone who acquires such a disability, there is a period of time of adjustment to the major life alterations and limitations. You will get down for a bit which is totally normal.

However, once you are adjusted to it, you go on with life with the new definitive limitations. In that regard, I envied those who received a ‘cannot’ class disability. They knew what they could no longer do as their body flat out did not have the ability to perform that way anymore. You will not be carrying a large, heavy and awkward item up a stairwell with one arm. You need help. I wished I had that limitation.

What I and so many others are faced with having to refrain from doing activities most take for granted while still being able to do them. Can I still mow the lawn walking behind the lawnmower? Yes, but I will pay a price of not walking for a couple of days afterwards. I can deal with that. What gets hard is when you go from being an active outdoors person to having to step back. Imagine having been involved in playing beach volleyball which is rather fun. You sustain your injury and now your place that overlooked the volleyball courts is a continual reminder of what you shouldn’t do lest you be down for a week recovering from a couple games. That stings because I can still do it. But I dare not.

Those of you who have read my entries know I am very close to my wife and daughter. It does pain me that at times our going out and doing something fun even just a meandering shopping trip is usually cut short because I just can’t keep going. But the most recent event comes from two small things. This past summer some friends of ours showed us around their town and the beaches of Lake Michigan. It only took me 2 steps in the sand to realize what I had to refrain from doing. How easy would it be for you to stand on the sidewalk and let your spouse and child go play on the sand because you dare not? How easy would it be for you to be the spouse that has to let your loved one behind on the sidewalk? Or knowing that you dare not help your daughter make a snowman? That is what pains those with the ‘should not’ class of disability.

But the article is long enough and should give you sufficient background information to begin to understand the world of those disabled physically. This way you will understand just how important advances in technology are to help bring us back into life. Guess what some of the next entries in the category will be.

• 0 comments »

On the 2nd Monday in October, we celebrate Christopher Columbus Day in the USA. He is heralded as one of the most important explorer’s in history. “1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue” is the phrase. The textbooks laud him as the first person to sail to find the new world. The public schools press this so all the students can be good citizens and celebrate the day Columbus came here.

However, not all celebrate this day. For some, it is a day of mourning. For others, it is a reminder of a brutal time in their country of origin’s history. For the Native Americans, they lost their land, their lives, their freedom and ability to move around with nature. For others such as those from the Philippines, it is a reminder of the history lessons of how the Spanish “discovered” their islands and ruled over them often brutally for 333 years. Some of the greatest atrocities were committed by the priests.

For the background history of Christopher Columbus and the times influencing his journey’s, I would recommend reading up on it here. Also, no matter what perspective you are reading this from, this is not to be used as a critique against Christianity. A key detail often overlooked is the measure of a “Christian” is how much their lives are in line with the example of the kind, loving and peaceful Jesus the Nazarene or Jesus Christ. One of the hallmark traits of the goal of emulating Christ is following of the Ten Commandments. The actions of many during the empire expansion times of England, France and Spain can easily be shown to going counter to the basic tenets of Christianity & the Ten Commandments. These silly things are do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, and do not covet.

Another crucial detail to factor in is Christopher Columbus was not the first man to discover the land that came to be known as the Americas & the Caribbean. Neither were the Vikings or ships from Asia. Native Americans, Aztec, Incas, and more were already here. This was their land, their gold, their lives. However, I will let you determine for yourself if Columbus should be revered or the day mourned. The next quotes will be taken from Columbus’s journal. Put yourself in the place of the Caribbean natives, the Native Americans, and all from South America as you read the below. Emphasis mine.

Thursday, 11 October 1492 –

“The Admiral called upon the two Captains, and the rest of the crew who landed, as also to Rodrigo de Escovedo notary of the fleet, and Rodrigo Sanchez, of Segovia, to bear witness that he before all others took possession (as in fact he did) of that island for the King and Queen his sovereigns, making the requisite declarations, which are more at large set down here in writing.”

“Here follow the precise words of the Admiral: "As I saw that they were very friendly to us, and perceived that they could be much more easily converted to our holy faith by gentle means than by force,”

“It appears to me, that the people are ingenious, and would be good servants and I am of opinion that they would very readily become Christians, as they appear to have no religion. They very quickly learn such words as are spoken to them. If it please our Lord, I intend at my return to carry home six of them to your Highnesses, that they may learn our language.”

Sunday, 14 October - “I do not, however, see the necessity of fortifying the place, as the people here are simple in war-like matters, as your Highnesses will see by those seven which I have ordered to be taken and carried to Spain in order to learn our language and return, unless your Highnesses should choose to have them all transported to Castile, or held captive in the island.”

“We set sail about ten o'clock, with the wind southeast and stood southerly for the island I mentioned above, which is a very large one, and where according to the account of the natives on board, there is much gold, the inhabitants wearing it in bracelets upon their arms, legs, and necks, as well as in their ears and at their noses.”

Tuesday, 16 October – “This is a very large island, and I have resolved to coast it about, for as I understand, in, or near the island, there is a mine of gold.”

Friday, 19 October – “But in truth, should I meet with gold or spices in great quantity, I shall remain till I collect as much as possible, and for this purpose I am proceeding solely in quest of them.”

I encourage you the reader to read the entirety of the two included links and think about the information contained within from the viewpoint of those who lived here first. Then ponder the question – Is Columbus Day a day of celebration or a day of mourning?

• 0 comments »

Normally, I wouldn’t be giving a report on the happenings of the day in my personal life but today was just so special it required commentary. Today, my daughter and I were headed to a homeschool outing in a city an hour’s drive away. The social event (see social is factored in) was to join other students and parents in a hayride through and apple orchard field then pick out some pumpkins at the end. That was the goal in mind. To facilitate my getting there without a wrong turn, I mapped out the most direct route to avoid the big city lunch hour traffic. So all plans were a green light and the event was going to be fun. That is when Murphy’s Law stepped in. (photo credits: magazineusa.com)

To start the trip, I tried to print off the directions from my computer but for whatever reason (Murphy) my printer opted to disagree. After a number of attempts, I just wrote down the directions I needed in hopes it would be sufficient. **Minor detail about me (& my wife) we never get to a new destination without getting turned around at least once or asking for directions a few times.** So we loaded up and out we went seemingly without further issue.

Until we got ½ a mile from our home and got clogged into slow moving traffic. Eventually, I made my first turn and seemingly had some smooth sailing then turned off to the next stage of the directions. So I landed smack into the first detour due to construction. Hoping and praying the gas station attendant could give us directions to route around it, I stopped the first time and found we were in a bit of luck. Yippee!! I followed his directions to perfection and found the route he said and clear sailing...right? Wrong!!

With the time on the clock ticking away, I ended up behind a semi-truck going 15 under the speed limit. I finally got past him only for him to be replaced by a pick-up truck towing some stuff and going 5 under, then another, then another semi, so on and on and on. Finally, I freed myself of the slow moving traffic only to get caught in another detour.

That finally gave way until I found a bottleneck caused by utility work. More slow traffic and the time was getting very tight so what do I find? We find more utility work that clogged our 3 lanes down to 1 with a slow traffic light. 12 minutes to go before the hayride leaves and 19 miles left – maybe they’ll hold it for us as we scheduled ahead.

So now my daughter has to go to the bathroom really bad and we need to pull off to the nearest restaurant. Result was we were 11 miles out and 11 minutes late already. We opted to give it a go but the 20 or so turkeys that needed to cross the road was the final straw. We surrendered and opted to turn back.

On the way back we got lost and blocked by more utility work. So how did the day end?

Getting in the car one last time split the rear of my pants right on the seam for a good 8 inches to show the world my underwear and I managed to have a 12 fl oz soda explode in my hands on my lap.

Murphy wins the day. He kicked my butt. I’m going to bed.

• 1 comments »

One of the primary Pet Peeves I have are individuals who place their opinions and inferences over facts and what others have said either bluntly or with measured words. First, it smacks of total arrogance and is quite disturbing to think if individuals of that sort end up in positions of decision making power.

On one blog that I frequented quite a bit, one such individual existed where everyone else (98% of the bloggers) were wrong and only she was right no matter the topic or how distorted she twisted it. Normally, you would dismiss such actions as another Internet troll but when they couple it with indignation and proclamations of being the truly civilized person, yah just want to pop that oversized ego.

So to all of my readers who are like that and that poster if she/ he frequents my site, I wish to inform you of a simple word called humility.

To put it in perspective a person needs to sit back and ponder the following:

According to the US Census Bureau, the world’s population is 6,622,121,434 or 6.6 billion people.

Of this, you might be known to exist by 25,000 people being very generous.

Of those 25,000, you may be graced with 150 people that know you well and care about your opinion.

Most of my numbers are likely on the high side. But even so, let us see how it breaks down.

It would mean 6,622,096,434 people on this planet do not know you exist. Percentage wise, 99.9996% have no idea you live. But a whopping 0.0004% does!!

It also means 6,622,121,284 do not give a rats butt what you say. Percentage wise, to 99.999998% only know you as some schmuck on the planet adding to the CO₂ count in the air. That makes a tremendous 0.000002% that actually desire to hear your opinion.

But that isn’t the best news of all to one with such a big ego, more people who will never know you are being born every minute of every day and your percentages are shrinking!!!

So I would suggest a good serving of humble pie and please stick to the observable facts.

Now to those who are my readers and acknowledge this in their lives, just keep this entry handy to give to that ultra stuck up person in your life when you feel their ego needs to be popped. :D

• 0 comments »

This policy is valid from 16 October 2007


This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.


This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.


The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.


This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.



To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

• 0 comments »

This policy is valid from 01 October 2007. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers’ own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.
To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

• 0 comments »