Two Atheists and a Christian: Guess Who's Coming To Thanksgiving Dinner?

What do you get when you mix a straight atheist libertarian (me), a gay atheist psychiatrist liberal (my uncle), his Christian husband, a straight female Episcopal priest, and her Christian husband? Not only is it one of the most bizarre mixes of mostly non-blood-related folks (except my uncle and I) ever to sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, but it makes for some very interesting conversation.

My uncle's husband goes to an Episcopal church in Massachusetts. We were all invited to his priest's home for Thanksgiving dinner, so that's how we spent the holiday.

I grew up in a Christian family and attended a variety of churches as a child, depending on where my father happened to be playing the organ on any given Sunday. By the time I was seven years old, we had chosen an Episcopal church for our "home" church, and I was baptized there when I was eight.

First, let me say that as an atheist myself, I am often shunned by atheists who believe that Christians (or any other religionists) are to be avoided at all costs. Many atheists/non-believers focus on the damage that has been done by people in the name of religion and are thusly quite hostile toward religion itself and the people who are involved with it in any way.

I went through that stage myself, but at some point, I outgrew it. To put it in perspective, I am very saddened by the damage people often do to one another with guns. However, I do not see the logic in hating guns, nor do I see the logic in avoiding all people who keep guns in their home. I recognize that some use their guns for their own safety and protection, and do not associate them with those who use guns to rob liquor stores.

Perhaps an even better analogy: I recognize that sex is an integral part of human nature. We are hard-wired for it. Men and women alike experience sexual desire even when neither is able to reproduce. The urge for sex is purely physiological in this case, and serves no purpose beyond the physiological benefits derived from chemicals produced in the body/brain in the process.

Similarly, religion is actually something for which humans are hard-wired. Despite the fact that I do not agree with his point of view 100%, Matthew Alper, author of The God Part of the Brain: A Scientific Interpretation of Human Spirituality and God, makes that point quite eloquently. The fact that religious belief and behavior is a very basic instinct and that there may be some adherents who become aggressive and violent towards others as a result in no way makes the religious less intelligent or more dangerous in and of itself, any more than someone who indulges in non-reproductive sex is more likely to rape someone simply because they are giving in to primal urges. It is foolish to associate every religious person with terrorists who blow up airplanes and commit mass murder.

Similarly, while I am disgusted by the many tragedies inflicted on the human race by religionists throughout history, I recognize that religion comes from our need to assign explanations to things we do not understand, and I recognize that, as humans, our psychological ability to see things clearly and avoid losing our perspective when getting caught up in cultural rituals is in a very early stage of evolution, and that each individual is also in a different stage of that evolution.

For that reason, I tend to ignore those who, like me, are without belief and call themselves atheists, but criticize me simply because I do not always feel extremely uncomfortable around or isolate myself from every person having anything to do with religion as they seem to need to do. Anyone who is unable to function in the presence of those who are religious simply because they themselves are atheists have made atheism their religion, and I tend to feel more uncomfortable around those people than I do around those who practice other religions. Religion (using the "scrupulous conformity" definition) is something I try to avoid regardless of what form it may take.

Having explained my position on religion, let's look at some of our similarities and differences as discussed at the table. (You might expect that many disagreements would arise, but it turns out that, for the most part, we all see things very similarly.)

All five of us present shared a concern for terrorism issues and public safety. However, on this issue I was the odd one out, since I am a libertarian and not comfortable with unreasonable searches for any reason, especially when the goal is not actually reached by said unreasonable search.

The Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

You'll notice that I have highlighted the "persons" and "probable cause" in the above statement. Many people seem to have forgotten that a) you have a right to privacy (in America) of your PERSON, regardless of where you are, either at home or in public, and b) the requirement for probable cause is not met in random, invasive searches at airports. The fact that one is attempting to board a plane in no way implies that they are likely to be carrying weapons or that there is probable cause for a search.

The problem I have with the whole "airport security" ruse, is that, even if there is no ill-intent on the part of our government or the T.S.A., there is a natural movement in the direction of any government action that tends to beget more restriction on freedom, and when you allow a little here and a little there, it starts at the airport, and it ends up in your home.

What difference is there in being forced to submit to an unreasonable search at the airport in the name of security and being forced to submit to an unreasonable search in your home in the name of security? After all, I'm sure that somewhere in America, terrorists are being harbored in someone's home. Giving safe harbor to a fugitive from justice or a terrorist is a crime. The fact that someone is doing it, by the same logic people are giving for forcing unreasonable searches at the airport, also gives credibility to the argument that every home in America should be subject to search randomly and without probable cause, just in case someone might or could possibly be harboring a fugitive or terrorist. Sorry, but that bread doesn't fit in my toaster.

It's not that I don't trust my government or the American individual serving on behalf of the government and their intent. It's that I recognize our tendency to allow things to get out of perspective in our minds and out of hand in our reality. We can't just arbitrarily draw the line at not allowing unreasonable searches in our homes. Either you allow unreasonable searches in the name of security everywhere, or you require probable cause everywhere. Probable cause is the ONLY protection you will EVER have against anyone invading your privacy in the name of safety or in the name of justice. If you are an American, you value your privacy. If you value your privacy, you must be diligent in protecting it, even from well-meaning gov-bots trying to feed their families by invading it in the name of safety and "your own good".

I was also the odd one out on the issue of taxes and government programs to help feed the poor and provide health care and other basic needs. While we all five agreed that it is the right thing to do to help those who can not help themselves, and while we all five share the desire to do so, I am pretty sure that I was the only one who is not comfortable giving that power and responsibility to the government, and here is why I see it that way:

First, I believe that it is very cynical (and it makes me very sad) to imply that the only way Americans are able to achieve our goals of helping others is to force everyone to do it by taking money from their paychecks. That is one of the things I dislike about religion, since it is based on the belief that the only moral compass available to humans is through a religious text designed to control the population, rather than our own inner moral-compass and conscience. Creating laws to force people to help others takes away not only our freedom to choose by which means we choose to provide for those who are in need of assistance (more efficient vs. less efficient, hands-on vs. hands-off) but it also tends to create apathy in the minds of those who have become accustomed to letting "other people" worry about "that kind of thing", rather than staying in touch with the humanitarian aspects of being involved on a personal level.

Those of us who have so many taxes taken from our paychecks that we can not afford to take time off from work in order to serve at a soup kitchen, for example, or choose to help a specific family who just lost their home and possessions in a fire, are cheated out of the most valuable aspect of service: the personal connection and bond created within the community and society in general when individual choice is made and action taken.

Furthermore, there are many reasons why government programs are less desirable than private organizations and their programs.

Several years ago, I completed a certificate program at the University of Tennessee in Non-Profit Management. I also completed studies in government grant-writing. One of the main focuses in non-profit management is making sure goals are met as efficiently as possible, while also ensuring that efficiency does not come at the cost of effectiveness. Diligent efforts must be made to ensure that the client (recipient of aid) who has the need is actually having the need met in a meaningful way, as opposed to simply handing out benefits to anyone who writes the correct answers on an application for assistance. (ala our government programs).

When it comes to grant-writing, I learned that the organization receiving the grant is limited in the way that they are allowed to use the funds to the point that effectiveness is often sacrificed. How much better would it be for Americans to choose the most efficient, effective organizations which they support with their own personal donations than to have the government assume that they are too apathetic, lazy and stupid to do so and make the decisions for them based, not on the reality of situations being addressed, but on paperwork often misrepresenting the true needs of the organizations attempting to assist those in need.

I have seen charitable organizations forced to restructure their entire operations in order to be eligible for specific government grants, only to be refused funding or, upon receiving funding, find themselves unable to help those most in need because they do not represent the right ratio of demographics and/or other criteria.

Furthermore, government assistance agencies are often made up of apathetic employees who are only showing up to work in order to collect benefits and pay far out of line with what is available to employees in the free market. As a result, they, themselves, are often the recipients of more taxpayer supported benefits (in the form of out-of-line wages/employee benefits) than anyone being served by their agency. What's worse, the government agency is guaranteed funding regardless of how badly they manage funds and/or implement programs, while organizations that are supported by private donations are required to strive for ever-higher standards of service and efficiency in order to earn the continued support of their private donors. That alone is reason enough to motivate any thinking country to move away from government mandates and toward private solutions.

I also find it ironic that there are many religious folks involved with helping those in need through the church and its programs, yet so many are also for giving the government the power and responsibility for doing the same thing. Religious or not, churches and/or secular/atheist non-profits are much better at helping people than governments, if only because they have a more community-oriented way of doing so and because of the difference in the way the aid is received by the beneficiary. Receiving benefits from a generic government agency creates a sense of entitlement. Receiving aid from a church or non-profit tends to create an attitude of gratitude.

I think we can all agree, entitlement begets dependence and laziness, while gratitude begets motivation and a sense of well-being, both essential to picking oneself up by the boot straps and overcoming whatever hardship has befallen the individual.

Interestingly, I sensed that all five of us present at the table agreed more on religion than anything else. One of the people at the table who is a Christian clearly does not know or care whether the supernatural claims made in religious texts are true and/or accurate, but is more focused on the service aspect of religion. It is more a cultural practice than a belief in the supernatural that motivates many people to be so involved in their church, and many atheists forget that.

We discussed how some religious folks use their religious texts to exclude and hate others, and the Christians present were just as disgusted by this as we atheists were. The priest shared how she had received several e-mails from a former church member complaining that she would not return to the church unless and until they removed the rainbow flag from the collection of banners flying in front of the church. This complainant also went on to compare the rainbow flag to the confederate flag, failing to notice the difference between an exclusionary/exclusive flag representing hate of others and an inclusive flag representing acceptance and letting a specific group know that they are welcome.

We also discussed the fact that I have a family member who is a victim of some deplorable practices by the Catholic church, and how I've always found it ironic that the Catholic church, so traditionally un-accepting of homosexuals, seems to have so many homosexual pedophiles in their ranks. Ironic is perhaps not the word so much as hypocritical.

All of us present at the table share the same moral values (do no harm to others, help others unable to help themselves, make your life count for something). The only significant difference is that I, as an atheist, do not put my moral values in the same container as supernatural beliefs and call it by a religious name.

Still, the fact that religious folks, some of whom do not believe in the supernatural any more than I, find comfort in rituals and traditions and wisdom in stories found in religious texts, makes them no more or less moral than any atheist, and no more delusional or unintelligent than any atheist.

There are political extremists and religious extremists, and neither politics nor religion are going away. If we are to grow as a species, we are going to have to learn not to blame the label or the person wearing it, but the behavior of the individual choosing to misuse the cultural association as a vehicle for their insanity and destruction to be inflicted on others.

There are people who are so into their "gaming" fantasies that they sometimes commit atrocities upon other humans in real life. This does not equate for a need to eliminate fantasy games. It equates to a need to encourage more human interaction and less reasons to avoid it. Getting the government out of our lives as much as possible is a start. Reaching out to others in meaningful ways and eliminating attitudes and behaviors that amount to character assassination based on assumptions, lies, politics or prejudice will build momentum and speed toward the ultimate finish line of the better world we all claim to seek.

The origins of America were about a variety of people coming together for a common goal born of a desire to be free of interference from a religion-oriented government that forced itself on all citizens. Today, I celebrate Thanksgiving with the hope that more of us will adopt the common goal of ensuring that we can be free of as much government interference as possible so that we may continue to make our own choices and create room for more improvements in all aspects of our lives according to the people inhabiting our country, not according to bureaucratic paperwork, the expense of which could itself have fed, clothed and cared for many people.

The five of us didn't all agree on the best means for achieving our goals, but we are clearly all caring, intelligent, kind, moral folks sharing similar goals for ourselves and the world we inhabit.

Five people of differing political and religious views, sexual preferences, and representing ages ranging throughout several decades sitting down to celebrate our gratitude and I can honestly say that it was one of the most enjoyable Thanksgiving celebrations I have ever experienced. Who knew?

A.

Dominoes On A Treadmill

It would seem that much of what some of us experience in life is the equivalent of being on a treadmill, and trying to successfully set up a line of dominoes while keeping up with the ever-increasing speed of events in our lives.


A friend of mine, whom I've written about on my blog before, lost her mother over the summer. We were all so sure that, aside from the grief of her terrible loss, her life would improve since she would finally be able to leave the house once in a while after years of caring for her ailing mother 24/7.


Unfortunately, her newfound freedom only resulted in her discovery that her husband had been cheating on her while she was caring for her mother over the years, which led to her current pending divorce and having to move from a decent-sized house into a tiny apartment with her adoptive four-year-old. Now, in addition to her grief, she has no more freedom than she did before, since she is now a single parent trying to support herself and her child.


My situation is slightly better than hers, with me attempting to recover from five years of not being able to work and earn a living wage thanks to the federal government. (No, I'm not Kevin Mitnick and I did not hack into the C.I.A.'s computer, but tell that to the feds.) I struggle, but considering that I've only had nine months of employment freedom, I think I'm doing as best as can be expected, especially considering that the economy is tough and some people aren't even able to get a minimum wage job.


And then there are days like yesterday, when I have very important things that must get done, that the treadmill suddenly increases its grade, speeds up, and seems to scatter all of the dominoes of progress like leaves in the wind.


It started last month with what I call "the iPhone fiasco", which resulted in me being given a replacement phone (an upgrade from a 3Gs to an iPhone 4 at no cost). With the new phone, I had to reload all of my apps (they did not transfer over from the restore). Monday was the first time I had used the AT&T app. on the new phone to make my wireless service payment, so I had to re-enter my information in order to do so. Problem:  I thought that tapping the "confirm" button to confirm my information had actually been the "make payment" button. It was not.


When did I discover this? Why, after my service was suspended in the middle of the day yesterday while in the middle of trying to deal with an issue at my bank, caused by yet another event from six months ago.


Earlier this year, the bank account my roommate and I use for household bills had an unauthorized ACH transaction of $4.95 from a company neither I nor my roommate recognized. The transaction had been initiated in my name according to the company, and when I called the bank to dispute it, they said they would flag the account against any future transactions from that company. However, they went "above and beyond" and put a "watch" on the account, supposedly designed to prevent future unauthorized transactions from any other company via online draft or ACH transaction.


Six months later, me creating a draft from a check I received and depositing it set off a red flag at the bank and caused major chaos. Not only did it take forever for me to get the accurate info. from the bank as to what was going on, but there were about five different stories floating between my bank and the check-writer's bank, and because of all of the confusion, the check writer's account was frozen and they ended up having to close their account, open a new account, and send a cash equivalent to me.


Now, we all know how inconvenient it is to have to deal with a bank for any reason, but to have to close your account and open a new one and then set up all of your direct deposits, bill-pay transactions, automatic debits, etc. all over again? WHAT A PAIN!!! The chaos for me was nill compared to the chaos the check-writer went through, and I feel responsible because it was my bank that caused all of the trouble, and the fact that their intentions were good doesn't make it any easier on anyone.


But wait, it gets better!


Right in the middle of all of this, my mobile phone service is suspended for nonpayment, since I didn't ever tap the "submit" button, thinking I had already done it when I had actually only hit the "confirm" button. This means that my phone, my roommate's phone, and another phone used by a family member, all of which are in my name under my account, were suspended.


My iPhone is only cost-effective because I was grandfathered in under the unlimited data plan and use it to replace a land-line phone and internet service, since I have successfully jailbroken and unlocked my iPhone and can use Cydia / Rock's non-Apple apps. to make my phone into a personal WiFi unit. (For more information, see this link.)


However, this means that I have absolutely no way of communicating with the world (or vice versa) if my service goes out, and of course, as Murphy's Law would have it, this would occur right in the middle of an attempt to resolve a very important banking issue.


So, I successfully make the payment using my iPhone, but am only able to do so by calling 611 and using their automated system, which tells me my service should be restored within 30 minutes. Oh, and there is a $36 "service reconnection fee".


An hour later, still no phone service. I can't call them, because the 611 number tells me my service has been suspended and will only take payments, even though I've already made my payment, and requires me to call from a different phone in order to speak to an actual live person until my service is restored, which is why I need to talk to someone in the first place. Conundrum-city!


Finally, with the help of my neighbor, I was able to get through to someone and they restored my service and waived the $36 reconnect fee.


In the end everything was resolved, but the amount of time it took out of not only my day but the entire day of two other people, really upsets me. The entire afternoon was totally shot, and it seems to me that things like this occur far too often in too many people's lives.


I often wonder if we were to put a monetary value on the amount of time lost due to things like this what the total cost would be. I'm guessing we'd all show a loss of at least $100,000 over a lifetime.


I know people who have lost much productivity because their internet service isn't working and they end up spending hours on the phone with tech. support, only to get told it's an equipment problem, when really it's a service provider problem or vice versa. It can take three hours just to get a simple issue addressed because of poor customer service rep. communication skills. or because companies tend to set up their computer scripts to assume that the problem is the result of anyone's failure or equipment issue but their own.


It sucks, but if you're going to participate in life, you can't get off the treadmill, because life IS the treadmill. So, here's taking another deep breath and preparing for another day of treadmill climbing. I hope for a level grade, but I only expect it to get steeper.


A.

How To Save Money With Your iPhone

Ok, so I've had several people ask me questions about jail-breaking an iPhone and using apps downloaded from Cydia. Here's the skinny:


The reason you would want to do this is two-fold: First, you will save money if you have the unlimited data plan from AT&T by using your iPhone as a WiFi hot spot at home, work, on the road, or anywhere there is an AT&T signal. (AT&T no longer offers an unlimited data plan, but allowed those of us who had it to keep it once they discontinued it, so we are grandfathered in). Second, you will gain much functionality over the limitations of the Apple operating system, which is limited only because AT&T's network could not withstand the demands on its bandwidth if all iPhone users had access to the same functionality, since AT&T did not ensure its network capabilities were adequate to make use of all of the functions the iPhone is able to provide for all users on its network, so many functions are programmed to be blocked from using the AT&T network and thus require WiFi access. To put it in proper perspective, it would be like DirecTV or Dish Network charging you for service, but telling you that if you want to watch certain shows, you also have to have Comcast service. Enter redundant services and unnecessary charges.


Here is a CONSERVATIVE breakdown of potential savings by using your jail-broken iPhone with an unlimited data plan and the MyWi app:

• NO separate wireless internet monthly fee: $59.99 or more/month
• NO iPhone tethering fee from AT&T required to use internet for computer: $20/month
• NO home internet service needed: $29.99 per month or more
• NO home phone needed: $19.99 per month or more
• NO premium cable channels needed: $29.99 per month or more

This is a CONSERVATIVE estimate, and the total in potential savings is $159.96 per month for the above services. That's $1,919.52 per year, which is about the same amount of money I have spent on fuel this year driving a minivan 20,000+ miles! My iPhone is literally paying for my gas!


Also, if you have one iPhone, it only costs about $50 per month more to add additional iPhones to a family plan and this includes unlimited texts for all phones on the plan. Three iPhones on one account with unlimited text, unlimited night and weekend calling, and 700 shared ANYTIME minutes runs about $215 per month. One iPhone by itself is $109 + tax per month, so the third one costs no more per month than if you only had two! (Even with three phones on my family plan, I never run out of minutes, and usually end up banking several hundred rollover minutes each month.)


There are other ways that the iPhone saves time and money that can't even be calculated. Since the total bill for an iPhone with the options I have (unlimited texting family plan, unlimited data plan, 700 shared minutes per month) is only $109.00 + tax or thereabouts, I'm actually coming out ahead by having an iPhone. People who think that the iPhone is an extravagance should rethink things. If you are struggling and on the low end of the income spectrum and need these services to do your job, NOT having an iPhone can cost you!

Why don't I need premium cable channels? Because with NetFlix for $8.99 per month plus tax, I can view unlimited movies, television shows, etc. either on my iPhone or on my television (with iPhone hooked up to the television using the NetFlix app.)! This means I can watch the movies or shows instantly ANYWHERE, not just at home, and on any digital television, not just on my iPhone!


Legality: Many people have concerns over whether it is legal to "jailbreak" an iPhone. (Gotta love the term.) The short answer is: yes. It is completely legal. The slightly longer answer is: Despite Apple's attempts to limit your freedom to do what you wish and install whatever software you wish on your device that you have paid for with your hard-earned money, and despite the fact that it was never illegal to begin with, the federal government, in a rare occurrence of doing something intelligent that actually promotes freedom instead of restricting it, has now legalized jail-breaking your phone, which means essentially that they have merely affirmed what was already your right to begin with. (For the details of the laws that recently went into effect, click here.)


Potential Consequences: Jail-breaking your phone will void your warranty, but in order for that to be a problem, they (at Apple) have to know that it has been jail-broken. If you experience any problems on your phone, the best thing to do would be to do a clean restore from backup before taking it in for service. There is no way for them to know that the phone has been jail-broken once you have restored from backup. (Make sure you backup your phone with iTunes before jail-breaking it.) Problem solved.


Functional Issues: The only problems I have experienced after jail-breaking my phone are that occasionally it will crash and need to be rebooted, although it seems to happen with less frequency now than it did before I jail-broke the phone. Otherwise, the phone and its software looks and functions 100% the same way it always did. (I have read that there are some apps. available in the App Store that will not work on a jail-broken iPhone, but have not yet encountered any personally.)


Service Issues: If you are going to also unlock your phone, you will need to make sure that you are aware of the following issues with any provider other than AT&T:

• While you will have the ability to use data on any network as well as voice services, you will NOT have 3G data service with ANY other carrier than AT&T and will have to be satisfied with EDGE or similarly slower communication speeds. This is because of the frequency the phone itself operates on, and has nothing to do with software.
• You will NOT be able to talk on the phone and simultaneously use data services like internet, text, etc. on any other network but AT&T, because other networks are not set up to allow this function, nor would the slower EDGE network speed accommodate it well even if it were possible.
• If you ONLY jailbreak your phone (which allows you to download non-Apple apps from Cydia via the Cydia App Store application) and do NOT unlock your phone, or even if you DO unlock your iPhone but stay with AT&T, you will still have all of the same service features with AT&T as before, but would also be able to switch S.I.M. cards to use other networks when desired.

If you would like to jailbreak your phone, you will want to make sure you have version 4.1 of the firmware installed, and if you update your firmware AFTER jail-breaking your phone, you need to know that it will undo the jailbreak, and you may not be able to jailbreak the phone again until there is a jail-breaking program available for the latest firmware upgrade. This is important if you plan to use the phone as a WiFi hot spot once it is jail-broken. 


Here is the link to a YouTube video demonstrating how to jailbreak your phone:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l4EGvt_9vA


I know it's scary the first time you do it, but once you're no longer a jailbreak virgin, you'll be proud of the fact that you're legally breaking the rules! And remember, you can easily restore from backup in iTunes in order to "un-jailbreak" your iPhone at any time.


To unlock your iPhone after jail-breaking it, which will enable you to insert a S.I.M. card from any other carrier such as T-Mobile or Verizon and use your iPhone on their network, I recommend checking YouTube for the latest instructions, as they change and improve regularly. (Just do a search for "Unlock iPhone 4.1 Firmware" once you get to YouTube.)


Instructions for turning your iPhone into a portable WiFi hotspot:


First, download Cydia by opening the limera1n App that will automatically be installed on your phone after a successful jailbreak. Then, open the Cydia app and select MyWi 4.0 - it does cost $19.99 for the app, but that is a ONE-TIME fee and is NOT a recurring charge. Also, you will save far more than that by not having to have a separate contract for wireless internet and home internet, and may even be able to use the MyWi app. for all of your internet needs if your situation is similar to mine. (If you do not have an unlimited data plan, you will need to be mindful of the fact that you will be charged for the amount of data bandwidth you use on your phone. This may or may not save you money in that case, depending on how much bandwidth you normally use.) You will also not have to pay the $20 tethering fee each month from AT&T if you use the MyWi app. which is a savings of $240 per year.


Follow the instructions for making payment on the screen. (They do accept PayPal or Amazon payments.) Once you have purchased and downloaded MyWi, simply tap on the app to open it and slide the WiFi tethering option to the right to turn it on. That's it! Your phone is now broadcasting a WiFi signal that can be used by any device in range. You can even decrease or increase the range of the broadcast signal by adjusting the settings. It's a very simple app. to use. It DOES use a lot of battery power, so you will want to make sure you have your vehicle and wall chargers with you at all times, which is easy to do since they are very small and easily fit in a pocket or purse.


Cydia also has for $3.99 an app that will trick your apps into thinking you are on WiFi even when you are on 3G, which will allow you to use the iPhone 4's "FaceTime" video feature during phone calls even when you do NOT have access to WiFi! You can also watch high-definition videos on YouTube without a WiFi connection and complete higher-bandwidth downloads, etc. (Again, this is not recommended if you do not have an unlimited data plan.)


I'd love to hear from you if you find this useful and if you have any questions, just post a comment and I'll respond when I can!


A.

Mid-November Menagerie

So, it's mid-November, and I've wasted entirely too much time being sick. I've had quite a few bouts of vomiting over the past few weeks, so I'm watching my diet to see what might be the cause. This weekend was a total wash, with very little accomplished. I've got to make up for lost time this week if I am to drive "over the river and through the woods" to (not grandmother's) house I go for Thanksgiving week. It's a trip I'm really looking forward to, and to see some people I don't get to see very often. In fact, it may be my last opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with them if they end up moving out of the country next year. (sniff)


I can say that I've been excited to have spoken to some very interesting people recently about some exciting projects coming up after the end of the year. I do have some things to look forward to.


I recently spotted this comment on my most recent post prior to this one that had me wondering why I didn't just say what he said. It's rare that I struggle to express myself clearly, but lately it has been a challenge to do so as well as this reader has:

"It sounds to me like your point was missed by many people. I have had the discussion for the need to re-examine what we are calling "time" for years, as have others in my field.

Perhaps the best (and most clear) way to explain it to those who enjoy time travel as their religion and/or imaginary friend is to remind them that regardless of time dilation, it is all local, not general, and as you said, all other objects (including crystal fluctuations) continue to move at their own pace unaffected everywhere but in the specific environment of where what we call time dilation is being observed. It doesn't change the speed of crystal fluctuation in the entire universe.

For some, their supernatural beliefs are bolstered only by their misinterpretation of science."

Indeed!


On another note, I've noticed people putting up winter decorations even earlier this year than last. I suppose we'll end up leaving them up year-round before long. Despite the fact that I'm not religious, I do enjoy winter lights and decorations, and have always recognized the biological origins from which all of our seasonal celebrations seem to stem. (Mammals tend to hibernate and/or be less active in the winter and eat more in preparation for what used to be a reduced food supply in colder months.) It doesn't really matter to me that we don't have the need to do that any longer. I continue to enjoy it, mammal that I am.


A.

Asperger's and Fries

I have never been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. However, I have been told by counselors when attempting to treat my O.C.D. that they see that as a possibility. I don't really think it matters either way, since I manage to function quite well in most social situations. However, when I see something that disgusts me, I can be quite caustic, and can also come across as extremely condescending and arrogant.


My father was the same way, and while those who knew my father well (and who know me well) would tell you that isn't a reflection of who either my father was or I am, those attitudes do sometimes display themselves when conditions are ripe for it.


For me, the arrogance of others when making assumptions and attempting to perpetuate falsehoods is a condition that qualifies for my inner bitch to come out and kick ass. Sometimes, in the process, I let my disgust get the better of me, and my communication skills take a dive.


I have (at least temporarily) removed my last couple of posts discussing some scientific issues for that reason. However, I want to make it clear what did, and did not, motivate me to do so.


First, I have several friends who are physicists. They, and a friend of a friend who is also a science writer, have let me know that some of the words I chose to express the flaws in the way people think about "time" are actually flawed themselves in the way I have applied them, so I am removing the posts in the interest of preventing anyone from believing something that isn't true based on my own miscommunication.


I suppose it would be appropriate and sound good for me to say that I also was motivated to do so by the fact that my wording was arrogant, condescending, and even hostile. However, though this attitude itself may seem arrogant, I'm afraid that had nothing to do with my decision.


My blog is most definitely not a professional publication, but more of a sounding board. As such, I will occasionally write things that are more a reflection of my own opinions rather than facts, but I will always attempt to make it clear that I am doing so when that is the case.


As someone who has spent much time working in the research field as well as having the privilege of working with many people much more intelligent than myself, I have learned many things and gained many perspectives on a variety of topics. I do not, however, claim to be an expert on those topics.


Having said that, when I do know something to be in error, and am subjected to hearing it repeatedly from people who have begun to accept it and repeat it as though it were their religion, I do NOT tolerate it well.


Some do not understand the necessity to argue semantics, because they do not value accurate communication. That doesn't change my determination to pursue accuracy.


For the record, my beef with Einstein's theory of relativity is not necessarily with the theory itself, which I say is most likely valid and all but proven in many aspects, but the assumptions that are so often made about the ramifications of the theory of relativity.


Like any statement, what I call "spin-off" ideas or statements often get made, and if the logic isn't kept in check, all kinds of ridiculous and inaccurate conclusions can be withdrawn from a handful of accurate facts.


The ones that annoy me the most are those that claim things that we already know to be false. An example is the idea that (and I'm hoping I'm not expressing this inaccurately) because it is said that "time" slows down when you are moving, and continues to slow down the faster you move, that somehow this means you will age more slowly if you move more.


I know many people (myself included) who spend at least a third of their waking hours in vehicles traveling at around 60 miles per hour. And, while I am often told that I appear youthful for my age, I also know people who drive as much as I do and appear much older than they actually are.


What annoys me about that statement is that there is a huge (and inaccurate) assumption about what causes aging inherent in such a claim. Sure, if movement slows down for your body, it follows that anything occurring in your body will have a delayed movement, and theoretically, you can say that aging will occur at a slower rate.


However, aging has less to do with the speed of movement and more to do with the hormones, chemicals, and D.N.A. contained in the body. It is also important to remember that frequent travel (by car or air) often takes a toll on the body in the form of fatigue and stress, which can release toxins in the body and prevent the cells from performing their daily cleanup during R.E.M. sleep effectively.


Such claims of movement slowing the aging process are the types of things that often give birth to junk science, which gives birth to products that do not do what they claim to do, but that mislead millions of hard-working people to fork over their money for something that will do nothing but prevent them from using that money for something more worthwhile.


Someone recently tried to tell me that on an airplane or a higher elevation (such as a mountain) "time" slows down, and the proof would be that my heart rate would also slow. While that is often the case, one of the things about the heart is that it is not regulated by your elevation or the "speed" of time, as much as it is regulated by the brain. In low-oxygen conditions, the heart must work harder to maintain its pace, but that does not always translate to a slower heart rate. It is also true that it is the low oxygen level that causes the heart to beat more slowly at higher elevations, and it does so at a level perceivable to the person experiencing it, which is far more significant than an imperceivable effect the "slowing down of time" may have.


I lived at an 8,500 foot elevation about ten years ago, and my heart condition made itself known much more frequently at that elevation than it does at sea level, but my heart rate often increased with palpitations more often than slowing down.


Regardless of what anyone says about "time" slowing down on an airplane, or in a hot air balloon, or any other number of claims regarding the nature of time due to the ever-changeable way the word time is used, the rest of the world continues to move at its own pace.


My main point in my previous posts was that, in order to experience any point in the past again, (1969, for example), every sub-atomic particle in the entire universe would have to rearrange itself to its precise location at the point in "time" that the "time traveler" wishes to return, and, even if that were likely and/or possible (which I ever-so-arrogantly and condescendingly declare that it is not) it is highly unlikely to do so simply because one gets into a spaceship and travels at the speed of light, or because someone gets into a "time machine" and pushes some buttons.


Another example of assumption that annoys the hell out of me is that somehow shaving causes hair to grow back thicker. The television show "Mythbusters" has successfully addressed the fact that it doesn't work that way, but there are those who are so attached to their "anecdotal evidence" that it does that they actually attempt to ridicule anyone who tries to tell them otherwise.


I once had a woman tell me there was NO WAY that it wasn't true, because when she was pregnant and shaved the hair that had begun to grow on her belly, it got thicker and thicker. She never stopped to think about the fact that the hair had already gotten thicker before she shaved it, which was what prompted her to shave it to begin with. She didn't consider the fact that the hormones secreted by her pituitary gland (which are what prompted the hair to grow thicker in the first place) continue to secrete ever-higher levels of hormone throughout pregnancy, which means that her hair was going to continue to get thicker whether she shaved it or not.


The fact that hair is stubbly when it "grows back" (makes its way above the skin's surface as it continues to grow after having its end shaved off) has to do with the fact that sometimes the hair splits when shaven and that it is not able to lie flat until it grows long enough to do so, causing it to stick up and appear more rigid, even though it has the same thickness as before.


Why do these things bother me so much? Why do I care whether or not someone believes that shaving affects the thickness of their hair? It isn't the specific example itself that bothers me, it is the symptom indicative of a greater problem that disturbs me so.


We live in a world full of people who allow their freedom to be taken away, beg for it to be taken even, because they don't want the responsibility of having to meet their own needs. They do not see, nor do they seem to care, that this will ultimately strengthen all of the things they do not like about the world we live in, and their refusal to think beyond what they are spoon-fed by the media (or even their own elitist clubs where they feel safe in turning off their truth filter) is what makes them into instruments for the destruction of not only their own freedom, but the freedom of you and I as well.


They're making laws about whether a restaurant owner is allowed to put salt in the food they serve to the public or not. It is NOT a far jump before they begin making laws about what you can and can not put in your OWN food at HOME. Oh, wait, they already have... you can't bake marijuana into brownies legally, that's for sure. The fact that I want nothing to do with marijuana doesn't cause me to think it is my right (or responsibility) to deny someone else the right to do so.


This disgusts me. It pisses me off. It pisses me the FUCK off. This blog is the one place where I can express my disgust, and yes, when I get pissed off, I use profanity.


Many people are shocked when they hear me use profanity in person, because they say they have never heard me do so before. I tell them that is because I use it as an exclamation point rather than a comma. However, there IS a place for profanity, and while a professional science journal is not the place for it, I have chosen that my blog will be.


When I'm writing in my blog, I'm not a professional. I am a human expressing myself in all of my imperfection. If that bothers you, you'll want to brace yourself when you read what I have to say, and if you choose not to read what I have to say because you can't bear to read my off-putting honest expression, then that's fine with me.


I do appreciate and respect well-meaning comments and suggestions, but I won't always agree with them, nor will I always abide by them.


I don't ask anyone to take me too seriously in any of my blog posts, especially when I'm baring my "soul". However, I have certainly learned that trying to discuss my disgust for inaccurate conclusions withdrawn from otherwise-accurate theories tends to ruffle a lot of feathers.


Sometimes we need to be offensive in order to bring attention to important issues. We get so comfortable with what we think we know that we can lull ourselves into a stupor of mental laziness so powerful that all the memorizing and reciting of data in the world will not allow us to escape.


I'll try not to discuss scientific concepts here in the future, since those are best saved for more appropriate venues, but please, don't tell me that sitting in a hot air balloon all day will make me age more slowly, because even if it had the ability to do so on a perceptible level, before you know it, some jackass will introduce a law requiring us all to do so "for our own good".


Fuck.


A.