The Rational Druid

Well, I’ve had several ideas mulling around in my head, and I think they’ve reached the point where I’m ready to start actually working on them. I’ve had two ideas for regular articles: a “What if?” column, and a column of “Maple for Mythbusters”. The first column will be articles where I look at different ideas and say “What if this idea were real? What would it mean?” The first one is going to look at homeopathy, and make the assumption that it is real. Starting there, what else do we have to accept, by logic, due to accepting that homeopathy is real. I’m going to look at a different idea for each article. The second column is going to look at different experiments that the Mythbusters have done and see how we can use Maple to do some scientific computations around those experiments. I really like Maple, and I think more people should be supporting a Canadian made product.

These two columns are going to run on alternate weeks, starting with “What if?” this Friday. If you have any ideas for either column, things you’d like to see covered, please let me know.

OK. Just how stupid are Christians? Haiti has been completely devastated. They desperately need food and water, and medical aid. So instead of sending food and water and medical aid, what is being sent? Talking Bibles! This is not the time to be wasting what little capacity there is to get real aid into the country. After we’ve actually rebuilt homes, and gotten people fed and treated their wounds, then sure, go ahead and try to brainwash them. But now, when they are at their most beaten, is not the time to go down and shove this type of garbage down their throats. Unless, deep down somewhere, they know that the only way to get a convert is to pounce on people when they are at their weakest. Bunch of parasites. Can you tell this pisses me off a bit?

Feel free to ignore this test. I’m trying to make sure all of my social networking stuff is working the way I expect them to. This should go to Twitter, and from there to Facebook. Let’s see.

I just changed the sub-title for this blog. This is because of one of my New Year’s resolutions for 2010. This blog doesn’t really focus on Druidry, it is more of a record of my view on the world around me and what is happening out there. Hence, the change. One of my resolutions is to actually post more often, and with more interesting content, here. I seem to be doing fairly well, at least so far. Anyway, drop by again to see if I can actually stick with it this year

Well, YouTube fails yet again. The problems with religious zealots of all stripes using alleged copyright infringement and DMCA takedown notices to silence any criticism has been known for a while. Well, YouTube has shown just how mindless they are in regards to these types of issues. A video posted on the channel FactVsReligion called “What Islam Fears: Laughter” got that channel suspended. Then, the same video on the channel AgeOfAtheism got an offer from YouTube for revenue sharing. What is happening at YouTube? Are there any actual human beings there? It really doesn’t seem like it.

Well, here we are at the end of another year and another decade. December 31, 2009. Here’s hoping the next year / decade are as good. And for you folks out there who aren’t werewolves and compulsively watching the moon , tonight is also a blue moon. Enjoy the bubbly.

Well, it’s official. Shawn Graham, our esteemed Premier, is a first-class, grade A, idiot. The current Liberal government is all set to sell off all of the most valuable parts of NBPower to HydroQuebec. And basically at a fire-sale rate. HydroQuebec is simply going to pay off the debts owing on these assets, and promise not to gouge us for the next 5 years. After that, the rates will be tied to the rate of inflation, and to “new developments”. What the hell are new developments? Also, Shawn Graham has alluded to the fact that there is a formula in this deal to calculate what future rates will be. What is this formula? I have degrees in physics and computer science. I’m pretty sure I won’ t be stumped by the math. So common Mr. Graham, show us the money. Also, I have not heard any mention about guaranteeing power supplies, or guaranteeing infrastructure. If it becomes more profitable for HydroQuebec to sell power generated here to the US, what will stop them? As far as I can see, we would be left quite literally in the dark. And as for transmission lines, what is to stop HydroQuebec from saying that it is too expensive to repair transmissions lines to smaller communities? I have not heard any talk around these subjects. If anyone else has, please let me know. I would really like to know.

I’ve just realized that I’m starting to lose my chops for both programming and physics. Just like anything else, you need to practice to keep yourself up to snuff. So, I’m going to start working on my chops. There are going to be a series of pages that I’m going to start up this weekend. I’m thinking of a series of pages on Mythbusters for the science, and a series of pages on scientific computing. We’ll see if I can keep this up and actually get my edge back.

Well, I seem to be finding a really satisfying hobby, writing. I’ve worked out a mini-column deal with Linux Journal where I write a ~1000 word column for their UpFront section each month. It is really fun, since I get to explore really obtuse areas of the Linux command line. I’m posting it on the “Published Articles” page.

I’ve got ideas for columns for other magazines that I will be pitching. Right now I have more ideas pouring out of me then I can write down. I also have an idea for a book for atheist Druidry. I’m finding more and more people who are interested in it, but there are no real resources out there. I will probably post the introduction up here when it’s done, and I’m going to be pitching the idea to some publishers out there. Who knows, maybe I’ll actually be a formally published author.

It’s kind of funny that you need to go to an American newspaper to get some good information on Canadian health care. Rhonda Hackett has written on several myths surrounding our health care system, and the realities behind the myths.

Myth: Taxes in Canada are extremely high, mostly because of national health care.

In actuality, taxes are nearly equal on both sides of the border. Overall, Canada’s taxes are slightly higher than those in the U.S. However, Canadians are afforded many benefits for their tax dollars, even beyond health care (e.g., tax credits, family allowance, cheaper higher education), so the end result is a wash. At the end of the day, the average after-tax income of Canadian workers is equal to about 82 percent of their gross pay. In the U.S., that average is 81.9 percent.

You can read many more myths at here.