Have you ever heard the argument that even if you do consider an unborn child to be human life, that the research done through harvesting these stem cells makes destruction worth it, because of all the diseases that could be cured through this research? So, why aren't these proponents willingly donating their own bodies for this cause as well? Plus, they can offer blood, working organs, etc. Seems to me like a no-brainer by that logic.

I think ignorance gets a bad rap. You don't know where Toronto is? You're ignorant. You don't how a carburetor works? You're ignorant. But, we're all ignorant before someone teaches us these things. The idea of "common knowledge" that everyone should know is kind of preposterous. If someone is intelligent and open to learning, I'll take them ignorant over someone who knows what S.A.R.S. stands for and thinks they have everything figured out. Intelligence without wisdom is worthless.

Many credit Columbus for being the first to discover America (cough, Leif Erikson), and many also credit Columbus for being the first person to think the world was round. But, all of those smart toga guys in Ancient Greece had known the Earth was round for well over 1000 years before him. In fact, they taught it in their schools. So, why wasn't this universal knowledge by 1492? What knowledge might people still ignore 1000 years from now that you can't believe isn't widely understood today?

This holiday was recently "celebrated" in this country, recognizing the date on which Christopher Columbus discovered "America". Someone in my office brought in cookies that day. And someone else responded with a witty comment of how he didn't believe in eating cookies on "Indigenous People's Day". When I say witty, I mean that one other person encouraged this comment and began ridiculing Columbus, while the rest of us awkwardly managed silence. I don't contend that we should overlook any acts of violence occurred through colonization. But, to be consistent with a Columbus hatred, we must also detest every land discovery ever made and label it as intrusion onto other's property, whether these others include people, animals or wildlife. And I'm ok with that opinion. At least it's consistent.

So, I commission a fantasy football league every year. I've done pretty well in the past, but am experiencing my first year of "horrendousness". And it's fairly discouraging. I feel like it reflects poorly both on my status as a sports fan as well as a man. But, you know how when you're a kid, your mother used to let you win at board/card games so that you'd enjoy it? So, can't I feel good about the fact that my poor performance is making some of my friends feel better about themselves. I mean, I'm arrogant enough where I can take pride in something else pretty easily. So they can have football...this year.

If the universe has been ever-expanding since it's conception, then by definition, it must be finite, correct? But, IF the universal was eternal (which modern physics has declared is impossible since they have found a beginning "bang"), then an infinite universe could technically be possible. And IF the universe was infinite, then wouldn't that necessitate, by definition, other human-inhabited planets? People call Earth the "Privileged Planet" because of the specific temperatures, molecular compounds, gravity, pressures, magnetism etc. that with such great fragility makes life possible. But if the universe was truly infinite, even if the odds of an alternative "Earth" were 1-whatever quintillion^quintillion they say it is, infinity would beat those odds out. But since it seems that the universe is still expanding and yet finite, it is quite probable that we are alone...besides from whoever started that bang.

So, if I claim to communicate with an invisible God, why don't they lock me up? Is it because that's a common form of craziness? Is something only lock-up worthy if they believe in something that no one else believes in? Or does my belief have to physically threaten myself or those around me before they call me crazy?

I've been getting into laymans physics a little bit lately and learning about string theory. String theory is a theory intended to unify quantum theory with the natural forces of gravity, etc. into one consistent theory that explains just about EVERYTHING in terms of physics, the universe and the natural world. However, our limited knowledge makes a theory like this incredibly hard to prove scientifically. So, while we're waiting, I propose a Silly String theory. Because how cool would science class be that day!