The northern Kentucky city of Williamstown plans to build a 510-foot (155.4-meter) wooden ship, the centerpiece of a planned biblical theme park called “Ark Encounter”, planned to attract 1.2 million visitors a year. To pay for this Creation Museum “Answers in Genesis” a Christian non-profit, intends to issue $62 million of bonds. Investors who buy …
Continue reading ‘Building Noah’s Ark. A follow-on from Saturday’s posting.’ »
Dana Millbank, writing in the Washington Post, reports on a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center. The poll shows that 48% of Republicans believe that humans were created at the same time as the planet; 43% believe we have evolved, with or without divine assistance. Four years ago 54% said they believed in evolution. …
Epicurus believed that the only things that exist are matter and void, and that atoms create everything by falling into space (void). The universe is unlimited and full of empty space that is constantly taken up by these eternal atoms made of up different sizes and shapes. In response to the argument that the universe …
According to the Center for American Progress, 58% of Republicans in Congress deny the existence of climate change or oppose action to cut greenhouse gas emissions. However, their voters are much smarter and believe the evidence of their own eyes, let alone the research of every respectable scientist concerned in the matter. 87% of Oklahoman …
The Pope has just criticized so-called “trickle-down” economics as having no basis either in theory or in practice. “A crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power”. Wonderful! Trickle-down economics was always an excuse for supporting the rich against the less rich. If it worked at all it would be working …
Continue reading ‘Thank you, Pope Francis. Good observation’ »
Lord Stern, professor at the London School of Economics, warns that the world could be heading for a major economic crisis as stock markets inflate an investment bubble in fossil fuels to the tune of trillions of dollars. The so-called “carbon bubble” is the result of an over-valuation of oil, coal and gas reserves held …
“The consensus among climate scientists that climate change is being driven mainly by human activity is now 95%, according to a leaked draft report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This is up from 90% in the previous – or fourth – IPCC assessment, which was released in 2007. The draft, which synthesises …
Rationalist campaigner Narendra Dabholkar, was assassinated recently for exposing the fraudulent practices of “miracle workers” in the state of Maharashtra. He had collected evidence showing how thousands of women are victims of “vicious” magic rituals, often at the behest of male relatives; in remote areas they’re even burnt as sacrifices. And he had shown that …
Many Chinese people tend to seek the help of mysterious powers. and the rich and powerful are no exception. A snake-summoning mystic and “qigong master”, Wang Lin, has for years been duping famous entertainers and politicians into giving him money. Last week saw film star Jackie Chan and other celebrities weeping at news of the …
The UN World Population report for 2012 predicts that the world’s population, now 7.2billion will rise to 9.5 billion by 2025, and, by the end of this century, will reach 11 billion. By mid century Nigeria will have a bigger population than the United States. The biggest increases will be in Africa, India, Indonesia and …
“I believe in Spinoza’s god, who reveals himself in the lawful harmony of all that exists, not in a god who concerns himself in the fate and doings of mankind”. Albert Einstein Einstein wondered at the intricate rationality of the universe. It persuaded him that “something” must have laid down the basic structure, physics and …
On May 23rd Pope Francis reached out to atheists with a sentence that concluded, “Just do good, and we’ll find a meeting point.” Atheists, he said, should be seen as good people if they do good, and he urged people of all religions — or no religion — to work together. He told the story …
The mind of the bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract.” — Oliver Wendell-Holmes, quoted in the San Diego Union-Tribune
Our Milky Way galaxy is home to at least 100 billion alien planets, and possibly many more, a new study suggests. Lead author Jonathan Swift, of Caltech in Pasadena and his colleagues arrived at their estimate after studying a five-planet system called Kepler-32, which lies about 915 light-years from Earth. The five worlds were detected …
25% of British adults say they have “experienced a ghost” – up from 19% in 2003, and 7% in the 1950s. (The Sunday Times, London). This is not at all surprising. On a planet where human beings believe in virgin births and finding inscribed tablets, supposedly from God, in a pile on top of a …
