Something That Doesn't Bug Me
The tag on my "tagful" tee has never bothered me. Never poked or scratched me. It just has never bugged me.
The ads for Hanes tagless tees on the other hand...
Got A Ticket
I normally have the backs of the police. They have to deal with the dregs of society on a daily basis, so I can sympathize with them. But, giving us a ticket for the rear tires of our van, while parked in our driveway, were a few inches onto the sidewalk? Apparently, that's illegal.
I normally have the backs of the police. They have to deal with the dregs of society on a daily basis, so I can sympathize with them. But, giving us a ticket for the rear tires of our van, while parked in our driveway, were a few inches onto the sidewalk? Apparently, that's illegal.
How about the spirit of the law instead of the letter, eh, officer? How about a warning?
Am I Heartless?
Several retailers, including Walmart and K-Mart, have decided to open on Thanksgiving and folks on Facebook are very upset about it. I'm not that concerned. Call me heartless, but what about all the other people who have had to work on Thanksgiving? Taxi drivers; airport workers; people who work at movie theaters, restaurants, and bars; police; fire fighters; hospital workers; even football players and those who work in the stadiums.
I suppose it does show the inherent greed on the part of those retailers for not caring about their employees. They are making Thanksgiving about commerce and not family. But, they are competing with the internet and, I hope anyway, they might have a quid pro quo situation: you worked Thanksgiving, you get the next holiday off.
Besides, if enough people keep Thanksgiving about family and refuse to shop on that holiday, the stores won't open on Thanksgiving.
Tom, Dick & Harry And The Straw Man Argument
Prager University is a series of videos making comments on various topics from a more conservative point of view. It was established by conservative radio talk show host Dennis Prager. I find Prager to be a more reasoned conservative. He's not a blowhard like other talk radio right-wingers.
However, the video by Prager University on the unfairness of the progressive Federal income tax is an outright straw man argument. The progressive tax might be unfair, but the way they argue against it makes the assumption that if you don't earn as much income as the high income earners, you have chosen to be lazy.
The video is insulting to every person who works their butt off 50, 60, or more hours a week, but they just don't happen to do the kind of work that pays very well. They might even be educated and well trained for their work, but the pay just isn't great. This video seems to suggest they are lazy.
A Facebook friend suggested that, according to the logic of the video's assumptions, Tom and Dick should have chosen to be pro basketball players. That's how the real world works, isn't it?
Here's the video.
Rockin' The Skeptical Core!
Well known skeptic, Michael Shermer, recently had an experience that was so coincidental that it rocked him to his skeptical core. A transistor radio, that had belonged to his wife's dear departed grandfather, wasn't working. Shermer attempted to repair it, but it still wouldn't work. Later, while his wife was feeling very low and missing her grandfather, the radio began to play music! Was it a message from her grandfather or was it a coincidence?
Well known skeptic, Michael Shermer, recently had an experience that was so coincidental that it rocked him to his skeptical core. A transistor radio, that had belonged to his wife's dear departed grandfather, wasn't working. Shermer attempted to repair it, but it still wouldn't work. Later, while his wife was feeling very low and missing her grandfather, the radio began to play music! Was it a message from her grandfather or was it a coincidence?
Shermer wrote about this experience and those of a less skeptical nature hoped this meant he was on the path of giving up scientific skepticism.
My friend of a less skeptical nature asked me to weigh in on a Facebook posting of an article reviewing Shermer's story. The following was my response:
First, I would
say let's not get all excited. Shermer hasn't converted from a skeptic
to a believer of phenomena poorly supported by scientific evidence.
Second, I suggest people read Shermer's article and not a review of Shermer's article written by someone who has a bit of a bias toward believing in phenomena poorly supported by scientific evidence.
Third, if you read Shermer's article he explains why his experience is not evidence of life after death or communication with the dead. He states:
"...with billions of people having billions of experiences every day, there’s bound to be a handful of extremely unlikely events that stand out in their timing and meaning. In any case, such anecdotes do not constitute scientific evidence that the dead survive or that they can communicate with us via electronic equipment."
Fourth, he understands this is personal experience. And he enjoyed it. He also reminds us to be open to such possibilities, which skeptics (big S or small) are, but to accept the claim the evidence has to be a hell of a lot better than personal experience, no matter who is having the experience. And Shermer knows that.
Fifth, even if Shermer was so rocked to his skeptical core that he gave up scientific skepticism and started touring the world with Deepak Chopra to spread the news of the reality of paranormal and the supernatural, it wouldn't mean he was right.
Of course, it wouldn't necessarily mean he would be wrong.
Second, I suggest people read Shermer's article and not a review of Shermer's article written by someone who has a bit of a bias toward believing in phenomena poorly supported by scientific evidence.
Third, if you read Shermer's article he explains why his experience is not evidence of life after death or communication with the dead. He states:
"...with billions of people having billions of experiences every day, there’s bound to be a handful of extremely unlikely events that stand out in their timing and meaning. In any case, such anecdotes do not constitute scientific evidence that the dead survive or that they can communicate with us via electronic equipment."
Fourth, he understands this is personal experience. And he enjoyed it. He also reminds us to be open to such possibilities, which skeptics (big S or small) are, but to accept the claim the evidence has to be a hell of a lot better than personal experience, no matter who is having the experience. And Shermer knows that.
Fifth, even if Shermer was so rocked to his skeptical core that he gave up scientific skepticism and started touring the world with Deepak Chopra to spread the news of the reality of paranormal and the supernatural, it wouldn't mean he was right.
Of course, it wouldn't necessarily mean he would be wrong.
Movie Recommendation: The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
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| Buena Vista Pictures |
Gene Hackman is terrific in this quirky, dry comedy by director Wes Anderson. It is one of my favorite films.
Music heard on the show...
Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus
First ad break bumpers: 'This Ain't No Picnic' by The Minutemen & 'Tantalized' by The Church
Second ad break bumpers: 'Twilight Zone' by Golden Earring & 'Two Story House' by George Jones & Tammy Wynette
Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle
Second ad break bumpers: 'Twilight Zone' by Golden Earring & 'Two Story House' by George Jones & Tammy Wynette
That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com
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