Global warming in Fiji

My good friend Simon is doing some research on global warming in the island of Fiji (I know, what a tough life he has). He put up a great web page about his work and some information about global warming. He's libal to get into various adventures, so check out his web page.
Enjoy, and keep reading!

Humor and Horror

My favorite moment in the film Hotel Rwanda is a brief moment of respite. In the middle of some awful violence and fighting, the main character Paul Rusesabagina, is on top of his hotel, talking with his wife. As gunshots are firing around them, they have an incredibly romantic and humorous exchange. Everyone in the theatre chuckled and laughed, because, you had to. As tension builds and in the most awful of circumstances, humor is sometimes to the only way to momentarily release your emotions so you can face whatever is coming next.
Humor and tragedy are bound together intimately. If you can't make the audience laugh, and warm up to characters, you'll never compel them to care about whatever tragedy might befall them.
In the real world, humor is sometimes the only way to begin to understand something awful that has happened. I remember a few weeks after September 11th, the humorous newspaper The Onion released what was perhaps their most powerful and funny issue. It found the perfect balance, by making fun not of the tragedy, but of our inability to know how to react to the tragedy. Even that small bit of humor allowed us to grapple with the sadness and fear we were feeling. Finding any bit of humanity, of laughter and of love within an awful event is one of the few ways we can get through these awful events. Take them when you can.

Teaching English

So I'm a night away from the last day of some tutor training. I'm training to teach non-native English speakers to be able to read, write , and speak better English. They'll set us up with our learners shortly and we'll get going.
It's kind of hard for me to imagine really. English is quite a difficult language, and to be set up to learn it when you're completely fluent in another language: what a challenge that must be. Language defines how you think. It's one thing to adopt a second language as a child, but to do it as an adult: wow. Forcing your brain to adapt to a new way to construct ideas. I suppose at least Spanish is the same root. But imagine if you are Hmong, Asian, or eastern European, languages that don't share any common roots with English.
Our instructor told us that English is the most common second language. I suppose that isn't surprising. It just shows how spoiled we are as Americans. If we go to almost any country, if they speak a second language, it is likely to be English. We may not be understood well, but communication can happen. So now imagine how difficult it must be, to not only visit on vacation, but to pick up and move to a country where you don't understand the language. You can probably settle with an ex-pat community, but to get along in the larger environment, you have to learn English. These learners are looking to get a better job, to gain citizenship, or maybe they just want to read their children's notes from teachers.
Wow, what a life we take for granted.

God and Evolution

Monday's editorial in the Washington post talks about God and evolution far more eloquently than I could. I'll site the last paragraph. Intelligent design:
...violates principles of common sense. In fact, the breadth and extent of the anti-evolutionary movement that has spread almost unnoticed across the country should force American politicians to think twice about how their public expressions of religious belief are beginning to affect education and science. The deeply religious nature of the United States should not be allowed to stand in the way of the thirst for knowledge or the pursuit of science. Once it does, it won't be long before the American scientific community -- which already has trouble finding enough young Americans to fill its graduate schools -- ceases to lead the world.

Both science and religion are given a disservice by this push. Science shouldn't be corrupted and muddied by arguments that are not scientific. Religion has valuable and rich answers to life's questions that don't rely on twisting scientific ideas that are generally accepted as truth.
Having this argument, an argument that should have been settled decades ago, hurts everyone's search for answers.

"And you say he's just a friend....."

So, all through college I had this problem. Every woman that I was interested in, I'd become "Just the friend". We'd hang out. Go to movies, go to dinner, and just chat.
It was great, but often, I wanted more. I think partially it was a mix of me not being clear at what I wanted, and me hanging out with the wrong women, particularly those they were dating someone else. I guess I thought they'd magically for me, break up with him, and all would end happily ever after.
Now, I seem to have the opposite problem in a sense. Sometimes I just want to spend time with someone casually. I believe the ideal way to start a relationship is to just hang out casually with someone. You start out going out for coffee, or drinks. You might move to dinner, movies, something outside...you just start spending more time together.
As you get to know each other, you slowly become both great friends and potential lovers. And then, before you know it, you're dating.
But, in your late 20's, it's assumed, mostly correctly, that you're looking for someone to date. Now that's great, but it makes a simple meet for coffee a big deal.
Ok, so you meet someone. You call them. Maybe you do go out with them for coffee, maybe you don't. But either way, it becomes serious quite quickly. If they don't want to date you, It's "I'm really busy with work" or "I'm finding myself", or maybe they don't even return your phone call.
Now, I can appreciate the desire to stay single. But, assuming you're clear with your intentions, what's wrong with just spending time with someone and seeing who they are. Don't you get into a better relationship by just spending time with them?
So you say, "Hey, I'm not ready to date, but let's meet up for coffee". Yes, let's "just be friends"
and see where it goes. I'm old enough that I can be honest with what I want, and take honesty from others. And of course, if you aren't attracted to someone, or just not interested, then just say so. "Thanks for the offer, but no thank you". No explanation needed. You don't need to be busy at work, or going through a life crises.
If the whole thing wasn't made a big deal, I think dating would be much less stressful and it would be easier to get to know someone for who they really are, not just who they appear to be.

Dave Barry's done

The great humor writer has retired for the time being. Yes, it's quite sad. Who is there to laugh every Sunday (at least in the Washington post). I imagine his day of the week varies.
Well, in his place I'll recommend two other humor writers who now grace the pages of The Washington Post magazine. To look at both of these you need to sign up for the website, but it's free. The first writer is the great Joel Achenbach. His wacky article on skiing can be found here.
The first paragraph:
THIS IS THE PRIME SKI SEASON in the East, unless the prime season ended sometime yesterday afternoon. "Eastern skiing" is notoriously iffy, and the very phrase, like "British cuisine," makes purists wince. The material that coats the mountain is sometimes not technically snow, but rather some intermediate physical state of H2O -- a frozen plasma, hard and granular and as enticing as a big hill of road salt.
Also, check out his blog here.

The second writer is the brilliant Gene Weingarten and his Below the Beltway column.
You can get your last Barry fix in his column. Apparently Gene was Dave's editor at the Miami Herald, and the one who "discovered" him. He's well worth a read.
Even better then his columns, at least sometimes, are Gene's online chats. Check out:
Chatological Humor every Tuesday.
Unfortunately these endorsements are unpaid, but you can take them for what they are worth.
They definitely help get me through the week. Enjoy!

Kindness

So dating is the big topic of today's blog. I suppose I've been in a bit of a dry spell, as they say. I broke up with a really nice girl when I went to the UK two years ago, and haven't really dated anyone seriously since then. I don't regret going to the UK, and although I didn't want it at the time, it was probably a good idea that we split up. It would have been tough having an overseas relationship, and it probably would have made my trip to the UK feel less complete, having someone that I loved back in the states.
However, the past is the past and I am now single, and back in the United States. Like many in the world of the blog, I have joined jdate, the Jewish dating service. I'm slowly doing things in town in order to meet more people, and just enjoy life.
I have not had fantastic results with jdate. I've managed to meet some really amazing people who don't live in Madison, but that of course is difficult to turn into something serious. One never knows of course.
That brings me to my main point. It's interesting looking over the jdate profiles, in the "ideal match" column. People look for sense of humor, someone who is easy going, likes to have fun, independent, active, intelligent. Mostly, the typical mix of stuff. Some people mention appearance of course, which is fine.
For me, it's of course a mix of those things. I couldn't imagine being with someone who couldn't laugh, both at herself and at the world around her. More importantly, I'd need someone who could make me laugh as well. Intelligence is good. Someone who reads and is driven by intellectual pursuits is definitely important, and it helps to relate to my more geeky side. Physical appearance has some place as well. You want to be able to look at someone and just kinda melt into them. To be honest though, the more you get to know someone and like them, the prettier and sexier they become. Those little quirks and expressions that only they have become really endearing.
I think one of things that's missing from most profiles was kindness. It is one of the most overlooked virtues of all. Without it, wit becomes bitter sarcasm. Intelligence becomes academic. Physical attraction is merely skin deep. If you're not with someone that cares deeply for you, and indeed for other people, why stay with them? If theyre I'm not just talking about being "nice". Being likeable, or friendly are good qualities, but deep compassion, and caring go well beyond those things. If it's something more of us sought out, perhaps it would be easier to find.

Evolving Common Sense

In 2002, in Cobb County, Georgia the school district appended stickers to it's biology textbooks. These stickers are now being removed. According to this New York Times' story:

ATLANTA, Jan. 13 - A federal judge in Georgia has ruled that schools in Cobb County must remove from science textbooks stickers that say "evolution is a theory, not a fact" that should be "approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered."
Clarence Cooper of Federal District Court, wrote that the stickers, perhaps inadvertently, "convey a message of endorsement of religion," violating the First Amendment's separation of church and state and the Georgia Constitution's prohibition against using public money to aid religion.

Finally, some common sense! The judge's opinion gives the legal reasons for removing those stickers, but I'd like to address it from a more general approach.
Those stickers are all kinds of wrong. First of all, all science "should be approached critically, and with an open mind." That's the way science works: You have an idea, you test it, people argue about it, you modify your ideas and test it some more. Everything is done critically, and one should accept nothing on faith. That's why it is called science. From what I understand, it is religion that sometimes has the problem with criticism, not science.

Secondly, this whole business about evolution being a theory and not a fact is completely misleading, if not downright wrong. It is explained eloquently in this FAQ from the Talk Origins web site, but I'll quote a few excerpts. The radical Oxford English Dictionary defines a scientific theory as: "a statement of what are held to be the general laws, principles, or causes of something known or observed." The idea that organisms have descended from common ancestors is on par with the earth revolving around the sun or the theory of gravity. What is debatable, or less understood, however, "are questions about the mechanism of the observed changes... how did evolution occur?". These questions are what science is most effective at addressing. Scientists can make hypothesis and then perform experiments to evaluate those hypothesis. Ideas can be argued and changed. Yes, ideas that were thought to be true in the past get refuted, but only with proper evidence and thought. Evolution is a theory in the strict, scientific definition of the word. And yes, it is not 100% certaintly true. But at this point, anyone who considers themself a scientist understands it to be true, even if the mechanisms are not completly understood.
Finally, to address the issues of teaching about "An intelligent designer" or creationism in school biology classes. Science classes teach science, not religion. You cannot design an experiment to test whether evolution occurred under the guidance of an intelligent designer. You can show very clear evidence to refute creationist ideas about the age of the earth, but of course cannot challenge the idea of God itself. I'm all for discussing and learning about religion, and religious diversity should be celebrated. The place to do it, however, is not in a science class.

Bloggers Block

So here i am, probably at the same position many of you bloggers have been in: I'm staring at an empty posting screen, thinking of something to write. So perhaps just this once I can use writer's block as a topic to write about.
It seems amazing to me now, that the people that write columns for a living, must stare at a blank screen much more often than I do. Of course, they have a bit more accesss to sources, and are usually talking to others about news, politics, romance, Tom Cruise, and reality tv in their newsrooms, but so what? I talk about similar topics in my workplace as well. The exception of course is that they don't pay me for it. They should though. Today, we had a deep and involved conversation at lunch today about the available "documentaries" at the local video store.
But it amazes me that some writers can come up with coherent, intelligent, and even eloquent columns two or three days a week. This blog is my first attempt at writing something on a regular basis, and I realize these aren't the most riveting posts. I can't even do them regularly!!!
Oh well, I suppose this is one of those things that improves with practice (on can only hope).
Anyway, have a happy day, and I'll write to you soon faithful readers.

A prairie

One of my favorite NPR radio shows (yes radio) is A prairie Home Companion. It's based out of Minneapolis, although it does travel a bit, and his hosted by Garrison Keillor. He sings, he probably dances (I'm guessing since it's radio), he tells jokes, but best of all, he tells stories.
Most of his stories involve the fictional town of "Lake Wobegon" Minnesota: "where the women are strong, the men are stronger, and all the children are above average". He speaks in slow, hushed tones and throughout his tales he gently makes fun of the Midwestern/Lutheran mentality. His satire is gentle though, and it is clear that although he makes fun of this way of life, he dearly loves it.
What is it that fascinates me about this show? Well, I remember visiting with my sister and bro-in-law, who are huge fans of the show. One of their friends was over, and we were cooking diner and just hanging out. When one of Garrison's "News from Lake Wobegon" stories came on, all of us stopped what we were doing, grabbed our beers, and sat around the radio to listen. His humorous, captivating, and bitter street stories drew us all in, and for 10 minutes, we silently sat and listened to the radio. Few TV shows that are that captivating. So, tune in on your local NPR station, or listen in from his website.
And of course, don't forget to stop by the Chatterbox cafe on your way through town.

Winter Weather Fun

We had our first major snow storm of the year on wednesday: It snowed about 9 inches over a 36 hour period. Now, that's not a huge amount of snow, but it's plenty to cover the roads and cause some havoc. It was also enough for me to take my cross country skis out for a go through a few of the parks in madison.
Now, as anyone who grew up in the Washington DC area knows, DC area natives are instilled with a natural fear of snow. If the forecasts mention more than an inch, then the supermarkets are cleared to the last can of spam, thousands of people buy 4-wheel drive SUV's, and the entire city closes down and prepares for armegeddon. It's great fun, as long as you don't have to go out into the weather.
So, because of my upbringing, I'm terrified of driving in snow. I love walking in the snow. I don't mind the cold weather. I love to ski, and the excuses to drink hot tea and chocolate, but I just can't face the daunting potential of skidding, or being skidding into. I think my greatest fear is driving along an interstate and not seeing a patch of black ice. The thought of skidding while driving 65 is just frightening.
However, the longer I live in this icebox of a state, the more I have to face the fact that I'll need to drive in the bad weather. Madison doesn't shut down for a few inches of snow. I can walk to many places, but I'm just going to need to get out in it every once in a while. You can learn how to avoid skids and slides, and if you get stuck, people are generally amazingly kind at pushing you out. I think it's part of what makes northerners so nice. They've all been stuck and will always need help. You Betcha!
Oh well, it' s just a bit of an adjustment. But for now, I'm off skiing!

Ordinary People

I just rented the 1980 film version of the book, "Ordinary People" by Judith Guest.
The book is a favorite of mine: I really poignant (wow I actually used the word poignant) story about a family recovering from the death of one of their sons. It's also about communication, and emotion, and most importantly the brilliant psychiatrist shares my last name.
I was a bit reluctant to see it actually. A bad movie can ruin an amazing book. Sometimes, though, it's hard to understand exactly why. Just a few moments ago, I read the dialogue of the last scene in the film. The dialogue was almost identical between the two, yet for some reason it didn't quite work in the movie. It's not that Timothy Hutton and Donald Sutherland are bad actors. There was just something about the lines that didn't quite work on film. It felt cliche, forced, almost hokey.
When I reread the book, the text seemed fresh, alive, and powerful.
Movies can have good dialogue. They can develop characters, tell us about thoughts, feelings and emotions, but of course they have to do it differently than books. The movie in general is very good at moving the plot along without resorting to voice overs, and that is impressive, given that so much of Ordinary People is about thought and emotion. Perhaps I wouldn't have felt the same way if I hadn't read the book so many times as well.
I suppose my main point is read the book. The writing is astounding. You feel you like you know the characters, you can talk to them, interact, relate to their problems and emotions. It really moved me, and that is part of what reading is all about.

Welcome Home Charlie

Well, I was going to write some long, deep summary of 2004, and I still might, but I realized that was taking a great deal of effort, so instead I'll write about something brand new for 2005. On december 31st, I adopted Charlie, a 5 year old cat. He's almost pure black, touched by two specks of white on the front of his coat. He's a bit scrawny too, but once he starts eating happily I'm sure he'll gain some weight.
He's the cutest cat in the world, and when he's in the mood is wonderfully sweet. Last night he spent most of the night jumping over me, jumping off the bed, and then running around the bed and hopping up the other side. I eventually had to ignore him in order to get to sleep.
It's amazing. I've been around cats all my life, but this is the first time I've been the one in charge. I picked him out. I bought his gear, and I'm the one in charge. For those who have never owned cats, then you probably can't appreciate how amazing a bond it is. I don't think it's the same as owning a dog: The cat isn't trying to please the owner. It's more that you and the cat are working together, except that as much as you think, he's really in charge. Also, every cat bonds and interacts differently. And most cats treat their owners entirely differently than strangers. So, if you've never had a cat, pick one up at your local humane society. Be prepared to fall in love!