Judge rules against ID

Finally, a bit of SENSE from someone! This particular judge's description of 'Intelligent Design' is spot-on: "a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory". I don't necessarily disagree with the idea of creationism, and nor do I brush off Darwin's evolutionary theories (in other words, I'm undecided). However, I have been opposed to the concept of ID in classrooms since I first heard about it.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10545387/


Also, I highly recommend you read Barbra Streisand's latest online statement.
http://www.barbrastreisand.com/statements.html#bushlies

...race riots

The PM, in a very stoic Menzies-like manner, has denied that there is any underlying racism in this country. Spare us your bullshit, John, with which we are already so familiar. Yeah, I actually don't feel like posting another angry entry at the moment. I don't know... Disillusionment is taking me over. There is so much idiocy on this planet.

Meryl Christmas

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Political Test

Sarah's Today's Apathetic Youth allowed me to find the Oz Politics Test. Though it has not been scientifically tested, it's still good to do. It gives you a general idea of which political parties suit your thinking the best, and which school of political thought you belong to (ie. Far Left, Centre Right, etc.). I'm very pleased to announce that my scores in each of the categories (Political Outlook, Economic Policy, Social Policy, Traditional Values) equate to the Left. I was expecting either Left or Centre Left, so I'm happy with my result. I recommend the test. And I'd like to know what others get. Come on everyone, join me and my friends. Marilyn had a higher IQ than Albert Einstein and, yes, a leftie she was.

http://www.ozpolitics.info/blog/index.php?page_id=206

Enjoy the rest of the week. And to my fellow Brisbanites, I suffer with you in this weather.

My Favourite Film: Results

Here are the results from the ABC's My Favourite Film, in which everyone in Australia had the chance to vote for their all-time favourite film...

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2. Amelie
3. Blade Runner
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. Donnie Darko
6. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
7. Pulp Fiction
8. The Princess Bride
9. Gone With The Wind
10. Fight Club

The top 100 can be seen at http://www.abc.net.au/myfavouritefilm/top100.htm

I voted for The Hours.

The final ten is a very interesting line-up and, surprisingly, not entirely predictable. It's great to see the superb Amélie at number 2. And The Shawshank Redemption is very deserved of a place at 4. Numbers 8, 9 & 10 are the only others on the list that I've seen (though Donnie Darko is on SBS this week, so I'll try to catch it). I've seen the first Lord of the Rings, but not the trilogy, so that doesn't really count.

And on the subject of pop culture, Madonna's new single Hung Up is very, very good.

I'd also like to say to all the people who look forward to summer, who can't wait for summer during the other seasons, who prefer heat & humidity rather than chills & coats... You have no right to complain. In fact, I don't want to see any of you escaping into air-conditioned buildings. You leave those to us, the winter-embracers and summer-loathers. Heat = help us.

Moby on the milestone

Moby, December 2nd 2005, NYC:

today is a shameful day in america. today is the day that the 1,000th person will be executed in america since the death penalty was re-instated in the 1980's. most of our allies banished the death penalty long ago, for most of our allies have long recognized that the death penalty is implemented arbitrarily and capriciously(question: how many wealthy, white people with good legal teams have been executed in the last 20 years?). and now we know that a significant percentage of the 1,000 people who've been executed were in fact innocent. and by 'significant percentage' i mean any percentage more than 0%. the death penalty is inherently barbaric, and it's barbarism is only enhanced by the fact that innocentpeople have been put to death. as i said, today is a shameful day in america. moby
______________________________________________
I really think governments worldwide need to seriously consider whether there is any place for capital punishment in 2005. And if Australians are going to campaign against Singaporean laws, then they should also campaign against the regular beheadings and public whippings in places like Saudia Arabia... Not to mention the frequent issuing of the death penalty in the United States and other countries.