Michael Shermer, and CFI Toronto

So, we went to the Shermer talk, which was basic but interesting on how people tend to believe the most fantastical of things when it's just evolutionary blips hardwired into most of our brains to see images where there are none, to attribute things to the realm of ghosts and gods.

I am not entirely wired like that, for several examples, I could not see what the rest of the audience saw till it was pointed out. ( Especially those visual optical illusions. Some: fwoosh, I just don't see. A backtracking of stairway to heaven, even after the "supposed lyrics of satanic sort were up, I still only heard "cyborgs like flowers."

Even with those magic eye posters, I lacked the ability to "see" what everyone else did.

Some ways this is good. I don't think I tend to see what isn't there, to mentally fill in images and sound and ascribe it to things not there. ( I don't assume the smudge on the window is the virgin mary, just a smudge.) But I KNOW people who've fallen for the fantastical sort of things.

It was pretty cool. But the people who need to hear this won't ever do so.

It amazes me that people would willfully deny science, reason, logic, and would rather it flushed down the loo of history in favor of a very very badly clobbered together book chock full of contradictions. The bible isn't science. I wish people didn't try to force it as such.
( I don't care if people want their religion, but there's a good many who think it's the only thing.)

At the reception after, we had a great time chatting with a few people, who lo, didn't sneer at us being a CFA! engaged in intelligent discussion, at home after we asked "do we come off as frantic yorkies starved for attention", for it sometimes feels like our social skills got stifled in Halifax because we just didn't talk to people at all. ( we stopped short of leg humping, I should note, we're not that desperate.)

On the way home we saw a MASSIVE fecking raccoon, too. I snapped a quick photo because I thought he might come kick my ass.

I have an abundance of new shiny rings to work with, and once I walk the dog and maybe a snack run at the grocery, that and some housecleaning are about the plans I have.

Monday I am meeting with Dylon Whyte, for shop talk of chainmail and whatnot.

In 10 weeks here I've met more people and attended more events than ever in 2.5 years in halifax. It's slightly mindblowing. And not one dirty sneer of Oh, you're....from away.

actually, mostly it's been a very enthusiastic and cheerful "welcome to Toronto! Hey, there's a great coffee shop in your neighborhood," or some such.

Michael Shermer, and CFI Toronto

So, we went to the Shermer talk, which was basic but interesting on how people tend to believe the most fantastical of things when it's just evolutionary blips hardwired into most of our brains to see images where there are none, to attribute things to the realm of ghosts and gods.

I am not entirely wired like that, for several examples, I could not see what the rest of the audience saw till it was pointed out. ( Especially those visual optical illusions. Some: fwoosh, I just don't see. A backtracking of stairway to heaven, even after the "supposed lyrics of satanic sort were up, I still only heard "cyborgs like flowers."

Even with those magic eye posters, I lacked the ability to "see" what everyone else did.

Some ways this is good. I don't think I tend to see what isn't there, to mentally fill in images and sound and ascribe it to things not there. ( I don't assume the smudge on the window is the virgin mary, just a smudge.) But I KNOW people who've fallen for the fantastical sort of things.

It was pretty cool. But the people who need to hear this won't ever do so.

It amazes me that people would willfully deny science, reason, logic, and would rather it flushed down the loo of history in favor of a very very badly clobbered together book chock full of contradictions. The bible isn't science. I wish people didn't try to force it as such.
( I don't care if people want their religion, but there's a good many who think it's the only thing.)

At the reception after, we had a great time chatting with a few people, who lo, didn't sneer at us being a CFA! engaged in intelligent discussion, at home after we asked "do we come off as frantic yorkies starved for attention", for it sometimes feels like our social skills got stifled in Halifax because we just didn't talk to people at all. ( we stopped short of leg humping, I should note, we're not that desperate.)

On the way home we saw a MASSIVE fecking raccoon, too. I snapped a quick photo because I thought he might come kick my ass.

I have an abundance of new shiny rings to work with, and once I walk the dog and maybe a snack run at the grocery, that and some housecleaning are about the plans I have.

Monday I am meeting with Dylon Whyte, for shop talk of chainmail and whatnot.

In 10 weeks here I've met more people and attended more events than ever in 2.5 years in halifax. It's slightly mindblowing. And not one dirty sneer of Oh, you're....from away.

actually, mostly it's been a very enthusiastic and cheerful "welcome to Toronto! Hey, there's a great coffee shop in your neighborhood," or some such.

Anti Intellectualism: what's the point in doing science?

Some days, I have to wonder. Obama's seen as Too Intellectual. Scientists are accused of not being 100% correct, all the time and accused of thinking we're 100% right, and 99% just isn't good enough. No wiggle room there. ( even poor Darwin's writings are shredded as "he didn't get everything right", such a feat for his time if he could have had access to genetic sequencing and isotopic dating. ( FYI: my genetics labs were great fun, PCR and genetic recombination experiments.)

Instead, it's creationism! Homeopathy! Ghosts and herbs and paranormal!

I want to believe that most people support science but some days it's PAH! what has science EVER done for us! ( Oh, cellular phones, antibiotics, birth control, chemo, airplanes, kevlar, your darn computer! safe childbirth, antiseptic surgery...nothing important AT ALL)

The age of the kindly country doc who sits down with you for a good hour long chinwag is...long over. Most people don't need that. Frankly, it's a bit selfish to accuse doctors of not caring, or that they want to harm you, and they don't see patients as people! they don't chinwag anymore! ( never mind all those other people who would like some expedient attention for an ailment, it's ALL about you!)

40% of americans "don't believe in evolution". THat is, the very basic underlying concept in biology. It's not something one can choose to believe as if it's a faith. There's evidence. It happens ( hello antibiotic resistance, TB and HIV drug resistance, the ever changing flu viruses....)

Some days, I think the most ardent anti science supporters ought to be plopped on a remote island, and left there, perhaps with a radio to inevitably summon help, and just see how long they'll last. Oh no, no antiseptics! no bandaids! What plant to eat? ( thank you human knowledge and science!) Ghosts won't help you here. ( People seem to barely function on Survivor, clamoring for that which modern life offers.)

So while I occasionally wonder, why even bother with science, if people are so quick to cast us as demonic forces trying to ruin the universe...( this isnt the plan, and they didn't pay me to say it), I will keep working on my degree.

Anti Intellectualism: what's the point in doing science?

Some days, I have to wonder. Obama's seen as Too Intellectual. Scientists are accused of not being 100% correct, all the time and accused of thinking we're 100% right, and 99% just isn't good enough. No wiggle room there. ( even poor Darwin's writings are shredded as "he didn't get everything right", such a feat for his time if he could have had access to genetic sequencing and isotopic dating. ( FYI: my genetics labs were great fun, PCR and genetic recombination experiments.)

Instead, it's creationism! Homeopathy! Ghosts and herbs and paranormal!

I want to believe that most people support science but some days it's PAH! what has science EVER done for us! ( Oh, cellular phones, antibiotics, birth control, chemo, airplanes, kevlar, your darn computer! safe childbirth, antiseptic surgery...nothing important AT ALL)

The age of the kindly country doc who sits down with you for a good hour long chinwag is...long over. Most people don't need that. Frankly, it's a bit selfish to accuse doctors of not caring, or that they want to harm you, and they don't see patients as people! they don't chinwag anymore! ( never mind all those other people who would like some expedient attention for an ailment, it's ALL about you!)

40% of americans "don't believe in evolution". THat is, the very basic underlying concept in biology. It's not something one can choose to believe as if it's a faith. There's evidence. It happens ( hello antibiotic resistance, TB and HIV drug resistance, the ever changing flu viruses....)

Some days, I think the most ardent anti science supporters ought to be plopped on a remote island, and left there, perhaps with a radio to inevitably summon help, and just see how long they'll last. Oh no, no antiseptics! no bandaids! What plant to eat? ( thank you human knowledge and science!) Ghosts won't help you here. ( People seem to barely function on Survivor, clamoring for that which modern life offers.)

So while I occasionally wonder, why even bother with science, if people are so quick to cast us as demonic forces trying to ruin the universe...( this isnt the plan, and they didn't pay me to say it), I will keep working on my degree.