It's just a theory, who cares?

A friend at church loaned me a great book last week. Percival Davis', 'Of Pandas and People'. Now I'm not one to get too carried away with this whole debate over creationism and evolution, as far as my children go I've always been perfectly happy for them to learn evolution in school, even though I have my doubts about the theory, because I know that in order to succeed in life it is necessary to fit in.

School is about learning information in keeping with the majority viewpoint so that you can network effectively with your peers as an adult. If the great majority of educated people believed in creationism then I would be mortally disappointed to think my children were being taught a useless bundle of evolutionary information at school.

They can learn the information and facts at school but obviously they learn the truth at church.

The Bible is quite clear about how creation went along and I think that all these Americans carrying on about it being taught properly in schools are just lacking faith. The truth is obvious to most of us, the majority of Americans already believe in it and I think most Australians probably do as well. We don't need to have an education department confirm our beliefs because it's patently obvious that we are right.

All I want our schools to do is teach my children how to be successful and provide them with a piece of paper at the end saying how smart they are.

In fact, until I read this interesting book, I didn't even think the argument needed testing. Nonetheless, if you are feeling a little confronted by all the evolution propaganda out there I recommend this book thoroughly. Or, if you haven't made your mind up yet, make sure you read this, and the Bible to get a fair and unbiased foundation in the debate.

Of Pandas and People: The Central Question of Biological Origins

Labor leader's son is also a boofhead.

The media seems baffled by the resignation of both Premier Bracks and Deputy Premier Thwaites today. Most have tentatively suggested that, in Bracks' case at least it's down to his son being a boofheaded hoon.

Nick does appear to be an, 'absolute idiot', barely literate in fact as the following comments from his Myspace page demonstrate,

"Its was not a pretty site. im hurting.", the young lad managed to bash into his computer keyboard with his forehead.

Working class kids with money, absolutely offensive and grotesque. None of my children have ever had a Myspace profile.

Prior to his embarrassing car crash Nick, or "Bracksy" as he likes to be called, documented his three day drinking binge.

"Jasssssssssssson im p*ssed right now . . .", he explained on day three.

That said, however I don't believe this has anything to do with, 'family'. If I woke up one morning and found myself a member of the ALP I would resign too. Presumably, upon realising he alerted the error to his mate Thwaites who was equally startled to find himself also a member of the ALP and they both resigned forthwith.

We can only hope he can spend a little time helping with his sons obvious reading and writing difficulties. If the Victorian Labor Party actually cared about education then this tragedy may never have happened.

I should be posting something on my own son soon, so keep an eye on this blog.

Update: Bent My Wookie has this to say about Nick Bracks,

"Victorian Premier Steve Bracks' son Nick Bracks... is hot"

Absolute moron, but apparently the girls like him. It doesn't take much to impress the modern gal, just wax your chest (or have a naturally low testosterone count), get a girly haircut and you're set.

Tim Blair knows what he is talking about.

Tim Blair copy and pasted from a brief article in the Vail Daily today about a ski resort town in America that voted to impeach George W. Bush. He didn't actually have much to write about this event, I'm convinced that the more successful a blogger the less they actually need to write. Often Blair writes almost nothing!

As I'm quite new to this blogging thing I don't yet have the credibility to write nothing and still attract readers. That said, I read the article as well and think I can elaborate on Blair's post a tad, I hope he doesn't mind.

"Wasn't global warming meant to be the big threat to ski resorts? Turns out a greater danger is hatred of George W. Bush"

I have never heard of Telluride until Blair alerted me to it. In all fairness however I think it's well time that the term, 'ski resort' stopped being applied to any place with snow and a hill. Ski resorts are usually located in exotic locations and have little or no association with loopy councils passing meaningless motions about political issues they obviously lack the conceptual skills to grasp. A ski resort is something you will find in Europe, not amongst the yokels of hillbilly America.

I note, with some pity, that the article didn't bother explaining why the council has decided to vote that Bush be impeached. Blair didn't have the space to explain either in his one sentence post but the assumption is that they are upset with the president's war on terror. Quite possibly, though they may be just annoyed that Bush hasn't invaded more countries.

Janice commented on the article to say,

"Good. When reason doesn't work sometimes pain does."

Which is possibly true.

I have included a photograph of a man who may well be the mayor of Telluride.

You don't need a high IQ to know a good thing when you see it.

Was reading Matt Price's latest witticism in The Australian this evening. What a mind numbing post. He seems to think that Rudd and the ALP are much the same as Howard and the Liberals, only better.

How is it possible that a grown man can be paid to produce this sort of nonsense? If anybody knows please tell me, I'm quite certain I could be encouraged to write comparable nonsense under paid conditions.

Price wasn't even accurate,

"They've not yet lost an election but "not fair" is exactly how Coalition MPs regard their routine hammering in the polls"

Of course they've lost elections. It has never been pretty when it's happened, but obviously in Price Land the Coalition has been running Australia since federation. A suggestion that even a toddler could refute on the existing evidence of such offensive institutions as Medicare.

Nonetheless I was mildly interested in a comment by reader Jeremy the realist of Perth,

"I find it absolutely disgusting that one of Australia's most successful and historically significant leaders can be talked about with such disrespect by a bunch of halfwits and fools. I'm more then willing to bet that the average swine who harps on about 'little Johnny' and his ill ways has an IQ far below the average Liberal voter. Not a single one of my hard working engineer/lawyer/accountant/investment banker mates would ever vote Labor because we all paid attention during our economics lectures and know that Labors policies are riddled with holes. Howard has been consistent and skillful in his stewardship and anyone who votes out someone with his record of success is braindead"

That indicates a lot of 'braindead' people around the joint, and shows that Medicare has not only been a terrible economic and social policy but also has failed to provide appropriate healthcare. Unfortunately however Jeremy appears to be somewhat, 'braindead' because, sadly many of my friends (not the imaginary ones Jeremy has) are actually real, 'engineer/lawyer/accountant/investment banker mates' and some of them would never profess to possessing a high IQ.

Poor old Jimmy, I won't embarrass his family by releasing his surname, is so well known as an absolute twit that hardly a chance meeting with him proceeds without at least one absolute clanger. A mutual friend used to freeze a bottle of water during the summer so that, during the day the ice would melt and provide nicely chilled drinking water. Anyway, as the day progressed the ice would eventually end up floating like a large block in the water.

Jimmy noticed this one afternoon and asked, 'how the heck did you get that piece of ice in the bottle?'.

Well, we cracked up of course. Jimmy is a very successful barrister.

IQ has nothing to do with anything here Jeremy. Voting Liberal is about having class and commonsense, you don't need a high IQ to know the ALP and the Greens are little more than factory workers in a suit. And let's not forget that some ALP voters have high IQ's too.

Global warming strikes again.

Ballarat and large parts of central Victoria were carpeted in snow today.

First the drought breaks and now this? It must be hard being a global warming advocate these days with it being so ludicrously cold.

"A FREEZING snap has hit with snow falling, power use surging towards a winter record, and Melbourne shivering through the coldest day in nine years"
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22087365-661,00.html

Bleeding heart topics like global warming, ozone layer depletion and acid rain (in reverse chronological order) are just convenient issues for some people to associate with. Rather than get involved in genuine, serious issues, like drugs, terrorism, child abuse, alcoholism and other scourges of society where the common man can actually have an impact for good.

Instead of actually subscribing to a fight that might be hard or dirty, but actually achieve some genuine good, people can choose to simply subscribe to the global warming 'crisis' and then it's as easy as turning off a few appliances and installing low energy light bulbs.

By a lucky coincidence that also helps with the household finances and is kind of trendy right now too. What a perfect cause for the hip and savvy, all the feel good emotions without the blisters and the heartache.

And what's better about global warming as the cause of choice for so many is that, assuming it is real, it's so big there's nothing serious the average person could do to stop it. So, if it doesn't ever get any better then they can't be blamed.

Even better, if it could get any better for the easy cause subscriber, if the whole thing turns out to nonexistent, and man made global warming doesn't exist, then they can all pat themselves on the back and congratulate themselves for preventing it with their hard work and the low energy light bulbs.

Meet the Campbels. Our daughter.

It isn't easy raising children these days. My eldest daughter is studying her HSC this year, and is doing remarkably well if I do say so myself. I've already promised not to state any of the family names in this blog but all the same she was terribly unsure about me including a photo of her with this post, she agreed in the end as long as I promised not to implicitly identify it as her.

That said, the accompanying photograph may, or may not be of my daughter. And may or may not have been taken during our family trip to Switzerland for last years skiing season.

I sometimes think happy times like those are fleeting. When she was born it seemed like she would be my little girl for ever but now, on the cusp of university and womanhood I have come to cherish the times we remain as a family unit, under one roof.

Luckily we have been spared the problems so many have had to endure with their teenage daughters, but in fairness most of that is down to her good commonsense and Christian values. Of course I like to imagine that the wife and I played no small part in raising her to have the high self esteem and moral values that, the lack of which presumably play a part in teenage pregnancy, drugs and student politics.

As I write this post she is out with her friends from church after a busy morning of fellowship. One of the most uplifting things is to watch your daughter grow into a beautiful woman and we have all been blessed in that respect. Fortunately Miss Campbel has chosen to wait until she finishes university before she enters into a serious relationship with a boy, though I have noticed she spends quite a bit of time with a certain young lad from church.

Totally inappropriate as a potential husband, his father is in the building industry, but the wife says it's healthy for a young woman to experience innocent flirting. If it were up to me I would have a strong word with the youngster, he's not a bad kid, but obviously completely delusional if he thinks he stands a hope with my daughter. Of course, the wife says, she is mature enough to handle him effectively.

She enjoys horse riding, and is still a member of the local pony club, though she doesn't have much time for that these days. A very smart girl, I hope her siblings have half as much academic success. When she finishes university we expect her to find a husband with ease, she is a very attractive young lady after all, and settle down to raise a family.

Just yesterday she put her arms around me and said, "daddy, I'm so happy you are getting into the computer thing finally". "Why's that dear", I asked and she giggled, "so I will be able to email you when I'm in London next year".

Of course, she knows that we aren't all in the family entirely over the moon, so to speak, with her plan to spend a year in Europe on her own. It's hard enough to imagine her leaving home for university, especially since she wants to attend Melbourne Uni. But the wife and I prayed about it and decided that if she really wants to go then we might be able to accommodate her grand plans. She is such a mature young lady, it's heartbreaking yet makes me so proud at the same time to think she is becoming such a responsible and independent adult.

Democracy: too good for some.

Gerard Baker makes an interesting observation today in the Australian.

"DEMOCRACY, Winston Churchill famously observed, is the worst form of government ever devised - except for all the others. Well, he was right about the first part."

In other words, Democracy, 'is the worst form of government ever devised' end of discussion.It's hard really to disagree with him on that point. Democracy is giving the Republicans a hammering at the moment for their patriotic attempts to win the war on terror. Not long ago, in their first democratic election Palestinians elected Hamas, and the US quickly, and rightly refused to deal with the new government.

Look what else democracy has done for us. Whitlam and free education, Keating and the, 'recession we had to have', and possibly soon Rudd and the resurgence of the unions. Heaven help us, and I'm a Christian so I really mean it when I write that.

Democracy is fine when people vote the right way, but what about when they don't? Yesterday I had a bit of time to watch a group of young people outside a bar in the CBD and the thought suddenly occurred to me, 'my goodness, these people can vote'.

And this is where so many, including Baker get it wrong, it isn't democracy that fails but that anyone can take part in it. Some of you might suggest that this is the whole point of democracy but it certainly is not, it is a relatively new addition to democracy.

If a person is obviously too stupid to know what they are voting for then why on earth should we be expected to endure the governments they elect? They will always have Big Brother to vote on, unless we manage to get it banned, they would be happy. It isn't right to expect them to vote for both Big Brother and the federal election anyway, too stressful.