Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Elijah, Disappointing Election Results, and Getting a Grip

From what I've heard, quite a few folks in America feel like this:
  • 'Everybody except me has turned away from God!'
  • 'They've silenced all the other believers!'
  • 'And now they're after me!!'
The presidential election last week didn't come out the way I wanted. I'm disappointed: but not discouraged.

That's partly because I've read about Elijah:
"He replied, 'I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. But the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.' "
(1 Kings 19:14)
Elijah was not having a good day.

He wasn't alone, though. There were at least 7,000 left in Israel who hadn't gone along with the latest thing in spiritual fashions. (1 Kings 19:18) More to the point, God wasn't done with Elijah yet. (1 Kings 19:15)

When the dust settled, the score was: Elijah, 1; Jezebel, 0. (2 Kings 2:11, 2 Kings 9:30-33)

America, Hope, and the Big Picture

I think the next few years in America will be anything but tranquil. I'm cautiously hopeful, though, for reasons I've discussed before:

"Short Term," "Long Term," and Really Long Term

I'm an American, so "long term" can mean planning for late 2013. We're a mildly frantic people.

I'm also a Catholic, so "long term" can mean planning for eternity. (August 27, 2011) I'll get back to that.

A Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead

A man said "I am God" about two millennia back. Then:
  • The authorities had him executed
    • Publicly
    • Between two criminals
  • He was
    • Pronounced dead
    • Buried
    • Mourned
  • He stopped being dead
After that remarkable come from behind victory over death, I think it's prudent to take Jesus seriously.

Worry-Free, No; Final Victory, Yes

Jesus didn't guarantee a worry-free life for anyone. He did, however, give us a few assurances:
"And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, 13 and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."
(Matthew 16:18)
"11 Then Jesus approached and said to them, 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

"Go, therefore, 12 and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,

"teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 13 And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.' "
(Matthew 28:18-20)
My Lord broke the power of sin and death, (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, Philippians 2:8, Romans 5:19-20; Catechism, 411, 420, 654, 1505)

Jesus told disciples, wannabe and otherwise, to "...follow me...."1

Then my Lord marched through Hell. (Ephesians 4:8-10; Catechism, 631)

Remembering that, I think I can put up with disappointing election results.

That He ... Might Make Men Gods"

In a sense, life is the ultimate high stakes game. Depending on what I do with my life, I'll spend eternity with God: or not. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 988-1014)

I'd intended to discuss this bit from the Catechism today:
"The Word became flesh to make us 'partakers of the divine nature':78 'For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.'79 'For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.'80 'The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.'81"
(Catechism, 460)
We don't get the abilities, the attributes, of God. Catechism, 460, is talking about our being given a divine nature.

That reminds me of Genesis 1:27, among other things. I've mentioned this attribute/nature thing before:
There's more to say about divine nature, eternal life, and the grace of God. (Catechism, 1996, for starters) But that will wait for another day.

Related posts:
1 "Follow me:" Matthew 16:24-25; Matthew 19:21; Mark 2:14; Mark 10:21; Luke 9:23, 9, Luke 18:22; John 1:43; John 21, 19.
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Sunday, November 11, 2012

An Election; Looking Back; Looking Ahead; and Getting a Grip

As I said (wrote?) on Google+: "Good citizenship isn't blind obedience, and freedom isn't being told what we may believe, and what we may not." (November 9, 2012)

That referred to a post I'd written earlier:

Citizenship: On Sunday?

Today is Sunday, the day I write about being Catholic.

From some points of view, this post should be full of nice platitudes, or musings that stay comfortably disconnected from practical issues: 'spiritual' stuff.

I don't see a problem with nifty slogans, or digging into big-picture stuff like "the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence." (oxforddictionaries.com) But I don't intend to be like these folks:
"Some people are so heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good."
(Attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes)
Someone who is a Catholic, and part of the laity, doesn't have the option of being "no earthly good."1 (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 898)

Worship, Prayer, and the Duty of Citizens

"It is the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom...."
(Catechism, 2239)
I'm expected to take an active part in public life and be a good citizen. (Catechism, 1915, 2239-2240)

That includes voting: but sometimes means not following the lead of government leaders. (Catechism, 2242)

An Election

The United States re-elected President Barack Obama a few days ago. I'm disappointed, and concerned, but I'm not discouraged. I discussed some of my reasons last Sunday:
"An 'Objective Moral Order' "
(November 4, 2012)

"...It took my native country decades to produce the mess we have today. I'll be pleasantly surprised if respect for human life and religious liberty are restored quickly: but I expect that it will be a long process...."

Looking Back

I think it helps that I remember another awkward period in America's history:
"HHS Mandate, Catholic Bishops, and Foster Auditorium"
(February 12, 2012)

"...a half-century ago, America was being run by folks who were desperately clinging to the worst of a set of ideas that had been more popular in their youth.

"Today, America is being run by folks who are desperately clinging to daft ideas that were more popular in their youth. It's another set of people, with another set of ideas: but I see the same general pattern...."
(February 12, 2012)
It had taken nearly two centuries and a major war to sort out the mess left by the Dred Scott decision. Correcting major flaws in a society takes time.

Looking Ahead

Maybe it will take less time and fuss for America to learn that:
  • Human beings are people
    • All human beings
    (Catechism, 1700-1703, 2270)
  • Innocent people shouldn't be killed
    (Catechism, 2258)
  • Religious freedom is vital
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104-2109)
    • For everybody
      (Catechism, 2106)
I certainly hope so.

Getting a Grip

I don't want an America that's pretty much like the one I grew up in. My memory is too good.

I also don't expect institutions and attitudes to change overnight.

The way I see it:
  • The 'good old days' weren't
  • Change happens
  • Change can be good
  • Things take time
Not expecting quick results is not the same as not caring: and that's another topic.

Related posts:
More-or-less philosophical stuff:
1 Some Catholics decide to live in cloistered religious orders. I see it less as avoiding the real world, and more like volunteering for a front-line outfit. More about the Catholic Church's special units:
My vocation is more conventional, and that's another topic or two.
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Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Election Night, 2012: Issues; Assumptions; and Responsible Citizenship

I usually write my Wednesday morning 'Bible and Catechism' post on Tuesday. That's not going to happen this week.

America's national election, and the issues at stake, threw me off-schedule. I see that October 24 was the last 'regularly scheduled' Wednesday post:
I skipped Monday's 'Caritas in Veritate' post, too. Instead, I shared opinions and a few definitions:
American news media has been busy, publishing articles about the President playing basketball with Scottie Pippen, and predicting that someone will end up being the next American president. I've put together what caught my eye:

Presidential Race Will Definitely be Won - By Someone

"Obama, Romney locked in tight race with battlegrounds too close to call"
FoxNews.com (November 6, 2012)

"Mitt Romney and President Obama each racked up early and expected victories Tuesday night in relatively safe territory, while some of the biggest battlegrounds that will decide the election remained too close to call.

"All the big swing states where polls have closed -- Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina -- were too close to call, Fox News projects...."
"US election: First results declared from some states"
BBC News (November 6, 2012)

"The polls have begun closing in the US presidential election, with the first results trickling in from some states.

"President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney have each taken several states, exit polls suggest, with no critical swing states awarded so far...."
I started writing this paragraph at about 8:00 p.m. Central, it was still 6:00 p.m. on the west coast: and 4:00 p.m. in Hawaii. Folks would be voting for a few more hours.

It is possible to make educated guesses about how the final counts will come out, based on early counts. But - and I think this is important - educated guesses aren't always correct.

Still, we've learned quite a bit since 1948, when a printer's strike, conventional wisdom, poll results, and possibly wishful thinking, made the Chicago Tribune famous.

From "Dewey Defeats Truman" to "Absurdly Early"

"Live: Obama has early lead; close in Ohio, Va."
David Jackson, USA Today (November 6, 2012)

"It's absurdly early, but: Republican Mitt Romney leads the popular vote by 51%47%, though only 1% of the vote is in.

"President Obama, meanwhile, has grabbed an electoral vote lead of 64-40 -- though no state is a surprise, and the two are locked in close battles in Ohio, Florida, and Virginia...."
This isn't 1948. For which I'm duly grateful.

All Candidates are Equal - Some More Equal Than Others?


(FoxNews.com, used w/o permission)
"Shown here is a mural of President Obama at a Philadelphia polling site before and after it was partially covered up following a judge's order." (FoxNews.com)
"Philly poll workers partially cover Obama mural after court order, leaving logo and quote in view"
FoxNews.com (November 06, 2012)

"Workers at a Philadelphia polling place, after being ordered by a judge to cover up a mural of President Obama 'in its entirety,' slapped up a few pieces of paper that only partially covered his image -- while leaving the Obama campaign logo and a quote from the current president in full view for voters...."
Maybe those three sheets were all the paper the folks running that Philadelphia polling place had. Maybe they hoped nobody would notice. Maybe something else was going on. I don't know.

Moving on.

Jobs, the Economy, and Exit Polls

"Economy's Fate a Central Concern of Voters"
The Wall Street Journal (November 6, 2012)

"Romney Tops Obama on Who Can Better Boost Growth, President Favored as Better for Middle Class, Exit-Poll Data Show

"Fears over the economy and unemployment were the central focus of voters who cast ballots in the presidential election Tuesday, with issues such as health care, the federal budget deficit and foreign policy rated far lower in importance.

"Exit polls showed that many voters see Mitt Romney as better positioned to fix the economy and President Barack Obama as having a better feel for the middle class and how to handle Medicare...."
I think this article is interesting. I also think exit polls give a very clear picture of what folks who have voted respond to exit polls.

"And Now, For Something Completely Different"


(From CNN, used w/o permission)
"photo of an iReporter Voting in South Dakota" (CNN)
"Open Story: 'I Voted' Election 2012"
iReport contributors, CNN (November 6, 2012)

"On Election Day, many polling stations hand out a sticker to signify that you cast your vote. It's not the most important thing about voting, but it's a fun and easy way to show that you took part...."
The 'I voted' stickers here in central Minnesota aren't quite as colorful as their counterparts in some areas, but they get the job done.



That's mine, stuck to a 'cheat sheet' I brought to the polling place. As usual, there were quite a few candidates and issues on the ballot. Writing down my choices before going to the poll helps me keep track.

Marriage and Minnesota Law

I think that "marriage" is a union between a man and a woman. Up to a few years ago, I had hoped that I could ignore the wackadoo referenda which stopped short of letting Americans marry their canaries. I was wrong. (June 23, 2010)

I'll get back to that issue.


I voted "yes" to defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. These signs were the bishop's idea.

Sex, Marriage, and Assumptions

I think that humanity comes in two basic models. That is not the same as wanting everybody to act as if it's 1950: and certainly doesn't mean that I hate people:
I've run into folks who were frightfully 'religious,' and who seemed to hate commies, homosexuals, Catholics, and rock music. I don't doubt that they were sincere. Their malignant virtue indirectly led to my becoming a Catholic, and that's another topic.

The Catholic Church says that emotions, by themselves, are okay. It's what we decide to do with them that makes emotions 'good' or 'bad.' (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1767)

I've had problems dealing with the emotion of anger, but anger isn't necessarily a bad thing:
"ANGER: An emotion which is not in itself wrong, but which, when it is not controlled by reason or hardens into resentment and hate, becomes one of the seven capital sins. Christ taught that anger is an offense against the fifth commandment (1765, 1866, 2262).
(A, Glossary, Catechism)
Maybe this sounds corny, but 'love the sinner, hate the sin' is pretty close to what the Church says. Bear in mind that I've got the teaching authority of "some guy with a blog." I strongly recommend reading the Catechism.

Bottom line, as a Catholic I'm not allowed to hate people. It's that simple:
"We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: 'He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.'612 Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren.613 To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called 'hell.' "
(Catechism, 1033)

Freedom, Citizenship, and Being Catholic

The Catholic Church has rules about being a citizen. I must:
  • Support religious freedom
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104-2109)
    • For everybody
      (Catechism, 2106)
  • Take an active part in public life
    (Catechism, 1915)
  • Contribute to the good of society
    • In a spirit of
      • Truth
      • Justice
      • Solidarity
      • Freedom
    (Catechism, 2239)
  • Submit to legitimate authorities
    • Refuse obedience to civil authorities
      • When their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience
      (Catechism, 2242)
    (Catechism, 2239)
    (June 1, 2012)
Being a Catholic means, among other things, that I can't just 'go with the flow.' Like it says in the Catechism, 2242, if civil authorities tell me to do something that is objectively evil: I should refuse. (Catechism, 2242)

Not obeying a rogue ruler has gotten people killed. (June 22, 2012) That doesn't change the situation, though. "I was only following orders" isn't an acceptable excuse: not in the final analysis. (June 26, 2012, May 20, 2011)

I'm hoping that America's national government will begin accepting the practical applications of these ideas:
If "murder is wrong" doesn't seem like a radical idea, consider this: as a Catholic, I think that human beings are people. All human beings. And that's another topic.

Related posts:
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Sunday, November 4, 2012

An Election, Citizenship, and Expectations

I had quite a bit to say this morning, mostly about voting and the November 6 election:
Voting is important. So is understanding issues, and having a sensibly-formed conscience.

Tolerance is important, too, and that's another topic or two.

I plan to be back tomorrow morning with a post about formal cooperation, material cooperation, "life unworthy of life," and American culture.

Meanwhile, here's another list of posts:
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Friday, October 26, 2012

Liberty, an Election, and a Rock on Mars

I'd be concerned if folks stopped trying to move to America. I think America benefits each time someone with new ideas and fresh enthusiasm comes to my native land.

I'll admit to a bias. My ancestors, not too many generations back, were 'foreigners' who decided that life would be better here. Their motives were a mix of hopes for a better standard of living, and a desire for the freedom to practice their faith without interference from the state.

The freedom to act as if religious beliefs matter is one of the big issues in the November election. I think religious freedom is a good idea: but again I'm biased. I think being allowed to act as if God matters is okay.

I also think that "freedom" doesn't mean "free to be like me." As a practicing Catholic, I must believe that:
  • Religious freedom is vital
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104-2109)
    • For everybody
      (Catechism, 2106)
Meanwhile, a robot is still exploring Mars: and that's another topic.
  1. Immigrants and a 'Foreign' Religion?
  2. A Little Martian Pyramid Named Jake

1. Immigrants and a 'Foreign' Religion?

"Voter scorecard informs Latinos about religious freedom threats"
Michelle Bauman, CNA (Catholic News Agency) (October 25, 2012)

"A group that works to offer a Catholic voice in the public square has released a new guide to inform Spanish-speaking voters of religious liberty concerns in the presidential election.

" 'Our Christianity - our religious fervor - is a huge part of our lives,' said Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie, director of Hispanic Outreach for the Catholic Association.

"She told CNA on Oct. 24 that Hispanic voters need to realize that the current administration 'has been aggressive' towards religion, conscience and the Church.

"Religion is 'intrinsically' part of the Hispanic way of life, she said, and 'it's too central to our culture to give that up.'..."
I could be wrong about this, but I suspect that some of the fury over immigrants from Latin America is rooted in a fear that America will lose the "P" in WASP.

America hasn't been most 'Anglo-Saxon' for several generations: but at least newcomers looked 'Anglo.' Many were Protestant, safely secular, or willing to keep quiet about their 'foreign' beliefs.

Folks who look like me or my ancestors could, in principle, learn to speak with an American accent, wear suitably drab clothing, and pass for 'regular Americans.' Many of today's immigrants don't have that option. Maybe it's time for America to get over trying to be 'British,' and that's not quite another topic.

Out of the Frying Pan - - -

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire" means: "If you get out of one problem, but find yourself in a worse situation, you are out of the frying pan, into the fire." (UsingEnglish.com)

If Americans decide that religious freedom isn't as important as giving the current administration four more years, folks who came here seeking that freedom may feel that they'd have been better off 'back where they came from.'

Which reminds me of a few decades back, when [whatever we're supposed to say when referring to Apache, Cheyenne, Lakota, and the other folks who'd been living in North America for 20,000 years or so] finally got America's government to recognize treaties signed in the 19th century. Whew! That's a monster of a sentence, but I think you get the idea. Moving along.

This 'regular American' supposedly said 'if those Indians don't like it here, why don't they go back where they came from?

It was funny, sort of, at the time.

Back to an issue today's immigrants, and many others, should take very seriously:
"...President Obama is given a failing grade for his policies, including the federal mandate that requires employers to offer health insurance plans covering contraception, sterilization and abortion drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences. Romney is given an 'A+' for his actions and pledges to uphold religious freedom.

"Growing up largely in Mexico with parents from Cuba, Christie said that most Hispanics in the U.S. 'have left their countries because of a lack of freedom' in the economic, political or religious realms...."
(Michelle Bauman, CNA)
I think Americans have gotten used to the idea that an American doesn't have to be pale.

A Tradition We Can Do Without

On the other hand, I still run into folks who seem to think that "American" and "melanin-deficient" mean the same thing. I also run into the same old antipathy for Catholics and Catholicism from time to time.


(Chick Publications, via FoxNews.com, used w/o permission)

From ''Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty'', 1926. Published by the Pillar of Fire Church in Zarephath, NJ. Copyright was not renewed.
(Pillar of Fire Church, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
"From ''Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty'', 1926. Published by the Pillar of Fire Church in Zarephath, NJ...."


(From Thomas Nast Portfolio, Ohio State University, used w/o permission.)
"The American River Ganges, a cartoon by Thomas Nast showing bishops attacking public schools, with connivance of Boss Tweed. Harper's Weekly, September 30, 1871." (Wikipedia)

In a way, anti-Catholicism is an old American tradition. Which is why I don't think that old ideas are necessarily good ideas: and that's yet another topic. Topics.

2. A Little Martian Pyramid Named Jake

"Curiosity Rover's Pet Mars Rock 'Jake' Unlike Any Seen on Red Planet
Clara Moskowitz, Space.com (October 11, 2012)

"A rock on Mars being studied by NASA's Curiosity rover is unlike any Martian stone ever seen, and is surprisingly similar to an unusual, but well-known, kind of rock on Earth.

"This type of rock is the first of its kind encountered on Mars and is helping broaden scientists' understanding of how igneous rocks form, scientists said today (Oct. 11). The rock, named 'Jake Matijevic' in honor of a Curiosity mission team member who died in August, is a 16-inch-tall (40-centimeter) pyramid-shape specimen that Curiosity encountered at its landing spot in Mars' Gale Crater...."
A rock that's not quite knee-high for many folks isn't, by itself, newsworthy. What makes 'Jake' special is that it's on Mars, and the first of its kind found on that planet.

Martian Prospecting

Curiosity's work on Mars includes scooping up bits of Martian soil, shaking them, and sending back videos of the process:
Silly as it may sound, that's a pretty good way of seeing what the soil is like.

Back to 'Jake:'
"...'The spectrum that we're seeing was not what I expected,' said APXS principal investigator Ralf Gellert of Canada's University of Guelph. 'It seems to be a new type of rock that we've discovered on Mars' that wasn't seen by NASA's previous Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

"Jake appears to have higher concentrations of elements such as sodium, aluminum and potassium, and lower concentrations of magnesium, iron and nickel, than other igneous rocks studied on Mars.

"... While previously unknown on Mars, this type of chemical composition is seen in a rare but well-studied class of rocks on Earth. On Earth, such specimens are found on oceanic islands such as Hawaii and in other places. They are thought to form when interior rocks melt to form magma, which then rises toward the surface. As it rises, it cools, and parts of the material crystalize, preferentially selecting some elements while leaving a remainder of liquid magma that is enriched with the left-behind chemicals.

"However, the researchers said it's too soon to know whether the Jake rock formed this same way.

" 'This is based on one rock and one has to be careful not to extrapolate,' said Edward Stolper, provost of Caltech and co-investigator on Curiosity's science team. 'You have to wait and see if we find others and if relationships among them give us clues into the processes.'..."
(Clara Moskowitz, Space.com)
If this was science fiction movie from the 'good old days,' we'd probably have seen a Martian princess and/or hideous monster by now.

But this isn't "Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster" (1965). It's real. And, I think, at least as exciting.

A Healthy Interest in God's Creation

As for how I can be interested in science and be a Catholic, I've been over that before. Fairly often.

Basically, I think God is smarter than I am, more powerful, and apparently has no problem with big numbers. Besides, I don't see a point in giving us curiosity, if we're not supposed to be curious.

The way I see it, not showing an interest in this marvel-filled creation would be a strange way of showing respect for God.

Besides:
"...the things of the world

and the things of faith

derive from the same God..."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 159)

Related posts:
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Friday, October 19, 2012

Alpha Centauri, Freedom, and Me

This post is not about the World Series. Baseball is very much in the news, though:

Science, Religion, and a Hairball

I think this comic strip is funny. Your experience may vary:


(Wiley Miller's Non Sequitur, used w/o permission(October 15, 2012))

I haven't run into anyone who believes that the universe is a divine hairball. I have, however, encountered folks who seem convinced that:
  • Religion
    • Depends on
      • Ignorance
      • Superstition
      • Credulity
    • Opposes
      • Science
      • Reason
  • Science
    • Depends on
      • Lies
      • Immorality
    • Opposes
      • Religion
      • Morality
Remarkably, quite a few painfully religious folks seem dedicated to convincing the rest of us that Christianity really is threatened by what's been learned since about 1850.

Deliberately ignoring what's being discovered about creation seems silly to me, and a strange way of showing devotion to God.

More of my take on science, religion, and all that:

Issues and an Election

About two and a half weeks from now, November 6, Americans have an opportunity to vote.

This election is particularly important, since the incumbent American administration seems reluctant to let people act as if God matters. There's also the matter of allowing people to live, even if they're not healthy and mature:

This Week's News: My Take

  1. Alpha Centauri, Planets, and Life
  2. Life, Liberty, and Elections

1. Alpha Centauri, Planets, and Life

"Earth-Size Planet Closest to Our Solar System: By The Numbers"
Tariq Malik, SPACE.com (October 17, 2012)

"An alien planet discovered around a star in the Alpha Centauri system, the nearest to our own sun, has astronomers buzzing, and not just because it's the closest exoplanet to Earth ever seen.

"The newfound extrasolar planet Alpha Centauri Bb, it turns out, is not only the nearest alien world to Earth, it's also extremely Earthlike in size and mass. The planet is much too hot and too close to its parent star to support life, but its existence suggests the tantalizing possibility that there may be more planets waiting to be found in our neighboring star system.

"Here's a look at the numbers behind the newfound alien planet Alpha Centauri Bb:...

"3.6 million: The distance, in miles, at which the planet orbits its parent star Alpha Centauri B. This is much closer to the star than Mercury is to our sun. Earth is 93 million miles (150 million km) from the sun...."
The list of known exoplanets, planets around a star other than ours, is in the hundreds and growing: rapidly. Alpha Centauri Bb is special because it's so close, and very nearly the same mass as Earth.

"Close" is a comparative term. Alpha Centauri A, B, and C are a 'nearby' trio of stars on a galactic scale. Light only takes about four and a quarter years to travel from there to here.

Compared to the size of our home galaxy, that's almost in our back yard. Even a star 20 light years away, like Gliese 581, is 'nearby.' (August 3, 2012)


(from Department of Physics, University of Oregon, used w/o permission)

On this scale, each pixel is well over 100 light years across. Sun and Gliese 581 are in the same pixel.

Life and Assumptions

Saying that Alpha Centuari Bb "is much too hot and too close to its parent star to support life" is accurate, provided that we're talking about "life as we know it:" the sort of nucleic acid/protein (O) in water variety here on Earth. That's the only sort of physical life we know about: and may be the only kind anywhere.

On the other hand, it's remotely possible that "life" doesn't necessarily need the chemical structures we're familiar with. A nearly-red-hot planet might be a very comfortable place for life using fluorosilicone in fluorosilicone instead of our organic mix. Or we may find critters made of lipid in hydrogen living in the borderlands of our own planetary system. (Drifting at the Edge of Time and Space (April 12, 2010)

Detected, Yes: Seen, No

It's been a long time since astronomers relied entirely on being able to pick out objects by looking up at the sky: with or without a telescope. Many exoplanets are discovered by looking for stars that wobble back and forth - very slightly - as their planets swing around them. That's how astronomers found Alpha Centauri Bb.
"Discovery! Earth-Size Alien Planet at Alpha Centauri Is Closest Ever Seen"
Mike Wall, SPACE.com (October 16, 2012)

"The star system closest to our own sun hosts a planet with roughly Earth's mass and may harbor other alien worlds as well, a new study reports.

"Astronomers detected the alien planet around the sunlike star Alpha Centauri B, which is part of a three-star system just 4.3 light-years away from us. The newfound world is about as massive as Earth, but it's no Earth twin; its heat-blasted surface may be covered with molten rock, researchers said....

"...Alpha Centauri Bb zips around its star every 3.2 days, orbiting at a distance of just 3.6 million miles (6 million kilometers). For comparison, Earth orbits about 93 million miles, or 150 million km, from the sun....

"...The research team, led by Xavier Dumusque of Geneva Observatory and the University of Porto in Portugal, spotted Alpha Centauri Bb using an instrument called the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher, or HARPS...."
Some announcements of exoplanets are disputed, and occasionally turn out to be a misinterpretation of noise in the data. This time, it looks like Alpha Centauri Bb is very real: but time will tell.

2. Life, Liberty, and Elections

"Archbishop Lori says attacks on life, liberty directly linked"
Michelle Bauman, CNA/EWTN News (October 15, 2012)

"There is an inherent connection between the right to life and liberty, said Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, and the faithful must be vigilant in defending against secularist attacks on both.

"We must recognize 'that a culture of life is also a culture of freedom and that a culture of death is a culture of oppression, indeed a dictatorship of relativism,' he stated....

"...'Indeed, wisdom tells us that the decisions facing us these days are not just economic,' said the archbishop. 'Instead, they go right to the heart of who we are, and they go right to the heart of our freedom to put into practice what we know to be true.'..."
Americans have an election next month. On of the very important issues at stake is whether or not all Americans have a right to stay alive: or whether we'll continue reserving that privilege for folks who are sufficiently mature and healthy to be considered 'real' people.

Viewing all Americans as people, and having laws that reflect that idea, may sound radical. I think all human beings are people, but recognize that not everyone shares my view.

Thinking that a human being is a person, no matter what some ruler says, is my personal opinion. More to the point, it's what the Catholic Church says.

Since I'm a practicing Catholic, I pay attention to what the Church teaches. Among other things, we're told to:
  • Respect human life
    • Because life is sacred
      (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2258)
  • Support religious freedom
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104-2109)
    • For everybody
      (Catechism, 2106)
  • Take an active part in public life
    (Catechism, 1915)
  • Contribute to the good of society
    • In a spirit of
      • Truth
      • Justice
      • Solidarity
      • Freedom
    (Catechism, 2239)
  • Submit to legitimate authorities
    • Refuse obedience to civil authorities
      • When their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience
      (Catechism, 2242)
    (Catechism, 2239)
    (June 1, 2012)
I realize that there are issues other than whether or not it's okay to kill innocent people. But I think the 'right to life' is important: because after a person is dead, other rights don't matter all that much.

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Friday, October 12, 2012

An Ancient Brain, Politics, and Searching for Life on Mars

Sometimes I get downright surly after wading through an election year's weird claims and emotion-drenched outbursts. (October 5, 2012)

The lofty-sounding 'I take no interest in politics' attitude isn't an option, though. As a practicing Catholic, I have to:
  • Support religious freedom
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104-2109)
    • For everybody
      (Catechism, 2106)
  • Take an active part in public life
    (Catechism, 1915)
  • Contribute to the good of society
    • In a spirit of
      • Truth
      • Justice
      • Solidarity
      • Freedom
    (Catechism, 2239)
  • Submit to legitimate authorities
    • Refuse obedience to civil authorities
      • When their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience
      (Catechism, 2242)
    (Catechism, 2239)
    (June 1, 2012)
Happily, I'm also allowed to enjoy the wonders, beauty, and vast horizons of this creation:
  1. Simple Critter with a Complex Brain, a Half-Billion Years Ago
  2. Paying for a 'Free Lunch'
  3. A Scoopful of Mars
One of the important issues in the November election is whether Americans will retain the right to hire assassins: and have their employers pay the bill.

The polite term for that right is "women's health care services." The right to kill young Americans is based on the tacit assumption that we don't become 'real' people until we're born.

I think putting a lower age limit on legal personhood is wrong, but I'm aware that many other Americans like the status quo:

Legal, Yes: Right, No

A particularly nasty bit of regulation is a mandate from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Employers will be forced to pay for lethal "health" services.

Some folks think this is a nifty idea. I think killing innocent people is wrong: but acknowledge that it's legal in this country.

I also think that more Americans are rediscovering the idea that something can be legal, but still be wrong:

1. Simple Critter with a Complex Brain, a Half-Billion Years Ago

I'm fascinated by this sort of thing: even if it doesn't make anyone's teeth brighter and whiter, improve gas mileage, or help some politico get elected.


(Xiaoya Ma, via LiveScience/FoxNews.com, used w/o permission)
"Fuxianhuia protensa, a 520 million-year-old fossil from China discovered to contain a preserved brain."
"This brain is half a billion years old"
Stephanie Pappasn LiveScience, via FoxNews.com (October 11, 2012)

"The oldest brain ever found in an arthropod - a group of invertebrates that includes insects and crustaceans - is surprisingly complex for its 520-million-year age, researchers reported Wednesday.

"The fossilized brain, found in an extinct arthropod from China, looks very similar to the brains of today's modern insects, said study researcher Nicholas Strausfeld, the director of the Center for Insect Science at the University of Arizona...."
I gather that there's been a lively discussion over how far back along the line in arthropod development the sort of three-part brain showed up. This very old arthropod, with its fairly complex brain, supports some ideas about that development: and makes others much less plausible.
"...'The rest of the animal is incredibly simple, so it's a big surprise to see a brain that is so advanced, as it were, in such a simple animal,' Strausfeld told LiveScience.

"The discovery suggests that brains evolved a complex organization early on in history, he added...."
(Stephanie Pappasn LiveScience, via FoxNews.com)

The Curious Case of the Three-Part Brain

This arthropod had a three part brain, apparently with the protocerebrum, deutocerebrum and tritocerebrum like the ones insects have today.

Vertebrates, critters that have their skeletons on the inside, have a three-part brain, too: except then it's called the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain, and the wiring is a bit different.

Maybe having a three-part brain goes back to some stage of development we haven't found yet. Maybe not.

Either way, as the fellow said, quite a few folks "don't like that idea:"
"This complex, insectlike brain suggests that rather than insects arising from simple branchiopods, today's arthropods descend from a complex-brained ancestor. Branchiopods would later have shed some of this complexity, Strausfeld said, while other crustaceans and insects kept it. In fact, he said, the brain may have evolved to segment into three parts very early on; mammals, including humans, have a forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain, suggesting a common organization.

" 'Lots of people don't like that idea, sharing a brain with a beetle, but there's good evidence suggesting that you do,' Strausfeld said...."
(Stephanie Pappasn LiveScience, via FoxNews.com)
Some ideas bother me, but not these:
  • Change happens
  • This creation
    • Is more than a few thousand years old
    • Has changed quite a bit since its beginning
  • God
    • Seems to think on a grand scale
    • Is more patient than I am
  • Human beings
    • Don't know everything
    • Are curious
      • Being curious is okay
    • Can learn
      • Learning is okay
The notion that religion and science are incompatible, and that God hates it when folks get curious, goes back to a Victorian-era gentlemen's snit: and I've been over that before. (July 5, 2011)

2. Paying for a 'Free Lunch'

"Red Lobster, Olive Garden cutting workers hours due to 'Obamacare' "
Mike Delrio, Jobs, examiner.com (October 10, 2012)

"Darden Restaurants Inc., the parent company of Atlanta area eateries Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse and Bahama Breeze, is cutting hours of full-time workers to shift them to part-time in an effort to reduce costs associated with health care reform.

"The Orlando-based company operates chains in other states that include Seasons 52, Eddie V's and Capital Grille.

"The Orlando Sentinel reported on Tuesday that Darden has stopped offering full-time schedules to many hourly workers, and is limiting workers to 28 hours a week in four unidentified markets 'to help us address the cost implications health care reform will have on our business.' The test program will determine whether it is a viable option in dealing with additional health care costs...."
One response to this news would be to rant about the capitalistic oppressors who won't be providing full-time employment. I won't do that, since I don't see letting folks learn a living as "oppressing" them.

Good News, Bad News, and Part-Time Work

My take on this situation is that folks who eat at Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and other Darden restaurants probably won't have to change their habits. It's unlikely, based on what the article says, that any of the eateries will have to close or reduce the number of hours that they're open.

For folks working at those places, it's another story. A cook, for example, who had been working full-time might now have a half-time job. That's bad news for the cook, good news for whoever picked up the other half of those shifts.

I suppose that a clever manager could 'fire' a full-time cook, hire the same cook back as a part-time employee: and hire the cook again as a part-time employee with a different name. Ethics aside, I'm pretty sure that there's a government regulation or two against that.

Economics and Ethics

"...Under the federal Affordable Care Act, known commonly as Obamacare, companies with at least 50 employees must provide health insurance, starting in 2014, to all those who work at least 30 hours a week. Those that don't will pay a penalty of $2,000 per uninsured worker after the first 30. It's not clear if any of Darden's Georgia restaurants are involved in the pilot program...."
(Mike Delrio, examiner.com)
We've been seeing logical consequences of the Obamacare, particularly the infamous 'kill or close' HHS mandate, for some time now.

Mike Delrio's article is in the Jobs section of examiner.com, so he focused on the economic angle of Obamacare. Like other government programs that look like a 'free lunch,' resources to run a 'free' service come from somewhere.

'There's no such thing as a free lunch' may sound corny, but it's true. Whoever eats the 'free lunch' may not pay a cent: but someone did.

The big problem with the Obamacare sort of "health care reform," from my point of view, is the ethics. America's national government's notion of "health care" includes what's euphemistically called 'women's health care services' includes killing people who are too small to run away or defend themselves.

3. A Scoopful of Mars

"Curiosity's First Scoopful of Mars "
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, via Video Gallery, Multimedia, NASA (October 7, 2012)

"This video clip shows the first Martian material collected by the scoop on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, being vibrated inside the scoop after it was lifted from the ground on Oct. 7, 2012. ... Churning due to vibration also serves to show physical characteristics of the collected material, such as an absence of pebbles. The scoop is 1.8 inches (4.5 centimeters) wide, 2.8 inches (7 centimeters) long."
NASA's website provides 'embed' code for this silent video, but their player is a bit too wide for this blog's format. This resized version looks okay on my computer screen, but your experience may vary:

I made a reduced-resolution copy and posted it on YouTube. If the resized NASA video doesn't display properly, this might. Or, not:

"A Scoopful of Mars"

Brian Gill, YouTube (October 11, 2012)
video, 3:32

I generally wouldn't be very interested in watching a few cubic inches of soil get shaken. What makes this video special is that the soil is on Mars:
That question - could living creatures have once lived on Mars - may not be answered after the Mars Science Laboratory mission has run its course. But we'll have more data than we did before Curiosity started its trek.

It's likely enough that Curiosity won't find definite proof that some sort of critters once lived on Mars. On the other hand, by this time next year: I may be reading about Martian microbes.

Either way, we'll have learned a bit more about Mars. I don't know whether we're standing on the only bit of rock in the universe that supports life: but as a practicing Catholic, I can't claim that there can't be other worlds.

For the last 735 years, saying that God couldn't have made more than one world like ours has been against the rules. (July 5, 2011)

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Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.