When I was about 5 or 6, I can remember lying in bed at night and just listening to the sounds of the house.
Like you would hear creaks and bumps and other such sounds, and that was all very normal.
But some nights, I heard something different.
Sometimes while breathing through my nose, I would hear what to me sounded like faint whispers.
No words could be understood, but in my child mind, I had this image of a female news reporter and the idea came to me that I was hearing a radio.
The catch was that the sound was coming from my nose.
One night while this happened, I went downstairs to see my dad and I asked him if he could check my nose and see if he saw a radio.
Like a good father, he checked and he did not make me feel dumb or stupid for asking. He looked up my nose and told me that he didn't see anything and that satisfied me and I went back to bed.
In time I stopped hearing this "Radio" and I have not thought it for years.
In this, I can see a blue print for my life as an adult.
I experienced something strange, I did some investigating to find the cause, and when I find evidence that indicates its just my imagination, I accept that and move on.
If only we were all so lucky.
- Sent From My Blackberry
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
My Journey Into Skepticism - The Night I Saw A UFO
It was a warm August night. I was about 9 or 10 at the time, and I was sitting at a camp fire with my dad and my dad's friend Michelle.
It must have been past 10 at night, the sky was quite dark and it was a clear night.
Michelle looks to her left and she mentions that she sees 2 lights that are very close to the horizon. Much closer then any of us had seen before.
My memory gets a little fuzzy at the point, but we somehow convinced ourselves that it was not a star, or a planet, or a plane, or anything else. By definition, the lights were UFOs, and we were afraid.
I remember that my other aunts, uncles, cousins and neighbours or were around were all called over and had a look at these lights.
I myself remember looking at the lights for many hours. I remember how after looking at the lights for a while, I would notice them flicker red and white.
At first I thought it indicated that these were spacecraft and not stars, because stars don't flicker red and white.
However, I looked at the stars in the big dipper, and I started to notice that same red and white flicker
I started to look at every bright star and they all did the red and white flicker.
I then realized that the flicker must be just my imagination causing my eyes to see something that was not there.
At some point during the night, the excitement died down and everyone went to bed.
The next night, I looked for the lights we saw the night before, and they did return.
The lights were still in the eastern sky, but this time they were not so close to the horizon. They were higher up in the sky, but the relative distance between the lights never changed. It was as if the entire night sky was slightly shifted.
That was when I realized that the lights we saw were not UFOs. They had not moved relative to each other, they had only moved higher in the night sky.
It could not be a planet, as it would have moved. It could not have been a ship, unless it was a ship that never moved in 24 hours expect slightly higher in the sky.
So I decided that it was a star and not much was ever said about it again by my family.
But I can still remember back to that first night, and the feeling of my legs shaking in fear of these lights. I could feel the fear in everyone that night, and this fear was caused by nothing more then 2 stars a little low on the horizon.
It must have been past 10 at night, the sky was quite dark and it was a clear night.
Michelle looks to her left and she mentions that she sees 2 lights that are very close to the horizon. Much closer then any of us had seen before.
My memory gets a little fuzzy at the point, but we somehow convinced ourselves that it was not a star, or a planet, or a plane, or anything else. By definition, the lights were UFOs, and we were afraid.
I remember that my other aunts, uncles, cousins and neighbours or were around were all called over and had a look at these lights.
I myself remember looking at the lights for many hours. I remember how after looking at the lights for a while, I would notice them flicker red and white.
At first I thought it indicated that these were spacecraft and not stars, because stars don't flicker red and white.
However, I looked at the stars in the big dipper, and I started to notice that same red and white flicker
I started to look at every bright star and they all did the red and white flicker.
I then realized that the flicker must be just my imagination causing my eyes to see something that was not there.
At some point during the night, the excitement died down and everyone went to bed.
The next night, I looked for the lights we saw the night before, and they did return.
The lights were still in the eastern sky, but this time they were not so close to the horizon. They were higher up in the sky, but the relative distance between the lights never changed. It was as if the entire night sky was slightly shifted.
That was when I realized that the lights we saw were not UFOs. They had not moved relative to each other, they had only moved higher in the night sky.
It could not be a planet, as it would have moved. It could not have been a ship, unless it was a ship that never moved in 24 hours expect slightly higher in the sky.
So I decided that it was a star and not much was ever said about it again by my family.
But I can still remember back to that first night, and the feeling of my legs shaking in fear of these lights. I could feel the fear in everyone that night, and this fear was caused by nothing more then 2 stars a little low on the horizon.
Friday, June 15, 2012
My Journey Into Skepticism - The Easter Bunny
Back in 1987, I was in the first grade. I remember one morning my father had driven me to school.
We were sitting in the car before the morning bell rung and, I’m not sure how the conversation started, but we talked about the Easter Bunny. I can’t remember now if this was near Easter or not, but the timing doesn’t matter so much now. (I was wearing a coat, so the weather fits as being close to Easter.)
That morning before school, I was talking to my dad about doubts I had about the Easter Bunny. He explained to me that the Easter Bunny was more of the spirit of Easter and not a real person.
So I asked about the candy that was left out during the night, and my dad explained how it was him and mom who put the candy out, but the spirit of the Easter Bunny helped.
In my mind I had this image of my parents putting eggs on the couch and then some candy would magically float and be put in places. This was my idea of how the spirit of the Easter bunny worked.
In one 10 minute conversation, my idea of a magic bunny hiding candy in my house was replaced with the idea that my parents hid the candy, but an invisible spirit helped them in some way.
Eventually the bell rang and I ran off to school. I remember my father warning me not to tell the other kids what I had learned and spoil Easter for them, but I was a 6 year old, so of course I told my friends.
I remember the first person I told. His name was James and we were hanging up our coats in the coat room and I asked him “Did you hear that the Easter Bunny isn’t real?” and he replied “Yeah I know and the Tooth Fairy is fake too.”
I believe this was the moment I started my path towards skepticism.
Even though I did tell some of my friends, my father’s warning about not spoiling Easter stuck with me too.
It made me think I had some secret knowledge and that not everyone was able to handle this knowledge. I was somehow smart enough to know this, while many of my friends where in the dark and kept believing in something I knew was fake.
I don’t think my father ever thought this at the time, but it was this reasoning that lead me to question God and the Bible many years later.
Thursday, June 07, 2012
The War On Crying
My son has been putting up a bit of a fuss at bedtime. He likes to cry and whine when put to bed, because he would rather stay up and play.
I decided my approach to his bedtime was not working, so I turned to the government as a model.
I want to control crying in my child the same way the government wants to control a person's use of drugs, so I started "The War On Crying"
I passed a law in my house that crying is prohibited between then hours of 7 pm and 6 am. I told this to my son, but he still cried at his bedtime (which is 7 pm). I explained to him that the punishment for breaking the law is that he won't get dessert tomorrow after dinner.
He stilled cried, but the War On Crying is working, I just need to try harder.
So I pass a law banning crying between 6 pm and 7 am, and I also make it illegal to cry at anytime above 80 decibels. I also increase the penalty so instead of just losing dessert, I take away his bedtime toy.
He still cried, so I took his toy away and he cried even harder. The War On Crying must be working, I just need to try harder.
I decided that even letting him cry during the day was setting a bad example, so I passed a law banning all crying. Yes this will definitely work, my son will get the message now, and if he doesn't I just take away more toys and privileges.
To my amazement, he still cried. So I had no choice but to take away toy after toy and stop letting him have any treats or desserts. I don't understand this, but this just made him cry more and more.
Where did I go wrong? I made the laws harsher, I made the punishment worse, but my son still cried.
It's almost as if you can't change someone's behavior by passing laws, but that can't be true.
Why would we waste our time with a War On Drugs if it didn't work?
I decided my approach to his bedtime was not working, so I turned to the government as a model.
I want to control crying in my child the same way the government wants to control a person's use of drugs, so I started "The War On Crying"
I passed a law in my house that crying is prohibited between then hours of 7 pm and 6 am. I told this to my son, but he still cried at his bedtime (which is 7 pm). I explained to him that the punishment for breaking the law is that he won't get dessert tomorrow after dinner.
He stilled cried, but the War On Crying is working, I just need to try harder.
So I pass a law banning crying between 6 pm and 7 am, and I also make it illegal to cry at anytime above 80 decibels. I also increase the penalty so instead of just losing dessert, I take away his bedtime toy.
He still cried, so I took his toy away and he cried even harder. The War On Crying must be working, I just need to try harder.
I decided that even letting him cry during the day was setting a bad example, so I passed a law banning all crying. Yes this will definitely work, my son will get the message now, and if he doesn't I just take away more toys and privileges.
To my amazement, he still cried. So I had no choice but to take away toy after toy and stop letting him have any treats or desserts. I don't understand this, but this just made him cry more and more.
Where did I go wrong? I made the laws harsher, I made the punishment worse, but my son still cried.
It's almost as if you can't change someone's behavior by passing laws, but that can't be true.
Why would we waste our time with a War On Drugs if it didn't work?
Monday, June 04, 2012
Bloomberg's Utopia
I was watching the 1993 movie "Demolition Man" the other day and I found an intereesting scene in the movie
John Spartan was just released from prison and his first request is for a cigerette.
He was then told that "Ah, smoking is not good for you, and it's been deemed that anything not good for you is bad; hence, illegal."
They then go on the list everything that is illegal:
"Alcohol, caffeine, contact sports, meat, bad language, chocolate, gasoline, uneducational toys and anything spicy. Abortion is also illegal, but then again so is pregnancy if you don't have a licence. "
Then it hit me.
This is New York Major Michael Bloomberg's utopia
Lets just look at a list of Ban's Bloomberg supports
- 32oz drinks - anything not good for you is bad; hence, illegal.
- Trans fats - anything not good for you is bad; hence, illegal.
- Second hand smoke - anything not good for you is bad; hence, illegal.
- Alcohol - anything not good for you is bad; hence, illegal.
- Salt - anything not good for you is bad; hence, illegal.
Maybe the Edgar Friendly character said it best
"I've SEEN the future. Do you know what it is? It's a 47-year-old virgin sitting around in his beige pajamas, drinking a banana-broccoli shake, singing "I'm an Oscar Meyer Wiener". "
Is that the future you want to live in? The future we want our kids to live in?
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
What is best for me?
It seems like a lot of people in this world are looking out for my best interests, whether I want them to or not.
If I smoke cannabis, the government is nice enough to take away my freedoms, take away my property and give me a criminal record for life. Isn't that nice of them?
If I give my son cookies in his lunch for school, the school is nice enough to send the cookies back uneaten with a nice letter explaining what are good snacks and bad snacks and how I'm a bad parent for giving my child cookies. In the future they may even be nice enough to call children's aid to report my "indiscretion"
If I allow customers to smoke cigarettes in my store, the government is nice enough to give me a $5,000 fine. It doesn't matter what type of ventilation system I use. Clearly the science on ventilation is not yet clear or why else would they deny me the ability to smoke in a ventilated work place, for my own good.
It seems that the last person who knows what's best for you, is you.
Who knows what's best for you?
When someone gets a ticket for failure to wear a seat belt, do you think " serves them right, the law is only there to protect you. The law knows what's best."
Of course its best for someone to wear a seat belt. Only someone who rejects logic and reason would not want to wear a seat belt, and people who reject logic and reason need to be protected from themselves.
Does that sound reasonable to you?
Of course everyone should get vaccinated. Only brainwashed people would deny vaccines and we can't let brainwashed people hurt themselves or others. There ought to be a law saying everyone should get vaccinated.
Would you agree with this statement?
If you agree with both statements above, then you know what is best for people.
I don't feel that way
If someone refuses to wear a seat belt, they should not get a ticket. If they die its there life to lose.
If someone wants to run a business that allows smoking, I don't see why I should stop them. I don't agree with them so I won't shop in that store and they can go bankrupt
I know the classic argument against this is "The Cost To Society" and its a scary argument when you look at it.
What is society? How do we define harm or cost to society?
Is my suicide a harm to society due to lost productivity and last tax revenue?
Is my alcoholism a cost to society due to absenteeism at work and a lost of productivity for the company?
How far down does this rabbit hole go?
I think the best advice I could give is:
No one knows what's best for you, and you don't know what's best for anyone else.
It might be a strange world at first, but it might be worth a try.
- Sent From My Blackberry
If I smoke cannabis, the government is nice enough to take away my freedoms, take away my property and give me a criminal record for life. Isn't that nice of them?
If I give my son cookies in his lunch for school, the school is nice enough to send the cookies back uneaten with a nice letter explaining what are good snacks and bad snacks and how I'm a bad parent for giving my child cookies. In the future they may even be nice enough to call children's aid to report my "indiscretion"
If I allow customers to smoke cigarettes in my store, the government is nice enough to give me a $5,000 fine. It doesn't matter what type of ventilation system I use. Clearly the science on ventilation is not yet clear or why else would they deny me the ability to smoke in a ventilated work place, for my own good.
It seems that the last person who knows what's best for you, is you.
Who knows what's best for you?
When someone gets a ticket for failure to wear a seat belt, do you think " serves them right, the law is only there to protect you. The law knows what's best."
Of course its best for someone to wear a seat belt. Only someone who rejects logic and reason would not want to wear a seat belt, and people who reject logic and reason need to be protected from themselves.
Does that sound reasonable to you?
Of course everyone should get vaccinated. Only brainwashed people would deny vaccines and we can't let brainwashed people hurt themselves or others. There ought to be a law saying everyone should get vaccinated.
Would you agree with this statement?
If you agree with both statements above, then you know what is best for people.
I don't feel that way
If someone refuses to wear a seat belt, they should not get a ticket. If they die its there life to lose.
If someone wants to run a business that allows smoking, I don't see why I should stop them. I don't agree with them so I won't shop in that store and they can go bankrupt
I know the classic argument against this is "The Cost To Society" and its a scary argument when you look at it.
What is society? How do we define harm or cost to society?
Is my suicide a harm to society due to lost productivity and last tax revenue?
Is my alcoholism a cost to society due to absenteeism at work and a lost of productivity for the company?
How far down does this rabbit hole go?
I think the best advice I could give is:
No one knows what's best for you, and you don't know what's best for anyone else.
It might be a strange world at first, but it might be worth a try.
- Sent From My Blackberry
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