Very interesting article (from one of the people I’m trying to emulate – in a much smaller way) about Peak Oil Pessimism here.

I think his ‘Transition Town Totnes’ initiative is precisely what Mersea should be doing – and Totnes is really rather similar to Mersea in many ways.

The Independent has an interesting collection of questions to Richard Dawkins from readers, with answers from him, here.

It is a reprise of an exercise that they did six or seven years ago (and which I quote from in the beginning of my book).

I would want to ask a different type of question. Dawkins has a daughter, to whom he writes some advice at the end of his ‘Devil’s Chaplain’ book. I would want to ask something along the lines of: if your daughter was unhappily in love, is there anything that you would want to say to her as a scientist? In other words, is there anything in science which could be drawn from in order to be of human use to someone loved?

I don’t believe that there is. All scientific knowledge is ultimately trivial and useless (that is – what is of interest is how to use the knowledge – the knowledge itself is, by definition, meaningless). The widespread acceptance of the opposite is the tragedy of our time, and the doom of our civilisation.

“We feel that even when all possible scientific questions have been answered, the problems of life remain completely untouched.” (Wittgenstein, Tractatus 6.52)

The Ranter tagged me.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Puts them under the tree.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Coloured lights on tree.

4. Do you hang mistletoe on house? Yes.

5. When do you put your decorations up? about 10 days prior to the day.

6. What is your favorite holiday meal (excluding dessert)? Turkey with everything.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Lots. Probably making a huge snowman when I was about 11.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? When I was about 5, courtesy of my cynical elder brother.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Tinsel, baubles, angels.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? No.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Don’t really have one (as in, I like them all).

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? The family meal.

17. What tops your tree? An angel.

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? Giving

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O come all ye faithful.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or yummy? yuck

21. Favorite Christmas Movie? Gremlins.

22. What would you most like to find under your tree this year? A new form of energy.

23. Favorite Holiday memory as an adult? Tobogganing in Wales with some friends.

Tag:
Psybertron (because I know he hates them 😉
MadPriest
Andrew
Byron