"Scientists hail creation of cloned embryo"and I thought it said:
"Scientists create clone of hail embryo."The second headline makes sense, in a cloud microphysical sort of way, but it would be even more of a surprise than the first headline, because it's so hard to duplicate the structure of ice!
Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R) yesterday vetoed legislation aimed at forcing Wal-Mart to provide its workers with more adequate benefits. That wasn't a surprise - Ehrlich is the standard "corporate whore in politicians clothing" that now occupies many of our nation's highest public offices.
What is shocking, however, is how open he was about acknowledging that Big Business pulls all of the strings when it comes to public policy. As the Los Angeles Times notes, "Eduardo Castro-Wright, chief operating officer of Wal-Mart stores USA division, stood at the Republican governor's side as he signed the official veto." The photo ... captures it on film - Ehrlich is waving after the veto, as Wal-Mart's CEO prowls behind him.
I suppose I could cancel the Brisbane trip entirely, but then the touring company would revel in their windfall of nonrefundable US$ 1325.00. I would go to great lengths, even travelling halfway across the world, to deprive them of that pleasure!
What I want from the touring company is some say regarding when I travel to Australia. I'd hate to be forced to travel there in early June, if Kylie were to reschedule her concerts for two weeks after I'd leave, and there'd be nothing I could do except to pay for another quick trip to Australia, for another US$ 1325.00!
Many prayers for good news and a speedy recovery! Meanwhile, I must content myself with this:
Minogue is insistent that her tour is only postponed, not cancelled. Her tour's promoter, Michael Gudinski, who has been Minogue's friend for 20 years and one of the first outside her family to learn of her condition, said: "All the equipment will be staying in Australia and hopefully we'll be able to reschedule the dates pretty soon. But there's no pressure. We can't hypothesise but we'll see in a couple of weeks."
In Kansas, criticisms of evolutionary theory have been accompanied by a direct philosophical assault upon the nature of science itself.
Kansas’s previously proposed science standards had appropriately defined science as "the human activity of seeking natural explanations for what we observe in the world around us." Anti-evolutionists want to change this language to the following: "Science is a systematic method of continuing investigation, that uses observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, logical argument and theory building, to lead to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena."
This may seem harmless at first glance. But the change carefully removes any reference to science's search for natural explanations in favor of “more adequate” explanations, creating a opening for creationists to insert the supernatural. Such a change reflects the fact that the new generation of anti-evolutionists has launched an attack on modern science itself, claiming that it amounts, essentially, to institutionalized atheism. Science, they say, has a prejudice against supernatural causation (by which they generally mean “the actions of God”). Instead, the new anti-evolutionists claim that if scientists would simply open their minds to the possible action of forces acting beyond the purview of natural laws, they would suddenly perceive the weaknesses of evolutionary theory.
...scientists since the Enlightenment have seen fit to distinguish between supernatural beliefs based on faith or metaphysics and scientific findings based on observed evidence and inferences about natural causation. Such inquiry is technically termed "methodological naturalism," more commonly known as the "scientific method." It has quite a successful track record over the years, from medicine to nuclear science.
But methodological naturalism deeply offends today's anti-evolutionists. Because the theory of evolution is perceived to have contributed to the undermining of religious belief, the intelligent design movement has taken to arguing that the theory itself betrays a deep philosophical prejudice against God and the supernatural. Hence, they seek to overturn not just evolution but methodological naturalism itself.
...The Boston Globe's Nina Easton effectively refuted the argument equating evolution with atheism with a single article: A profile of Kansas scientist Keith Miller, an evangelical Christian who says he was "called by God to be a geologist" and who has been a leading critic of the new attacks on evolution, including in his book Perspectives on an Evolving Creation (a collection by Christian evolutionists). "Science does not affirm or deny the existence of a creator," Miller told Easton. "It is simply silent on the existence or action of God."
As Miller's words suggest, while evolution may well suggest atheism for some people, it does not suggest it to all. The atheistic conclusion is itself philosophical, not scientific -- as is the theistic conclusion, for that matter. That's crucial to bear in mind, because attacking science as atheism isn't just wrongheaded; it's dangerous. Going down this road will only generate still more strife between the scientific community and the overlapping community of people of faith -- two groups we should be bringing closer together rather than driving further apart.
Blood was everywhere. Sailors lay sprawled across the floor, several of them unconscious, others simply dazed. Even the captain was asking, "What just happened?" All anyone knew for sure was that the nuclear-powered attack submarine had slammed head-on into something solid and very large, and that it had to get to the surface fast.
In the control room, a senior enlisted man shoved the "chicken switches," blowing high-pressure air through the ballast tanks to force the vessel upward. Usually, the submarine would respond at once. But as the captain, Cmdr. Kevin G. Mooney, and top officers stared at the depth gauge, the needle refused to budge....Ten seconds passed. Then 20, 30.
"I thought I was going to die," Commander Mooney recalled.
...The submarine crashed at top speed - 33 knots, or roughly 38 miles an hour - about 360 miles southeast of Guam. The impact punched huge holes in the forward ballast tanks, so the air being blown into them was no match for the ocean pouring in. The throttles shut, and the vessel briefly lost propulsion. As the emergency blow caught hold, mainly in the rear tanks, the sub was just drifting in the deep, its bow pointing down.
Luckily, the thick inner hull protecting the nuclear reactor and the crew's quarters held. But within was pandemonium - bodies pinballing, heads striking steel in the warren of lethally sharp surfaces in impossibly tight spaces. There was so much blood on the instruments and on the control-room floor that the place, Chief Hager said, "looked like a slaughterhouse."
Quite a 'Dream'
Superb lead actor highlights strong local production of 'Man of La Mancha', By Bev Sykes, Enterprise drama critic, Published: May 11, 2005.
Director Jan Isaacson's Davis Musical Theatre Company production of "Man of La Mancha," which opened Friday at the Varsity Theater, is quite good.
Dale Wasserman's Broadway hit, with music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, is a musical drama — a play within a play within a play — that tells the story of Miguel de Cervantes, thrown into prison while awaiting examination by the Holy Inquisition for having the effrontery to foreclose on a church that had not paid taxes.
Cervantes' fellow prisoners hold their own Inquisition — a mock trial — and accuse the writer of being, among other things, an idealist and a bad poet. If "convicted," he will lose his belongings, which consist primarily of an unfinished manuscript and a trunk of theatrical costumes and props.
In his defense, the author proposes that he act out the story of the manuscript, using other prisoners to fill in the roles.
Cervantes' manuscript is the story of Alonso Quijana, an idealistic old man who imagines himself to be living in Medieval times as an errant knight, Don Quixote de La Mancha, who travels the countryside fighting beasts and rescuing damsels in distress: "He ponders the problem of how to make better a world where evil brings profit and virtue none at all; where fraud and deceit are mingled with truth and sincerity."
The delusional Quijana, who promises not to allow wickedness to flourish, is an embarrassment to his respectable family.
Without a commanding Cervantes, a theatrical company has no "Man of La Mancha," and Isaacson has it a gold mine with DMTC newcomer Byron Westlund (who played this role at Cabrillo Stage, in Aptos). Westlund is tall, rugged and stately; he has a rich baritone and is an excellent actor. What more could one want?
As Sancho Panza, Cervantes' manservant, Ryan Adame gives the character an endearing boyish enthusiasm.
Quixote sees things as he wants to see them, not as they really are. Thus a windmill becomes a giant beast to be attacked, and a country inn becomes a castle. Aldonza, the serving wench and town whore, becomes the lovely "Dulcinea," a fair lady whom Quixote insists on treating with dignity, gentleness and respect; he thus becomes her protector.
Lauren Miller is a world-weary, jaded Aldonza, confused by the eyes through which Quixote sees her. Miller has a bit of trouble with her high notes, but otherwise gives a strong performance. Her rape scene is disturbingly effective.
Other noteworthy performances include Steve Isaacson as the "Governor" of the dungeon, who doubles as the innkeeper who agrees to make a knight of Quixote, and dubs him "Knight of the Woeful Countenance."
John Hancock gives a high-powered performance in the dual roles of the Duke and Dr. Carrasco who — along with J.D. Diefenbacher (the Padre), Dannette Vassar (the Housekeeper) and Emily Beal (Antonia) — sings the delightful "I'm Only Thinking of Him."
The ensemble is strong, and particularly lovely in the harmonies for the gentle "Little Bird, Little Bird."
Steve Isaacson's set design exhibits better production values than the usually struggling company sometimes is able to afford, and the lighting — also designed by Isaacson, and run flawlessly by first-time technician Julie Kuhlman — dramatically sets the scene of an underground dungeon, with a window at ground level through which fog can be seen. The lighting is particularly dramatic when steps are lowered to permit new prisoners to enter the dungeon.
Long-time company costumer Jean Henderson turns out her usual collection of good-looking costumes, all appropriate to the period.
The 15-piece backstage orchestra produces a full sound that nicely accompanies the on-stage events. Ben Wormeli, the on-stage guitarist, complements the action quite well.
"Man of La Mancha" continues through May 29.
Copyright, 2005, The Davis Enterprise. All Rights Reserved.
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