Archive for February, 2020

Government in Action

Feb

26

2020

It is a truth universally acknowledged that no one really likes to go to the SOS (or the DMV for those of you who are not Michiganders – it’s the Secretary of State). And for many years that was true.

Then in our previous administration we got someone in charge of the SOS who actually made an improvement. She brought the SOS up to modern times by allowing people to get in line via their phones, and to get updates via phones.

No more waiting at the government building! Check in online, and you only needed to head over to the SOS when they sent you a text. I could spend those 3 hours in line at work doing something rather than sitting in a hard plastic chair doing nothing. It was the best thing the SOS office had done in my lifetime.

But what about the internet? Surely being able to renew things online was a much larger accomplishment? Nope, and here’s why: they let you do things online that you could already do by mail. So it’s just a faster way of doing things remotely, but those things were already available to do remotely. The internet didn’t really change the things for which you had to go to the branch office. The online check-in changes the branch office experience.

They’re trying to help by adding more self-serve kiosks in more places like local stores. But those kiosks also don’t do things that you can’t already do online or by mail. Having SOS kiosks in every store across Michigan won’t put a dent in the wait times at the SOS office.

What they need to do, in addition to being able to use one’s cell number to wait in line of course, is to expand the things that can be done online. Every so many years, your license plate becomes invalid and you need to go in to get a new plate, instead of renewing online. Why? No one knows. And there must be other things that can be added to the online services.

What happened to the MI-Timeline? Why can’t I check in online anymore for the SOS? Why does it take so long to get an appointment? Good questions, and I can’t answer them. But you can help change the answer by going to the change.org petition to bring back the check in line online option.

What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should endure?

Job 6:11

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The Nature of Evil

Feb

21

2020

Why does God allow evil? Why does evil exist in the world?

Those are some questions that are a good combination of philosophy and theology.

I like to answer them with a different branch of study – physics.

The question of why evil exists is framed wrong, because evil does not exist – just like cold and dark do not exist.

“But!” you may protest, “I can see and feel darkness and coldness, so how can you say they don’t exist?”

Cold and dark are just the terms we have for lack of heat and lack of light. They do not actually exist as things in and of themselves. If they existed, you could produce them. No one can produce cold, and no one can produce dark.

If you could produce dark, you could make a flashdark that would “shine” a shadow wherever you pointed it.
If you could produce cold, you could make a refrigerator that would not have a heat byproduct.

Remember, refrigerators and air conditioners don’t make cold, they just transfer heat. That’s why the other side of it blows hot air – that’s the heat removed from the inside.

Also, if you could produce cold, there would be no absolute zero – you could always add more cold to make the temperature go down further.
There is also an absolute dark, with no light. But you can always add more light to make something brighter, and you can always add more heat to make something hotter.

That’s because light and heat are the things that do exist.

Evil doesn’t exist, it’s just the term we have for a lack of good. As a Christian, I would adjust that sentence to say “lack of God” because He is the source of goodness. If you disagree, then you’ll have to clarify where goodness comes from. If you don’t believe in God, then you should not be asking the question about evil because there is no fundamental right and wrong. “Evil” in that case can just be rephrased as “deviation from the cultural norms”.

Trying to find out what is causing the evil is like trying to find out what’s causing a room to be dark. There is no source of darkness; the solution is to bring in some light. If there’s too much evil somewhere, the solution is to bring in God.

Of course, the analogy breaks down at some point, so don’t take it too far. And this does not cover the discussion of “Why does God let bad things happen?”

For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:5

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Into the Unknown

Feb

12

2020

I wrote this song for Detroit Lions fans, but there’s nothing in it that’s particular to Detroit. You could change the subtitle and the logo and apply it to any sports team that is inept.

image of into the unknown Detroit lions edition song

That was not the whole song, but the ending part didn’t really have any changes. What else can you do with this:
Are you out there?
Do you know me?
Can you help me?
Can you show me?

Where are you going?
Don’t leave me alone
How do I follow you
Into the end zone?

Here are the full lyrics, in case you have trouble with the image:

I can hear you, but I won’t
Some strive for greatness, while others don’t
There’s a thousand reasons I should go about my game
And ignore your whispers which I wish would go away
oh oh oh

You’re not a coach
You’re just a ringing in my ear
And if I hear you – which I don’t – I’ve given up, I fear

Every game I’ve ever played is here within these walls
I’m sorry, winning season, but I’m blocking out your calls
I’ve had my big paycheck, I don’t need something new
I’m afraid of what I’m risking if I follow you
Into the unknown
Into the unknown
Into the end zone

What do you want?
‘Cause the defense’s hard to see
Are you here to distract me
So I cause a penalty
Or are you someone out there’s who’s a little bit like me?
Who knows deep down I’m not where I’m meant to be?

Every day’s a little harder as I count my losses grow
Don’t you know there’s part of me that longs to go
Into the end zone
Into the unknown
Into the end zone

Are you out there?
Do you know me?
Can you help me?
Can you show me?

Where are you going?
Don’t leave me alone
How do I follow you
Into the end zone?

So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe.

Genesis 41:31

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Title IX

Feb

5

2020

What is the point behind Title IX?

I know the original purpose of it – to prohibit discrimination in education. Not just athletics, but all aspects of education to ensure that girls get the same opportunities as boys. The public usually hears about it only with regard to athletics and scholarships for college though.

But in today’s society, there should be a conflict. More and more males are declaring themselves to be female and are allowed to compete against females.

I sense an opportunity for some college to test the waters of loophole.

For example, you may have heard of a college which has cut male scholarships because they need to maintain similar numbers in male and female scholarships, in order to comply with Title IX. What is to stop the college from persuading half the males to declare themselves female and thus eliminate the hassle of Title IX?

Do they even need to be female? What if they declare themselves to be non-male? Does that count? So many options nowadays.

The root of having different sports leagues/teams for men and women is that men and women are different in their physical development. Certainly there are outliers for specific accomplishments, but in general men are faster and stronger and better at whatever else makes up sporting events (as evidenced by the world/Olympic records for such events). If one is to argue that gender differences are cultural or societal and not biological, then one should also argue there should not be separate male and female sports. And one would also have to explain how such cultural limitations are worldwide and so consistent.

Also, if one agrees that we should now reconstruct the physical world to match what someone’s brain thinks it should be, rather than the other way around, does that mean psychiatry as a profession is on its way out?

Also also, bonus points goes to the university that attempts the aforementioned Title IX loophole if they also change their name from University to Diversity. Such as the Diversity of Minnesota or something.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27

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