9.19.2005

quiz time

From today's Globe And Mail, check out the Intelligent Design Science Quiz. I thought question nine was particularly amusing.

16 comments:

Rognar said...

You know, I get the creationists. They have a model, it is based in religion and utterly wrong, but at least they aren't trying to be something they are not. The ID proponents have no idea what they are getting themselves into. To an outside observer, science may appear to be studious wimps in labcoats, but in truth, it is a cutthroat business. If you want credibility, you better know what the hell you're talking about or people are going to destroy you. Consider this, every time a scientist proposes a new theory about anything, he or she is, in effect, discreditting the life's work of dozens or even hundreds of other scientists. For something as fundamental as evolution, we are talking about tens of thousands. If you are going to take on that kind of hostility, you better have an explanation for everything. Your theory better be damned convincing. You don't get the luxury of leaving a big piece of the story unexplained and yet, that is exactly want the Intelligent Design proponents are doing. They want the credibility of science, but when it comes to explaining what this intelligent agent is or how it acts on the universe, they are silent. They don't even like to use the G-word. Complete phonies as far as I'm concerned. I have more respect for creationists.

Kyahgirl said...

I have to chuckle at your comments Rob from Alberta. You're right on the money.
I've been following the ID debate on an American blog or two. Its kind of frightening how the proponents think.

laura k said...

They want the credibility of science, but when it comes to explaining what this intelligent agent is or how it acts on the universe, they are silent. They don't even like to use the G-word. Complete phonies as far as I'm concerned.

You're so right, they are complete phonies. They use pseudo-scientific terms to wrap their hocus-pocus in the appearance of science. And so much of the general US public - utterly ignorant of science - buys it. After all, as they like to say, "It's only a theory. Anything is possible." Well, no. It's not.

James Redekop said...

BTW, another nickname for the Globe, used by people who don't care much for it, is "The Glob and Swill".

Wrye said...

Grope and Frail is another one. In fact, just about any pun you can imagine has been applied, I wager.

Hard to imagine there was a time when it was considered a Right-wing, Toronto-centric businessman's paper...

Alana said...

Hi! I'm an Ivy League college student from NY and I have recently had a newfound interest for moving to Canada after I graduate! Do you know anything about the policies for studying in Canada and how to become a citizen after that? I've been doing a lot of research and Canada seems like an amazing place! Is the quality of living considerably lower than it is in America?

Liam J said...

"Is the quality of living considerably lower than it is in America?"

For about eight of the past ten years Canada has been ranked as the best country in the world to live in. If you are very wealthy, then I would say that you'd be better off financially in the U.S. But for pure quality of life, I'll take Canada any day.

laura k said...

Hi Alana, thanks for stopping by wmtc!

What LiamJ says is certainly true. If you are a very wealthy US resident, your quality of life is probably higher than it would be in Canada. For ordinary folks, Canada has a higher standard of living. For one thing, your taxes pay for your health care.

I've never researched studying in Canada, but I know that information is on the CIC website (see the "official info" link on the right). As for becoming a citizen, you can't even apply for citizenship until you have been a permanent resident for several years - so don't worry about that yet.

The process of moving to Canada is long and complicated, and expensive. You'll want to thoroughly investigate it before you make any decisions. You might want to check out my "how to" links, and you'll definitely want to go to the CIC website and read everything that applies.

Good luck and enjoy! Hope to see you around here again.

Rognar said...

Alana, studying in Canada is very easy for foreign students. All universities in Canada have differential fees, so foreign students pay higher tuition than Canadians, but you will find tuition is still much lower. On the other hand, there are not as many sources of external funding (i.e. scholarships) here as there are in the US.

Since you are accustomed to the Ivy League environment, I would suggest you take a look at McGill University, University of Toronto or Queen's University. Those schools come closest to being Canada's Ivy League.

As for staying permanently, I believe you still have to go through the same immigration process as everyone else. I will say that having a university degree helps to qualify. What you study might help to, if it is something in high demand, like medicine.

Rognar said...

All universities in Canada have differential fees, so foreign students pay higher tuition than Canadians, but you will find tuition is still much lower.

...than in the US, I mean.

laura k said...

Hard to imagine there was a time when it was considered a Right-wing, Toronto-centric businessman's paper...

Really? That's interesting. I've enjoyed it for years, so I must have come to it late in the game.

Wrye said...

Oh yeah, this was 15 years back. It's not so much that they've gotten better (though I would say they have) but almost every other newspaper in teh country has gotten worse Basically, Conrald Black (ptui!) and Canwest (ptui! ptui!) bought up, amalgamated, homogenized and generally moved most other Canadian papers rightward, while the Globe has more or less stayed constant, with an actual distinct editorial identity and a more balanced slate of views. When Bill O'Reilly attacked it as a socialist paper, the sound of several million spittakes could be heard...

Rognar said...

Basically, Conrald Black (ptui!) and Canwest (ptui! ptui!) bought up, amalgamated, homogenized and generally moved most other Canadian papers rightward

In much the same way as Pravda moved to the right relative to Radio Habana. :D

Alana said...

Thanks for your comments and advice everyone. Yes I was considering Univ of Toronto or McGill's Law Schools. That's the field I want to enter. Yes Canada does seem like a much cleaner place and I also read somewhere that it's ranked one of the best countries to live in. I am not extremely wealthy, and I do not like the hustle and bustle of NYC, so hopefully Canada is the place for me!

laura k said...

Well, I loved the hustle and bustle for more than 20 years - but Canada is still the place for me.

If you do go to school in Montreal, that will give you a first-hand feel for what it's like here - a great opportunity, without the long-term commitment of immigration.

Rognar said...

I am not extremely wealthy, and I do not like the hustle and bustle of NYC, so hopefully Canada is the place for me!

If you like a slower pace of life, you might also consider Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Halifax is a city of about 300,000 and the Dalhousie law school is highly-regarded. I would strongly advise you to get your law degree at a Canadian law school if you are serious about immigrating. As I understand it, law degrees are one of the least portable types of academic credentials under NAFTA.