The 5Gs

I am working on a system of personal development known as the 5Gs that I have developed. The system is holistic but builds on a super-structure similar to the sefirot from the world of the Kabbalah. What are the 5Gs? In short they are Gains, Goals, Giving, Gratitude and Growth.
The first two elements pair together as do elements three and four producing the Growth hiatus. More to follow as I work on the details.

The following is a list of my influences.
· Judaic Philosophy: Kabbalah – Concept of the Soul – Extension of Self, Good Deeds - Unity of One.
· Classical Wisdom: Plato- Unexamined Life – not worth living, Aristotelean Logic + Rationalism, Seneca on Expectations – Stoicism
· Hume: Reasonable Skepticism, Descartes – Critical Reductionism
· Nietzche –Becoming a Superman – Exercising your intent/will
· Kierkegaard – Necessary Leap of Faith
· Frankl – Man’s Search for Meaning
· Four Agreements

The Obama Economy

The Fall of the US…..Some signs of the turmoil that has no doubt been expedited by the Obama Presidency….possibly the worst in American history

Sources: http://www.usdebtclock.org/#

1. The US has a national debt of $16.88 trillion and counting….No country in history has suffered such a staggering shortfall. The debt per US citizen stands around $53,300.00 or $148,027 per taxpayer. Total interest on the debt for 2013 is $2.88 trillion. $5.6 trillion dollars is owed to foreign countries.

2. Gross debt to GDP stands at 106% as the country continues building a bigger hole for itself.

3. There are over 11.5 million unemployed Americans officially. Almost double that for the actual number (22.2 million) and likely to grow.

4. Over 50 million Americans are living in poverty with close to 48 million using food stamps…..This is what happens when the mechanism for job creation is stifled by the regulation fanatics in government.

5. Over 19 million Americans work for state and local governments and a further 4.8 million are employed by the federal government. Talk about bloated bureaucracies….

6. Social security liability is almost $16.5 trillion, prescription drug liability is $21.8 trillion and the medicare debt is a whopping $86.8 trillion as Obamacare kicks in….Factor all this together and the liability per taxpayer is $1.096 million….I know that I have that money lying around. Assets per citizen is only $0.318 million… so those on left who see wealth distribution as a solution (which it never is) will fall hopelessly short of the mark.

7. Stimulus packages by the Obama regime has escalated the collapse by adding over seven trillion to the National debt – more than any other president in US history….think of this as a ‘gift’ to future generations of Americans.

Twitter Feed

Have re-activated my twitter feed. Several new tweets..yesterday was a busy day.

Skepticism

In many a way I am a skeptic. My strong adheherence to the efficacy of scientific rationalism makes this a natural position. However I differ from the strong skeptic positions advocated by Messrs Shermer, Carroll, Randi etc in that I believe in the presence of the God (Ein Sof) essence that transcends but encompasses all that there is. I reconcile these two beliefs (scientific rationalism and my own theism) with an understanding that the Ein Sof could but doesn't break the rules of physics. Asuch, I reject all of the paranormal (a position that was not the case when I was younger) and cast much doubt on New Age, Alternative Medicine, most conspiracy theories and other avenues of supposed reasoning that fail to measure up to the stringencies of critical thought.

Well Done Andy Murray

Although I am not a fan of Andy Murray (Roger Federer is my player of choice) he must be congratulated for winning his first Wimbledon title - the first by a Brit in 77 years (maybe the poms can shut up about that now....they are real-broken records in this department). The game seemed like the longest straight set victory on record with both players struggling in the service department. Novak Djokovic clearly had an off day, and is still in my opinion a better player than the Scot. Nevertheless the Djokovic-Murray rivalry promises much with the entire sport being the real winner in the future if such competition persists.

Barack Obama and the Demise of the US Space Program

It amazes me how so many in the scientific community have fallen in lock step behind Barack Obama. In fact its not uncommon to hear scientists describe Obama as a president who truly understands Science. Yet like so many other platitudes associated with the' Great One' the Obama-Science meme is lacking in substance.

The crown jewel of American Scientific brilliance since the 1960s has been the Space Exploration Program. Indeed JFK centralized it as such with his rousing speeches on the issue, which although framed in cold war swagger undoubtebly galvanized an enthuzed two to three generations of American high school science students. From such endeavours came breakthroughs in biomedical research, telecommunications, engineering and architectural design and looking back at such ab era one can only glow at its achievement. Many spin off technologies that we enjoy today can trace part of their genesis to such an initiative. Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton and Bush II followed in suit with varying degrees of success but never veering from the primacy of the drive, Yes there were some awful moments (the explosions of the Challenger and Columbia) but all scientific advancements are not immune from setbacks. At the end of the day the successes far outweighed the failures (if indeed they are failures...another point to debate).

Yet it is under Barack Obama that historic role of NASA as an engine for American scientific passion has been all but neutered. No great missions appear on the horizon, a return to the moon is off the agenda (and with it a possible moon base), Mars exploration is dogged in bureaucracy, the space shuttle program has been left to rest while the US (the apparent winner of the Cold War) is forced to resort to Russian transportation to access the International Space Station. We are now further behind in our Global Space Initiatives. So why is it that Obama is still seen as the visionary Science President? For in this realm his record is one of abject disappointment.

British Lions Defeat Wallabies

It was wonderful cheering on the British Lions to their first tour series victory since 1997  The Lions, made up of a majority of Welsh internationals defeated the Aussies to record a 2-1 series truimph. Although the rubber game's final score, 41-16 in favour of the Lions,  appears to be one-sided the reality is that the Wallabies tested the full mettle of the Lions and only a late flurry at the end ensured the enormity of the outcome.

While victory is sweet, I am not convinced from what I saw that this Lions team would have defeated the All-Blacks (or the Springboks) in a similar series. Still its sweet revenge for the men in red who came out on the wrong side of the outcome against the Aussies twelve years ago. Well done.

On the Kabbalah

The Kabbalah has always attracted me - primarly as it offers a  model for understanding the interaction between the spiritual and physical (material) aspects of the universe. I really appreciate the logical structure of the ten Sefirot and believe that the Ein Sof conceptualization of G-d is brilliant in its description of this great intangibility. However the discipline is suffused with its fair share of nonsense mongers and charlatans who advocate a level of knowledge that exceeds their own grasp of the nuances. I am very much conscious of this pitfall. Therefore I approach Kabbalah study with a guarded caution - awareness of its dynamism coupled with a critical appraisal of its limitations and reach. Fortunately such a strategy is consistent with my overall life philosophy in the epistemological realm ie. moderate scepticism.

25 Threats to Western Civilization

1. Public Indifference to the 11 Great Attributes listed in the previous post
2. Over regulation of Industry - barriers to small business
3. Anti-meritocratic policies eg. affirmative action
4. Collapse of Judeo-Christian Ethics
5. Corruption - Corporate, union + political
6. Weak and Poor Leadership
7. Political Correct constraints on thought and deed ie. the isms
8. Greed Capitalism
9. Inappropriate use of Technology
10. War on Freedom of Speech
11. Islamism and its apologists
12. Poor and ill-conceived immigration policies
13. The Rampant growth of private and personal debt
14. Chinese unilateralism
15. Culture of Victimhood - legacy of state socialism
16. Moral Relativism
17. Growth of the welfare state - culture of entitlement
18. Over deference to the Elite - loss of grassroot power
19. Weakening Education Structure - Grade Inflation, over emphasis on university education as a panacea, neglect of the trades, political indoctrination in the classroom
20.  De-emphasis on history and tradition - Loss of Identity - Inability to appreciate one's own
       exceptionalism
21. Russian meddling in foreign politics - made all the worse by their nuclear resolve
22. Global Arms Dealing
23. Ideology driving our legal system - Activist Judges
24. Growth of the no values culture - Hollywood et al.
25. Inability of post-Christian Europe to find direction and inspire itself - EU has been a dismal failure

11 Attributes that are key to the success of Western Civilization

1. Free Speech/Free Thought

2. Rule of Law

3. Education Excellence - Emphasis on Rationalism and Empiricism

4. Private Ownership of Property

5. Democracy and Representative Government

6. Human/Civil Rights

7. Judeo-Christian Ethics/System of Values - Dignity of Human Life and Charity

8. Commitment to its own defence

9. Strong Emphasis on Science and Technology

10. Culture of History and Tradition

11. Checks and Balance on Power

Now for the tough question.....How many of these are under threat?

Another Silly Trend in Education

What is it about teachers that they love dogma and simple solutions? In my area of teaching (Physics + General Science) the latest dogma that appears to be gaining ground is Peer Group Work (PGW). While such a mechanism of teaching physics through group work is not new and indeed it has manifested itself under the exotic newspeak term Collaborative Learning in an earlier era, the latest incantation of the phenomenon seems to be gaining a stronger clout largely driven by the zealotry of its followers. This is not to say that Group Learning is without merit, indeed it has its usefulness (I myself make use of it for certain aspects of the curriculum  viz. Hooke's Law and Linear Momentum) but the latest radicalism champions it as the panacea for all the woes associated with misconceptions in physics learning. In fact left to their own devices the PGW crew would use their teaching methodology exclusively in the classroom claiming the support of selective data interpretation of quasi-performance indicators, such as the limited force concept inventory for justification. A cursory glance at their reasoning evidently reveals an emperor without clothes but such a critique will hardly suffice for those who have chugged with passion on this pedagogical kool-aid.

The reality is that there is no single methodology that should be followed for teaching Physics or any of the scientists. Teachers have diverse strengths and skills and the myriad of learners types in a class are too varied to pigeon hole a class into a one-size fits all mentality. The best teachers will employ a variety of learning strategies from formal lecturing, to Problem Based Learning, to careful use of the Socratic and indeed will dabble with Constructivism. Misconceptions can be addressed effectively in such a millieu as I have personally witnessed, The Key is to know your learners and be prepared to differentiate. Approaches vary.

Binding yourself to a dogma - no matter how progressive it seems - ignores the reality of the learner (not all students are extroverted which is what PGW favours) and minimizes to its very detriment the powerful and critical role of the teacher in the classroom. PGW sees the role of a teacher changing to become that of a facilitator. This would be a tragedy especially for those who have traditionally learnt so much over the years from the active role of the knowledgeable other.

Stephen Hawking joins the league of Anti-Semites

In signaling out the Jewish State for boycott based on a selective reading of the facts on hand (while simultaneously ignoring the Human Rights violations of Iran and China - which he has pandered to over time) Stephen Hawking makes common ground with the many anti-semites who have poisoned debate on the Israeli-Palestinian issue in the last ten years. That his position was endorsed by the loathsome Noam Chomsky is not grounds for credance. What a shame that such a great mind has stooped to such poverty of thought. It really stains a legacy of ecumenical academic achievement.

Lawrence Krauss - Another atheist charlatan

Atheist Evanagelist and all around know-it-all  Lawrence Krauss is quick to write off the Old Testament (Tanakh) as a source of moral guidance (see Intelligence Squared Debate - Does Science refute God?). Such reasoning is both sloppy and intellectally dishonest. Charity,  employee-employer relationships, assisting your fellow human being in times of need, ethical treatment of animals, dealing with the sick and the old are some of the many topics discussed at length in the Tanakh with solutions that are more Just than those in vogue today. A study of the Tanakh would reveal this immediately. The fact that Krauss chooses to denigrate such a line of thought and ignore the vast wealth of study associated with the Oral Torah, is further evidence of a mental bankruptcy that typifies his straw man approach to this important pillar of Western ethics. To the converted atheists his approach brings plaudits but to anyone aware of a deeper philosophy his line of attack is nothing more than fraudulent sophistry.

Atheist versus Theist Debates

I have seen several of these debates on you tube and after a while they become tiring (both sides rehashing the same dogma over again). As a theist I have my bias but I do admit that I miss those debates where the atheist viewpoint was espoused by the late Chris Hitchens. I did not agree with Hitch on several issues but he certainly livened up the discourse with his wit and his combative rhetoric. Sam Harris is the best of the remaining New Atheists and seems far and away a more deeper thinker than the over-hyped self indulgent Richard Dawkins. Lawrence Krauss is nothing special as is AC Grayling while Daniel Dennett is a tad on the dry side. Michael Shermer's approach is overly reductionist and he lives by the art of the false dichotomy. On the theist side I have no time for Chris Hedges, Al Sharpton, Deepak Chopra and Dinesh D' Souza  but like listening to Ian Hutchinson, Dennis Prager and Rabbi Wolpe (all of whom are extremely logical in their arguments). The debate has lost some of its zest as of late but I am sure that it will resurrect itself when the Jihadists commit their next atrocity in the name of religion (something you can almost bet on).

A New Pope is Chosen

Its a bold move by the Vatican to choose a Pope from Latin America but in selecting Argentine Francis I the Holy See is reaffirming the international outreach of the Church and perhaps stop the post- modernist rot that has infected the faith in the Old World. Only time will tell if this was a shrewd move (which I suspect it is) but as I outlined in an earlier post the new Pope must place at the forefront of his agenda  an activist approach that still sees Catholicism as a vital entity in the ongoing survival of Western Civilization.

The better candidate drops out

Marc Garneau has dropped out of the Liberal Leadership race clearing the way for Justin Trudeau to move one step closer to heading the Grits. This is a sad day for those looking for a meaningful candidate from the Liebrals. Trudeau is rich on cheap glitz (a glance at his silly comments and his naivety with respect to radical Islam are testament to this) but critically short on substance and so far looks like a less adept version of his father -  arguably the most over-hyped politician in Canadian history. Still the Libs have a while to go before they storm Sussex Drive. They have much
sympathy in the Toronto area (who would vote for a muppet if he were a Liberal) but need to build goodwill elsewhere in Canada. Muclair and his socialists have a few minutes left on their fifteen but any Liberal leader needs to return to the pragmatism of Pearson if they wish to govern effectively . So far Trudeau being the latest incarnation of the party that gave us Dion and Ignatieff does not seem to be that man, Garneau from most accounts seems more likely to aspire to this role.    

A Message for the New Pope

I am intrigued like many as to who the next Pope will be but part of me cannot help but reflect on the irrelevancy that the position has fallen to in the new geo-politics. The Catholic faith has been in retreat for some time and has certainly lost ground in the Americas not to mention Post-Modern Europe. While John Paul II led with authority in opposing the evils of Marxist-Leninism (especially in his homeland of Poland) the church has largely sat back while Islamist regimes continue to persectute Christians in the Middle East. The previous pope Benedict XVI whimpered a bit about the insanity of Islamism but appeared to back down under pressure. The Eastern Orthodox churches are just as stilted  (although not as damaged by the cancer of liberation theology as are so many of the mainstream Western churches), while the Anglicans are caught in a never land crippled by the curse of accomodation, a dreadful doctrine  espoused by the feel good philosophy of new agers such as the former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

Catholicism needs a strong pope who who will stand up to the belligerency of Islamofascism, call out moral relativism when he sees it and champion the Western Ideal against the impending barbarism that have moved too close to shore.  Right now it is only the evangelical Protestant groups who carry this  mantle - Catholicism is at a cross roads but to survive intact and continue its importance as one of the gatekeepers of Western Civilization (and indeed global history) it must rethink its pacifism and offer no apologies for opposing the all too many excesses of radical Islam. If it fails to do so then its inertia will carry it to obscurity along the road  which it currently travels.

Yawn...When is the EPL over???

I never thought I would say this (as a die hard English football fan) but I can't wait for the EPL to finish. No its not sour grapes over my team Liverpool's inconsistency (although I do think they are on the right path), but this season more than any in recent memory has lacked both excitement and high quality football that has defined the Premiership. Man U have pretty much led from start to finish playing the type of soccer which would barely garner them a fourth spot in La Liga or the Bundesliga. Manchester City have been anemic as is the case of Chelsea. While Spurs have have performed with style (perhaps more than any other team) its only a matter of time before their season unravels in typical faction allowing Arsenal (a euphemism for mediocrity) to edge ahead of them towards the last remaing CL spot (I hope that I am wrong on this account). Yes I have enjoyed the play of Southampton and that other minnow Swansea but the presence in the top half of the EPL of Stoke, Everton and West Brom (three team's genuinely lack creativity) does not auger well for a league that six years ago provided three out of the four CL Finalists. This year there will most likely be no English teams in the Champion's League Quarterfinals (Arsenal's chances of overturning Bayern are slim) and deservedly so. Spain, Italy and Germany all have stronger leagues and English footer needs a serious wake up call  for right now it appears as though it has jumped on the wrong side of the salary/performance utility curve. Lets hope that it can stop the rot soon.

Chavez is Dead....but its too soon to be optimistic

One shouldn't celebrate the death of another human being but I for one shall not shed a tear for this passing of this South American demagogue. Chavez destroyed his country's economy, cavorted with the vile Iranian leadership, commited himself to a philosophy of anti-semitism and greatly curtailed freedom of speech in Venezuela. While admired by many on the left (the usual voices who continue to show affection for Mao, Castro and Che) Chavez represented a regional menace who used simplistic populism to boost his status with the poorest of the nation while championing a statism that has ruined many an economy elsewhere. He should not be missed but I am not optimistic that his successor will curb the folly's of Chavez's realized egoism. We will wait and see.

Human Silliness

60 Memes that should have been put to rest  but haven’t yet

1.       Young Earth

2.       Faith Healing

3.       Reiki

4.       Utopias of any sort

5.       Homeopathy

6.       Ghosts   

7.       Illuminati Conspiracy Theories in all their myriad of forms

8.       Hollow Earth

9.       Afrocentrism as History

10.   911 Conspiracy Theories

11.   Birther Conspiracies

12.   Fake Moon Landings

13.    Fluoridation  Hoopla

14.   The Roswell Saga

15.   Men in Black

16.   UFO sightings

17.   Communication with the Dead

18.   New Chronologies of World History eg. The Invention of Rome, Greece and Egypt

19.   Ancient Astronauts

20.   Extra Terrestrial Origins of the Pyramids, Nazca Lines, Stonehenge

21.    Werewolves, Vampires and other demons

22.   David Icke and his Reptillian nonsense

23.   Scientology

24.   The evil Eye

25.   Zombies

26.   Holocaust  Denial

27.   Polio Vaccine  Conspiracy

28.   MMR Vaccine Conspiracy

29.   Jewish Blood Libel Accusations

30.   Denial of the Armenian Holocaust

31.   The goodness of all that is natural

32.   Creationism

33.   Astral Travel

34.   Kirlian Photography

35.   Near Death Experiences

36.   Philadelphia Experiment

37.   Ectoplasm Production

38.   The Bible as a book of Science

39.   Biblical codes

40.   Numerology – Numerical  coincidences

41.    Repressed memory

42.   Time Slipping

43.   Fortune Telling

44.   Possession by Demons

45.   Astrology

46.   Magical effects contradicting the laws of science

47.   The French Merovingian Dynasty originating from Christ

48.   Orgone Energy

49.   Chakras

50.   Mayan Armageddon Theory

51.   Indigo Children

52.   Hypnosis unlocking Past Lives

53.   Perpetual Motion Machines

54.   Recent Sightings of Elvis, Jim Morrison etc.

55.   Telekinesis

56.   Stalinist atrocities as Western Propaganda

57.   Alien Abduction

58.   Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and the Yeti

59.   Hell and the Devil

60.   Atlantis