Skepticism (part 1)

Being independently minded is not finding the center of argumentation. The center is not always the truth. The truth comes from being skeptical of authority. The truth comes from thought, not a calculation.

For example, many people in America, and around the world for that matter, define themselves as moderate because they believe the truth comes from the center of an argument. Which basically means the outlier who screams louder brings the average closer to the truth. If a person is exposed to only one type of outlier then they'll calculate to that direction. For example in the case of the autism "controversy" a small minority of people are screaming outlandish allegations towards medical advances of vaccines, while a moderate majority-of-scientists believe that autism is formed by other factors, such as genes. The common argument is that when the rise in vaccines happened a similar rise in autism diagnosis happened. Here's a common graph (found on google images):

Now, one problem is the reasoning. It is not proving anything. Now someone will say "look it rises", but it is simply a correlation. It is a logical fallacy called Post Hawk, Ergo Prompter Hawk (meaning it happened after and therefore caused it). You may now it as Correlation Does Not Equal Causation. I think I can show this better in one graph then explaining it (I'll do that later):

Look, pirates cause global warming. It's obviously an direct relationship. How can they cause global warming-- are they more prone to fart than other humans, causing more greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere? Most likely not. Therefore with testing we have proven that pirates do not cause global warming (the rise in CO2 is different because it has scientific evidence backing it up). But, do you see how plotting a line on a graph might make a correlation, might even suggest a causation depending on previous evidence, like pirates fart more, but does not prove a causation?

So, if you hear two sides and calculate the middle, you'd be wrong . Many more logical fallacies are present but none as prevalent as Argumentum Ad Homenim. Ad Homenim is either an appeal to an authority, or calling someone names, to make a case. For example, people who spell a name with two "w's"are bad people; therefore, we are correct about pirates causing global warming. What can a person prove in this, that pirates cause global warming, with evidence, but not that people who spell their names with two "w's" are wrong, unless they prove that their collective position is wrong.

Another example is, that man/women is in charge of the EPA he must know about environmental issues; therefore she must be infallible about environmental issues. Wrong again. The head can, and probably will be, right about environmental issues, but humans make mistakes. We'd have to test his hypothesis about say, pirates cause global warming. But, since this is not true we must know him or her to be false.

This is also to say that if you hear two sides and calculate the middle, you'd be wrong.

If we can't calculate the middle then what can we do as citizens with limited knowledge in certain areas to judge those areas? We'd have to look at the data(um), the reasoning behind it, and whether or not they did it correctly. This is easy enough to tell with a firm grasp of skeptical reasoning. How can we do this? First go to logicalfallacies.info to gain knowledge of the various logical fallacies. Then move on to harder stuff like analyzing arguments. So whenever you hear a balanced" pundit round table talking about something don't believe the middle; instead, dissect the arguments.

Rick Santorum Speech Notes.

This is the notes I took on Santorums speech in the suburbs of Detroit today. I used a deragotory name for Mr. Santorum as a time saver and I do not wish to change it. So if you don't like the alternate meaning just read the substance (I used Frothy).

All of my comments are in parenthies signed Blogger.

Gas prices are going up due to involvment of the middle east, and it's instability. It's going to get worse in a Al. They'll shut down production (Al) and Mexico will import oil. Peak oil.

*This is what it sounded like to me and it saved time.

Oppose Obama. (me think he think we stupid.)* Higher gas prices for global warming (Obama says). Standard of living goes down when energy

goes down.

Drill Baby Drill Rock oil in ND (ligh sweet crude) highest quality (true). Pipeline needs to be built so it gets to market. We need the KP for *midwest jobs* (infered)

Lean forward for energy (president needs). Reduce regulation. Obama more regualtion than any other P in 1year. Frothy will repeal/repeal and replace. States regulate as do the Am. People. Americans don't like to be micromanaged. Uncertianty harms business and regulations cause this harm. Stimulate small business will mean smaller regulations. We need manufacturing, and we can compete. The american worker/ Stem is better. we need a level playing field--we need lower taxes, regulations smaller, and more capital. We don't need to cut labor costs (Frothy). Stop being uncompetitive (gov. polices).

Manufacturing is a wealth generator. Everyone can participate (populism). Ex. Apple (HT) should manufacture their products here (MF). Manufacturing should not be subjected to any taxes.

Talked about the creation of small towns. Manufacturing processing. Small Town America goes down because of Manufacturing (MF) death. Lamenting the death of the small town. Natnl. Security needs small towns (Lost track when he digressed) (Warrant--probably missed it). Highest corprate tax rate must be reduced 1/2 to 17% flat tax. Rate: Small=Large.

Repeal Affordable Care Act (Obama Care, applause). The lowest should and must rise. The Fed' must scale down. Government gives you the right--god given rights. (endowed by their creator). OB Care tramples on rights in HC.

OB Care is gov. run. Gov. can't tell you what to spend (ex.) this is the gov. with HIC. Mass. Gov run (lines) as bad. First Amend. gov. gives then how to exercise it. 1Amend. is being corrouded.

More repealing: one thing. Housing for ex., foreclosure is high, (his house value is much lower) TARP must go. It's too regulatory. We must restructure housing. Sell house, deduct loss. No winners no losers, just markets. Freddie and Fanny are not intrinsically bad, but politics is. BF CD pushed them into it. Faze them out.

Get rid of Dodd Frank. Talked about TARP. Steal went down in Pittsburg, but we bounced back. Shopping malls are HT. Pittsburg is diversified because the market worked. Bailout everyone or no one., Swipe at Romney’s consistency.

Dodd Frank is successor to TARP “too big to fail” (Scratching my head--Blogger). We want bottom up rather than top down gov. We want a balanced budget. I was for it in 1995. Loony about ballenced budget amendment. Frothy a rebel? Principled, limited gov.. I will argue for a balanced budget amendment. Gov. needs to be limited to 17/18% because freedom. We still need military. Wash. Estab. with buying votes.

I'm a catholic and we must care for the least among us (?) gov shouldn't (WTF--Blogger). I pay taxes so I shouldn't give, so we need to end the programs. (Sure localization, sure--Blogger) Welfare reform, I did it; it's an ex. . Work and time. Poverty is not a disability. They can do it--not American to say not. Thou must help themselves. The american family=economy. We've seen the breakdown of the Am Fam'. It's harder for the Am. Fam. to do jobs for two. Teen pregnacy--ralied against singal moms. 40% out of wedlock. Minorities and urban 80% (FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF--Blogger). We need to have gov. programs to not create dependency. We don't need gov. to make families strong. High rates of divorce in Tn. Non-profit to promote marriage in schools. Get fathers back. Build healthier families. Limited gov. starts with the family. You are the solution. Solve with the family. (This is killing me--Blogger) I care about the very poor, I care about everyone. We are the 100%. (Checks Time--Blogger) Fluff, Fluff, and more Fluff. (IT'S OVER!!!--Blogger)

Hydroponics System

Today is another continuation in a series of posts about the most important agricultural system invented since the green revolution. The so called blue revolution as it's called incorporates organic and siolless techniques mixed with changing diets and consumption patterns. Many of these changes require work for the average consumer. However it is imperative for this shift to occur. Many people are part of this "revolution" in the growing urban farming movements and the general interests in all things "green".

One such technology that you can easily incorporate into your lives is simple hydroponics. Simple hydroponics usually is comprised of passive technologies. This can be as simple as a cup filled with medium (perlite, coconut hull, gravel etc.) and another cup to mix nutrients. Or it can be as complicated as making your own nutrients with worm castings. I personally recommend, with my 2 years of mistakes, using a grow tray (rectangular trench a few inches deep, rectangular pie pan or plastic ones found in a hydroponic shop) set up. More on this later.

This was not my first system ( in fact it was recently built) so if you want to go a different route here are the ones I have tried. My first system was a hydrofarm, my second a deep water culture tub (homemade), I built another one a few months later, then I built some simple seed starters made out of clay pots and hydroton/perlite medium. I soon after built my latest system which I will describe how to build now.

Materials: 2L bottle, medium, and grow tray. Nothing more is needed. 2L bottle can be recycled when you buy juice etc., medium can be bought at a garden store, hydroponic store etc. and a grow tray can be a used pie pan or a plastic grow tray bought at a hydroponic store for $2.

1. Gather materials
2. Fill grow tray with bottom medium, make sure to spread it out first. Make sure this medium is absorbent, I used pumice found at my local supermarket. This ensured oxygen was readily available and water was kept
3. Fill 2L bottle
4. Carefully place 2L bottle inside medium at a non-invasive location so that it reaches the bottom
5. Once certain that water is no longer flowing through the bottle place hydroton (brand name--it's just clay pebbles in a firing process) on top of the of the bottom medium so that it covers it
6. If not already done place in a ideal location ( near the sun)
7. Plant, enjoy, repeat

Remember to fill the bottle once it runs out of water and do nutrients to the requirements of the plants listed on your nutrients or by looking at the plants.

Now if you want to build a deep water culture system you need only a rubbermaid tub, an aquarium airstone (what produces the bubbles in an aquarium) and medium.

Materials, rubbermaid tub, I used a 18 gallon one; knife; net cup (yogurt cup with holes); airstone; air pump; vinyl tubing; medium.

1. Gather Materials
2. Outline the smaller side of the net cup with a sharpie
3. Use the knife to make small incisions in the plastic top
4. Slowly and carefully use the knife to go across the surface of the circle
5. Make the cut so that it's close to round
6. Insert the net cup to make sure it's done correctly (it should fit right in)
7. Hook up your airstone with your air pump with vinyl tubing
8. Put airstone in the middle of the tub
9. Fill the net cup with medium that wicks
10. Fill the tub with water
11. Place net cups in the hole
12. Plant, enjoy, repeat

More posts to continue on the subject.

The Importance of Open Internet Discussion

As a member of the aquaponicscommunity.com, backyardaquaponics.com/forum and theurbanfarmingguys.com/forums I personally feel that a free and open internet is imperative to the 21st century and beyond, because of the positive impacts of it.

One such example is the BYAP forums (backyardaquaponics.com). They are recognized as the first such aquaponic forum to really take off (there were some others, but not much. The founding admin of BYAP started in the Barrelponnics yahoo group). To this day they are the largest aquaponic forum, far above all the others. They are responsible for taking aquaponics to the next level, critical mass. This is important because aquaponics is a tool of agriculture that uses 2-10% of the water of normal agriculture (a boon in arid nations such as Australia). Aquaponics has also been studied at North Carolina University and others to be just as productive as hydroponics (though research is thin). And as a result of this forum has led to boom in aquaponics technology. Since no one owns the technique people are sharing this technology with people in South Africa, and other countries.

Another example is the urban farming guys. If you're unfamiliar with them they are a group of families from the suburbs who moved to inner city Kansas City to build farms on abandon plots and improve the neighborhood as a whole. (theurbanfarmingguys.com) They also have found ways to improve conditions in a orphanage in India using what they have learned about intensive fish farming and plant cultivation (aquaponics). Furthermore they have a forum in which people can learn of this technology; to exploit it for social good in their country or city.

If the internet was not free the ubiquitous amount of free available technology would not exist. So, if aquaponics was "born" on the internet the proliferation would be minimal, thus rendering this great technology unable to help. In general gardening practices such as, permaculture , square foot gardening, and other techniques might not proliferate. This leaves third world peoples with food prices higher than they are able to buy.

If you have an example of a important idea, technology, etc. that needs to be recognized leave a comment.

Marriage Equality

In case you haven't heard Washington State is now the newest member of the Legislators for Marriage Club. Other than the obvious cheer for equality, we must now look at the results.

First the economic effects.

1. More people getting married means more money in the marriage industry. Since the LGBT community is just as likely to get married or have an interest in marriage, since they are humans living in a society which values it. A sharp boost to the industry will happen, because of the high population of LGBT couples who have been awaiting a chance to get married. Since they have been waiting for it to happen we can assume that it would be important, and therefore for most people "money-related". Because of this money, the marriage industry will improve the surrounding economies.

2. Married LGBT couples will pay less taxes, have shared benefits (in many cases), and, as a result, will have more money to spend. This is because the tax benefits given to married couples are significant, thus resulting in the newly married LGBT having more money. Therefore they can spend this money on things like Cupcake Royale's Death Cake (I was certain I would mention them at some point). Also the newly married couples can get benefits from their employer, if their workplace provides it. This also means money for them to spend, hopefully not entirely on Death Cakes.

Now for the effects on marriage:

Gay people will get married.

Now for the effects on the family:

Children adopted will be in a family more free of money issues and stress, resulting in happier children. They may already have two loving parents, and now they will be married.

Now for the effects on morality:

Nothing, however it would most likely be positive.

Now for the effects on bigots:

They may fear the unknown, but may eventually see that their gay neighbors are happy and not destroying the family or marriage. I say LGBT couples will not destroy marraige because we can assume there is nothing intrinsically evil about them, if there is then please bring this to my attention. Now, based on this assumption we can assume that some couples will cheat, divorce, be abusive, and such; however this happens in "straight" marriages as well, much to the determent of the people in the immediate family. So if I may quote To Kill a Mocking Bird for a second I will show this principle in another case.

“…the evil assumption – that allNegroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber.
Which, gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson's skin, a lie I do not have to point out to you. You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women – black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire” (Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird). I hope this is enough to compel you to the side of love.

So in conclusion we can see great results for the State of Washington, let's take this national.