May 2007

The biblical language of the early chapters of the book of Genesis continues to permeate the discussions of technology and no more so than in the area of genetic engineering. Both religious and secular writers draw upon images Babel, Eden, naming, gardening and the Fall to frame their arguments and to inspire the imagination of their readers. For example, Lee Silver’s “Remaking Eden: How Genetic Engineering and Cloning will Transform the American Family”, and Leon R. Kass’ “Technology and the Humanist Dream: Babel Then and Now”.

Often negative responses to technology (or aspects of it) appeal to a symbol like the biblical Tower of Babel in Gen 11:1-9. This is interpreted as an example of humanity’s hubris leading to God’s judgement, and therefore used as a justification for limiting technologies that appear to ‘play God’. Pete Moore, in his recent book (“Babel’s Shadow: Genetic Technologies in a Fracturing Society”) on genetic engineering examined from within the Christian tradition, notes the potential for such technology as a force for good, but he also uses the Babel symbolism to highlight its potential for disaster.

In biblical Babel the solution was to confuse the language and scatter the people. The result was diversity. In the future, the genetic ‘Tower of Babel’ may have a more lasting impact, and the scattering could come from new forms of discrimination and exclusion, or from events as extreme as a split into more than one human race. On the other hand, if controlled and managed with care, it could lead to a world where individuals are treated with respect and enabled to live out their full potential.

Maybe in response to his request for “SansBlogue: Getting ideas for Biblical Studies Podcasts”, Tim could do one of his ‘5-minute Bible‘ spots on Gen 11:1-9. Gen 1-3 get lots of coverage around the place, but the end of the Gen 1-11 primeval history less so. Might be a useful refresher for those who keep coming across the Babel motif.

This upcoming conference looks interesting:

Pacific Institute for Ethics and Social Policy: Challenging Assumptions: Religious Faith, Genetic Science, Human Dignity
(12 to 14 October 2007, Portland, Oregon, United States).

See CFP here.

Open Source Mac - Free, Open-Source software for OS X is exactly what is says it is - “A simple list of free, open-source software for Mac OS X.” Nevertheless, it’s a helpful wee site.

I borrowed a copy of “Everyday Theology: How to Read Cultural Texts and Interpret Trends” (edited by Kevin Vanhoozer, Charles Anderson and Michael Sleasman: 2007) from the library the other day because it contained a copy of the essay “Human 2.0: Transhumanism as a Cultural Trend” (PDF) by Matthew Eppinette, as well as an essay on the church and blogging by .

I haven’t yet read most of the articles but from a quick skim it looks like it’d be a good introductory book for the course ‘Gospel in a Post-Christian Society’ that I took as part of my BD way back in 1999. (See e~mergent kiwi: a burger at my theological table for more on the course).

In his introductory essay, Kevin Vanhoozer argues for Christians being able not only to exegete the Bible and reflect theologically upon it, but also to exegete culture and become culture-makers. He states:

The reason why theology must study God and contemporary culture is the same reason why preaching must connect both with the biblical text and the listener’s context: because disciples do not follow the gospel in a vacuum but wend their Christian way through particular times and places, each with its own problem and possibilities. We can follow God’s word only if we know where we are and if we have a sense of where various ways lead. Doing theology is part and parcel of one’s daily walk and is too important to leave solely to the professionals.

Definitely.

A movie promotion falls foul of the US Mint. See US MINT NOT HAPPY WITH SILVER SURFER QUARTERS - NEWSARAMA. I guess, they get the media presence they were after one way or the other.

A couple of links came to my attention this week. Firstly, the Singularity Institute have started a blog to promote ideas about the technological singularity (Greenflame » Pondering the Singularity (Again)), and at the same time I came across the bioethics podcasts from The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity. Both have interesting material on them, though they have quite different perspectives.

Here’s a selection of other links that relate to different people and groups looking at the future. It’s an eclectic mix pitched at a variety of levels, so caveat lector.

• NetFuture: Technology and Human Responsibility
• World Transhumanist Association
• Nick Bostrom’s home page - Transhumanist, philosopher and director of the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford.
• Sentient Developments - by transhumanist George Dvorsky. There’s a podcast too.
• Changesurfer Consulting by James Hughes and the related Cyborg Democracy. Hughes is Executive Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
• KurzweilAI.net - Techno-optimistic news and views linked in with Ray Kurzweil’s vision of a better future.
• Betterhumans.com - Community site for techno-progressives/optimists.
• The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network
• BioCentre // The Centre for Bioethics & Public Policy (UK)
• Center on Nanotechnology & Society
• Toi te Taiao: New Zealand’s Bioethics Council
• Bioethics Centre, Dunedin School of Medicine, New Zealand
• InterChurch Bioethics Council (NZ)
• Society, Religion and Technology Project (Scotland)

Nowhere near an exhaustive list, but it’s a start.

A good question when the terms ‘unlimited’, ‘free’, and ‘all you can eat’ are devalued in our society by the attachment of disclaimers and fine print limiting what they mean. See Prayer From the Cell #35 | nakedpastor.

Up in the dark yesterday to take Mark to a soccer tournament in Whangarei. Returned in the dark too. Mark’s team (U11 Waitakere) played 6 games - won 4, lost 1 and drew 1. The team were happy, as they’re a new squad made up of players from various West Auckland clubs who’ve only had a couple of practices together, and things will get better as they play together more.

Very windy (the Pentecost factor?) but the rain stayed away. See the 360 degree panorama taken from side of the park.

Quicktime VR of the same photo. No idea if this will work, and you’ll probably need to view it in Quicktime player rather than in the browser.

Should be tournaments in Cambridge and Tauranga in the next month or two, so lots more traveling coming up.

Got to go - three soccer practices to get kids to this afternoon. Fortunately all club practices so they are all at the same training ground. Will prepare hot and hearty food for when they return.

NEWSARAMA.COM: JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #6 PREVIEW has some sample pages from an upcoming issue of the Justice Society crossover with the Justice League and the Legion of Super Heroes. The first three sample pages refer to an old issue of the Legion of Super Heroes I owned when I was about 6 or 7. Funny how little things like this bring a rush of childhood memories flooding back.

Over the years I’ve used lots of different text and word processors to support writing I’ve needed to do:

• nroff and similar on UNIX systems for writing documentation
• View on the BBC Microcomputer in the 1980s
• Something on an Apple II+ which only displayed 40 characters per line
• WordStar, MS Word and WordPerfect under MS-DOS (pre-Windows)
• Nisus and MacWrite on my Mac Plus and Mac LC to write my Masters thesis
• MS Word 2.0, Word 95, Word 97 and Word 2003 on various Windows computers.
• MS Word 3, 4 and 5 and ClarisWorks on my Apple Powerbook 150 and 520c and PowerMac 6100 (Still have a set of Word 5 install floppies somewhere)
• AppleWorks and MS Word v.X on the Mac OS X G3 iBook (the latter for the PhD thesis)

Of all of these, MS Word 5 on the PB150 and PB520c offered the best system for just blatting out text without getting distracted by the bells and whistles of the software. The black-and-white display and keyboard of the PB150 seemed to work for me, plus with no internet connection etc. I only turned it on to write. Word v.X was okay (and it supported EndNote) but it didn’t really inspire me to write.

Now with the thesis all written up I’m wondering whether it’s time to look at trying some different things to aid the writing process in the next few months. Some tools that help organize the writing process as much as just allowing text entry and formatting. I’d like them to run on the iBook (which won’t be replaced in the near future) and to have some support if possible for bibliographic data. MS Word compatibility is less of an issue as I still have Word v.X and Word 2003.

From looking around the net these links look helpful.

Applications that help with note-taking and organising writing material

• Note Taking Application Faceoff at The Apple Blog
• Literature and Latte - Scrivener - looks really interesting
• Mellel, which looks good for academic writing and support for non-English languages
• Journler - Wherever Life Takes You
• mekentosj.com | Introducing Papers… Your personal library of science

Bibliographic support

• Bookends, reference and bibliography software for Macintosh
• Third Street Software - Sente
• I’ve used EndNote and avoided much of the grief others I know have had with it, so that’s still a possibility. It’s integration with non-Word word processors remains an issue though.

Some articles about Mac word processing

• Mac360 - Why The Mac Is The Ultimate Writers Tool Box.
• Mac360 - Is This The Best Word Processor For Real Writing?

I wouldn’t be adverse to a Windows XP/Vista word processor and material organizer though, if they did the job. Just don’t have a Windows laptop to run it on.

Anyway, now feels like a good time to try something new, before I get caught up in not being able to change while projects are ongoing.

Updates

• For Windows users then perhaps PageFour - Software for writers - novel outliner and tabbed word processor might do the task (thanks to Bill for the link)
• Mac OPML Editor for building outlines
• Acta, the classic outliner - available free and runs under MacOS Classic and earlier. (I used it extensively to write the Masters thesis back in 1990)
• Son of Acta - Opal: Easy notes and organizing for Mac OS X 10.4. See also Opal is the new Acta - O’Reilly Mac DevCenter Blog
• Outlining should also include consideration of The Omni Group - Applications - OmniOutliner
• I’ve also played with Inspiration - a mind-mapping tool of sorts. Useful for visual learners like me, who love to diagram ideas.
• DEVONthink
• Sidenote
• Notational Velocity - minimalist notetaker
• SOHO Notes
• Dan Schimpf Software: MacJournal
• Bartas Technologies - CopyWrite
• Flying Meat: VoodooPad
• Mori - Productivity Tools
• Sebastian Krauß / Software - My Mind

If you know of someone theologically qualified and with an interest in sport then this might be of interest:

Professor/Reader in Sport and Christian Outreach - University of Gloucestershire

From my daily web surfing of job sites.

This week I’ve had several conversations relating to communicating to the everyday church the insights of academic insight. How might the months or years of effort put into something like a Masters or PhD thesis result, not just in publications that speak in the language of the academy, but also to things that speak into the lives of everyday people? And not just in a way that talks at or down to ordinary people, but that listens to their concerns, passions, and stories and seeks to use that to inform this communication.

At its heart it’s a question of identifying whom your are serving in your research, and also whether those who aren’t academics will understand you and trust you? It’s not limited to theological research, but to all sorts of research, especially if one of the motivations for the research was to address an issue or subject in order to help or inform people.

At the end of my PhD process reflecting theologically on new technologies I’d like to communicate my questions, struggles, insights and ideas in a variety of ways:

• In a rigorous academic engagement, which brings critical reflection to aspects of the Christian faith, interacting with current and past scholarship
• In the public arena - public theology - where theological reflection interacts with other disciplines and speaks the language of the marketplace or forum for the benefit of society
• For the church in a form that is accessible to ordinary people

Of course, the question is how to do that. In the past few days Tim over at Sans Blogue reflects on similar thoughts in responses to a student’s question about why the insight in biblical studies often remains inaccessible to those in the church who could benefit from it, and highlights correctly I think, the tension that exists between serving academic performance-based research funding goals and writing to a popular audience. The former recognised and supported financially by the academy, and the latter valued by ordinary people.

(See SansBlogue: Biblical Studies and its “market”)

I’m not sure what the solution is because both types of communication and interaction inform each other. Questions about the everyday world inspire critical reflection at an academic level, while popular communication is enriched by being resourced by the work of scholars. It’s something I’m trying to work out as I look for what’s next.

Related posts:

More reflections by Tim at SansBlogue: Teaching the Universal Soldier

And Scot McKnight’s excellent current series of posts on theological teaching:

• Jesus Creed » Why leave seminary for college? (May 16)
• Jesus Creed » The Make-up of a College Prof (May 17)
• Jesus Creed » Problems of Professorhood (May 22)
• Jesus Creed » Pastoring vs. Professoring (May 23)

Seen over at BetterHumans.com (anthropophobiacandroids : CyberPsalms 23) comes a transhumanist/technoprogressive psalm.

CyberPsalms 23 - By: anthropophobiacandroidsThe CyberLord is my technician, I shall not be denied.
He makes me lie down in electronic pastures,
He leads me beside quiet routers, and He restores my power.
He guides me in networks of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Though I see the uncanny valley and the singularity of death,
I will fear no androids, for shadows walk with me;
Your exploits and your cipher, they comfort me.
You prepare an IP table before me in the presence of cyborgs.
You anoint my header with oil; my buffer overflows.
Surely, knowledge and skill will bless all the days of my life cycle,
And I will live in the servers of the Web forever.

Finally picked up a copy of Will Eisner’s A Contract With God today from the public library where I’ve been swotting for the thesis defence. Looking forward to reading it sometime next week, as it’s held as a classic in the history of comic books. (More at A Contract with God - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

This semi-autobiographical work captures with pen and ink the drama of the city and its all-too-human inhabitants. Set in the same Bronx neighborhood as later works Dropsie Avenue and A Life Force, the four stories that comprise the book — “A Contract With God”, “The Street Singer”, “The Super” and “Cookalein” — examine the world of immigrant life in New York City in the 1930s with a unique look at the emotion and character of its denizens

And, though I’m on a comic buying ban at the moment, I’m sorely tempted to go into town and track down issues of ACTION COMICS #848 (Redemption - Pt.1) and #849 (Redemption - Pt.2). What if the baby Superman had been raised by fundamentalist Christians or a cult? The premise looks intriguing as both the depowered Clark Kent and the re-powered Superman investigate such a situation.

Reviews here that make me want to add them to my collection of comics that contain religious themes.

• Action Comics #848 Review - Silver Bullet Comics
• Action Comics #849 Review - Silver Bullet Comics

TANSAA and A Rocha host an environmental colloquium next Tuesday (22nd May) at the Bible College of New Zealand in West Auckland, including a public lecture by Professor John Flenley - “For The Beauty of the Earth” (7:30pm)

Others speakers include Dr. Anthony Cole,  Rev. Dr Anthony Dancer, Dr. Richard Storey, Dr. Carolyn King, Peter Wilcox, Dr. Winston Halapura, Andrew Shepherd and Dr. Nicola Hoggard Creegan.

All are welcome to attend during the day or evening sessions. A small charge will be made for meals ($25) for those attending the day sessions, for non-students. A koha will be taken at the evening lecture.

The most recent programme (including list of speakers and topics) can be found here: TANSAA-A Rocha Colloquium 2007.pdf (Updated 18 May 2007)

Contact details for the colloquium can be found here.

Lore Sjöberg over at Wired investigates the plethora of toys designed to turn you into your ‘friendly neighborhood Spider-Man’ as the movie tie-ins ramp up their presence.

1. Caught Up in an Ugly Web of Cheesy Spider-Man Marketing
2. Still Caught in an Ugly Web of Spidey Marketing

All the new Spidey stuff has taken up the shelf space of other actions figures in the toy aisles. I saw a big bin of DC Justice League Unlimited toys heavily discounted the other day but managed to avoid the wrath of Kim by restraining myself. Still I’d like to get the GL set sometime soon to add to the figures on top of the monitor. (Would also like to get the other 6“ B5 figures (and Firefly ones) to go with the Sheridan figure in the office too.)

Oh well, let’s get a job first that pays me to ‘research’ pop-culture.

Microsoft has released a beta verison of a converter for the new format of Office 2007 documents, to allow them to be opened in Mac versions of Office (most recent patched versions of MS Office 10 and 11 for OS X). It’s not perfect, and it needs 10.4.8 Mac OS X, but it might be helpful to some. See Microsoft Office Open XML File Format Converter for Mac (Beta).

Interview with Rodney Brooks, director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab on where he thinks robotics will go in the future. See Sizing up the coming robotics revolution | Newsmakers | CNET News.com.

MIT’s Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab release a new programming language, Scratch, aimed at teaching computer programming concepts through play. See With simplified code, programming becomes child’s play - The Boston Globe.

Of course, you don’t need to have a computer to teach computer science and computer programming concepts. See Computer Science Unplugged at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch.

Gwyneth Jones on developing robot technology | Features | Guardian Unlimited Film talks about how much more prescient the genre of cyberpunk was/is at looking at the future, as opposed to more general science fiction. The article also takes the slant that technology is a value-neutral instrument that only achieves moral dimensions when humans choose to use it in certain ways. I’m not convinced, because I think the socio-cultural forces that shape technological development contain values that are incorporated into the output of that development.

Anyway, the article fitted well with the book below that I’ve just finished reading. I’d give the book a C+, though. Apart from William Gibson’s short story ‘Burning Chrome’ and Philip K Dick’s short story that inspired the movie ‘Total Recall’ I wasn’t gripped that much by it. Maybe get Gibson’s own collection of short stories, also called ‘Burning Chrome’.

“The Ultimate Cyberpunk” (Pat Cadigan)

“Burning Chrome” (William Gibson)

Recent article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - JS Online: Robo-quandary gives a quick overview of transhumanism. Quick read.

Jason has compiled a collection of (MP3) sermons relating to Christian environmental stewardship over at Vineyard Church Sutton Website - Environmental Stewardship / Social Justice Series.

Inspired me to create a new category Environment to collate together posts relating to creation, ecology, conservation and the wider world.

Lynn Schofield Clark - While I’m here, update on LOST is a interesting look at how religion has been seen by viewers of the TV show LOST. I don’t watch the programme (the TV ads they had here promoting its arrival turned me off), but I found the article intriguing.

(Hat tip to Tensegrities » Back from oblivion)

Paul Teusner’s ‘What should we read about mass media?“ lists includes this one on his site as well: fishers, surfers and casters » Top 5-10 list from Lynn Schofield Clark.

In another of those areas where traditional boundaries become contested, scientists are working on developing a synthetic blood substitute for medical emergencies. (BBC NEWS | UK | England | North Yorkshire | Scientists create ‘plastic’ blood)

I wonder how this ‘blood’ will be considered by those communities that attach a special significance to human blood.

The best of both worlds - vinyl and MP3 files. Article here about a UK music label that releases music in vinyl format (for the DJ market) coupled with access to non-DRM high-quality MP3s of the music purchased. See U.K. Music Label Creates a Vinyl-MP3 Hybrid.

I’ve been skimming through John Waters’ book The Real Business of Web Design over the past couple of weeks. It’s been a refreshing change to read a book that talks about web design from a perspective that isn’t bogged down in the ‘how’ of what technologies will be used, but rather concentrates much more on the human dimensions of good design. You can find an excerpt from the book here at DMI eBulletin - The Information Age is History.

On design, Water’s writes:

It is not the singular quality of line, or form, or color in the Apple products or the Turkish tiles, or in any product or message for that matter, which we respond to. It is the totality of those elements—the way line, form, color, texture, pattern, purpose and meaning all fit together—that creates a whole far superior to the sum of its parts. Design is a holistic language that speaks not just to emotion or just to reason, but to both sides of the human brain.

 

Like Web services, the new metalanguage—a transformative language about language—which allows computers to speak to one another, design may be thought of as a metalanguage for humans, one which speaks more clearly, more universally, more comprehensively than any other language we have. A language that may be used effectively on the Web to help us cross borders, not create them. A language that may help us preserve cultural characteristics while sharing universal concerns. By thinking of design as the metalanguage of humans, the circle of language on the Web can be expanded to include everyone. (p.222)

Reminds me of the Mutton Birds song, ‘A thing well made’, which includes the lyrics:

Can you see the man who made that?
Can you see him putting it down and standing back?
Can you see the moment when he said “That’s it. That’s perfect.”?
At a time like that you wouldn’t care about your job,
Or your mortgage, or the fight you had with your wife.
‘Cause when a man holds a thing well made,
There’s connection,
There’s completeness when a man holds a thing well made.

Now in the song, the items in question are rifles, which reminds us of the ambiguity of human creativity— the human capacity to be creative and innovative in design, and yet to use that capacity for both good and evil. And also of almost transcendent power found in things that are well-designed, and how that addresses something deep within us.

Fernando links through to the General Board of Examining Chaplains - Episcopal Church USA: Previous Exams web site for those of you wanting to stretch yourselves mentally for a bit. I’ve used very similar questions to those in sets 3, 4, 5 and 6 with groups of students at various times. Good to think about these things.

And if that isn’t enough for you, don’t forget the similar Presbyterian Bible Content Exam - Learning Tool.

Technology Review: The World’s First Powered Ankle has an article on a new prosthetic ankle that functions in such a way as to add energy to walking, helping to reduce the effort required to use the prosthesis.

See also: MIT’s Robo Sapiens page and Greenflame » Robot avatars and other such things.

This re-release of the comic book that tells the story of Giuseppe Desa, a 17th century monk from Copertino in Italy, who could levitate and perform other miraculous acts, via the grace of God, looks like it would make an interesting addition to my small but growing collection of comic books with religious themes.

See THE FLYING FRIAR RETURNS - IN COLOR - NEWSARAMA

The Politics of Map Making; Katrina and Google Earth looks at how digital geography intersects with politics and the other representations of the world we construct. Interesting reading.

I love this cartoon strip! We had a fridge just like this one in the honours room back in the Canterbury computer science department. Inherited each year by the next generation of honours and masters students, the fridge was guaranteed to taint any item placed in it with a strange taste within an hour or two.

See: Piled Higher and DeeperL The Lab/Office Fridge

Darren’s put together a study guide for youth groups based around the new Spider-Man movie over at planet telex » Spiderman 3 Discussion Guide. (We still await the forthcoming Serenity one)

The Wordpress Theme Generator is a helpful tool for quickly putting together a WordPress theme by selecting template options. Seems like it might be useful.

Related link: Movable Type Style Generator

The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies has a recent piece from the Journal of Geoethical Nanotechnology on the transhumanist concept of uploading - the futurist concept of fleeing/transcending the human body through technological means. See Marshall Brain: How Uploading Works.

Brain argues that there are three main imputuses pushing technology in this direction.

1. The desire to live/experience the lives/bodies of others will become overwhelmingly powerful
2. Pornography
3. Fear of death

What an inspirational combination. (Sarcasim mode on)

Jo pointed to this article about Google Books. Food for thought.

American Historical Association Blog: Google Books: What’s Not to Like?

Links to a two-part post on the creation of immersive story worlds that span soaps, wrestling, and superhero comics. Interestingly, another post on the blog connects the worlds of soaps with comic books more explicitly using the example of DC’s recent 52 and Marvel’s Civil War. Not too surprising really, given that Star Trek and Firefly are probably better classified as ‘space opera‘ rather than hard science fiction. People watch as much for the interplay of the characters as for the speculative devices.

See:

• Confessions of an Aca/Fan: The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins: Immersive Story Worlds (Part One)
• Confessions of an Aca/Fan: The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins: Immersive Story Worlds (Part Two)

Related link: Greenflame » Dylan Horrocks on comics, games and world-building.

If you’re a comics fanboy or fangirl then this is quite amusing. (Even if you’re a DC fan like me)

Marvel, DC “I’m a Mac” Parody

Fairly true, though I think (if we ignore the recent ‘The Batman’ animated series) that the DC/Warner animated Justice League, Batman and Superman series worked pretty well on the small screen. And the Teen Titans theme song is a favourite to sing along to in the car with the kids.

I watched Spider-Man 2 the other day in preparation for going to see the new Spider-Man movie at some point. Both Spider-Man 1 & 2 capture, I think, the tragedy inherent in the character of Peter Parker/Spider-Man that is in the comic books. None of the boosterism of Superman, nor the darkness of a Batman seeking to make sure no child loses his parents like he did. Just trying to live with the guilt of not doing good when one could have, and having no choice about being who he is, and entangled with who he is. An everyman in other words. All the other Marvel movies didn’t get it quite right, but S-M 1 & 2 did, I think. Which doesn’t bode well for S-M 3. Could this be Schumacher’s “Batman and Robin” to Burton’s “Batman”?

There’s more on comic book movies as morality plays lurking in the Greenflame Comics archives, I think.

I think the Flash, Green Lantern and Justice League movies could be done well, but I’m not convinced they would be (See here for a JL movie that didn’t work). I’d really like to see a GL movie set in space (not here on Earth), maybe in the manner of a Western where the marshall/ranger is sent in to do a job (with associates like Texas Rangers?). More humanity, perhaps, and less of the Earth (except to bracket the start and end). The weaknesses inherent in the GL ring would allow that in the character development.

I have a date for my viva voce! (The oral defense of my thesis.) Feels like Amos 5:18 as I begin to prepare for it. But then, I’m sure all thesis students defending their work like this feel the same way, and in less than three weeks it’ll be behind me, regardless of the outcome.

Somewhat encouraged by the likes of Steve, Cathy, and all the others I know who’ve come through it unscathed(?).

And yes, I’m currently not talking to those who didn’t have to do one to get their PhD.

The cover story, “In the name of God,” from the Easter issue of the New Zealand Listener and which asks the question “Is religion dangerous?” is now available online.

See Cover Story: In the name of God by Philip Matthews | New Zealand Listener.

Interesting to see the writer interplay another thinker (Keith Ward) with Richard Dawkins, rather than just spout off Dawkin’s lines.

If you’re interested in the history of digital computing, especially the early days around the 1940s and 50s, then check out AlanTuring.net: The Turing Archive for the History of Computing based out of the University of Canterbury in NZ.

Had a wee spell feeling under the weather over the past 4-5 days, and ended up in the hospital for four days. This was the view from my bed (if I sat up), over Lake Pupuke in Takapuna. Weather was a little bleak, but that didn’t stop all manner of rowers, sailors and others entertaining me with their antics on the lake. Met many interesting people along the way, but the bed was bl**dy uncomfortable.

Back home now, but taking it easy. Ah biology, you have to love it.