in Rich Karlgaard's article he discusses the declining value of a university education.
This topic hits particularly close to home because it was an internal debate that I had for some time before coming to Mcmaster. When I was in high school I took a year off to do some acting, work a full time job, and spend more time on my music. That year I made more money than the university educated principal at the school I had attended. In fact.. I made more money than my PhD holding mother who was working only part time.
I decided that though the money came easily... the work wasnt the best (the acting was great.. I mean the full time job) and I yearned for something more. So here I am at university. While I hope to be making a fair bit more money than I was the year I took off.... I often wonder how my life would have been if I had continued to work. One of the main reasons I came to university was to experience living as a university student, something which I had my fill of in a little less than a few months.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Facebooked
Matthew Trevisan's recent article for the globe and mail highlights the use of facebook by police organizations. I completely support this practice and think that police should be using all of the technology possible to catch criminals.
In the modern age of networked communication police are fighting an uphill battle against tech savvy criminals who are using new forms of technology with criminal intentions. Whether its a illegal party host, a drug dealer, or a pedophile, people are able to commit crimes conveniently. In the show 'Dateline: To catch a criminal' pedophiles are lured into meeting what they think is a minor, but turns out to be the dateline host. They are interviewed.. and then arrested. Not only is it good to be getting these criminals off of the street... it also makes for brilliant television.
"I was going fishing"
"It sounds like what you were fishing for was sex with a 12 year old girl"
Brilliant.. just brilliant
In the modern age of networked communication police are fighting an uphill battle against tech savvy criminals who are using new forms of technology with criminal intentions. Whether its a illegal party host, a drug dealer, or a pedophile, people are able to commit crimes conveniently. In the show 'Dateline: To catch a criminal' pedophiles are lured into meeting what they think is a minor, but turns out to be the dateline host. They are interviewed.. and then arrested. Not only is it good to be getting these criminals off of the street... it also makes for brilliant television.
"I was going fishing"
"It sounds like what you were fishing for was sex with a 12 year old girl"
Brilliant.. just brilliant
Good is Good.... or Godbseletion
In Sam Harris's essay for the LA Times he presents some scathing criticisms of religion in the modern world. While religion has its merits (discipline, hope for life after death, stucture, etc) they have caused more problems than they have solved and in the past century or two the technological advances have rendered the benefits of religion obsolete.
Take for instance the Jewish traditions of circumcision, or kosher foods (I promise to never mention circumcision and food in the same sentence again.) A thousand years ago these were great rules to follow. Circumcision prevented infection when hygiene was less thorough. Avoiding pork when refrigeration has yet to be invented is brilliant. These traditions likely prevented many deaths and much sickness, but are no longer necessary as technological advances have changed the way we live. While religious text offers us stories with strong and positive morals, we need to recognize them for what they are; modern elaborate fairy tales.
Heres my friend Joe holding it down next to the God Van that is normally parked a few blocks away from my house in Toronto.
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