I came across this speech by Richard Feynman from a Caltech commencement address given in 1974. It's also in "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!". I have read the book a few years earlier, and have grown to view him as someone with as much humor and intelligence as Einstein. This is a must read for anyone who have not known him. In it, he touches on the integrity of researchers and scientists to be unbiase and fair and being willing to doubt their own theories and results, even at the risk of lossing support.

I have included the first few paragraphs:

During the Middle Ages there were all kinds of crazy ideas, such as that a piece of rhinoceros horn would increase potency. Then a method was discovered for separating the ideas--which was to try one to see if it worked, and if it didn't work, to eliminate it. This method became organized, of course, into science. And it developed very well, so that we are now in the scientific age. It is such a scientific age, in fact, that we have difficulty in understanding how witch doctors could ever have existed, when nothing that they proposed ever really worked--or very little of it did.

But even today I meet lots of people who sooner or later get me into a conversation about UFO's, or astrology, or some form of mysticism, expanded consciousness, new types of awareness, ESP, and so forth. And I've concluded that it's not a scientific world.

Most people believe so many wonderful things that I decided to investigate why they did. And what has been referred to as my curiosity for investigation has landed me in a difficulty where I found so much junk that I'm overwhelmed. First I started out by investigating various ideas of mysticism and mystic experiences. I went into isolation tanks and got many hours of hallucinations, so I know something about that. Then I went to Esalen, which is a hotbed of this kind of thought (it's a wonderful place; you should go visit there). Then I became overwhelmed. I didn't realize how MUCH there was.

At Esalen there are some large baths fed by hot springs situated on a ledge about thirty feet above the ocean. One of my most pleasurable experiences has been to sit in one of those baths and watch the waves crashing onto the rocky slope below, to gaze into the clear blue sky above, and to study a beautiful nude as she quietly appears and settles into the bath with me.

One time I sat down in a bath where there was a beautiful girl sitting with a guy who didn't seem to know her. Right away I began thinking, "Gee! How am I gonna get started talking to this beautiful nude woman?"

I'm trying to figure out what to say, when the guy says to her, "I'm, uh, studying massage. Could I practice on you?" "Sure," she says. They get out of the bath and she lies down on a massage table nearby. I think to myself, "What a nifty line! I can never think of anything like that!" He starts to rub her big toe. "I think I feel it," he says. "I feel a kind of dent--is that the pituitary?" I blurt out, "You're a helluva long way from the pituitary, man!" They looked at me, horrified--I had blown my cover--and said, "It's reflexology!" I quickly closed my eyes and appeared to be meditating... [more]

Posted by mingde at 12:59 pm | Permalink | Comments

The skepchick has a new post and in it there is an interesting MTV by New York Dolls which I want to share with you. It's their new song: Dance Like A Monkey. Have a laugh and see how many jokes you catch.

Posted by mingde at 7:25 pm | Permalink | Comments

I have just finished watching the controversial The root of all evil online. The documentary was first broadcast in January 2006, in 2 parts, on Channel 4 in the UK.

In Part 1: The God Delusion, he explores the "the process of non-thinking called faith". He comments on the group solidarity that religion offers and investigates the differences between faith and science. He interviews several people on their beliefs and offers his views on them.

Part 2: The Virus of Faith, he argues against the religious indoctrination of children. He compares faith to a virus, which infects the young and is passed down from generations to generations. He questions the use of hellfire and damnation to scare people into belief and doing good.

"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion."-Steven Weinberg

You can watch the 2 parts on google video, Part 1 and Part 2.

technorati tag:
the root of all evil

Posted by mingde at 10:58 am | Permalink | Comments

Today issue of "The New Paper" carries an article on its 2nd and 3rd page titled: Peeking the Winner. They pose the question of who will win the World Cup to 8 renown fengshui practitioners which all, except 1, predicts France will be the winner.

"Using the strokes of the Chinese characters for France and Italy, it is the French team that has an advantage, said Master Tong Noong Chin."

Master Tong uses the time of the match - 2am on 10 July and conclude that "The combination of the 2 favors France." That's lucky, because if we are in say, Japan, or watching the match in China, the match will NOT be at 2am on 10 July and master Tong will have to make a NEW prediction on the SAME match.

"The grass is green, which possesses the element of wood. Metal can 'overcome' wood and so, the team wearing the white jersey will end up with the advantage.- Master Ang Kian Cheong"

The only geomancer who differ from the crowd is Master Phang Song Hua who picked Italy base on the time the New Paper contacted him, 7.30pm. Go figure.

Incidentally, statistics seems to favor Italy as far as fengshui is concern. And if all this doesn't convince you, consider that Mexican coach Ricardo La Volpe is a big believer in fengshui, and he's sitting at home watching the Cup, just like you.
--
Update 10 July, 5:00AM.
Italy wins! So much for fengshui!

technorati tag: fengshui feng shui singapore World Cup The New Paper skeptic

Posted by mingde at 5:53 pm | Permalink | Comments

I just found out this morning that Mr Brown's column has been suspense. This is indeed a sad day for Singaporean. So say we all.



Technorati Tags: Mrbrown

Posted by mingde at 12:56 pm | Permalink | Comments

In case you haven't notice, there is an up-roar in the singapore blogging sphere.

Last friday, 3rd July 2006, the ever lovable Mr Brown wrote an article in the TODAY newspaper voices colume titled:S'poreans are fed, up with progress!

This article was met with a respond from K BHAVANI, Press Secretary to the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, titled: Distorting the truth, mr brown? When a columnist becomes a 'partisan player' in politics(Read the full letter at MrBrow.com) Go on, I'll wait, and don't forget to check out the 500 plus comments while you are there.

There have already been many comments and analyses on the letter and the issue, but i'm so stirred that i have to add my 2 cents:

...These were precisely the reasons for the Progress Package — to help lower income Singaporeans cope with higher costs of living...

I thought the Progress Package was to share the nation's surplus and to recongnise our contributions.

...As for means testing for special school fees, we understand mr brown's disappointment as the father of an autistic child...

Now that is just wrong, and sooo below the belt.

...mr brown's views on all these issues distort the truth. They are polemics dressed up as analysis, blaming the Government for all that he is unhappy with. He offers no alternatives or solutions. His piece is calculated to encourage cynicism and despondency, which can only make things worse, not better, for those he professes to sympathise with...

I honestly do not know how to respond to this. "Polemics dressed up as analysis"? Will anyone who reads the article sees it as an detailed analysis of our society? "offers no alternatives or solution..." Can't we feedback? Must we always have a solution to every problem? "Encourage cynicism and despondency"? Is she saying those thing are NOT happening? " Can only make things worse..."? How? By making them laugh at themself?

...mr brown is entitled to his views. But opinions which are widely circulated in a regular column in a serious newspaper should meet higher standards. Instead of a diatribe mr brown should offer constructive criticism and alternatives...

"You can say anything you want, and all sorts of things are said and debated in Singapore." - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, interview with Charlie Rose, Aug 2005

...And he should come out from behind his pseudonym to defend his views openly...

they should reload back to reality if they don't know who Mr Brown is, i mean seriously...

It is not the role of journalists or newspapers in Singapore to champion issues, or campaign for or against the Government. If a columnist presents himself as a non-political observer, while exploiting his access to the mass media to undermine the Government's standing with the electorate, then he is no longer a constructive critic, but a partisan player in politics...

this got me worried, I like Mr Brown's friday colume and this looks like he could get bummed. Not the role of journalists or newspapers to campaign for or against the government? Right, our media is totally free and uninfluenced by any political party. Btw, i thought you have to be affiliated with a party to be partisan.

Technorati Tags: Mrbrown

Posted by mingde at 3:00 am | Permalink | Comments

Errr...no.
This is not the title of the 7th and last book in the Harry Potter series, but this just goes to show the truth is indeed stranger that fiction.

From July the (Zimbabwe, Africa) government acknowledges that supernatural powers exist - but prohibits the use of magic to cause someone harm.[link to BBC]

Imagine them setting up a Ministry of Magic to regulate the use of witchcraft.
How about a Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures Department.
"Is this the imp that stole your melon, madam?"
"mmmh...I don't know. Make him flap his wings and hop around a little."
Or maybe Hogwash, school of voodoo and witchcraft.

Anyone who studied or read about the witch hunts in Europe will tell you that this is a problem. The new Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act will demand proof that a person has supernatural powers and that they are using them to harm others. Good luck with that, I say. Maybe they can summon a demon or a sprite to testify in court.

This is a serious issue. When people believe that wealth, power, health and luck can be bestow by a man in a funny hat, you will have people who would delay or deny medical treatment; people who would rather carry little pieces of paper around that to actually work hard for a promotion; people who believes that virgins are a good cure for Aids; and human body parts can make magic charms which will bring luck or success. [Child abuse in UK]

Check out what Yawning Bread(one of my fav blogger) have to say about:
Why don't these people trust scientific rationalism like we do?

Posted by mingde at 4:07 pm | Permalink | Comments