Flushing a Random Tube #1

Trying a new approach on here.  I’m going to keep doing my more intense posts on a regular basis (ie longer posts focusing on one thing in detail), but also try to post other material of interest in shorter posts on a daily (or at least almost daily) basis, just to keep things interesting.  Today, as a result of inspiration from Stephen Colbert’s satirical wiki page, I’m flushing some random tubes, or looking around the internet for sites of interest.

First site in line is from Access Research Network, one of the major ID sites on the internet.  This is the ID Arts page.  From the page itself (available here):

“Our worldview impacts all areas of life including the arts. The arts also reflect philosophical and cultural trends in human societies. If philosophical and scientific concepts of intelligent design (ID) are valid, we believe they will both inspire, and be reflected in, our art, music, literature and film.”

So as we can see, ID is a social movement after all, regardless of the science.  This social aspect is reflected in the Wedge Document (although ARN is not part of the Discovery Institute, they are closely linked)(available here):

“Discovery Institute’s Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture seeks nothing less than the overthrow of materialism and its cultural legacies. Bringing together leading scholars from the natural sciences and those from the humanities and social sciences, the Center explores how new developments in biology, physics and cognitive science raise serious doubts about scientific materialism and have re-opened the case for a broadly theistic understanding of nature. The Center awards fellowships for original research, holds conferences, and briefs policymakers about the opportunities for life after materialism.”

Now, stepping away from the Intelligent Movement, I want to highlight an extremely well-done paleontology website, the Oceans of Kansas project (available here).  If you’re interested in Mosasaurs and other aquatic reptiles from the Mesozoic (or paleontology in general), this site is well-worth checking out.

Also, in the world of Climate Change, the Hughen Falconer thing seems to be resolved.  In a comment on Chris Colose’s blog, it appears that someone sent an email to the people compiling the list asking to be added to it.  The people compiling the list apparently didn’t care enough to check the background of the the person in question though; apparently verifying a person’s credentials is not important.  Here’s the relevant part of the comment (available here; August 19th 2009 comment):

“Further to this, I received an email reply from the site administrator and a person calling himself Hughen Falconer has had himself added via an email sent from a yahoo.com email address on 29th July.”

At least there’s some resolution there now; this “Hughen Falconer” guy seems like a hoaxter.

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