Evangelical Atheists

Do you ever notice the folks who espouse tolerance never actually practice it?

As a general disclaimer, I don't believe in tolerance. To tolerate something is to endure or permit (not resist) the action (of a drug or food) without side effects/discomfort or put up with something less than ideal. It's putting up with stuff! It's not reaching towards perfection but instead accepting and yearning for less than perfect. Honestly does that make sense to anyone? People really get excited about that? What kind of people have we become that this is the great ideal?

Shouldn't we reach for excellence? Shouldn't we shoot for the moon because even if we miss we'll end up among the stars?We shouldn't tolerate illiteracy, poverty, injustices or evil. We sometimes disagree on what is evil. We paint broad strokes on what is evil and what is not. The devil's in the details. Yes he is! He'll confuse you blind until you can't tell what is right or wrong because it's under the beautiful guise of tolerance.

I find it funny that women who disagree with the thought of God being referred to as "He or Father", never once complain about referring to the devil as "he" but I digress. My whole purpose on introducing the tolerance topic is that the same people that espouse tolerance certainly can't practice it.

I travel a lot and I eat a lot, typically out. I enjoy meals. I love to plan my next meal as I'm enjoying my current meal. It's a small joy of mine. When I eat, regardless of my location, I pray. I make the sign of the cross and say my silent request to God, thanking him for the food, for my family for the company that joins me for my meal and for all the good things he's done for me. I ask him to bless all those around me and then I eat. I've grown accustomed to this pre-meal ritual of bowing my head and taking a moment in silence to orient myself to the greatest good. In my travels I ran across an evangelical atheist who took exception to my pre-meal silent ritual. I was immediately outed as a Christian and my denomination had to be known. I explained my faith was not a denomination. (Catholicism is not a denomination but just about everything else is because at some point other Christians broke from the Catholic church and thus making those religions denominations.) I was then blamed from everything from Pope Pius XII's outright assistance to the nazi's - lies(all of them) to the existence of Jesus and the evil and vicissitudes of the Pope. I listened quite politely, refraining from partaking of my grilled eggplant and proceeded to agree to disagree. I apologized that this was their thought on the matters but oh no, it wasn't over. It was only the beginning. The berating continued through dinner, dessert, taxi and I thanked God we were going separate ways after that but it resumed again the following day during the meeting breaks.

You make one little sign of the cross and try to thank God and the next thing you know, someone who professed to tolerate just about anything couldn't tolerate my reverence and love of God. For my part I was quite happy actually to sit there and delay my meal in order to be berated. That's the mark of the Christian. It's not that we are right or that we argue better or that we know more, or have more. It's that we love our neighbor even when our neighbor says or does disparaging things about our faith or mocks our faith.

Redneck Physics

you might be a redneck if ....you've used a bucket for a headcoil

"Crank her up!"

Hotels!

Why is it that the more expensive the hotel, the less the amenities you receive?

What's up with that? If I'm paying north of $200 for a room, I expect internet access. Seriously, internet access is pretty much a standard staple of hotels these days but the swankier the hotel, the less chance I've had to have internet included. Oh, and no breakfast, really?

Swanky hotels can't throw in breakfast unless you're an elite member? Fortunately I'm an elite member but still I can opt to stay at a less swanky hotel which mind you if it's a new hotel, chances are the digs are better than the "swanky" hotels and I get internet access and breakfast.

So that's why The IP here has been quiet. I've been traveling in hotels where I'm too cheap to pay for internet so I got a lot of work done instead. Hmmm, I bet my company pays those hotels extra to not let me have internet access.

Good help is so hard to get

Working from home has it's advantages:

- easy commute

- cheap labor from house elves

However, I found out why cheap house elf labor is not such a good thing. I had a teleconference yesterday and had the Peach elf refill my cup of coffee. She saunters back 20 minutes later with my coffee, (still hot - amazing those house elves). I take a sip and about spew it right back out. As I was still on a call I couldn't discuss the poisoned coffee trick. After the call I peeked my head out of the office and she perks up "Did you like your coffee!!!!"

That's when I realized maybe she wasn't trying to poison me and she continues "I couldn't get the milk so I used buttermilk. I hope that was ok."

Not to worry. Scientist at work.

Rarely do we MR (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) physicists get let out in public. Normally they keep us confined to the magnetic fields of the MR bays but occasionally we escape.

There was the picnic where we rode vehicular amusement park rides (Think open hatch rocket with wheels and seat belts.) My MR physics colleague and I were the only 2 who rode down the street with our arms outstretched screaming our lungs out. (See that is why they should let us out every now and again to acclimate us to society. Yes there are pictures. No, I'm not sharing.) That one cost us dearly. There were 'Escaped MR Physicist' reward signs tacked up after that escapade.

Yesterday a colleague needed a scan victim... uh volunteer. So I volunteered to enter the MR Chamber of Secrets. I keep jammie pants at my desk for such occasions. (Metal zippers tend to mess with the magnetic field and gradients, hence the jammies.) My visiting colleague also needed to be escorted around the building because of badge access so I helped him out there too...in my jammies. I really should be accustomed to the bemused looks on my co-workers' faces. The other MR physicists however, didn't even bat an eye. They understand. Sometimes scientists wear jammies to work. Nothing to be concerned about. This is "normal" behavior for an MR Scientist.

In over my head

I recently applied for a high profile position. Because I wanted it??? No, because I was asked to apply.

I concede I don't have the technical prowess of the last person in that position, but I do have the competence to execute the job. I don't think I'll get the position so I'm wondering: isn't it futile to continue in the interview process?

This would be a good time for desolation to end, a really good time. I'm getting strong temptations to withdraw my name from the contenders, but I keep getting drawn back to rule #1...stay the course.