New UK Band: The Script

The Script have just vaulted to the top of the charts in the UK.  They describe their genre as Celtic Soul,  but I would call it Celtic Rock.  They have elements of U2, Savage Garden (listen to "Before the Worst"), and a dash of hip-hop.  Listen, they are good.  Here is their homepage.

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Obama Endorsements January 14-28

My most popular post so far has been Barack Obama Endorsements [January 4-14], which I posted two weeks ago. [For a current list, see Running List of Obama Endorsements.]  Since that time, there have been several high profile endorsements.  Most moving of all was the stunning endorsement from Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK, delivered through a New York Times Op Ed piece entitled A President Like My Father.  She ends,

"I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president - not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans."

[John F. Kennedy speech at Rice University on 12 September 1962, a year after the space program was ramped up, and less than seven years before the moon landing.]

Of course, Obama does not have plans to take us to the Moon, and as I said, space is best explored by robots for now.  But I believe that Barack Obama can inspire us and lead us to tackle the problems of our time.

Here is a list of the individuals above:

• Senator Edward Kennedy (of Massachusetts, brother of JFK)
  
• Caroline Kennedy (daughter of JFK)
• Senator Patrick Leahy (of Vermont)
• Former Senator Jean Carnahan (of Missouri)
  
• Congressman Rick Boucher (of Virginia)
  

Here are some recent newspaper endorsements of Obama:

• San Francisco Chronicle
  
• San Jose Mercury News
  
• Modesto Bee
  
• Santa Barbara Independent
  
• New York Observer
  
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch
  
• Arizona Republic
  
• Philadelphia Inquirer 
  
• Chicago Tribune
  
• Seattle Times
  
• Rocky Mountain News

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Lawrence Krauss on Religion

Here is an interview with Lawrence Krauss about science and religion  from Point of Inquiry.  The interview is about half an hour long, so here's the main thing I got out of it.  Krauss argues that scientists should convey what they have learned studying nature, particularly in the area of biological evolution, but that, in the end, religious beliefs (or lack thereof) are outside science's purview.   Thus he is somewhat at odds with Richard Dawkins, at least in style.

My own view is complicated, but I promise I will eventually write some posts on it.  For now, let me say that I definitely agree with Krauss' criticism of Dawkins.   I also agree wholeheartedly with Lawrence's call for greater scientific literacy, which is one of the motivations for this blog.

[I should mention that I've met Krauss several times, and he is involved with Science Debate 2008, but I don't think any of that has colored my view of this issue.  Krauss gets involved in many things.  If you're reading this Larry, I just want to know, do you sleep?  :) ] 

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Happy New Year!

Here is an audio greeting for the new year (click Read More).

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