Diary of the Mad Pigeon

The Morality of Nanotechnology

C-Chan sent me this link about a week ago...

EXCERPT:  A new study by University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Dietram Scheufele finds that only 1/3 of Americans find nanotechnology morally acceptable, reports this article in Science Daily.  In a sample of 1,015 adult Americans, only 29.5 percent of respondents agreed that nanotechnology was morally acceptable.

What, pray tell, is moral or immoral, acceptable or unacceptable about nanotechnology? Have we become so mired in fanatical puritanism that we are no longer capable of thinking for ourselves?

The catch for Americans with strong religious convictions, Scheufele believes, is that nanotechnology, biotechnology and stem cell research are lumped together as means to enhance human qualities. In short, researchers are viewed as “playing God” when they create materials that do not occur in nature, especially where nanotechnology and biotechnology intertwine, says Scheufele.  CONTINUED AT ADEPT TECHNOLOGIES

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Concur--I can't imagine why anyone would find using our God-given brains to solve problems is morally unacceptable (same with stem-cell research, but that's another story).  It reminds me of the parable where a guy drowns in a flood while praying for God to save him, but turns away all the rescuers that show up since they aren't divine.

I'm spiritual, but not religious, with a critical, questioning mind; and for me, prayer = action.  That is, I've been in situations were I think the outcome was more than "luck," but the outcome still depended on applying my own reasoning capabilities.

Or, "God helps those who help themselves." 

If I were going to worry about nanotechnology, specifically used within biology, it would be over potential physiological effects:  could my body attack a nano-object like an infection, perhaps sending me into shock?  Could objects designed to help one system interfere with another?  Have potential long-term side effects been war gamed?  However, I trust nanotech researchers are working on these very questions.

In short, count me amongst the 1/3!

But wait--there's more!  The author further comments:

"To a certain extent, this reminds me of some of the things that happened in the Islamic world during the dark ages. While most of Western Europe was trying to remember how to read and write, the Islamic world had mathematics, algebra, medicine, and astronomy. Then something happened, some say it was a new strict interpretation of Sharia law, that caused their progress to stop, like it was frozen in amber. The West continued to learn and develop, while the Islamic world stagnated, and the majority of advancements in science no longer arose from that part of the world."

Indeed, to simplify the history a bit, Islam reached a point in roughly 1300 where Muslim leaders decided they'd solved all the Islamic world's problems and put Islam into stasis.  For me just the loss of the vibrant Islamic philosophy schools was an abject tragedy, let alone the losses to the hard sciences.

So back to the whole "critically-minded spirituality" bit:   I'm adamant that it is not the government's place to legislate morality.  I mean, we could debate about the relative morality of murder or robbery, but I put such issues under the category of legislation to maintain a peaceful society.  But issues such as nanotechnology, abortion, and stem cell research are deeply personal; and unless nanotechnology suddenly turns people into crazed killing machines (perish the weaponization thought), no single person in government should be making a moral choice for millions of people. 

I still gnash my teeth over the blight on the Constitution that is Prohibition...

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Trackposted to Rosemary's Thoughts, Nuke Gingrich, Faultline USA, Allie is Wired, Pirate's Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Leaning Straight Up, Cao's Blog, A Newt One, The Yankee Sailor, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Thursday Open Roost

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McCain Threatens to Send Republican Rivals to Prison from Grandma is an Idiot!
Clinton Campaign Ad Asks The Crucial Campaign Question from Rhymes With Right
I Heard You Missed Me - I'm Back from Rhymes With Right

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I need me some more research material...

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A Witness to a Car Accident

What's that saying again?  "Never judge a book by its cover."

http://www.chumfm.com/MorningShow/bits/march24.swf

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The Pigeon gets Busier!

I start another Masters degree on Monday! 

As part of my promotion to Major I must complete the next level of Professional Military Education, or PME for short (also called IDE, or Intermediate Developmental Education). 

Each rank comes with it's own PME course, and in this case I must complete Air Command and Staff College (or ACSC for short (Gotta love the A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. soup).

Only a handful of promotees are selected for school in-residence, where they actually move to Maxwell AFB, Alabama to take ACSC.  Alas, I wasn't selected for in-residence:  which is fine by me, since I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than live in AL for a year.  Plus, I'm already applying for a PhD, so ACSC in-residence would muck with my plans.

The advantages for taking ACSC in residence is you get a Masters as well as PME credit, and you have a higher chance of promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.

Thus the rest of us schmucks take ACSC by correspondence, which involves reading some books, taking some tests at the local education center, and then BAM!  PME credit.  But up until this year, you did not get a Masters through the correspondence course.

Until now--nothing like being in the right place at the right time!

The AF just started a pilot program where us correspondence schmucks can enroll in a dual PME/Masters program.  At minimum it'll take 22 months to complete, but at the end I'll have PME credit and a Master of Science in Military Operations, just like the in-residence folks (and hopefully a leg up at my Lt Col board).

The bad news?  My work load just got kicked up a notch, to quote a fat Italian chef.  And, if I get selected for a USAFA-sponsored PhD, I'll simultaneously be starting the PhD while completing the MS--talk about being a glutton for educational punishment!

(MOGS might be in the same situation:  if he enrolls in the course he could be eyeballs deep in two Masters programs!  But I think he feels the same way:  a free MS is a no-brainer).

The Hummingbird thinks I'm a nut, but as I told her I'd be a fool to turn down free education.  Plus, if I complete this MS and get the PhD that means the military will have paid for all but ~$1,000 of my education.   

What does this mean for the Diary of the Mad Pigeon?  I don't know yet... worst case it'll cut into my writing time (and I've already cut back as it is); but on the the bright side, as I've done with my USAFA work I could very well use my PME course work to spark posting ideas (and vice versa).

Regardless, just think of me as the personification of your DoD education tax dollars at work!

Mother Replaces Son on the Front Lines

by Senior Airman Eric Schloeffel
506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs

KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq -- As many parents anxiously await the next phone call from their sons and daughters serving in Iraq, one mother journeyed across the Atlantic to not only see her child; but to replace him on the front line.

Atop a remote guard tower, mother and son stand post peering across the barbed wire into the desolate desert plains surrounding KirkuknRegional Air Base, Iraq. In this setting, the role of the caretaker is reversed as Senior Airman Derrick Johnson instructs his mother, Staff Sgt. Tammi Johnson, on perimeter defense practices here.

Sergeant Johnson, a reservist with the 507th Security Forces Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., arrived here Jan. 20 and will receive a complete week of training from her son before he heads back to the U.S.

"This is all just a big coincidence," said Airman Johnson, a reservist with the 610th Security Forces Squadron from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas. "When I found out she was coming to replace me, my jaw dropped just wondering what the chances were of this occurring."

The coincidence of this pair choosing to serve in the same military branch and career field is only trumped by the fact that out of the thousands of Air Force security forces Airmen and numerous deployment locations - Sergeant Johnson, 42, was randomly selected to relieve her son in the guard post which they currently sit.

This chain of events was put into play in March 2006 when Airman Johnson, 20, visited a local Air Force recruiter. His mother, who was a civilian at the time, accompanied him on the trip.

"My son was graduating from high school and talked to me about the Air Force, and as his mother, I naturally wanted to go to the recruiter with him," said Sergeant Johnson. "As a joke, the recruiter asked if I was interested in joining up. I laughed it off at first, but then he started asking questions about my age and how long I had previously served."

Sergeant Johnson initially joined the Air Force in 1983 and worked in the personnel career field for several years before separating.

"I gave it some real thought for awhile and talked to the recruiter some more," she said. "When I previously served, I was always interested in the security forces career field; I'm an active person and don't enjoy doing paperwork.

"The recruiter said there were some openings in security forces, so I hemmed-and-hawed about it," she said. "My son was joining the same career field, but I knew we'd be stationed at different places, so I decided to just do it."

Both joined the Air Force Reserve that spring; Sergeant Johnson was able to keep her job for the local school district in their hometown of Moore, Okla., and Airman Johnson could serve his country while attending college full time.

Her son offered a nod of support to his mother as she took an oath to return to duty for the Air Force.  "She always talked positively about her time in the military," he said.  "I got the impression she really enjoyed life in the Air Force, and I thought that was the place she needed to be. The reserves were a great option because she could keep her job at home.

"I was all for it, but when she chose the security forces career field, it was a little strange because that's what I do," he added. "But she knows I would support her doing whatever made her happy."

Sergeant Johnson found out she would replace her son in Iraq shortly before he left six months ago. As a mother would, Sergeant Johnson initially felt nervous about her son's deployment.

"At the time, I wished I could've deployed first," she said. "We received the same training, so I was aware of the various threats security forces Airmen can face while deployed. But at the same time, I know he is well-trained and intelligent, so that helped put my mind at ease."

Airman Johnson now spends most of his time preparing to leave Kirkuk and training his mother on the duties he performs from the guard post. This entails maintaining close surveillance of the base perimeter and beyond for suspicious activity. Security forces also conduct base patrols, anti-terrorism measures and identification checks.

"I've been asking Derrick tons of questions," she said. "A car rolled real slowly by the perimeter of the base today, and I started getting nervous. But Derrick was there to tell me it was the Iraqi Police, and everything was alright. He knows right off-hand what to do, and I don't feel intimidated or stupid when I ask him the simplest questions."

They both feel the deployment has given them time to bond and a shared experience that only draws their mother and son relationship closer. Without this short week together in Kirkuk, they would not see each other for more than a year.

"This just adds another layer to our relationship. How many mothers and sons can say they were together in the same place in a war zone?" said Airman Johnson. "This is something we can always talk about in the future and have a very good idea of what the other went through."

As a staff sergeant, Airman Johnson's mother is just one rank above him; but she might as well be a four-star general. Airman Johnson feels hard-pressed to think of a time when he wouldn't take orders from her, he said.

"You have to find the right balance because she is my mother and we are working side-by-side," he said. "She understands and listens to the experiences I've encountered, which will help her. But really, she outranks me on many different levels. You can never outrank your mother."

Together for now, Sergeant and Airman Johnson sit in a Kirkuk guard tower sharing a few laughs and the common bond of serving for their country. While a mother and son together in combat may sound unusual to some, this pair wouldn't have it any other way.

"This is what I originally joined for in 1983," Sergeant Johnson said.  "I was young and an idealist, and felt serving was a responsibility for all citizens. Some of my friends back home think I'm crazy for leaving my job and doing this at the age I am. But I feel more complete as a person by serving for the Air Force and our country."

As for Airman Johnson; he admits to taking some light-hearted jabs fromthe guys every so often. But like any good Airman, he vows to take on
the wingman role and train his mother on the duties that helped keep Kirkuk safe for the past six months.

"I've heard some of the guys ask, 'Is your mommy here to replace you yet?'" he said. "My friends back home who serve in the military think it's strange to picture their mothers in Iraq with a helmet, weapon and flak vest. None of that bothers me though; it brings us closer together, which is what matters most."

More Zombie Goodness!

**NOTE:  CLICK ON THE LINKS AT YOUR OWN RISK! NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN, PETS, ALIENS, THOSE OF WEAK CONSTITUTION, OR CLINTON DELEGATES.**

God bless George Romero, John Russo, and their respective zombie canon!

Yes, I love zombie movies; I prefer the Romero "Dead" movies over the Russo "Living Dead" series, but I'll happily watch either (brain-shaped popcorn in hand).   

I'm not sure why:  maybe it's the social commentary within the series, or it could be the excitement watching the few make a stand against the many.  Or it could be a morbid fascination with the goal we all ultimately reach, regardless of our station in life. 

Whatever the reason, this looks like a good year for zombie lovers:  Romero just released a new film, "Diary of the Dead," a remake of "Day of the Dead" his shelves on 8 April (original versus new clip), and video game producers are releasing an impressive body of zombie games over the next months (get it?  Body?  You're not laughing...), such as:

Left 4 Dead.  I normally don't play online games, but I just might have to do some cooperative with MOGS when this comes out.

Dead Island

They Hunger:  Lost Souls

But for those of you (like me) who don't necessarily want to pay for a zombie fix, here's a free, web-based zombie apocalypse to sink your teeth into: Urban Dead.

There's also a board game.  I haven't bought it yet, but I did get my son a Bag o' Zombies.

I'll finish the post with one of MOGS's theme songs--enjoy!

Raising awesomeness to a whole new level

In the grim far future of office cubicles and IT technology, there is only WAR!!!*

which is almost as awesome as this:

* yes MOGS is an unabashed Dawn of War fan, and a pretty dang good Imperial Guard player

Who needs Oprah when you have Palpatine?

There's more on YouTube.

Or at www.askpalpatine.com.

I bet it's Denver Braa in disguise (yes, that's his real name).

Why USAA Insurance Rocks

From Antitool.  Neither of us is sure if this actually happened, but it sounds plausible...

"I called USAA Insurance claims earlier today to file a claim for my camera.  It's a kickass camera too, a Canon PowerShot SD450... The nice lady on the other end asked me what I needed to file a claim for. 

"Yes, my digital camera was damaged three days ago beyond repair, and I need to file a claim for it." 

"No problem sir.  Okay, so can you tell me how it was damaged?"

"Sure, it got hit by a rocket-propelled grenade."

Silence... I decided to let her wrestle with the idea of somebody in Average, USA having a camera destroyed by a random rocket propelled weapon.  But then again, for all I knew, she could have been in Detroit.

"Ah, I see... So it got hit by a rocket... propelled... grenade?"

"Yeah, I'm on a tank, see, and we were out on a mission and we got attacked and the RPG hit the stowage box that I had my camera in.  It didn't shatter or anything, it just broke the LCD screen."

"I see... Okay, let me get this form started.  So you are in Iraq... which city?"

"Ramadi... R A M A D I."

"Okay, and do you have a street that this occurred on?"

"The streets here don't really have actual names.  We give them code names and stuff, but there aren't any official street names.  That won't be a problem, right?"

"No sir, not at all... Okay, let's see, damage caused by, hmmm... what should I put here?"

I offer my assistance.  "Enemy fire, maybe?"

"Oh, that works.  Okay, enemy fire.  And party responsible... hmmm... Did you manage to get the name of the person that fired the rocket at your tank?"

Time like these really try my better nature.  As much as I wanted to say something witty like, "Why yes I did, his name was Bob.  Bob the Insurgent.  No to be confused with Bob the Bombmaker or Bob the Beheader.  Just Bob the Insurgent."  Like I'm going to stop my tank, get out of my 68-ton rolling sanctuary, walk over... then say, "Excuse me good sir, but that rocket you fired damaged my digital camera, which I must assume you had no intention of doing.  Would you mind giving me your insurance information so that I may promptly file a claim?" ("Why yes mistah! My name is Ahkmed Abdullah Durka Akbar and I live at 1352 Dumbshit Road!")

"Uh no ma'am, we weren't able to catch the name of the guy who shot at us, but he's no longer among us."

"Oh..."

Wait for it.... wait for it...

"...OH!"

"Yes, that's right.  He shot an RPG at me and broke my camera, so I killed him... Unfortunately, I don't have a name that I can give you."

Unfortunately, the story doesn't say if he got a new camera...