Apolagetech's Blog

Clean Tech: US Tax Payer -> Treasury -> World Bank

apolagetech — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:10:45 +0000

The World Bank’s Clean Technology Fund (CTF) – Open CRS Article

Painful Labor? @Childbirth@

apolagetech — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:17:49 +0000

This article and research strikes me as interesting in a couple of ways. My first reaction to the title was to think back to Genesis where God told Eve that her pain is child birth would be greatly increased. (Genesis 3:16) From an apologetics perspective, this is exactly the kind of results to research that any testable model of creation would predict as a part of its evolving and testing. See (Reasons.org) for an interesting article on creation theory. As someone who values the Biblical description AND science, and who does not require a creating date of 6 to 10 thousand years ago, this is one more reason that I think the account of creation in the Hebrew/Christian Bible continues to make more sense not less as science grows in its knowledge.

Favorite Tech Stuff for the Week

apolagetech — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:03:05 +0000

Here are my favorite sci/tech related items and posts for the week:

Bouncing Water

Marine Pics

$100 Laptop! (Its the thought that counts)

Alternative Power

- apolagetech (Been a fun first week!)

Will science extend life past 120 years?

apolagetech — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:43:42 +0000

A study presented in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society revealed that the children of centenarians live longer and have fewer age related maladies than others. The research led weight to the belief that longevity runs in families. This article got me thinking about another age related concept that has fascinated me for some time. Will good genetics and science give us the modern fountain of youth. As a Christian I have to balance science and the Bible. Genesis 6:3 (New American Standard Bible) mentions before the Noah flood that the life expectancy of mankind would now be limited:

3Then the LORD said, “(A)My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, (B)because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

Many believe that we will never be able to extend life beyond 120 years. I don’t know where I stand on this. Was God talking to the people of the day? If science does find a way to extend life to 130, 140 or more years, will that invalidate my faith? For additional information see this article by one of my favorite authors Hugh Ross. (Reasons to Believe Article) (Book by Hugh Ross)

FED database of terrorists DNA @Spooky Snooping@

apolagetech — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:23:06 +0000

Apparently the anti terrorism organizations of the US federal government has been collecting DNA samples from known and suspected terrorists and storing them in a database. (Secrecy News) First question that comes to mind is GITMO. Since there seems to be a push to grant these suspects access to the federal courts, will the legality of this system and any intelligence gathered by it be challenged? Also, who are the suspected terrorists? Did the knowingly donate their DNA? Are any of them citizens? Personally I think the more data the better. Computer systems that look for patterns and threads are not people. What do you think? Book Suggestion: Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA

Technology –> Progress –> Wow @Wicked Cool@

apolagetech — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:19:05 +0000

This is what gets me excited: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1223.html

The pic speaks for itself. More commentary would be wasted.

Shocker! Depression –> More TV Watching! @Captian Obvious@

apolagetech — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:30:00 +0000

Apparently unhappy people watch more TV than happy ones (Article via LiveScience). Wow. How much money was spent on this research…. The article goes on to explain that while most people like watching TV, and get some pleasure out of the experience, over time increased viewing leads to the omission of, lets say, more physically and socially beneficial activities. In the common sense realm, the more productive at work and the more ambitious toward my career I am, the less TV I watch. Other than the likes of Curious George and Veggie Tales (for the sake of my daughter), I am down to less than 4 hours a week. Question for society: Do we have a moral obligation to society to watch less TV, be more productive members of our community and be more happy? Happiness Is a Serious Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual

Ginkgo all wet? @Alternative Hocus Pocus@

apolagetech — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:48:18 +0000

An article posted on eurekalert.org discusses the preliminary results of a $30 million on the effects of of ginkgo biloba on dementia or Alzheimer’s. They found no effect at all. This brings to mind an interesting moral question. Should the companies who market these “remedies” be held accountable for the false hopes that they sell. This throws the whole alternative medicine market in question. I know lots of people like to trash the big pharma companies and the FDA and EMEA, but it now looks like their drugs actually have to prove efficacy before they can be sold. Meanwhile, alternative remedies are a multi-billion dollar industry without objective proof of efficacy. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-11/wfub-gpi111808.php