Class is out. Off to Tahoe.

Wednesday I submitted the grades for my course and I'm surprised at how happy I am with how the class progressed over the summer. I had a busy time planning and teaching, going out of town/state almost every weekend, and spending the rest of my time with a good guy in Co Springs (alas, he is moving). In the midst of it all I was too busy to reflect much on the course. But two weeks before the end of the class a few students explained to me that their religious backgrounds had biased them against the idea of evolution. They thought that evolution was itself opposed to religion and I had made them see otherwise. I had explained that evolution doesn't really comment on religion and that many of the early prominent biologists (eg, Mendel) were members of the clergy. I think explaining evolution and natural selection without comment on religion is exactly what made them see that there is no need for religion to attack evolution, for evolutionary theory isn't attacking religion. They directly told me "thats not what I thought evolution was" or, paraphrasing, 'my wife doesn't like evolution becuase the church tells her not to, but I can see they're very different.'
I couldn't ask for greater praise from my students. I'm looking forward to the fall when I'll be teaching another section of the same ecology course and two sections of biology for non-majors.

This summary works

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

Wall E - I can't wait

John Lasseter is the biggest name in film you don't know. He's been the director or producer of every Pixar film to date. It is an unparalleled track record and Wall E will continue the streak.

The reviews are glowing - some of them comparing the first 40 minutes of Wall E to the best of the silent film era.

Here is the trailer.

McCain supports wiretapping without warrants

In another shift from the right position to the wrong position, McCain backs Bush's wiretapping program, here. Anyone who wants to vote for the year 2000 version of John McCain needs to wake up and realize that person does not exist anymore.

Update to the scorecard.

[Another update as Obama loses a point for his support of a windfall profits tax on gasoline. Tax gas, yes, but not this way.]

Obama

Frank Rich nails it:

"Mr. McCain only reminded voters that he, like Mrs. Clinton, thinks that change is nothing more than a marketing gimmick. He has no idea what it means. “No matter who wins this election, the direction of this country is going to change dramatically,” he said on Tuesday. He then grimly regurgitated Goldwater and Reagan government-bashing talking points from the 1960s and ’70s even as he presumed to accuse Mr. Obama of looking “to the 1960s and ’70s for answers.”

Remarkably, neither Mrs. Clinton nor Mr. McCain had the grace to offer a salute to Mr. Obama’s epochal political breakthrough, which reverberated so powerfully across the country and throughout the world. By being so small and ungenerous, they made him look taller. Their inability to pivot even briefly from partisan self-interest could not be a more telling symptom of the dysfunctional Washington culture Mr. Obama aspires to mend."

Obama plays better in the rest of the world than I think most Americans will ever realize, here, here, here, and here - The Economist's take. Moreover, a change in look, approach, and rhetoric is, in itself, substantial to the rest of the world.

I completely agree with this Hillary supporter...

Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell (a Clinton supporter) on Clinton's posturing following her loss of the nomination, on the idea of Obama asking her to be VP, and on the difficulties posed by Bill.

Clinton loses, gives victory speech....what the fuck?

I'm buying into the egomaniac ideas about her. Bringing up the bullshit that she won the popular vote doesn't help either. (Parts of the speech are pretty good, but still...)

McCain's speech. He looks tired. I half expected him to read aloud the word "smile" that was clearly sprinkled throughout the script.

Obama soars:

Read Sullivan's coverage on Obama's victory, Clinton's speech, (2), McCain's speech, (2), Obama's speech.

It's over ...... right?

The difference between Hillary's response to Obama's "bitter" comment (article, video: massive political attack "Obama, the elitist") and Obama's response to Hillary's "assassination" comment (article; she was probably tired and didn't mean any offense) is a striking example of the character differences between these two.

Hillary Clinton certainly is a fighter. Does she ever know when to stop?

In the running for worst policy of the Democratic Party

The New Yorker: The free trade paradox:
"At times, the campaign has looked like a contest over who hates free trade more: Obama has argued that free-trade agreements like NAFTA are bought and paid for by special interests, while Clinton has emphasized the need to “stand up” to countries like China."

One Point McCain

One point to McCain. McCain opposed the farm bill. Obama supported it.

As Greg Mankiw pointed out, both the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal opposed the bill.

I'm very bothered by Obama's support for this piece of legislation.

The Scorecard begins.

How awesome

Here's an article.

Here's the youtube video.

Sort of like Buzz Lightyear once he spreads his wings.

Marriage

One of Andrew's readers on why marriage matters:

"My partner of 16 years and I have a 6 year old son and he asked us recently if "Daddy and Papa" were married. I took a deep breath, lied, and said "yes". I said yes because, for him, our relationship is the foundation of his existence. And, even at 6, he understands that marriage is the way two people come together to make a family. How could I give him any other answer? Hopefully some day our country will make an honest man of me."

Our last party

Thanks for a good time everyone. Keep in touch.

Our last party - May 2008

"Yup. Looks like we're doing it for real."

My friend Bjorn, on his pending civil union, strike that, marriage, to my friend David.

Congratulations you guys.

One of the blessings I've been counting in the wake of this...I'm only 29 years old. Presumably, I'll live the majority of my life in an era in which I can marry. Young gay guys do not always speak kindly of older gay men. Today, we must thank the gay men and women who came before us.

On gay marriage

Andrew Sullivan, writing in 2004. Although the details of my story are different from those of his, I very much share his feelings about family and marriage. 

California supreme court overturns gay marriage ban. 

"Our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation," the court wrote.

A Beautiful Morning

And someone else's fun with perspective and clouds, here.

States won with 60%

Clinton: Arkansas, West Virginia. (update: and Kentucky)

Obama: Mississippi, Wyoming, Hawaii, Virginia, Maryland, DC, Nebraska, Illinois, Georgia, Minnesota, Colorado, North Dakota, Kansas, Idaho, Alaska.

(From RCP)

Two days ago I filled up my gas tank for the second time in eight months.

Two friends have moved out of town.

Two inches of snow have fallen tonight.

Two weeks from now I start my new job in a new town in a new state. I'm not really ready to leave this place though.

I'd much rather be doing this (more pictures from spring here)


than dealing with this

Filmed from my house in Laramie, today.