debate - debate

It's been brought to my attention that some comments on this blog have recently been removed by their authors.

I was surprised initially, but now I'm suspecting it may have to do with my 'outing' this blog on facebook. What happened was, a friend asked for suggestions of Vancouver blogs for a project, and, honestly, I didn't really think through all the possible consequences of posting this blog on his wall. Consequences which apparently include making the lively and educational debate on the previous post's comments page read like an existentialist monologue (see garfield-garlfield), which, although deeply amusing in its own way, defeats the purpose.

I guess I do regret it a little, because maybe it means that future comments may not be as deep as I like them to be when I make provocative posts. But that's also why I wanted to keep this a public forum. Because as soon as I start privatizing, chances are I'll be excluding those who disagree fundamentally with my views, and I like having my mind changed once in a while.

So, what's done is done. I'm not going to privatize this blog. In fact, it's never been private; nothing has changed, it's always been accessible to everyone who stumbles upon it, so ... let normalcy resume.

no, canada!

Looks like those crazy evolutionists in the US are going to have to find another refuge.

"Science Minister won't Confirm Belief in Evolution"

Anne McIlroy
Globe and Mail
March 17, 2009

Canada's science minister, the man at the centre of the controversy over federal funding cuts to researchers, won't say if he believes in evolution.

"I'm not going to answer that question. I am a Christian, and I don't think anybody asking a question about my religion is appropriate," Gary Goodyear, the federal Minister of State for Science and Technology, said in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

[................... ]

Brian Alters, founder and director of the Evolution Education Research Centre at McGill University in Montreal, was shocked by the minister's comments.

Evolution is a scientific fact, Dr. Alters said, and the foundation of modern biology, genetics and paleontology. It is taught at universities and accepted by many of the world's major religions, he said.

"It is the same as asking the gentleman, 'Do you believe the world is flat?' and he doesn't answer on religious grounds," said Dr. Alters.

Read counter opinion from the National Post

the virginity auction: insight from the housing market collapse

Q: Is it okay for Natalie Dylan to auction off her virginity to a bidder of her choosing?

"I’m a 22-year-old woman who recently earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Women’s Studies, and soon I’ll be entering a Masters Degree program in Marriage and Family Therapy. During the time in between, in addition to my regular 9-to-5, I’ve been exploring my upcoming thesis project: the value of virginity. To be more specific, I’ve put my own virginity up for auction on the Moonlight Bunny Ranch website, and I recently received my highest bid so far: a cool $3.8 million....."

[Read more here ... she's pretty articulate.]
Watch her on Tyra Banks' show (be prepared to hate Tyra Banks even more):




A: In my opinion, yes.

In economic terms, female virginity is society's longest-surviving price bubble - in layman's terms: one gigantic cherry that keeps on growing but just won't pop. Someday, in a fairer, future era, a solid chunk of society will question whether there is actually that much more value to a woman's chastity than a man's, and decide that there probably shouldn't be. Or too many women will follow Natalie's example, creating a surplus and driving down value. Either way, female virginity markets are bound to crash like it's 2008, and then eventually recover to more realistic values - values that are, for example, far above zero but low enough that an inopportune loss of which doesn't incite murder.

The way I feel about Natalie capitalizing on the female virginity price bubble when the market's still hot (to the degree of $3.8 million, apparently) is the same way I feel about abortion, devout religiousness, and raw broccoli: I'll defend to the death anyone's rights to choose them, but none for me, thanks.

Funny thing is, some critics of Natalie's morals are the same ones whose borderline-sexist morals and sensationalization of female virginity over male virginity create the societal fixation on the former, allowing self-capitalization to be a viable option for females but not males (generally speaking ... I know there are male prostitutes, but that's not about virginity: no guy to my knowledge has garnered bids of $3.8 million for his cherry). Look in the mirror, people! We have no one but ourselves to blame.