Alternate Universes

I was going to blog yesterday about an article in the New York Times where a senior Bush advisor was quoted saying that the scientific, empirical reality is a thing of the past and Bush believes in “faith-based reality.” The staffer believes the world is changing and heading in this direction.

I eventually removed the post a few minutes after I had published it because I had promised not to talk about politics. So, I’m going to reframe this new “faith-based” reality in my scientific reality by writing about a study from the University of Maryland.

The study states plainly that supporters on one side of the political spectrum live in a different reality, or universe, than supporters on the other side.

For example, Bush supporters believe that the majority of the world supports Bush, while Kerry supporters believe that the majority of the world suppotrs Kerry.

What is really interesting in the results, however, is the survey that shows most Bush supporters do not correctly perceive Bush’s stance on issues, while Kerry supporters correctly perceive Kerry’s stance. See the chart on page 12 of the study. Here’s the last paragraph of the conclusion/analysis:

Bush may be right [about remaining steadfast in the face of the facts and forging a new reality]. Admitting his mistakes may shatter his idealized image in a way that some supporters may not forgive. But there also risks in succeeding in getting elected based on false beliefs. The number of people in the public who see through the illusion will likely continue to grow, eating away at the implied mandate of an election. Further, the cohesion of society can be damaged by a persisting and fundamental division in the perception of what is real, undermining pathways to consensus and mutual sacrifice, and making the country increasingly difficult to govern.

Last night, I downloaded these two Halloween compilations and added them to my SHOUTcast broadcast. Listen for the fun songs.

Summer is Possibly Replaced By Fall

Summer has always been my favorite season when it comes to the weather in the northeast. I would always prefer peeling layers of clothing off to cool down instead of covering up with more and heavier coats to warm up. People used to warn me that the hotter it gets, after a point there’s no clothing left to remove and you’re still hot. Whereas, if it gets colder there is no limit to the amount of clothing you can add to regulate your level of comfort.

I still would rather wear less clothing—or none, in some circumstances—but I think I have a new appreciation of the autumn. When it’s not cold, the weather is “nice.” And I like “nice.” I like the sound of the wind blowing leaves around, either on the trees or on the ground. You don’t hear that in the spring or summer (winter is right out). So maybe, just maybe, someone was right.

I guess I should appreciate the fall while I can; if I end up moving to a warmer location (still a shot in the dark), I’ll lose the change of seasons.

Mix Exchange

Okay, Darren brought this up, and Bryan continued with it, and I’m going to try to organize things and possibly reach a wider audience.

We are putting together a CD mix exchange and we’re looking for participants. There will be a theme and everyone will create their own CD compilation based on that theme. After a set amount of time, each participant will share their mix with the other particiants and a new theme will be determined.

If you’d like to participate, simply post a comment here, and people who do not blog are certainly free to participate as well. Also, do we think two weeks is a good time frame for a theme? Now accepting suggestions.

If there are enough people interested (say, at least five, based on Bryan’s suggestion), I’ll make a website for this project over the weekend.