Can You Handle The Truth?

Tonight Raven had us do a quiz to discover our conflict resolution types. This involved rating value based statements as to how well it matches our typical responses during conflict situations and how we react or behave (not necessarily what we think is the correct response).

Most statements were easy for me to rate as soon as I heard them. Others, like the following statement, made me think. This one for a long time.

"Truth lies in knowledge and not majority opinion."

Being an educated, politically motivated individual who studied religious traditions, this statement first demanded I consider the question "What is truth?"

We all know "facts" change as new knowledge is discovered and we have all seen the power in grassroots movements and spiritual belief. It's hard to dismiss the importance of these phenomena in what we would liberally consider the pursuit of truth. Further, if a "truth" is believed by all but there are no facts or empirical evidence available to back it up, does that make it not true? Or is the majority belief in itself enough to make it a "truth" for everyone?

Of course this simplified argument doesn't allow for an understanding or definition of a variety of truths - we all deal daily with subjective, relative, objective, or absolute truths and might even hold different criteria for deciding which is which.

This statement gave me pause because, while I hold knowledge in the highest esteem I also value greatly the will of the people. I think, for the most part, that if the majority of people believe in something then that is enough to make it true in some sense. However, I do hold minority positions in issues I care fervently about - like equal rights for gay people and families - where I believe strongly the religious majority is just plain (and factually) wrong. I can't have it both ways, can I?

It might just be that there is actually no right or wrong way to find or place value in this statement. This might even be a discussion that doesn't have a natural conclusion. What do you think?

Adventures in Edmonton

It started innocently enough… but then, isn’t that always the case?

A woman in a semi-frantic state approached us at a store in Terra Losa while I was picking Duncan up. She said “My kids are in the hospital. It’s an emergency, can you give me a ride?” We were only about 5 minutes from the hospital so how could I say no to that? We weren’t in the car for more than 45 seconds before she asked me if I could cash a cheque for her. I said “No, I can not” in my best Hillary Clinton voice.

What I should have asked her was if she needed a ride to the hospital, because, well, I just assumed. When I got to the hospital and went to turn in she told me to keep going as she actually wanted to go to a house a couple of kilometers away. That irritated me a little but it was cold out so I figured a couple of kilometers couldn’t hurt.

It only took me a few seconds to change my mind. She looked at me and said “We know each other... the last time my kids were kidnapped you gave me a ride. We went to California.” I glanced at her, thinking this was going to be the longest two kilometers I had ever driven, and decided there was something very wrong with her but that she wasn’t much of a threat.

When we finally got to the street she wanted it was kind of dark and a tad bit too deserted for my liking. She said to keep going to a house down the street with a light on where people were “waiting for her.” That was enough for me; I pulled over and told her this was as far as we were going. She did get out then but walked up to a different house. We kind of had a chuckle at her crazy antics, until I got home and found a cheque book belonging to some guy on the floor in the back of the car. It had a few cheques in it written out for 1000.00 each, obviously forged. So in addition to being used as a free taxi (or perhaps a get away car) Duncan and I had to spend a good portion of our evening in the community police station relaying the story to an officer whom I am sure has heard it all.

Best reaction to my story so far goes to Adam B. who exclaimed “Geez Allie, you’re like frickin’ Gandhi!”

Maybe I am too nice.

The Alberta Meteor Event

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Longest Day of the Year!

I live in the Northern Hemisphere, so today we celebrate the Summer Solstice - the longest day of the year. It was a lovely, vibrantly sunny day that I spent mostly outside on patios. I adore this time of year (I find the winters this far north to be long, cold and dark...) and would love to find a way to spend every minute of it outside. I do think there is a certain beauty at Midwinter... but it's one I view from the doorway!

God Save the "Qwiin"

"Palace sources told The People: "When she saw William playing a game after lunch at Sandringham she thought the Nintendo looked tremendous fun and begged to join in. She played a simple ten-pin bowling game and by all accounts was a natural. It was hilarious. William was in fits of laughter. He was enormously impressed at having such a cool gran." Read story here.

Now she's playing with power!

Via GamePolitics.com.

The Winter Solstice Approacheth

The Dark of Midwinter

Today the sun didn't rise until 8:45am - it's 3:20pm and already the sun is going down. By the time the Solstice comes this year (Dec 22nd in 2007) the sun won't rise here before 8:49am and will set a mere seven hours and 27 minutes later. These next few days are the darkest days of our winter - time well spent in the comfort of celebration and hot chocolate!

Finally, a gift you can send to your 'frienemies'

What do you get that wannabe Wise Guy who already has everything? The plush severed horse head! Same effect - no mess!

I am a bomb technician...

Make Your Time
All your base are belong to us.

I feel a disturbance in the force...

Pope "the Hammer" Benedict XVI


Supreme Chancellor "the Emperor" Palpatine

Mmmmm. Disturbing this is.

I wonder if I can go to hell for this...