Man vs. God

There's an interesting debate (and comments) at WSJ.com on the question, "Where does evolution leave God?".  There are some strong opinions among the readers.  I find it interesting that some view our existence as a test of some supreme being, with just reward at the end for those who do good.  But why view our time on this earth as a test?  Why do we need to look for a reward for our good deeds (as if we could not be good without hope of reward)?  Life is the reward.  Death is the end.  Your life is as meaningful as you make it.  If belief in a god makes your life more meaningful, good for you.  The bonds I form with my family and other people give my life meaning.  God is not relevant.  For that matter, neither is evolution.  The decisions I make in my life have nothing to do with a supreme being looking over my shoulder like some stern school teacher but have everything to do with how considerate I am to others.  Whether I descend from something created or something evolved makes no difference to me.

Garlic harvest

I planted an extra row last fall so there were three rows to harvest. One row was alone and the bulbs in that row were much smaller. Conclusion: garlic likes company. Either that or the adjacent, crazy, out-of-control oregano patch sucked the nutrients out of the soil in that area of the garden. Anyway, yum.

Broad Brook Grange Sugar-On-Snow Supper

Go here for information on the 2010 Grange Sugar Supper!

The Broad Brook Grange in Guilford, Vermont will host a sugar-on-snow supper on Saturday, March 7, 2009.

Seatings are at 5:00, 6:00, and 7:00 PM.

Adults: $10, Child (ages 5-12): $5, Preschooler (4 & under): $2

Reservations: 802-257-4067

Directions: From Brattleboro, take Rt. 5 South until you see the Guilford Center Store on your left. Take an immediate right onto Guilford Center Rd. and follow for about 3.8 miles. Broad Brook Grange is on your right, a large white building with red doors.

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Google Apps services dashboard

In response to their recent mail service issue, Google put up a dashboard where users can view the status of Google Apps services.

Gmail went down

The web was all a twitter with users unable to access Google's Gmail. It's so easy to take for granted that Google services will be available 24/7. I wonder how many people will now set up a local mail client (like Thunderbird) with POP or IMAP to backup their Gmail accounts. I just did. To do this yourself:

Download Thunderbird if you don't already have a mail client.

Enable IMAP in your Gmail account.

Configure your mail client.