Archive for May, 2008
Too Much Time Thinking
If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done. - Bruce Lee
Bible Study In Tennessee Public Schools
What on Earth was Tennessee thinking this week?
SB4104, a bill authorizing the state board of education to approve a curriculum for an elective state-funded course of a nonsectarian, nonreligious academic study of the Bible, passed the state senate on Thursday.
This mockery of legislature was introduced by Sen. Roy Herron (D) who has let his personal religion get in the way of his reason and understanding of our constitution and the separation of church and state. The whole thing is entirely unnecessary as the state already allows schools to teach the Bible and has a process for approving the curriculum local schools want to use.
The bill slipped past the Senate after three (3) amendments were made to include more ‘constitutional-friendly’ wording and is now on its way to the house as HB4089. If you life in Tennessee, you know what to do. Load up your email and send one off to your house representative telling them what a crock this bill is… Use nicer language though. I’ve already sent one to my representative, Judd Matheny (R). He’s a pretty cool guy. I have a good feeling he’ll do right on this one.
You can read the full bills in PDF: HB4089 | SB4104
Find your House Representative at the bottom of this page.
How To Evolve An Eye
As part of the series of educational videos to counter claims made in Ben Stein’s Expelled movie, the NCSE has made this video explaining how an eye evolves and how we see and study this in nature.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOtP7HEuDYA
Take That, Atheists!
It’s amazing there are any skeptics left with ‘evidence’ like this pouring in from all over. According to Chuck Missler, if evolutionary theory stood up, jars of peanut butter would occasionally contain new life when you opened them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZFG5PKw504
Oh. My freakin’ gourd! That’s the kind of profound misunderstanding of evolution we’re dealing with. And when I say, “we’re dealing with,” I mean this is the kind of stuff being peddled to people who understand even less about evolution.
An Atheist Goes Undercover
What happens when an atheist goes undercover to attend a major Southern evangelical church’s ‘Encounter Weekend’ retreat? Matt Taibbi tells us exactly what happens in this excerpt from his new book, The Great Derangement, about his experiences at a Hagee’s boot camp for new converts. And it’s not very pretty.
Apart from the grim descriptions and assumptions about various church goers, there’s not that much in here that really surprised me. If you’ve seen Jesus Camp and know what these kinds of people put their children through at these retreats, then it should come as no surprise the adults get it just as bad. In fact I think its a little worse. The kids are just being misled and abused. These idiots should KNOW better.
I guess I’m just asking too much of these folks to stop thinking an imaginary god wants them to worship it so their imaginary souls can get into his imaginary heaven.
Via: AlterNet
Anecdotal Evidence
Anecdotal evidence has value for suggesting directions to research, but it does not by itself constitute evidence, and cannot reasonably be treated as such. - Brian Dunning
I’m A Math Atheist Too
My Favorite: Writing Pen
There’s only one pen in the world I’ll carry in my wallet or keep within arm’s reach at my desk.
The Parker Jotter.
I’ve been carrying a Jotter around for several years and have kept one at my desk almost as long. I’ve only had to buy one refill and I didn’t have to look any farther than my local Wal-Mart, K-Mart or Target to find it. They’ve never scratched my paper or skipped on ink when I went to write. It’s always an easy and smooth writing experience. And at less than $5 at most retailers, I’ve never looked back.
Now, this little beauty might be simple and inexpensive but it has a neat little history and collector’s appeal to compensate for its humble beginnings.
‘Don’t Believe In God?’ Billboard in Philadelphia
That’s the billboard drivers on Interstate 95 north of Philadelphia will see as they head out of town. Placed to coincide with the National Day of Reason, the billboard faces outbound traffic and helps to “make nontheistic people, such as atheists and agnostics, aware that they aren’t alone.” says Joe Fox, president of the Humanist Association of Greater Philadelphia.
The billboard will be up for three months and is one of a series that will appear around the country, raising the public profile of humanists and freethinkers. The billboard is backed by an active Web site at PhillyCOR.org that sets forth the larger mission of the effort and offers ways that individuals can get involved. An image of the billboard appears on the site, but people can also phone 1-800-NEW-REASON. Either way they will be able to learn more about the national and Philadelphia organizations behind the effort.
I’d like to see more of these all over the country. If nothing else, just to even the playing field against all the religious crap you’re forced to look at every time you hit the interstate. And three months just isn’t long enough.
The billboard is a joint venture by national humanist and freethought organizations, including the American Humanist Association and it’s independent marketing adjunct FreeThoughtAction, Atheist Alliance International, the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia, the Humanist Association of Greater Philadelphia, and Temple University Secular Students.
Via: Press Release
The Future Of Regrowing Limbs
I’m often amazed at the technology I see presented during TED talks. None so much as this presentation by Alan Russell on the future of regenerative medicine. The whole part about intestinal material acting as a catalyst for natural cellular regrowth is just wild. We can regrow freakin’ fingertips!
Holy Frakin’ Cow! This is now, folks! Scientists and physicians are using this technology now!
Via: TED Talks
If We Wish To Feel Small
Many religions have attempted to make statues of their gods very large, and the idea, I supposed, is to make us feel small. But if that’s their purpose, they can keep their paltry icons. We need only look up if we wish to feel small. - Carl Sagan
Missing Someone
When you really miss someone it feels like their essence is blanketing you. Pounding on you from all sides so thick and heavy that you can almost reach out and touch them. but no matter how far you reach, you’re still right there… missing someone.
