Perfect Fool
Because none of us is perfict!
The Fool is currently re-reading
Perfect Fool
ACLU and Pizza
It kills me that the ACLU is our best alternative to this. It is funny though. In a George Orwell kind of way.
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Better than YHVH!
I call your attention to the blog, "Questioning God," where blogger Will Friday has posted his new list of 10 Commandments that put ol' Jehovah in the shade! Too lazy to follow the link? Here's Will's list for the betterment of the world. (Beats hell out of "thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's ass"—I mean, have you seen my neighbor? Yeesh!)<< MORE >>
Couldn't Say It Any Better
I cannot improve on what this writer says regarding the latest dribbling inanity from the Catholic Church regarding the child sex-and-other-abuse scandal in Ireland. Read it and remember...especially if you're ever tempted to think well of this pathetic institution again.
http://www.butterfliesandwheels.com/notesarchive.php?id=2763
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http://www.butterfliesandwheels.com/notesarchive.php?id=2763
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Pet Peeves
Dear Readers: The Nostradamus thing has pretty much run its course. For lo these many months (OK, five months)I have kept careful watch on the intertubes for all things Nostradamus and 2012, and I am staggered at the lack of imagination among these people. There is simply nothing new under the Mayan sun. The trouble with woo is the trouble with evil: its banality.
So I have decided, albeit reluctantly, to abandon the quest for expertise in the coming non-events of the year 2012 and return to blogging about whatever is chapping my ass in the here and now. Thanks for ...<< MORE >>
So I have decided, albeit reluctantly, to abandon the quest for expertise in the coming non-events of the year 2012 and return to blogging about whatever is chapping my ass in the here and now. Thanks for ...<< MORE >>
Attention YouTube: Are You People Insane?
YouTube Have Lost Their Minds!
To complain to youtube follow this link;
http://www.google.com/support/youtube...
Scroll to the very bottom and click on "new issue"
Select "suspended account" from the options and express your opinion.
The mediafire link is;
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=4d...
Thank you
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How To Be Taken Seriously As A Prophet
The best thing a prophet can do in order to get people to listen to predictions of doom and gloom is to make some back-dated prognostications. It's pretty obvious, but a lot of Nostradamus wanna-bees miss this valuable method, preferring instead to rely on the less reliable guess-and-see method.
Here's a fine example of someone who took advantage of this reliable technique.
Endoftheworldpredictions.com is a web site that sells books (what a surprise!). Actually, they sell ebooks (so much easier than convincing a real publisher to believe in your particular brand of snake oil, or self-publishing, which requires that YOU actually ...<< MORE >>
Here's a fine example of someone who took advantage of this reliable technique.
Endoftheworldpredictions.com is a web site that sells books (what a surprise!). Actually, they sell ebooks (so much easier than convincing a real publisher to believe in your particular brand of snake oil, or self-publishing, which requires that YOU actually ...<< MORE >>
Random Sampling: What Passes For Truth
From a blog called 2012 AD and Beyond, signed by someone named Kevin Baum, but posted by one "Shelly Starzz":
Facts: the Mayan long count calendar does end on the winter solstice on December 21, 2012, and it does coincide with a rare alignment of our rising sun positioned in the center of the Milky Way galaxy (from an earthly perspective), and both occur in the time of the Precessional transfer from the age of Pisces to the age of Aquarius, an event that only happens every 26000 years. (This 'alignment' is particularly interesting when you consider that the center of the Milky Way galaxy, frequently referred to as the 'great rift' is framed by four prominent stars that form an upside down cross; so, on the winter solstice 2012 the 'sun' will be 'hung' on a 'cross' as it aligns with the center of the galaxy, each rising and setting together. Now there is some symbolism to keep you awake at night.)
[Italics added]<< MORE >>
Fruits & Nuts: Vincent Bridges--High and Weird
To anyone contemplating a foray into the unbridled strangeness that is the subject of this blog for the foreseeable future, I warn you—you are venturing into some very murky waters. But few are so murky or so incomprehensible as the fetid swamp that surrounds Vincent Bridges. I find it difficult to imagine that Bridges actually believes the things he says. I suspect he may simply be selling books. In any case, he's no scholar, and his expertise certainly does not merit serious attention. Once again, shame on the History Channel. (If Philo T. Farnsworth ever suspected the uses to which his invention would one day be put, he would have smashed the thing and started selling insurance.) << MORE >>
CNN Takes the High Road on 2012
In December, CNN cut its science reporting staff. Did you notice? I bet not. This kind of thing has been going on all over the place, but hardly anyone has made a peep about it.
Although they've winnowed scientific literacy out of the professional ranks at CNN, occasionally some sense comes through anyway. Like this nice little piece by one A. Pawlowski.
My favorite bit is this:
Although they've winnowed scientific literacy out of the professional ranks at CNN, occasionally some sense comes through anyway. Like this nice little piece by one A. Pawlowski.
My favorite bit is this:
"There's going to be a whole generation of people who, when they
think of the Maya, think of 2012, and to me that's just criminal," said
David Stuart, director of the ...<< MORE >>
Nostra-Dumbasses© Exposed, or Exactly Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
Recently, I started wondering exactly who are these Nostra-Dumbasses©, the people who have convinced themselves that these are the end times (again), and the old French Fraud predicted the whole thing. Since my usual intelligence-gathering methods have not availed on this occasion, I decided to do a quick manual search.
What I came up with is not so much an interesting treatment of Nostradamus as a concise and clear picture of the character of the true believer. In the linked article (from April 2008—hey, I'm looking for character types, not current news), we have first of all the ...<< MORE >>
What I came up with is not so much an interesting treatment of Nostradamus as a concise and clear picture of the character of the true believer. In the linked article (from April 2008—hey, I'm looking for character types, not current news), we have first of all the ...<< MORE >>
Steven Novella on Prophecy
As I said recently on the SGU - prophesy is easy. It is easy to
make stuff up. Typically, stuff made up as prophesy is poetic and vague
in form. The advantage of this is twofold - it sounds more profound,
and it places the burden on the receiver of the prophesy to do all the
hard work. The one receiving the prophesy has to scour world events to
find a fit for one possible interpretation of the poetic vagaries.
make stuff up. Typically, stuff made up as prophesy is poetic and vague
in form. The advantage of this is twofold - it sounds more profound,
and it places the burden on the receiver of the prophesy to do all the
hard work. The one receiving the prophesy has to scour world events to
find a fit for one possible interpretation of the poetic vagaries.
Nostradamus, of course, perfected this style. His quatrains are
literal poetry. He was deliberately vague, mostly so that he could
trash talk his contemporaries and have plausible ...<< MORE >>
The Nutter Position: A Brief Statement
In casting about (read "Googling") for a concise and coherent (loosely speaking) statement of what exactly the 2012 crowd believe, I came upon the surprisingly well-written words of one Dennis Whitney...
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Bad Astronomer on 2012 Sunspots
The Fool's favorite astronomer, Phil Plait, has weighed in on one interesting bit of the 2012 nonsense: sunspots.
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Fruits & Nuts: First Fruits
All right, I knew I was heading into murky waters when I decided to study up on the whole Nostradamus 2012 thing. But I honestly had no idea how easy it would be to pick out the whack-a-loons. Some of them are probably visible from space. At this point, I am even more disappointed in the History Channel than I had been. A few minutes' Google-searching would have shown the powers that be over there that the main proponents of the 2012 silliness are all—ALL—either frauds or delusional beyond redemption. If HC execs had done their homework, they might ...<< MORE >>
Prophecy Keepers: Prophecy Potpourri
Continuing our roundup of end-of-the-world prophecies, here's a web site you should be aware of: it's called "Prophecy Keepers." An odd name, right? I mean, I get the "prophecy" part, but the "keepers" business is problematic. It suggests that someone is trying to make sure a particular prophecy actually happens.
Anyway...
The stated mission of PK is a Native-American-flavored world peace message, with lots of dire woo-woo warnings from all over the world mixed in. The peace part is laudable, naturally. Who is opposed to world peace, after all? But PK is long on "woo" and short on "do." They seem ...<< MORE >>
Anyway...
The stated mission of PK is a Native-American-flavored world peace message, with lots of dire woo-woo warnings from all over the world mixed in. The peace part is laudable, naturally. Who is opposed to world peace, after all? But PK is long on "woo" and short on "do." They seem ...<< MORE >>
Follow-Up: Nostradamus 1 and 1
OK, I'll give the French Fraud a lucky guess. But then, his record is no better than mine, and I have zero psychic powers. All I have to say now is...
Go Steelers!
(Suck it, Rooney!)
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Go Steelers!
(Suck it, Rooney!)
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Live Blog: Nostradamus 0 for 1
I'm not much for live blogging, but David Johnson/Nostradamus didn't do so well in the NFC championship. It's going to be a lousy Super Bowl now that the undeserving 9-7 Cardinals are in it. Most likely, the AFC will dominate. Ho-hum.
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French Seer Picks US Football Winners
David Johnson of the Florida Times-Union is a pretty funny guy. In this online article, he runs this week's football picks through the Nostradamus machine to predict the 2009 NFL conference champions, and thereby, the teams going to the Super Bowl. The relevant passage says:
75th quatrain and tilt it just a little bit to the
right, you can clearly see the prophet foretold the rise of Reality
TV.So, here are the French prophet’s lost quatrains on the 2009 NFL
playoffs that you just won’t find anywhere else:Eagles (11-6-1) at
Cardinals (11-7)We should have seen this matchup coming when
Nostradamus foretold that a ...<< MORE >>
Hilarity from the Heartland
A wonderfully snarky and funny take on 2012 from the normally staid e-pages of the Business Record of Des Moines, Iowa. ...<< MORE >>
Letters, I get letters...
As a kid, I loved the 70's TV series, "The Waltons." I was thinking of that show recently—specifically one episode where John-Boy was umpiring a pickup baseball game, and the grandmother (played by the late Ellen Corby) for some reason took an enthusiastic and vocal interest in the game. At one crucial moment of the game, Grandma was explaining the finer points of the game to her equally clueless friends: "And when John-Boy goes like this," she said, making the "safe" signal, "that means something."
Yes, Grandma, it does. Just not anything you understand.
And with respect to the 2012 woo-woo, ...<< MORE >>
Picayune and proud!
Here's a nice little roundup of 2012 whack-a-loonery from the Picayune Item, of Picayune, Mississippi. The author, Tracy Williams, surprises us with her jaundiced view of the end-of-the-world silliness (although I'm a little concerned that she soft-pedals the Christian variety of kookery, but never mind). One simply does not expect sensible talk on exchatology from this part of the country.
In any case, Ms. Williams provides us with a quick and dirty look at the state of affairs vis a vis the current Nostradamus/2012 business. Enjoy!
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In any case, Ms. Williams provides us with a quick and dirty look at the state of affairs vis a vis the current Nostradamus/2012 business. Enjoy!
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How Does the Mayan Calendar Actually Work?
Here's a British documentary clip I found that explains a bit about how the Mayan calendar actually works. (The calendar part is pretty much done by 5:20, but it's still interesting.)
Unfortunately, most of what you'll see on YouTube regarding 2012 is more like this:
I'll keep looking.<< MORE >>
...And another thing...
And as Phil Plait has said, if the ancient Mayans were so good at predictions, why couldn't they foreseen the demise of their own culture?
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Nostradamus: 2012, or "Why Does Baloney Avoid the Grinder?"
I DVR'ed the new History Channel "fraudumentary" (thanks to Ricky Mooston for teaching me that word) "Nostradamus: 2012" this weekend and watched the whole thing last night. Here are a few thoughts. They're rather fragmentary, and it will tak eme a while to develope any one of them into a full entry. But I wanted to give people a sense of my reaction:
First, where do I go to get my two wasted hours back?
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The premise of this travesty of a documentary is that a supposed "lost book of Nostradamus" contains a series of prophetic watercolor drawings by ...<< MORE >>
First, where do I go to get my two wasted hours back?
_____________________________________
The premise of this travesty of a documentary is that a supposed "lost book of Nostradamus" contains a series of prophetic watercolor drawings by ...<< MORE >>
New Year, New Focus
I have been casting about for a new focus for this blog in 2009. See, it has occurred to me (all right—people have been beating me over the head with it) that in order to be widely read (and thereby fulfill its purpose), a blog needs a niche. A blog about general skepticism simply won't generate sufficient readership to be noticed. So I started looking at skeptical topics in an attempt to find mine—my niche, my area to shine.
I think I've found it.
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I think I've found it.
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Ebert on Stein--Finally!
Roger Ebert is seldom wrong. I have always liked his work. I have said many times that his reviews are pretty reliable predictors of how I will feel about a film. More often than not, if he likes it, so will I; if not, ditto.
So now I feel vindicated, at long last. Roger has reviewed the sham documentary Expelled, starring the world's smartest idiot, Ben Stein. And he panned it. And then some. (Brief Digression: For more examples of just how wrong Stein can be, see this video. in which he pooh-poohs Peter Schiff's amazing market ...<< MORE >>
So now I feel vindicated, at long last. Roger has reviewed the sham documentary Expelled, starring the world's smartest idiot, Ben Stein. And he panned it. And then some. (Brief Digression: For more examples of just how wrong Stein can be, see this video. in which he pooh-poohs Peter Schiff's amazing market ...<< MORE >>
Monument
The Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, Massachusetts, as seen from the dunes near sunset. November 2008.
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Well Worth It: The Silence of Dan Rooney
The deafening silence from Pittsburgh continues. I wish I knew what to do. Last night I watched the Steelers demolish the Patriots in a cold New England rain, and all I could think was, "I can't enjoy this because of Dan Rooney."
My original post on this travesty is here. The first follow-up is here.
"Mr. Rooney’s comments indicate a poor understanding
of the justifications for violence of any type, let alone violence
against women. Apparently, Mr. Rooney is under the impression that
Jesus would understand an NFL linebacker striking a woman if his
purpose was to bring about the baptism of an ...<< MORE >>
My original post on this travesty is here. The first follow-up is here.
"Mr. Rooney’s comments indicate a poor understanding
of the justifications for violence of any type, let alone violence
against women. Apparently, Mr. Rooney is under the impression that
Jesus would understand an NFL linebacker striking a woman if his
purpose was to bring about the baptism of an ...<< MORE >>
Book Meme
Here's a little bit of weirdness for your Thanksgiving weekend. Everybody with a blog, please do this:
Sean the Blogonaut posted an open-invitation book meme:
- Grab the nearest book.
- Open the book to page 56.
- Find the fifth sentence.
- Post the text of the next seven sentences in your journal along with these instructions.
- Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
Jesus & Mo: Always Great!
One of my favorite strips. Today's entry is especially good. Do you subscribe via RSS? You should. Here's the link.
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Stop Motion Silliness: The Big Race
Stop-Motion Silliness
This is just the sort of thing The Fool gets up to when you leave him alone with electronic equipment. I hope to try my hand at more stop motion animation soon. This is just a first attempt.
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Partially Clips: Major in Magic!
One of a small number of strips to which I subscribe. You should do the same. Click here for the site.
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Stop Sylvia Brown 2.0!
UPDATE!
The Old Fraud is on the ropes again!
The webmaster from whatstheharm.com (gotta give them a link!) sent in the following:
Good news on this front. The original site is back up at the domain STOPSYLVIA.COM. We need as many skeptics as we can to start linking to that address, and edit any links they have to the old site.
Exact details on what you should do for maximum effect are here:
http://skeptools.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/skeptics-load-your-google-bombs/
I thank you, and Susan & Robert Lancaster thank you.
Check out that link, boys and girls! Do your bit to defeat the hideous predator that is Sylvia Brown.
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The Old Fraud is on the ropes again!
The webmaster from whatstheharm.com (gotta give them a link!) sent in the following:
Good news on this front. The original site is back up at the domain STOPSYLVIA.COM. We need as many skeptics as we can to start linking to that address, and edit any links they have to the old site.
Exact details on what you should do for maximum effect are here:
http://skeptools.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/skeptics-load-your-google-bombs/
I thank you, and Susan & Robert Lancaster thank you.
Check out that link, boys and girls! Do your bit to defeat the hideous predator that is Sylvia Brown.
...<< MORE >>
Failure to Stop Sylvia
Sylvia Brown Has not Been Stopped
In fact, some idiot is helping her. Apparently, the owner of the URL stopsylviabrown-dot-com—I should say former owner—neglected to maintain his registration. Now the domain is owned by some credulous git who has posted a semi-literate pro-psychic web site.
How sad.
Keep your domain registrations up to date, boys and girls. Stupidity is a force of nature. For this reason, it no longer appears in the Fool's
sidebar list, "Foolish Occupations: Links I Like." If you are someoen
you know has a site that links there, be sure to remove that link in
order to ...<< MORE >>
In fact, some idiot is helping her. Apparently, the owner of the URL stopsylviabrown-dot-com—I should say former owner—neglected to maintain his registration. Now the domain is owned by some credulous git who has posted a semi-literate pro-psychic web site.
How sad.
Keep your domain registrations up to date, boys and girls. Stupidity is a force of nature. For this reason, it no longer appears in the Fool's
sidebar list, "Foolish Occupations: Links I Like." If you are someoen
you know has a site that links there, be sure to remove that link in
order to ...<< MORE >>
Call Me a Fool, But...
File this in the "Politics" category, one of the least-used categories on this blog. And with good reason: I hate politics. It was not always so. I used to relish it. I read every political mag (left and right) that came my way and I made sure lots of them did. But life has a way of grinding you down. I got completely exhausted by the whole subject. I have never held or heard a political opinion that did anybody any good. I have refrained from any political commentary for a very long time, but with the election just days away, I feel I must make at least a gesture in that direction. It is, I am sorry to say, an obscene gesture, albeit a non-partisan one. This is without a doubt the worst pair of candidates I have ever seen in fifty years.<< MORE >>
Quabbin Reservoir--Light and Shadow
Light and Shadow
Sorry for the trite and vaguely artsy title.
At the southern tip of the rez is a tower on a high hill. You go up in it and look around at the flooded valleys, It's actually quite impressive. On the way down, I noticed the sun streaming through the window onto the masonry.
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Quabbin Reservoir--Wooly Caterpillar
Wooly Caterpillar
There may be millions of these in the Massachusetts woods, but I had never seen one until the day I went to the rez. The tough part is getting them to smile.
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Quabbin Reservoir--Roots
Roots
Detail of a cluster of roots from some hardwood tree, washed up on the shore of the reservoir.
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Quabbin Reservoir--Jalopy
Jalopy
The town of Dana, Massachusetts was officially disbanded in 1937. Whole cemeteries were disinterred, houses dismantled, and everybody moved away. A few odds and ends remain, and you can still find them if you know where to look..
This is what's left of an old automobile. The location looks like it might have been the cellar of a barn. The car appears to have been stripped (there is no motor, wheels or glass) and left to rust on the spot. A few more years and it will have crumbled to scale.
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Quabbin Reservoir--Road to Dana
In the 1930's, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts took four entire towns (Dana, Enfield, Greenwich and Prescott) by eminent domain and leveled them to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir, which today supplies drinking water to Boston and many surrounding communities in the eastern part of the state. Although it has been seventy years since people lived here, remnants of the old towns can still be seen.
Below is the road to Dana, Massachusetts.
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Below is the road to Dana, Massachusetts.
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Recommended Reading: Godriddance.com
From Godriddance.com, here's an article debunking some of the major pro-Jesus arguments in current circulation. Definitely worth reading. Please comment.
http://www.godriddance.com/Jesus.php ...<< MORE >>
http://www.godriddance.com/Jesus.php ...<< MORE >>
Surface Texture
I haven't been keeping up with my photo posts. Here's one I took yesterday while scraping and sanding my garage.
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Review: Trick or Treatment
Disclaimer: I have not read this book yet. But the subject is so important I thought I would point people to it as soon as possible. This book is in my queue, and I intend to devour it in short order. The review included here is by Dr. Harriet Hall MD, well-known physician and writer on skeptical topics, especially medical quackery. She writes regularly for Skeptic magazine.
The review was originally published on Quackwatch.com, a site I use and support. I hope everyone reading this does so as well.
Trick or Treatment:
The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine<< MORE >>
Nails
From the site of my new house, currently under construction.
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Pre-View: Why I Became an Atheist
Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity
by John W. Loftus
I intend to review this book fully after I have had some time with it. Let me just say a few words now to give you a taste.
First of all, this guy is smart. He is no anti-intellectual. He has read extensively and thought deeply on the subjects he treats. Some readers may disagree with his conclusions, but his scholarship seems very good.
Second, he is ...<< MORE >>
Logical Fallacy #8: Appeal to Common Practice
Appeal to Common Practice: "All the kids are doing it!"
In this fallacy, "common practice" (the fact that large numbers of people think or act a certain way) is taken as evidence that the practice is justified or reasonable or morally correct. It sneaks into people's world view in some insidious ways.Have you ever thought, said, or heard someone else say, "Most of the world believes in some kind of a god, so God must exist."
The problem with this kind of reasoning is that it performs an end run ...<< MORE >>
Wax Your Baby! (Remember when that would have been said about a car?)
The last days of Pompeii were like this. Read this piece of idiocy from the New York Post. If there were a god, he would be taking note of this kind of thing leading up to the destruction of the West. ...<< MORE >>
Old Soldier
From the 2008 Fourth of July Parade in Orleans, Massachusetts. No comment necessary
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UPDATE: Marriage Protection Amendment
Also known as the "Defense of Hypocrisy Act!"
I'm reading a cranky little book called Literally the Best Language Book Ever, by a self-appointed language cop named Paul Yeager.* I wish I could say I am enjoying it, but while I agree with many of Yeager's assertions (and find myself continually guilty of transgressions both public and private), I nonetheless regard him as just too much of a prescriptivist for my tastes. He is also flat-out wrong about some of his language peeves. Yeager is no Safire.<< MORE >>
According to this story on PageOneQ, Senators Larry Craig (R-ID) and David Vitter (R-LA) have so compartmentalized their own tiny brains that they are unable to see that their latest legislative venture is an exercise in cognitive dissonance.<< MORE >>
10 COMMANDMENTS OF RATIONALITY, (ONE THROUGH FIVE)
Note: I'm publishing this on a Sunday for a reason: Everyone KNOWS the Lord's Day is Saturday, so it would be blasphemous to publish it then. In your face, Biblical Literalist Christians!
(There, now do you see how annoying an arbitrary and unsubstantiated declaration can be?)
OK children, everybody take off your shoes from off your feet and get your asses up here onto my holy mountain. I'm going to give you number one through five of my Ten Commandments of Rationality. Chisels ready? OK, here goes:<< MORE >>
Oh, Really?
Opponents of same-sex marriage criticize the idea for somehow changing what marriage really is. Oh, really?
If that is so, then the "traditional" definition of marriage need not include a loving relationship in any sense, since opposite-sex couples are still considered married no matter how loveless—or even abusive—their relationship may be.
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Laugh Out Loud!
Although the Discovery Channel occasionally disappoints me, this is pretty great. Thanks to PZ for
putting this out. Go viral, baby!
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AńĈƎ耨Ŀ.cd<< MORE >>
A little Friday Pareidolia
You science-y types may think this is just a color composite of galaxy M81, with the inset showing the x-rays
coming from some of the massive black holes to be found there. But you'd be wrong!
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Chapter Next in the Lanski Affair: Andrew Schlafly Gets Pwned!
This is Andrew Schlafly. See if you can figure out what's wrong with him by examining the picture.<< MORE >>
Language Peeves #1
I'm reading a cranky little book called Literally the Best Language Book Ever, by a self-appointed language cop named Paul Yeager.* I wish I could say I am enjoying it, but while I agree with many of Yeager's assertions (and find myself continually guilty of transgressions both public and private), I nonetheless regard him as just too much of a prescriptivist for my tastes. He is also flat-out wrong about some of his language peeves. Yeager is no Safire.<< MORE >>
Huh?
This recent Pew poll has come up with a statistic that I can only call—odd. Apparently, four in five atheists disbelieve in God.
The linked article does not explain in exactly what sense the fifth person could be considered "atheist."
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My eyes! my eyes!
I haven't had much time for bloggin' lately, but I had to pass this on with
thanks to LOLGod by way of the Friendly Atheist:
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Friday the 13th: Holiday for Dumbasses
Happy Dumbass Day!
[Note: The following inflammatory commentary is written by a new author here at the Perfect Fool. Introducing the newest incendiary addition to the skeptical blogosphere—Phlogiston!]
Ways to celebrate Dumbass Day:
- Every time you see a news ...<< MORE >>
XKCD: One of my favorite comics
In my never-ending quest to bring you cool stuff you haven't seen yet, allow me to point you
towards "xkcd," a very cool web comic. It really needs no further introduction, but here is one of my favorites from the series. I dare you not to read every
single one. (Come to think of it, if you can resist reading them, you're not the sort of person I'd like to know.)
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Things I learned En Route to Looking Other Things Up
First some real news: National Geographic published evidence of the oldest live birth (complete with umbilical cord) by a vertebrate—and it's a fish!
If you've never heard of Brian Dunning or the Skeptoid podcast, now's the time! Skeptoid bills itself this way:
I know I have talked about him before, but I love Mr. Deity. If you are a skeptic OR a theist (I guess that covers everybody), you owe it to yourself to check out Mr. Deity (you can subscribe through iTunes). ...<< MORE >>
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This little mama is about 380 million years old. Real science rocks!
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Skeptoid: Here Be Dragons
If you've never heard of Brian Dunning or the Skeptoid podcast, now's the time! Skeptoid bills itself this way:"Skeptoid is a weekly podcast dedicated to furthering knowledge by blasting away the widespread pseudosciences that infect popular culture.
"Each weekly episode focuses on a single phenomenon — paranormal, spiritual, alternative, or just plain stupid — that you've heard of, and that you probably believe in. Skeptoid attempts to expose the folly of belief in such phenomena, and more importantly, explains the factual scientific reality.
Religulous
Not normally a Bill Maher fan (I don't dislike him—I just never much cared about him), I nonetheless eagerly await the release of this film. How much will you
bet it exponentially outperforms Ben Stein's piece of crap?
...<< MORE >>
Henry Rollins on I.D.
I'm not what you would normally call a Henry Rollins fan, but this is clip (via Way of the Woo, highly recommended) is pretty damn good. (Note to Henry's producer: tie Henry's hands down, or teach him
some new emphatic gestures.)
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The Fool Hates Dunkin Donuts
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Just watch it!
Tomorrow (Memorial Day 2008) is the day we should see the first images from Mars via the
Phoenix lander. Will you be watching?
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Check out this artist!
I've never blogged about music before, but today's the day that changes. If you saw the video of the house demolition from last week, you may have noticed a guy in a gray sweatshirt flitting across the
screen a couple of times. That's Trevor. He's our contractor. Cool guy.
Among his other talents, Trevor plays guitar. I haven't heard him play yet, but I bet he's pretty good. At least he has good taste. He had me check out Antoine
Dufour on YouTube. This guy is impressive! As Trevor said, "
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ANSWERS IN INTELLIGENCE
You may be familiar with an appalling little web site called "Answers in Genesis." Founded by minister and professional meathead Ken Ham, AiG is the online tool of the Creation Museum. (The Rev. Mr. Ham is a tool as well.) It is windy, smug and anti-intellectual. (So is Mr. Ham.)
In other words, it is for born-again Christians.
(continues below photo of platypus)
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I Love Mr. Deity! (that doesn't make me religious, does it?)
Here's a recent episode of Mr. Deity that made me laugh out loud.
media01.crackle.com/1/o/sg/gtopb_itv.mp4
WHAT IS A SKEPTIC?
The following editorial is from Skeptic magazine, vol. 13, no 4, 2008, Copyright © 1992–2008 Skeptic and its contributors. According to their web site, www.skeptic.com , “permission is granted to print, distribute, and post with proper citation and acknowledgment.”
I consider this brief editorial the best, most complete yet succinct statement of skepticism I have yet read. I wish I could write this clearly. Everyone reading this should go to the site right now and subscribe to the magazine<< MORE >>
Watches
The last shot from the jewelry store. I'll keep playing with the Lensbaby 3G though. Stay tuned.
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Is That a First Name, or a Last Name?
A 57-year-old nitwit in Zion, Illinois has petitioned
the court to allow him to legally change his name to "In God We Trust."
Steven Kreuscher is a school bus driver and amateur artist. According to an article in the Associated
Press, the town of Zion IL was originally founded as a theocracy by a sect that believed the world was flat. That sect,
founded by a colorful kook named John Alexander Dowie, was known as the "Christian Catholic Church in Zion." Trouble ...
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Neckties
Neckties at my wife's store. (They sell a few other things besides jewelry, including small items of Asian furniture and these cool ties.) Another Lensbaby shot.
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Quick Picks
Not content with the irrationality that goes along with Bible-based religion, the United Methodist Church has applied its critical faculties and
expertise to—medicine! Blogger PalMD of the Denialism Blog gives them a good whack with the Stupid Stick.
Crackpot and banana expert Ray Comfort as apparently been smoking the skins of that fruit for which he has such an appreciation. How else to
explainthis entry in his unintentionally humorously titled blog, "Comfort Food?"
Ever consider "naming a star after someone?" You've heard the ads, I'm sure. I always had doubts ...
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Bracelets
Another shot with the new Lensbaby 3G. These are bracelets in my wife's jewelry store. (If you like them, you can email me and I'll tell you where to get them. I have no stake in any sale and would decline it if offered.)
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Bernie, Bernie, Bernie! There is none so blind...
My friend Bernie is still trying to save Ben Stein and "Expelled" from the Holocaust. Here's his latest:
Dear PF,
I disagree that they “used the Holocaust in order to tarnish those who promote the theory of evolution”. See the movie. I doubt whether they saw the movie also. But if they did, ADL was merely being politically correct or simply wrong in their interpretation. The scientific community brutalizes those who would discuss (or permit discussion of) the concept of intelligent design. See the movie.
Bernie
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Show Some Balls: "Decorating Your Car"
I used to think the stupidest vehicle "accessory" available were those stickers of a "Calvin"-ripoff cartoon character peeing on...well, on whatever. I've seen them peeing on everything from Yankee logos to Iranian flags. It is the gift to buy for the overgrown child who has everything.
Until the invention of TruckNutz.
Have you seen this infantile little item? Here's an example:
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Cheaper Than Neo-Natal Care
| Just in time for the National Day of Reason, we have this little gem from the world of "I'll believe anything, no matter how stupid." According to this Reuters report, the practice of dropping babies from a 15-meter-high tower has been practiced for five centuries. However the Bible also makes passing reference to parents who "cause their children to pass though fire," which I take to be a similar kind of practice. |
Happy NDR 2008, Everybody!
Happy National Day of Reason! ...<< MORE >>
ROTFLMFAO!
Every once in a while, something you see online makes you laugh out loud. Thanks to an odd little site called Eclectech!
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More Correspondence From Bernie
My pal Bernie has written to me again. It's nice to be retired, but living in Florida ought to mean you spend more time outdoors in the sunshine, instead of in the sickly glow of your computer screen, or going to matinee shows of religious propaganda pieces.
Anyway, here's Bernie's latest:
Dear PF,
Now that Pesach is officially over, I can answer your thoughtful email. First of all, I have an advantage over you because I saw the movie and you didn’t. The statements you make here ...<< MORE >>
Can you relate?
I love Wiley's strips. Please check them out!
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An Old Friend Gets Scammed
I have a friend, an older Jewish guy whom I have known for many years. Bernie is now retired and living in Florida (I think there's a law in the Torah requiring it). Now, I like old Jewish guys and hope to be one myself someday. However I hope to be a little less credulous than my pal Bernie.
Bernie is one of those people who "discovered" the internet when he retired and is now a target for all the foolishness that floats around out there. Frequently, he goes around with the internet equivalent of a "kick me" sign taped to ...<< MORE >>
Day of Reason: 5 Days to Go!
My original plan to blog once item per day as a countdown to the Day of Reason (May 1) has failed. Still I soldier on! Here's a wonderful article I came across thanks to AIGBusted, another blog I enjoy. The article is from New Scientist magazine, and is entitled "Evolution: 24 Myths and Misconceptions." One important feature of the piece is that it includes the misconceptions of those who consider evolution fact, not just those who do not. Very valuable reading for the rational public.
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