Read the comments on this post...

After a long confinement in a cramped metal tube, the guards stewardesses have finally released me in Melbourne. I'm going to have to figure out what I'm doing next — I think the University of Melbourne Secular Society is going to wrangle me out to a wildlife sanctuary, but I haven't connected up with them just yet. I'm just sort of savoring the sense of freedom right now, and making fiendish plans.

But the important news is that I've survived, mostly. You might want to stay upwind of me, but otherwise I'm feeling pretty good right now.

Read the comments on this post...

(Image from 9Gag)

I have three quick notes worth mentioning this morning.

Note 1: Oops!

I found this amusing inconsistency over at Futility Closet:

In The City of God, Augustine raises a curious question: How did Methuselah survive the flood? According to the Septuagint, the patriarch was 355 years old when Noah was born, and the deluge occurred 600 years later. Thus Methuselah was 955 at the flood–yet he lived to be 969. He was not aboard the ark, and the deluge destroyed the rest of humanity. How did Methuselah survive?

“This is a celebrated question,” wrote Jerome, “and one which has been publicly aired in argument by all the churches.” It’s largely obviated today: Most modern editions of Genesis are translated from the Masoretic text, which has Methuselah dying in the year of the flood.

I see. It’s nothing that a fast rewrite can’t fix!

Note 2: SkeptiCal

If you’re going to be anywhere near Berkeley on April 24th, you should get yourself over to SkeptiCal, a mini skeptics’ convention.

Note 3: Who?

I recently discovered a fundie “news” and opinion site called The Reality Check. That’s right. They actually use the word “reality” to describe their perception of the world!

Anyway, they tell us that some nobody named Orly Taitz is running for California Secretary of State:

Dr. Orly Taitz, ESQ, who has championed the eligibility issue of Barack Hussein Obama, has thrown her hat in the ring and entered Republican party primary for the Secretary of State of CA.

OK. We’ve seen Birthers before.

If and when elected Dr. Taitz will be able to make sure all the candidates are providing genuine vital records, before they appear on the ballot.
…
Her opponent in the Republican primary is a former football player Damon Dunn.… First time he reportedly registered as Republican, was 10 months ago in the special election in May of 2009. Since one has to be registered with the certain party for at least a year before running as a candidate for that party, Mr. Dunn does not appear to be eligible to run. Dr. Taitz supporters are asked to contact the office of the Secretary of State, Registrar of Voters and Attorney General and ask to investigate this matter.

Orly Taitz seems to be obsessed with other people’s eligibility for office. I guess that’s all the Republicans have got left.

This makes Orly eminently qualified herself.

It's been a little quiet around here the last few days, I know. Sorry for that. I think we're all just concentrating on real-life stuff lately. There have been some things of atheist interest happening, though, so I'll chime in on those as I have time. But for now you can consider this an open thread on the following theme: sexual shenanigans among public figures. Take, as your inspiration, the following: much as we all love to hate Fox News, I must confess their headline writers have a good sense of humor.

Lithops Read the comments on this post...

Here's the video from a recent ACA Lecture Series lecture with Kathleen Johnson, titled "A Place at the Table."

On February 26th, 2010, Kathleen Johnson, American Atheists Vice President and Military Director and the founder of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, spoke at a historic meeting with the Obama administration at the nation's capital. The event, organized by the Secular Coalition for America, focused on three issues: faith based medical neglect, proselytizing in the military, and administration support for faith based initiatives. This occasion was a prime example of how a variety of different secular groups can unite for a common cause and accomplish significant political actions. Ms. Johnson will speak about her experiences with "having a seat at the table" and the importance of effectively setting aside political and positional differences to effectively advocate for common causes.

"A Place at the Table"

Mp3 audio is available here.

Well. There's another paper out discussing science blogs, which is a good thing, I suppose. I just find the conclusion a bit disappointing. Bora has an exhaustive dissection, and both The Panda's Thumb and Cosmic Variance have briefer (they'd have to be! Bora got loquacious) discussions of the topic.

Where the author loses me is with this summary.

To become a tool for non-scientist participation, science blogs need to stabilize as a genre or as a set of subgenres where smaller conversations may facilitate more meaningful participation from members of the public. Science bloggers need to become more aware of their audience, welcome non-scientists, and focus on explanatory, interpretative, and critical modes of communication rather than on reporting and opinionating.

We don't need to 'stabilize' on anything: the virtue of this medium is unfettered diversity. Pharyngula is not to everybody's taste (really!), but is just right for some others — the wonderful part of the science blogosphere is that we have so many different ideas bouncing around out here. Why, there are even people who disagree with me!

I also think I am pretty aware of my audience, and if you look at the comment threads here, they aren't just scientists. This is the gladiatorial arena of the science blogosphere, and we don't restrict attendance to the prissy ol' patricians — everyone likes a good bloody rhetorical battle now and then. I know my readers like it when the bestiarii take on those animals, the creationists, and they also like the gladiatorial competitions between equals. And then we often break into homilies and tutorials. If that isn't appealing to a wide audience, I don't know what is.

I can't help but think that the author had some preconceptions about how a science blog should be (which usually means antiseptic, pure, aloof, esoteric, and technical) and found that they are rarely that way at all. And was a bit disappointed.

Read the comments on this post...

I just got my hands on a very interesting book for the younger set: it's aimed at kids in grades 5-8, and it's a description of the life and work of a real live scientist, someone who does both field and lab work, and studies development and the effects of environmental toxins on reproduction. The man is Tyrone Hayes at UC Berkeley, and the book is The Frog Scientist(amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Pamela Turner. It's excellent stuff — it humanizes the scientist and also does a very good job of letting kids see what scientists actually do in their research, and why they're doing it. If you've got a young one who's thinking about being a scientist when she or he grows up, you might want to grab this book as a little inspiring incentive.

Plus it has lots of fabulous photos of frogs. You can't go wrong.

One other thing: the School Library Journal is having a battle of the books, with a poll to bring a book up into the final round of voting. There's a shortage of science books in the listing: there's The Frog Scientist, and another one about Darwin, Charles and Emma, but otherwise, while the other books may be very good (I have heard good things about The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, and it's not because it has the word "evolution" in the title), there isn't much in the way of kid's books on science. If you're familiar with any of these, vote!

Read the comments on this post...

Roy Ashburn, California legislator, opponent of gay equality, unwilling to even recognize gay rights activists, has admitted at the age of 55 that he is gay.

That is so sad. To live a half-century in denial, to be so steeped in self-loathing that you build a career on stamping down people just like yourself, and to only now wake up and confront the truth…assuming he lives into his 70s, that's an admission that two thirds to three quarters of your life was spent living a lie.

This one life is all you've got, Roy. Live it by being true to yourself.

Read the comments on this post...

The Philippines has a problem with a rising number of AIDS cases every year, and members of the government have been promoting a sensible response: Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral has sponsored a program that distributes free condoms, for instance. You can guess who opposes prophylactics, though.

"The condom business is a multimillion dollar industry that heavily targets the adolescent market at the expense of morality and family life," said Bishop Nereo Odchimar, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. He called fidelity and premarital chastity "the only effective way to curb the spread of AIDS."

The Catholics have informed Cabral that she has "one foot in hell." How sweet. They are also actively campaigning against any politician who promotes birth control.

I'm so sorry that the Philippines is so deeply afflicted with forces for insanity and irrationality, but at least they've got brave people like Esperanza Cabral standing up for what is right.

Read the comments on this post...

Here's a personal account of how Charlie Crist deals with atheists:

Last night as I was leaving a pizzeria in Downtown St. Pete, I ran into a small group of people around Florida Governor Charlie Crist who was campaigning for a US Senate run. So, I walked over waited a moment to gain his attention and shook his hand. As we were shaking hands I asked him if he really believes that the letters he sent to Jerusalem prevent hurricanes from hitting Florida.

His smile immediately dropped and he replied "Who's more powerful than God." That wasn't really an answer so asked him again to which I got a similar reply. While this was happening one of his people put a "Charlie Crist for US Senate 2010" sticker on me. Then when I told Charlie that I did not believe in God he turned beat red and ripped the sticker off of my chest. He did a 180 to start shaking other peoples hands, and turned to scream over his shoulder that he feels sorry for me.

Do you think there are any 'militant' atheists out there in the leadership of our movement who would react in the same way if a Baptist or a Catholic or a Muslim came up to shake their hands? Not one.

Read the comments on this post...

I'm glad I won't be looking for a date while I'm in Australia. Although now I'm a little concerned that if I get a little beer froth on the moustache, I might drive the ladies wild.

Read the comments on this post...

She's as funny as a clown's pratfall, but she's also as fascinating as a head wound. I hope she'll vanish from the public discourse, but here I am, at the same time gawking over her latest inanities.

Remember how she was caught looking at really trivial notes written on her hand? She's got a new excuse. God does it, too, and if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for Sarah. It's in the Bible, in Isaiah 49:

15Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.  16Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.  17Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.

This is one of those stories where God tells the poor oppressed Israelites that he really does love them, and will take care of them, and will deal with their malefactors appropriately. And in Old Testament terms, "appropriately" means in as grisly a fashion as possible.

25But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. 26And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

That Jehovah. Keeps track of his loved ones by scribbling their names on his apparently very large hands, and punishes their enemies by making them eat their own flesh and drink their own blood.

And if that isn't enough Palin stupidity for you, look at this: she hates that socialist health care, but she admits that she would regularly hustle across the border to take advantage of Canadian health care. I think it's really cool that she so willingly identifies herself as a parasite, a thief, a hypocrite, and a good Christian.

Now…can we have Canadian-style health care put in place here in America? It's good enough for Sarah Palin, so it must be good enough for God, so it must be the right thing to do.

Read the comments on this post...

On Saturday in Melbourne, I'm going to be giving a talk on the incompatibility of science and religion. Now what happens? Another eruption of those accommodation arguments, and I've got this big pile of stuff I could say right now, but I'm going to hold it in, so it's at least a little bit fresh for the end of this week. Until then, read Larry Moran, who has it covered.

I am particularly appalled that Larry's comments contain that hoary old chestnut, "science can't explain love," with the bizarre claim that "No scientist that is also a decent human being subjects all her/his beliefs to scientific scrutiny." I think otherwise. There is a naive notion implicit in that statement that scientific scrutiny is somehow different from critical, rational examination. I'd argue the other way: no decent human being should live an unexamined life.

Read the comments on this post...

I could have continued the last edition of the unstoppable thread with the hot topic of the moment — race — but thought maybe promoting another controversial subject would fill up the thread far too quickly. So the other subject people were talking about is my birthday.

Gee, people, I'm not that old. IT ISN'T MY BIRTHDAY TODAY. Do I look 53 or something?

My birthday is tomorrow. I'm celebrating it by folding myself up into a narrow little airplane seat and sitting there for 19 hours. And then spending a week and a half in Australia with spasms.

This is how we spend all our birthdays after the 50th, in case you young whippersnappers had no idea.

Read the comments on this post...

I got so sick of dreary beancounting communications 'experts' telling me that we need to avoid fighting creationists … because the magical drone of framing was going to make everyone happy and persuade the jebus-loving ignoramuses that evolution was good. There are signs that these parasites are moving on now — to climate science.

Oh, great. Here's a potentially greater material problem for us than even the sad state of science education, and now the good-haired knob-polishers are moving in to dispense their advice of indolence and tone. Dot Earth has an exchange between Matt Nisbet and Randy Olson on tactics. Nisbet does his usual blame-the-scientists routine, arguing that we out to lie back, shut up, and let the Expert Communicators smooth over public sentiment. Randy Olson is basically fed up with the faceless, passionless passivity that these guys insist is the scientist's only allowed role.

So I'm tired of the lack of leadership and the overly academic analysis of what are the actions of basically thugs. You guys keep working on the polling data — that's good and is equally important. But in the meanwhile, I am dragging people like Marc Morano out into the light of day for the community to get a good look at who he is, what motivates him and exactly how his technique manages to be so increasingly successful.

…

I wish it were as simple as just analyzing the situation endlessly and eventually coming up with some cool and subtle strategy where nobody ever had to get dirty. But I'm afraid there's going to be a lot more Climategates in the near future.

I wish I could say I'm pleased to see these useless weasels have been drawn away from the science education problem, but it seems they've just decided to plague another science issue that needs strong activism, rather than feel-good puffery.

Read the comments on this post...

There was this young child at a Catholic pre-school who was kicked out because his or her parents were lesbians. Now people are protesting, because that's not what Jesus would do (I won't quibble over their justifications — Jesus probably would have told the mob to stone the perverted parents to death — it's OK that they're doing the right thing for the wrong reasons). And the local newspaper runs a poll.

Is it valid to protest a Boulder Roman Catholic school's decision to bar the child of a lesbian couple from attending?

Yes  43.98 %
No  40.32 %
I'm not sure  1.443 %
I don't care if they protest or not  14.24 %

For additional amusement, the good Reverend at the Catholic church at the center of this issue has a novel excuse for his actions.

"If a child of gay parents comes to our school, and we teach that gay marriage is against the will of God, then the child will think that we are saying their parents are bad," Breslin said on his blog. "We don't want to put any child in that tough position."

Isn't that sweet? It's for the good of the child that they evict them, so they don't hear the cruel condemnations the church will give their parents.

Read the comments on this post...

Jerry Coyne has unearthed a few maggoty tidbits about Rod Dreher, the Templeton director of communications. It seems the Templeton Foundation has been padding his credentials a bit, claiming that he is a 7-time nominee for a Pulitzer Prize. Dreher? A Pulitzer? Has the prize become that worthless now?

Only it turns out the operative word in that phrase is "nominee". Anyone can be a nominee: heck, somebody could write a letter nominating me for a Pulitzer, which, if the committee has any standards at all, would go nowhere. Much like Dreher's nominations.

The real revelation, though, is much more amusing. Dreher had one of those Templeton Fellowships, and toddled off to England to learn about the intersection of faith and science. Here's his short summary of the experience:

The truth of the matter is that I turned up in Cambridge knowing a lot about religion, but not much about science. What I saw and heard during those two-week seminars, and what I learned from my Templeton-subsidized research that summer (I designed my own reading program, which compared Taoist and Eastern Christian views of the body and healing) opened my mind to science. It turned out that I didn't know what I didn't know until I went on the fellowship.

Rod Dreher is completely ignorant of science. I'd like to know how doing a compare-and-contrast essay between two clueless aboriginal superstitions gave him any exposure to scientific thinking at all. Gosh, I think I'll go read a book about organometallic chemistry to open my mind to Zoroastrianism.

Read the comments on this post...

I'm flying off to Australia tomorrow! Unfortunately, I'm leaving Mary behind — she's got a job, you know, and needs to continue slaving away to keep me in the style to which I am accustomed. But she's not bitter about it, no, not at all. See? She sent me this cheery little ditty about the Australian fauna!

Read the comments on this post...

It's a stunning reenactment of home life…with lolcats. I don't know that I like this invasion of my privacy.

Read the comments on this post...