Thursday, October 08, 2009

Halloween: Sexy edition

In a list of stories of interest on Feministing was the yearly favorite, show Halloween is used to try to get women to dress up exclusively as sexy ___. It is truly ridiculous. In the link they offer they have a number of of choices including a Finding Nemo (really!) number and a sex...I mean female ghostbusters outfit. The outfit should be a baggy uniform and a proton pack. But apparently I am wrong, and it needs to be very tight and show lots of cleavage...and the list goes on. But really, it makes it seem like Halloween is about creating images for guys ogling women, not for people to dress up and have fun (and, yes, there is more than one type of fun). It is sad. Why not let the ladies dress up in baggy outfits? Or just look grisly? Or be weird?

A good send up of all of this is found in this video. All that can be said is sexy mustard, and frog.

It can all almost ruin the fun of Halloween, but screw 'em. It's bigger than them. Let's take it back.


What makes a serious threat?

TPM notes a recent arrest.
Two men, John Iannucci, 38, and Jessup Bowllinger, 27, were arrested Tuesday in New Haven, CT when they were found driving with a pipe bomb, two shotguns, various bomb-making materials, ammunition, a can of propane and SWAT uniforms. One had apparently been arrested for bomb making earlier this year and was awaiting trial.

Here's our report.

Hmm...pipe bomb? Guns? More materials for bombs? And uniforms (maybe with armor)?

If they were more foreign sounding, I think this would be breaking news on the cable news already. How many white guys are being caught with weapons and explosives, and it just isn't news? Seriously.

Olbermann Special Comment

Last night Keith Olbermann had one heck of a one hour special comment on the health care fight.

It must be seen.

It is available in parts on MSNBC.com.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy




Or you can get the show from sources like iTunes to watch and share.

The stories shared and the trouble we are having as a nation are damning. To do so poorly for so long for so many Americans is unforgivable. We just sit back and let this suffering and death continue? Hell no.


It is horrible to hear about people that can't go and get medical tests for hear of losing insurance due to what may be found. To hear about illness wiping out so many families savings...all of this makes it clear that these democrats that just block this work now need shaming and political fear put in them. I hope, as is rumored, that their is a chance that those that help a filibuster are going to face a loss of seniority and power. Good. Let them consider that they may actually face a downside to backing insurance companies over the ill. And the media has to be drug to free clinics across this country to damn well cover the desperate straights of those in need of medical aid.

There are too many stories and we should all be aware of them. The people who are driven to poverty, the people denied insurance, the people directed away from the treatments they need, all need to be known.

As AMERICAblog has noted the difference between costs in the US and elsewhere are just stunning.

My $2,000 eye surgery in France would have been $20,000 here

And we need better than no reform, shitty reform that helps no one, or delays. We have been arguing about this for nearly a century. Time to act.

Monday, October 05, 2009

Too cool.

Well this is a sight you need to see.

Mr. Deity, PZ Myers, and Lucy. We have seen PZ Myers with Dawkins and Mr. Deity with Shermer. But now two great tastes have been brought together. It is hard to decide who is cooler now from being scene with whom? Or who.

Myers has filmed a bit to join with others active in atheism to appear on Mr. Deity. And it is, as always, worth mentioning that if you can help with great show, please do. Because as we all should know, Mr. Deity (and Words) rocks! And I hope they can get there pilot put together.

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Foreign Policy: RNC Edition


What is with the Republicans these days. There was a time when a current or former member of government travelling and talking to world leaders without Presidential (Republican) okay was an anathema.

But I keep going over the list of places Republicans are scurrying and have to wonder. TPM has a good list of this stuff.

From as close as Honduras to as far as China they look to be running. To do what? To convince world leaders to act contrary to the wishes of the government they claim to serve. From backing coups to talking down the strength of our economy...this used to be looked down on in my day.

Changin for the Autumn

Well, I usually like the color choices and trimmings tied to the Fall and Halloween. So I figured the blog needed to reflect it. While pumpkin shakes and the feeling of Fall will pass, we'll see how long with last, i.e. becoming annoying or hard to use.

Death Penalty coverup?


As noted earlier, Texas has an embarrassing case of an innocent man executed. TPM notes the story appearing now of how the governor has sacked a portion of the board investigating and the new chairperson has cancelled further testimony.


I guess in Texas crime is relative to the commission investigating it.

Texans also feel the same about teaching, science, and history, I hear.
I may be being a bit unfair, but relatively speaking...

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Conservatives: Whose side are they on?

It seems Press Secretary Gibbs had it right. Whose side are they on? And by they I mean so many of the conservatives in this country.

Conservatives had always had a creepy relationship with this nation. When it is securely locked on there place, under there control, doing their will, the country is perfect, divine, and unquestionable. But when it isn't... We have all heard the stories about students after Kennedy's assassination, Kids in the South, having heard the president was dead, and being brought up to just hate him, cheered. How far we have come. What is the cry? We want OUR country back?

They attacks on the government by conservatives have been constant. And the business with the Olympics is the clearest view of just how angry, how blind, and kick to stupidity they are now.

Upon hearing of the USA's loss, the ringing cheers from across the conservative world was just deafening. From all the standard voices on the radio glee was heard as new money that could have come to this country went elsewhere. As those jobs evaporated bloggers and "news"people danced jigs. It was glorious to them.

What was? Obama's loss. It wasn't his to lose. Though the AP is eager to suggest it. One story they did is pretty much as excuse to rad out talking points for attacking Obama in the frame of the Olympics. They even did a story about Chicago being whipped showing a down turned faced Obama beside the words...Charming.

But we are left with many images of conservatives betraying there blind view. During a conference over defending the American dream, they rushed to announce the loss, so the delegates get hoot and yell for joy...I guess winning Olympic glory isn't on their dream list. And the Weekly Standard rushed out a web story saying with exclamation points that Chicago loses. Apparently overjoyed at the idea. It was quickly removed, but not before we all saw where conservatives heads are...in Obama losing.

Now does that sound like a Party of No to you?

More with the History Channel



Well. I just had the ol' History Channel on. They had, surprise, a show on Hitler.

But as the show went from his psychic to the cults to the symbols taken on they noted something else as well.

They suggested that Hitler sought to become the second antichrist set out by Nostradamus...

If you remember the last post on this channel I noted the silly show they had on about the three alleged antichrist of Nostradamus. I sought it was damn silly there. But here is that phrase used to tie Nostradamus and people of note implied to be major players seen in quatrains. I am assuming this is the show I noted The Nostradamus Effect, about current events and quatrains colliding.

So having the phrase again...is this just a new meme now being passed around by Nostradamus true believers? Is this the new schtick, meaning like other updates they will act as if this thinking was the way they approached for ages and that it makes perfect sense fitting in snugly?

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Texas Death Penalty

PZ Myers looks at a chilling tale of just how Texas uses the authority to end lives.
The story of Cameron Todd Willingham (via Digby) ought to be read by everyone.


He was an unpleasant guy accused of killing his kids by burning his house down.

Pretty bleak. He was executed for the murders.

Trouble is...he was innocent. Now that is a statement in itself about how unfair executions are.

But worse was the actions of the prosecutor in the case.
...You have to watch these videos of Judge John Jackson (he was prosecutor in the case, and is now a judge). He openly admits that the evidence for arson was weak, and that he looked at the circumstances to determine Willingham's guilt. Those circumstances? Willingham was a low-class ruffian with tattoos of skulls who like heavy metal music. Therefore, he was probably a satanist. Therefore, he probably killed his children.


And this seems to be how just part of the Texas approach to the law. When people try to appeal the hostility to overturning is overwhelming. Texas, what's wrong with some justice?

Let's talk about the media

What is the trend? For more than a decade now study numbers have shown a disproportionate number of conservatives and their positions being showcased in the news.

When Clinton was president, there was a push to give the minority a voice. When the Reps took Congress, there was a voice that needed to be heard there. When Bush came in, he and his were given preeminence. When Dems took Congress back, it didn't change to reflect this. And now that Obama is in the White House and Dems hold congress, what is next?

Crooks and Liars looks at the Posts postion:
I always knew that the media would find a way to turn back to right-wing ideology after America voted out the conservatives who almost destroyed the country and the financial global economy. But I didn't know they would use a minor story like ACORN as their catalyst.

You know how the WaPost feels about
liberals who complain, don't you? This is very troubling indeed. Apparently the Washington Post thinks it should be paying more attention to the crazed rantings of Glenn Beck and incorporate it into their news coverage. ...

...

Post Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli said he worries "that we are not well-enough informed about conservative issues. It's particularly a problem in a town so dominated by Democrats and the Democratic point of view."

To guard against it, he said, "I challenge our reporters and editors with great frequency to look at what is going on across the political spectrum ... at the extremes, among the rabble-rousers, as well as among policymakers." He said he pressed the National desk this week to provide more ACORN coverage.

...

Vaccine hype

You may have heard about a death that occurred following a 14 year old being vaccinated for HPV. Novella talked on it. What is known now is that initial results suggest a underlying condition is the likely cause of death. It doesn't remove the treatment as a cause, in whole or part, but it points away. The trouble is the reaction of many in the media. A vaccine death! As one commenter I saw noted, you never see the front page stories about the woman who dies of the cervical cancer that could have been prevented. Too true.

Here are the numbers and reality.

...

Joe Albietz at SBM gives us the recent skinny of Gardasil safety, based upon recently published data. Here are the vital stats from the FDA:

“Every year, about 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and almost 4,000 die from this disease in the United States.”

After distributing 23 million doses of Gardasil, there have been 772 serious adverse events reported, included 32 deaths. These are no greater than the background rate of reported events for a population this size.

In other words, safety monitoring of Gardasil has not revealed any pattern of excess deaths or serious outcome associated with the vaccine.

One more guy

I would have added this on the end of the last post...but this one is going to run for president again and needs to be noted.

You see at the meeting of conservatives noted in the last post, Schlafly also spoke, and warned about the nasty attacks on marriage. One part the gays and another, larger part, feminists. Those homosexuals are always trouble, and those, ewwww, women wanting equality...BOOO!

But that is the crude this woman has peddled for years. Yet there to applaud her as she was awarded American Hero of the Century (this one or last?) was one Mike Huckabee.

The trouble with Mike is that he for a long while, going into the last election, played himself as the affable and friendly conservative. He wasn't a bad guy, or out to get you...

Crooks and Liars list his recent interesting positions including using Kennedy's death to sell death panels and ignoring of state supreme court rulings.

Hopefully people can see him more clearly now.

Conservative Discourse 101

Hey, how does Conservative media view the world around it? Through Obama-colored glasses of course.



Bad joke? Yeah. But all too true as well.


You see! Obama = Chicago = Corruptions = Gangs = Evil = Olympics = Destroys America! It all fits!


From Crooks and Liars:
The right has been seizing on the brutal murder of a teen, Derrion
Albert, in Chicago by feuding gang members. Reports are that Albert just
happened to walk into the fight and became a fatality of it.


...


All the conservative hacks always line up, Drudge, Malkin, and on down the line.




Then you have the likes of John L. Perry. He wrote on Newsmax's site that the nation needs a military coup again the president (A bloodless one, so I guess that would make it okay, huh?). How is this in anyway okay? Newsmax tried to disavow the guy. But he has been with them a long time, and was a senior editor. How about the loathsome Facebook poll?


Then you have the Phyllis Schlafly crowd. One speaker, Werthmann, apparently from around here, did the continuing comparison of Obama and Hitler. Apparently supporting universal health care, women's rights, and taxes increases (I guess when Republicans raise taxes it doesn't count.) are signs of the antichr...I mean fascism (Those shows from earlier are still in my head.). This leads into her main point, if only we had enough guns...how is any of this not creepy and chilling. How is this not revolting to hear?


This...is...the...conservative...movement...PEOPLE!

Bipartisanship

Americablog has a good question: Is it more important to pass a good bill, or a popular one?

I have heard this in a few spots. It is a valid point. Why does this bill need 60 votes, or else? Or as Grassley says 70-80 votes.

Why does everyone need to be on board, and why right now and not by the time of voting? What about righting the best bill to meet American needs?


The best quote I have heard around is. "Bipartisanship is a means not an end."


Hell yes. We can work together to craft a bill, it can be great to draw together disparate ideas. But Republicans are pretty clear in action that the only option they like in inaction and delay. If one side is attempting to derail work what is the sum total gained by bipartisanship as an ends? Diddlysquat.

Climate Claims

Crooks and Liars point to Paul Krugman's warnings about the surging attacks by conservatives over climate change legislation.

Seems trying to sell it as a threat to the economy is going to be the main tact. No doubt they will also explain it is also about the president's evil plot and will lead to indoctrination and camps! OOOwwww!

Krugman sees this economic ruin idea as suspect:
So where do the apocalyptic warnings about the cost of climate-change policy come from?

He explains more, but after a summer of screaming and freak outs, don't we know the corners it all will be crawling out from?

UPDATE:
I also wanted to add what I was seeing on CNBC. They were talking to Jim Kramer. And he was "telling it like it is." Meaning that to deal with being greener means letting waste be dispersed without restriction... But the better part was his concern over health care reform, namely the fate of insurance companies. If the public option draws people in...what about the insurance industry! Now that's being focused on the wrong victim.

Ah, sweet history

What is it with the History Channel?

Oh sure they are the Hitler and Conspiracy network in all the jokes.

But these shows just seem to be getting worse.

For example, right now they are on their third of a trifecta of crappy conspiracy/doomsday shows. You should check them out to believe them.

First was the Da Vinci Apocalypse show. It seems, you see, that hidden in his works are...Jesus? Secret Societies? ...not just that, also his prophecies about the doom of the world. Haven't you seen the tousled hair in the many works, like some one submerged in water! Also he wrote a lot of dark riddles (no renamed prophecies) that were dark and about tragic ends...because he foresaw what was to come...TODAY! Yeah, all about the here and now, you would of thought it? They do slightly point to him being worried about history and human nature, and things he saw in his youth, but in the end it is all about what did he foresee?

Next was the Three Antichrist. That's right three, tres, three strikes. Now, I have NEVER heard of that. Sure there have been claims that the antichrist is coming, or had come, but now the people peddling the Nostradamus drek have a new spin. When people thought Napoleon was it, he was. And when they thought Hitler was, they were right to. Cause there are THREE. I don;t recall them pointing to a three count in the quatrains...but hey! Of course all the information is clear and concise on the first two...but the last one is shrouded...hmmm, wonder why? What triple tripe.

And if that trifecta wasn't enough on its own. They now have on their new show the Nostradamus Effect. This show will be looking at prophecies and how they match current events, and that means...the Nostradamus Effect (no doubt already trademarked by the History Channel). So now the channel is making up new terms to drum up fear and support woo...

Thanks guys, you are all a real credit. Is UFO Hunters on tonight?

UPDATE:
I wanted to point to something I also noticed in watching the History Channel. When this trifecta was first on I was struck by a look at the build up of Hitler. This was due to all the ways people support the contention that Obama is a Hitler type. What is notable was the use of fear, hate, and paranoia to drive support and action. Now, I can't say it is altogether comparable, but of the sides arguing in the public square today one is clearly tapping into these sensibilities, while the other doesn't seem to be.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Midnight fun rises from the grave...


Hmm, so there are still midnight monster movies still available on TV?

There seems to be one around here, Midnight Monster Hop. I may have taken note of it before, but I finally, saw it on the schedule and checked out just what it was. It is just like the shows of old. B-Movie horror. Hosts in costume. Comedy Skits. Tonight the one they did was a favorite, Horror Express...ah, Lee and Cushing as rival scientist teaming up against the terror.

I have long lamented the change in how are media on the US operates. Where once there were plenty of independent channels, and what's more NBC, CBS, and ABC stations that were not full of national shows, infomercials, and reality TV, it was possible to have a stock of quirky shows. There were the Babylon 5's, Tales From the Darkside's, and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, for example. And also there was a spot for the late night monster show (the predecessors of the beloved MST3K). It seemed we were doomed to see no more Elviras or Sir Graves Ghastlys.

But I am proven wrong here (and it can be noted online that their are a number of opportunities to see different shows around the country). This show looks to come out of PA. Apparently the people doing the show run a haunted house in Uniontown and decided to produce some shows. What they have so far produced are now widely available and used by the RTV (Retro TV)network, which seems to show reruns, and at least here, runs most all day, though some say it is just at night for them. But looks to offer every Saturday late night (here at 10PM) 2 hours of horror and humor, which is appreciated.

Here is the shows intro.


And, just like its antecedents, it realizes on a heavy dose of corny humor (Anyone watch Elvira?).


I am glad to see this around and readily available. It is nice to see that things in this vein are not trapped to the weeks leading to Halloween. Much like pumpkin ice cream and shakes, this type of entertainment should be around all year long.

So if you are missing out on these shows, check and see if you can catch it, or if there is another in your area.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

What is in there minds? Or, the composite creation of conservatism.


I am at a lost.

When we look at these groups today assailing the president and the various work to try and help people across the country...I have to ask myself...what is in there minds?

Is it as simple as what Pres. Carter suggests, so much racism and bigotry?

In truth it seems complex. There are many pieces on the board at play and moving. There is some simple ideology at work, moving ever forward on the board. There's the party loyalty zigzagging away. And there is a nastiness, hoping forward proudly and certainly landing unexpectedly and calamitously.

In truth the nuttiness is not conservative-centric. It can be liberal in bent. But that part is always so small. There are 9-11 types, but they are there grand conspiracies are in the minority. But the damage that Republicans and conservatives have done to themselves shows quite painfully.

So might say this goes back to the start of the 00's and the call to fear after 9-11. Others will say it goes to the new attacks through media and groups in the 90's You could go to the time of power in the 80's, and so on. But this goes back to a key moment in this nation's history. The moment that the Democrats and the Republicans chose sides and allies in regard to civil rights.

Let us build up a bit first. Republicans love to hearken back to Lincoln all the time (though it seems much less since the election). They led the fight then. They gave blacks power. They pushed Constitutional amendments. It is a good record.

But through the dark days of Jim Crow things were rough and this country dealt with much via it's social conscious. You were we? Did we have laws that declared equality, but inaction we knew the way things ought to be? Or did we really want to live by are principals?

And that moment came to decide. Leading democrats chose to break with less illustrious position of the last century and embraced the fight for civil rights. Meaning action, schools forced open, children protected, and murders and scum brought to justice. Republicans saw this, and in spite of heroic stands of another century turned away, they took in the defecting Dixiecrats as there own. They took the South as a new base of support, at least white support. They made a pact that they have long since built upon.

It gave them many victories and to this day allows them many safe seats in Congress. It means may electoral votes every four years. It is power. But at what cost?


Because this tact continues to haunt there steps. When demographics began to sweep them at of power. They turned to the "quiet" religious right. And they roared. Offering moral superiority, for the sake of attacking science, medicines, and certain minority rights. It was deal they could live with. They took on the cloak of righteous Southern indignity, and now the scepter of moral certitude. They fed off a powerful sources of aid, and in the years that followed from the middle of the last century, they were changed.

They had numbers, causes, and also constraints. The old cause was now theirs (one they once led an army against -- ironic). And with the needs at the start of the 80's they know were expected to lead always for the righteous ends of Christ (they may say Judeo-Christian all the time, but even as judeo sits at the start of the term we all know where judeo ends up in the end with them). And with the changing technology of the 90's and the Clinton years, the conservatives embraced more and more the baser parts of its outliers, the fringers. Where a once a few Congressmen would would meet in a rural setting and mutter wild claims, it was now growing more acceptable, more public, and easier to get around via the Net. And Republicans fed off of it, and fed the fear (that murderous cocaine king in the White House - not Bush, Clinton!). And they took up a sword of wingnuttery for a fine trifecta of power, paranoia, and poor thinking. Leading to today. Where they carry an old white fear at there core, religious turpitude towards outside ideas, and a paranoia about the other.

Now this is not to say there are not people of conscious in the party, in power. But they do keep there heads down, they keep silent, they vote "with the party." Early on this year as Limbaugh said some stupid and clearly disruptive things about where governance should go for Obama's first term, some people among the Republicans stood up and said no to him.

Do you remember how many apologized afterwards and shut up? Since then they seem to have embraced his position and live up to it, haven't they? They have a facade to maintain and a beast to sustain, to keep their power, to increase it, so they can in turn feed the beast more.

Historical snark

There does not seem to be an end to the things that make one want to pull there hair out and scream. So let us all relax with some laughs.

Popcorn and Chain mail is back after a long hiatus. They are a group of historians that take pains to humorously rip into historical films for the ridiculous portrayals of people, places, and events. They give a good laugh as they rip into peoples attempts to remake history to there own ends.

There latest feast is The Other Boleyn Girl - a story that takes one sister that slept around and makes her a virgin heroine and the other a social climber and makes her the nasty villain, all the while botching history all the more.

...

Birth of Anne's child.

Anne: What is it?

cutecoati: Cate Blanchett.

Anne: Wah!

Thomas Boleyn: Uhh, Your Majesty, not quite the son you expected… but she named the girl Elizabeth, after your mother!

fourth_rose: The Queen names the King's child without even consulting him?

King: If we can have a healthy daughter, we can have a healthy son.

cloudlessnights: As proven during his first marriage, I guess.

+++

Anne: *freaks out*

Mary: I'd so roll my eyes at you if that weren't way too dynamic and lively for me.

Norfolk: Okay, if her second pregnancy goes wrong too, I'd better prepare the next candidate. Miss Seymour, a word, please?

...

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Kicking it, the story of a Jewish state.

I like this story...by which I mean it is too often so easy to see religious craziness and just make note of Islam, and then Christians. But Jews can get in there with the crazy.

Freethinker has one such story, one of all so many nutty stories of Jewish extremism.

‘Kick democracy in the balls – give it back to the Greeks’, says Jewish fanatic


He sees Israel as a gift from his god. Apparently all the powers post-WWII had nothing to do with helping, or those U.S. weapons.

And take a look at the picture of the rabbi in the story, with his bodyguard. Looks like a sad ass rapper cliche.

Mali madness and the need to fight loudly for women's rights.

Mali makes a great example of the problems we all face. The country had started to take steps to improve matters for women in the nation.

But as BBC tells us, they have taken back those steps.

After pressure from religious groups, in Mali this means Islam, the president has returned the bill to improve the rights of those in families. While a supporter of the changes, he had been driven back by the rancor.

...

President Amadou Toumani Toure said he was sending the law back for the sake of national unity.

...


What kind of rights? Like women not needing to obey husbands, but both need to be loyal to the other. Women get better rights to inherit. And instead of marrying girls off younger, the family must wait to 18. How horrible.

In relation to business here in the U.S., the story from BBC notes that the president of Mali believes that a lot of misinformation was spread about the law...Not like we have experience with that here in the states.

But I find the comments in that the end instructive. Some old school sort get on to proclaim their disgust...at women. I really love the one that equates women's right to destroying a nation's constitution. And the one who says giving women reasonable rights is too far and too fast just reminds me of so much we deal with today here as well.

I think the president is in the right position to put this law under serious review. Its true women need the right but not to this extent, this right has to be checked. They still remain a man's responsibility and despite all efforts there is something about their position in the society that cannot be changed.

--

I think these whole thing about 'women's right' is just an attempt to turn the order things upside down. if they say that a woman does not need have to obey her husband, then it is like saying the citizens of a country do not need to obey the constitution of the country as symbolised by their leader. in a place when there is no need for someone to obey the other, chaos is the result. Islam does not oppress women so they don't need freedom!

--

I'm very please for the refusal of the President, because it is not allow in Islam, woman shouldn't equal to a man rather as her husband, in Islam religion a woman is always behind a man.

--

I think this law is so controversial that it must be abandoned because you can not jump so high with very traditional and almost uneducated society with very high illiteracy especially among women the supposed stake holders. By trying to adopt such law the parliamentarians and the human rights activists are provoking the sentiment of Muslim and playing in the hands of the fundamentalist groups. I am afraid this law to back fire and results in creating more conservative groups on the edge like (boko haram) of Nigeria. Changing society is not an easy thing and can not be done through jurisdiction only and the very positive thing in Mali that it is a democratic country and change can come by time when these values of human dignity and equity regardless of the gender are deep rooted in the society and when more enlightened interpretations of Islam are given chance.NO easy walk to society change.

--

This law really needs to be amended. Women were created to be a support of the man hence they need to accord them with the maximum respect no matter who they are. It is very wrong for women to be given the right to disobey their husbands. Any woman who thinks she cannot obey her husband should remain unmarried.

Protecting schools from arts and sciences.

In one Missouri school a bit of a kerfuffle occurred over some band shirts produced. This happens. What was it that started the turmoil? Nudity? Profanity? Something that fall sin some shady area where there might be so offense? ...Yeah...kind of...


A play on that old, and inaccurate, line of evolutionary steps. With a some word play about the evolution of brass. It's cute. It's a joke. And what is so offensive? Of right...EVOLUTION. That darned word. That darned "theory". Ewwwwwww.

So some parents started the bitching and moaning over nothing (I mean really, have you seen some of the shirts high school kids come up with...this is fucking tasteful and rue.). So the parents have to pay now.

But what was really great was one parent cried out, as a parent and teacher, that their school should in no way be associated with evolution...wow...just wow.

A choice quote that Freethinker notes:

I made the decision to have the band members turn the shirts in after several concerned parents brought the shirts to my attention. If the shirts had said ‘Brass Resurrections’ and had a picture of Jesus on the cross, we would have done the same thing.
Yeah evolution...Jesus, their on par, right? This is from a school official...really!

Of course PZ Myers jumped on and made a good point about worrying about offending some slight religious sensitivity. Like the Krishna folk and there disbelief we have or can go to the moon. How mean to ever use an image of the moon in a way other than their religious text. All contrary images must be banded immediately.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Lion of the Senate passes

It is sad news that we now lose Edward Kennedy, senator of Massachusetts, advocate of the needy, and much needy voice for the left in Congress.

TPM has a good view of his life.

They also have President Obama's initial statement and that of Robert Reich.


It is the end of an era.


I have to agree with Crooks and Liars:

They have the video from the convention when he braved his illness to speak for Obama, and for the need for universal health care. It is a good legacy for all of us to fight for.


Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Riff Trax's Live


I should have mentioned this earlier, as it is almost time for it to occur. Thursday!

But as a HUGE fan of MST3K, and the later work of those involved in Film Crew, Cinematic Titanic, and Riff Trax, they have a national event going on Thursday, the 20th (must be my birthday.). The Riff Trax guys (Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and and Kevin Murphy) are going to be hosting an event that night at theaters all over the country, a new riffing of Plan 9 from Outer Space. It sounds like they will have some fun and also have shorts, which have always been a great staple of their works.

I am finally going to one of these events myself, as I am keen on it, and I like that they are taking advantage of the way theaters are set up these days. These days with the new tech they can allowing people to join in business events, opera, and symphanies from afar (I think they had some '08 camaign events viewable from theaters). So with a national event, even living in a not so big town in the midwest it is not too great a sojourn to join in myself.


So if you are a fan, you should check out the Riff Trax site and see if you can or wish to go.



G.I. Joe Blues

Here is a funny little diddy about the night life of the Joes.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

This week in Sundays

I was up this morning and caught some Sunday mornin' sermonin'. And what can one say about the show put on...it's quite wacky!

On one show guy is doing almost a weird dance, without actually moving. He was whipping his hands around in the face of his congregant...cause he's got a secret. Apparently God doesn't just blather out all his plans and the ways he wants to help you...cause the devil might hear and just ruin things. Which would make the devil pretty damn powerful, tougher than God it seems. Plus he always foils things and pain in the back side. So he's like Principal Skinner always trying to ruin Bart Simpsons day, though God is more the Skinner type ain't he. But this guy is dancing and smugging it up, and the audience loves it. I swear it was like watching The Music Man.

Another channel had lady with a book to hawk. Did you know you aren't praying right? I mean obviously us atheist are, but most everyone else is to. So she wrote a big old book to teach you how to do it right...cause if we all do...it's magic time. Really, would a holy person lie to you?

Another show has a guy showing another prayer to promote that apparently shunts God right into...kind of like a booty call, I guess.

How about the guy warning we need to follow God, and not follow those witches...riiiiiight.


How can this stuff be taken seriously? It is like watching a time share promotion. If you need anymore proof of this look at the stuff that leads into and follows this stuff: infomercials for real estate, alt meds, etc. They know their markets, and their marks.

Remote Area Medical

Have you heard of it? It is new trend in the U.S. free care for the uninsured and under insured.

But where is the media coverage? Why aren't we discussing the state of a nation using medical services usually sent in to save citizens of Third World nations? This is a tragedy. This is a travesty.

The Real Time series sent Dana Gould to look at this and the people screaming and going red faced at the town halls. In one place well off people enraged about changes to their health care for, hopefully, the better. The other place the poor and middle class, just being stoic and trying to get the help they desperately need. Their is pain here.

But what do we hear when some of these town hall folks hear about someone in need? Get a better job. Get a degree. Join the Army. By which they mean, get out of my way. That is sad.

At Hullabaloo, they looked more that this unremarked on disparity in America.

I like this point:

...

...from Fred, in the comments:

"Obama should be at this event, talking to people and forcing the media to cover it. He should even invite/dare the three health care CEOs who told Congress they would still use recission to cut costs."

...

This is the human face of this systems failure. Why are we not forcing coverage of this? Why isn't this being done by the White House.

Ezekiel Emanuel

Have you heard about how Obama and the Dems want to kill babies and grannies? Have you heard the blame pinned on the Chief of Staff's brother, Ezekiel Emanuel?

Meet Emanuel, at Time.com, and learn what he actually think when his work is not being cherry picked, quote mined, and just misquoted.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

The White Houses voice in the Health Care fight.

So far we have had 2 town halls with him, which is good. But then there has been the hostility from people like Chief of Staff Rahm, complaining about Dems in the field laying criticism of Blue Dogs. I can;t fully fathom the point of this, as the quid pro quo back from Blue Dogs seems to be pretty slight.

Then on TPM a reader talks about what is missing as he canvases around Ohio. Noted is the lack of pointing out the hard work Dems on social issues, helping workers not hurting them. Also about who has been working to fix health care and who has not. Is there no fight to bring these points to the forefront.

And he notes this about the Obama outreach groups.
...

These are the conversations that I'm having with the people I canvass, and the only "propaganda" material I have from Organizing for America are glossy photos of Obama with precious little information of the kind I'm suggesting.

...

Where is the outreach? What is it being saved for?

More on the health care claims.

Orac has done some interesting blogging looking at the issues in the health care war.

Skeptic's Circle #117 - Talking about the chiropractor and the chiropractic

Another day, another skeptic's circle.

Skeptic's Circle #117 is come to town, and it wants your spine.

It's the chiropractor / chiropractic edition, and boy does that mean their is plenty to be skeptical about.

Welcome to the 117th iteration of the venerable Skeptics Circle! As all of you no doubt know, one of the hottest topics in skepticism in the last while has been Simon Singh's legal woes resulting from an entirely reasonable article of his that the British Chiropractic Association, absurdly, thought libelous. In the wake of the mass reposting of the said article and Simon's recent decision to soldier on, I figured making this edition chiropractic themed would be appropriate.

...
The host this month would like to press forward against attacks from chiropractic organizations.

... So I propose we Google Bomb those BCA bastards. Here's what to do: take the words "chiropractor" and "chiropractic" and link them to: http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/380 (which should look like: chiropractor and chiropractic). ...
They go on to mention some other links you could set up.

Like using Chirobase, British Chiropractic Association, or English libel law.

The Supernatural

Dr. Shermer took some consideration of where the supernatural belonged.

Namely, the supernatural, at best, is an aspect of the natural not fully explained by science. That is the nature of the natural, it is explainable...eventually. It just takes times, research, analysis, and effort to determine why things work and are the way they are.

It has been a constant activity of humanity. The godly thunderbolt became the explainable roar of thunder and lightening discharge. The rumbling and fumes of the underworld coming from along the Italian coast became the thermal/magmatic pressure far better understood in this day.

For the most part people accept this. Except for the occasional denial of vaccinations, HIV, or general medicine, among the various aspects of life that get mocked.

But derived from this are the lot that like to become so pissed over not allowing and admitting to magic, from the hidden dragons, the power of constellations, or a sky being you can whisper to and get a response. The miraculous, many people demand it to be so.

People call it arrogant to not embrace the idea that some ideas and realms are beyond science. They act as if such claims and demands have not persisted for generations, and been tackled and resolved under the sciences. So to expect science to capitulate for the sake of potential sore feelings is ludicrous.

It is the point of being and atheist or a skeptic. To not just take things as being, until it is reasonably supported. UFO's could visit us, but fuzzy photos and suspect memories do not cut it. Bigfoots could be real, or ghosts, but the evidence for them is not enough to support a flourish of research, instead being tide over by faith, by hope, and by disregard for the direction of evidence. When the evidence shifts towards the positive, good. But it will be a path to a new understanding of the natural world. And I would welcome a new depth to nature.

At least we are making someone feel needed.

In the wake of the amazingly stupid argument claiming IF Dr. Stephen Hawkings lived in the U.K. he would be left to die (Hint: Guess where he was born and lived his entire life.). Hawkings has stepped up to defend and laud the NHS of the U.K.

Better yet it has motivated many Brits to speak out in pride of their universal coverage.

At least some good has come about.

Healthcare: The fear for the speakers

How about the state of things for those trying to meet with citizens and learn and also share information.

Kansas democrats are not moving ahead with town halls, due to threats.

Illinois's Rep. Biggert has struggled to meet needs and be safe, and many that want to go are scared of what could happen to them.

But for the Republicans it seems with the media focus almost exclusively on Dems have felt little need to have town halls or connect. Grassley had one, mostly to heap praise on himself. Vitter has to, with the audience carefully screened and the questions even more carefully screened.

Ann Coulter has placed Rahm Emanuel's brother, the doctors on her death list. The Right has tried to claim he wants to kill the ill, even as he has a long history of fighting for and defending patient rights.

Crooks and Liars looked at the ginning up of anger that is scaring so many of us, with video of Rachel Maddow.

The 'Tea Party' nexus: Mainstream conservatives empowering far-right extremists who want a new civil war (C&L)

Props to Ed Schultz for calling out the actions in this mob mentality at the meetings.

Healthcare: Our Friend

Let us see one of those good friends helping in this debate:

"Chuck" Grassley

Let's see he has been a key ally, part of the negations, acting all friendly, and trying to get the best results...until he started bragging this week in Iowa how he was key in stalling the debate, negotiations, and momentum. He also has embraced blatant terrifying lies about the bill he was working towards. And he brought his fav Glenn Beck book to meeting to share... And through this all he seems to have managed to kill support for funding to help people get medical advise on end of life issues. He then compounds this by calling on religious faith in explaining and justifying his position..and by default, his duplicity.

Sadly the efforts of Chuck, and also Palin and Gingrich, has tainted and retarded the ever important national discussion of how, as a society and individual, deal with the that tail end of life. After Schiavo we seemed to grow up a bit. That is over. This is plain tragic.

But don't worry the Senate Dems will forgive Grassley...it' Senatetown.

You really think this is it?

Because is you loathed the teabaggers...

if you are nautious from all these town hall zombies...

Get ready for the fall when the oil industry stirs people and fears over...

Climate Change...

This Fall it is only the end of the beginning of the dawn of the day of the panicked morons rule of the public forum.

Really, when are YOU going to start returning America back to the way it should be?


yeesch...

What the Health Care?

I have been slow to talk about the current health care debate as it is so overwhelming. The yelling. The screaming. The lying. The spinning. The numbers sucking it all up.

It is unnerving and flat out depressing.

Here is a taste, if you have missed it from TPMtv.


How is this the crap selling with the public. Are people really moved by deranged anger and panicky claims of doom? Is the worst about us true?

In the end is this us?

Can't we be better?

Meanwhile, the Right does epic work to stir the hatred, the fear, and the irrational view of the president. Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh have done yeoman's work towards this end. People are going out armed. The far right hate groups are burgeoning again, using Pres. Obama as an excuse, and finding FOX and the RNC doing their best to support their fears.

Though I am happy to see Gov. Howard Dean on Countdown last night. He was calm and rational. He was hopeful that it could work out. I can only hope we can set things right and start helping people in this country.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A good Unscientific America reviewed

Jason Rosenhouse has a good review of the Mooney/Kirshenbaum Unscientific America.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

It is a nice read, digging into the serious problems of the book.
The science blogosphere has been buzzing about Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future, the new book by former SciBlings Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum. For whatever reason everyone else seems to have received their review copies before I did, and I did not want to weigh in until I had read the book.

...

Short review: Mixed, but generally negative. Much of the book is very superficial and I don't think their proposed solutions are practical.

...


Some good lines:

...

In fact, education researchers have found that defusing the tension over science and religion facilitates learning about evolution. “I submit that anti-religious rehtoric is counter-productive. It actually hampers science education,” a biologist at Davis and Elkins College in West Virgina. In Stover's view, students who feel that evolution is a threat to their beliefs will not “want to learn,” and only reconiliatory discussion can open them up to evolution. (p. 183)
It is painful to read such things. Isn't it just groaningly obvious that the problem here is the attitude that places religious faith in a privileged position relative to science? M and K tell us that people value faith over science, and from this they conclude that Richard Dawkins is the problem? Stover tells us that students don't want to learn until you assure them that you will leave their religious beliefs unchallenged, and his advice is that we should not be criticizing religion?

...

AND

...

Of course, the New Atheists aren't the origin of the cleft between religious and scientific culture in America -- they're more like a reaction to it. (p. 98) (Emphasis in original)
Exactly right. Surely, though, this shows that the idea of a rift between science and religion had no trouble propagating itself long before the New Atheists arrived on the scene. The rift exists becuase there really is a conflict between science and religion generally, and Christianity and evolution specifically. This simple fact is not contradicted by the existence of religious scientists or by the existence of forms of Christianity that have made their peace with evoluition. Saying there is a conflict between A and B does not mean that A and B are mutually exclusive. (In fairness, M and K acknowledge this on pages 101-102.)

...

AND

...

I wonder if M and K would write such things if we were talking about ghosts instead of God. Are scientists helpless to argue against the existence of ghosts? Everything we know about human anatomy suggests that personality and whatnot are the products of physical phenomena in the brain; they die with the body. Countless claims of alleged hauntings have been investigated and perfectly natural explanations have been found. Are we being unreasonable in saying, based on such evidence, that it is unlikely that ghosts exist? If someone claimed that science has cast real doubt on the existence of ghosts, can we count on M and K to rush in and accuse them of making philosophical claims and of overstepping their proper bounds?

How do we use the methodological naturalism of science to say something about the possible existence of supernatural entities? The same way we use it to detect the existence of neutrinos, which also can not be perceived directly with our senses. We look for their effects on the natural world. We may not be able to control supernatural entities, but we can certainly search for their effects on the natural objects we do control (or at least understand). We can search for things in the natural world that can only be plausibly explained by recourse to supernatural entities. That we consistently fail to find them is surely relevant in assessing the likelihood of God's existence.

...

That one conspiracy

If you are anywhere on the left of the political spectrum there are many conspiracy theories. Of course it is rife with many of those medical ones (like those about vaccination).

But one consistent annoyance are the ones about 9/11. From loose change to free falling to the color of smoke, many people will not give it up. We get it, you don't like Bush or Cheney. None of us do. There is a distrust of government. Eternal vigilance is a must. But to embrace baseless, evidence free position is just stupid.

Cockburn at Counterpunch wrote a good piece looking at the lunacy and its impact on the lefties. The site also has some good articles looking at the science and facts disproving many theories about 9/11.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Those theories.

Conspiracy theories...

This is a funny little vid about the great conspiracies.

Is it true?

Often when "miracles" occur, UFO's are seen, or a bit of magic is seen, many feel reluctant about throwing out too much questioning.

Why would the lie? They seem so honest.

Dr. Novella was looking at a ghost photo and hit on some of the issues revolving claims.

First, yes people can and do lie. Not always, but it can happen. People sometimes like to be special, sometimes they want to show that their is magic and wonder in the world (regardless of the existence of plenty of wonder in our natural world), and so people just like to fuck with other people.

But there are other reasons (Arguably it is more common than the lie, but I have yet to see any numbers how it may break down.).

Sometimes people see something and just jump to and embrace a conclusion: ghost of a loved one, life among the stars showing itself to them, proof of a greater purpose to life and the universe. It could be true, but their perception bias leads them to see only one viable answer, the least likely one.

... The teenager, Kasey, says that she and the little girl, Penny, were the only ones home at the time. Perhaps, however, she was mistaken about this fact. Perhaps she simply did not notice the women who wandered into the room when she was focused on taking pictures of Penny.

There is such a thing as attentional blindness, which can be quite dramatic. Yes – people can simply not notice such things. I am sure you have seen pictures of people with items in the background appearing to come out of their heads. When looking at the picture it is obvious, but when the picture was taken the photographer was focused on the subject an not the entire frame of the picture.

There could also be something unusual going on – perhaps there was a picture of a person behind the girl, or it’s a reflection. Perhaps it is a purely photographic artifact.

What I always find interesting is when believers (just read the comments to this story) argue that an alternate explanation is unlikely, but then substitute the explanation that it is a ghost – as if that is not significantly more unlikely. See Occam’s Razor.

...

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Now you'll watch it and never be able to unwatch it.

Well, I am feeling better now.


What? Is health care going forward? Are Republicans apologizing for being asses? Oh, no.


But Futurama is coming back. AND while there was a fear at first, it now looks like all of the voice actors will be back. Yes, after bringing this moneymaker back the studio wanted to stiff them...but it seems agreement has been found...


And Futurama is moving forward at full speed.


ETA 3010.



Friday, July 31, 2009

Actually caring about the food supply of this country.

AMERICAblog:
After eight years of Bush's lack of regulation, we have to worry about food safety. Really worry. So, the House passed a food safety bill yesterday.

...


It passed 283 to 142. I guess some people didn't like the idea of the government messing about in ensuring that the food supply is safe. I mean, how bad a job was done by the industry over the last decade as the government looked the other way? ...Yeah, it was pretty bad. Meats and veggies turned on us, and the government was slow to act. And after all of this nearly 150 congresspeople said no. Wonderful.

Girls just wanna have fun, win the game, and make a bigger profit

And they do.

Feministing:
Contrary to popular belief, a new article in the NYTimes highlights a trend among youth sporting events--girls events tend to draw more crowds and bring in more revenue than boys events.

The article is comparing traveling teams and tournament sporting events, where a number of groups noted that girl's event were more likely to draw parents (and therefore revenue) then boys sports.

...

Skeptic's Circle #116

Time for another round of the Skeptic's Circle...116.

It is being held at Beyond the Short Coat.

It’s time for your favorite blog carnival and mine, the Skeptics’ Circle!

I had the most horrible dream the other day. After watching a Mitchell and Webb Sketch about a homeopathic ER, I had nightmares of being trapped in an ER just chock full of Woo, and other nonskeptical gibberish.

Walk with me, through the valley of woo, in the nightmare that is the wooful ER.

...

Let us laugh at God some more.

Some more yucks at religions expense, hmm? From the master, Rowan Atkinson

A vicar preaching about Jesus's miracles.


Another vicar and "What is the church attitude on..."


Finally, the Python Worshippers.

HuffPo and the Goblet of Woo

Stephen Novella has a great post noting the work at Salon.com over the craptastic work Huffington is doing in regards to science and medicine. Granted it started as primarily a political blog, it has a flourishing health section filled to the brim with woo from all corners of the alt med world. It is plainly unacceptable and needs to readdressed, particularly as their founder seems to be the main force in this growing joke.

Chopra, enemas, and antivaccers, OH MY!



And a shout out to Orac at Respectful Insolence for long decrying the state of Huffpo.

Laughing at God.

The vids in this posts are NSFW.

There is a lot of good humor and humorist out there taking shots at faith. In the U.S. people like David Cross and the late great George Carlin have been happy with being open with there lack of faith.

David Cross


George Carlin and the Ten Commandments.


But there is even more great stuff in the U.K. It is all over the place. On panel shows and quiz shows, on radio and TV people are quite ready to mock and openly call religion a lie. Particularly on the BBC quiz show QI, regular Alan Davies has quipped about the fiction that is the bible. And Jimmy Carr has been eager to point out how much crap it all is. As has the host Stephen Fry, who even has a great moment where he makes a point of pointing out just how original the Christ story is. Plus the Now Show on BBC Radio is quite happy to take shots at all things including religion. But it is a regular motif for many great Brit comedians, like Dara O'Briain.

Stephen Fry on Mithras


Alan Davies and Stephen Fry on how silly religion is.


Dara O'Briain on religion.


And the Now Show's Marcus Brigstock on religion.


The Now Show's Jon Holmes on evolution and religion.

THAT Family.

Every time I see Jeff Sharlet interviewed, or his book on the C Street Family, I am just shocked, but not shocked. The Reasonable Doubts podcast had a great interview with him.

What really stays with me is the King David story, as it dovetails with the Mark Sanford business of so well.

As he notes it, the philosophy of the group goes to the view one should have of biblical figures. When they were having one of their talks the question was asked of what should be thought of King David. By default it was thought that he was great. David and Goliath, and a biblical king, why not. Then the actual story was noted, with the wife stealing and murder (and we could go into the actual bloody history of his rise to power (turning traitor, territorial expansionist, wide us of paid assassins, etc.). But looking at the wife business in place the group waivers. But then the point is made, he was chosen by God...oooooo. So who cares? He's good with God, you don't get to question. Then the idea is related to the hypothetical sexual abuse of kids by a Family member. Is it bad? Good question. They start to agree it is...then the hammer falls. They, as a member of the Family...are God's chosen. So they are like King David. All is forgiven, and we have been seeing just what they need to be forgiven for. And this is just what has gotten out.

So we see how this plays out, with Gov. Sanford. He has long railed against those that break their marriage vows, and seen them as unfit to govern. But what about Mark? He has sinned. He has breached the rules, betrayed his family, and tried to hide. It doesn't count. He is like King David. It was laughable when he first made the comment. It made no sense. But now we have context for these words and his thinking. He is above the law. He is above his marriage vows. He is above his oath to the citizens of his state. He is above human rules, law, and ethics. They all are in there minds.

To the Family there is evil, there is injustice, there is crime, and there is blame. It is just not to be lain upon or thrust through those doors on C Street.

Gee, not like we ever see this attitude among fervent and pious.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Online ads


I came across an interesting article, it notes an online game called Evony. An online game of some sort. They started out with a standard ad.



As the article notes it didn't stop there.

They began putting out upgraded ads. (You can see the others at the article site.)

Next has a young woman in fantasy dress, with the text, "Start your journey NOW, my Lord!"

Okay, not so bad. Attractive female getting attention, the car companies approve.

Then the next with two women, dressed and looking alike standing oddly against the other. The text, SAVE YOUR LOVER! Play Now, My Lord!"

Okay...starting to look like the cover of a romance, and not sure how twins convey saving a lover...are they asking?

So onto the next, attractive women on her knees with a sword dangling over her cleavage. The text, "Help! Save the Queen!"

Yeah, basic fantasy trope, queen endanger and all...really the sword seems to be more acting as a pointer to say look here.

Now to the next, with a lady, head back, cleavage out fully, sunlight against here and taking up half the image. Text says, "Play DISCREETLY on your browser NOW!" Then some more text about building an empire and ruling the world.

...The hell! Picture of cleavage, blond with her head back and eyes closed with the word discreetly displayed prominently...Are you getting the trend the ads are going for yet?

And the last one, which I don't think was an add for this game, or any game. In fact I thought it was one of the infinite multitude of dumb ads I see online. In it...a woman's chest in a black bra. The text at the top, "Best Free Web Game". Also written above the bra PLAY. Right beneath PLAY in tiny text, "Evony Free Forever."

Are they fucking kidding us? With the breast sitting there and all the other bold text, I keep missing the bit about Evony. Are they selling the game anymore?

More to the point who is there audience? If I went online to play who would I end up having around me? If I was a parent would I be warning my kids off this? And then again who is coming for the black bra and staying when they see a fantasy game? What is there niche?

I would also note in the trend we see in this line of ads I remembered in reading the article I had seen one other ad. It is like the first of the DISCREET ads. It is pretty much the same, but cropped. The effect is that at first glance that you see little or none of the low cut dress the character is wearing in it, so it amplifies the sense with the word discreet to make you think it is a sleazy ad using unclothed women.

It is all the lowest common denominator of marketing. Why can't we in this day take it up a notch.


Of course, all of this is also getting the game talked up...

Looking at the Post

So let us look at the ledger of the grand old liberal bastion, the Washington Post.

Dan Froomkin, popular and critical, is out.

Bill Krystal, Charles Krauthammer, and George Will stay on, being apologized for, given ombudsmen defenses, etc.

And now along comes Sarah Palin.

...really?

And I prayed

PZ Myers notes a witty animation looking in the life of believers, particularly 'lil Suzie.



Think of it. Someone isn't well and going in for tests. You pray that all is well. They have a severe illness and need to go into the hospital. You pray they will get better. They get worse. You pray. They die. You pray and give thanks they are in a better place.

How fucked up is this? What was the impact of praying? What kind of justification is going on here, in this hypothetical...which is actually all too common, for the failures and final mortal result. No matter, good news, good news.

Makes me want to do a write up on some thoughts I have had about religious views on literature and TV.