Monthly Archives: July 2010

UPDATED: A truly WTF moment: YNHB Poser was Chris Mooney’s Imaginary Friend

July 7, 2010UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

UPDATE: It gets worse. Chis Mooney has provided some additional details. As more and more is known, my tendency to say to ‘William’: “oh, stop confessing and just get back to blogging, we forgive you” is turning into “OMH, you fuckhead, please slit your wrists now” … except I’m afraid he’d do it and I’d feel a little bad about it. For a minute or two. Anyway, check this out: Appalling Revelations about “Tom Johnson”

This is interesting enough to bump to post status; More information from the Buddah is not Serious YNH Confession Thread.

Chris Mooney wrote this on The Intersection last October:

Continue reading UPDATED: A truly WTF moment: YNHB Poser was Chris Mooney’s Imaginary Friend →

Are creationists dumb or not?

July 6, 2010UncategorizedCreation Science, Creationism, Intelligent DesignGreg Laden

This topic came up a couple of times during SkepchiCON. I’ll be blogging about that later. But for now, I thought you might find this interesting.

Continue reading Are creationists dumb or not? →

HuffPo Religion and Science: the stupidest thing I’ve read on the internet all morning

July 6, 2010UncategorizedCreation Science, Creationism, Intelligent Design, ReligionGreg Laden

Although I quickly add that I’ve not been reading much on the Internet this morning, but stilll ….. There is this item in HuffPo … Jesus and the Evolution of the Species by Stanley Knick, PhD:

This is not about whether you believe in God, or whether you believe in evolution. It is not about whether you believe that Jesus is the Son of God. If you believe in God, fine. If not, fine. If you believe evolution is real, fine. If not, fine. This is not about what you believe, or what I believe. It is about the idea of Jesus, and the idea of evolution, and what these two ideas might have to say about each other and about us.

Continue reading HuffPo Religion and Science: the stupidest thing I’ve read on the internet all morning →

Interesting Items

July 6, 2010UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

The BBC Sports Section accidentally released a version of its newly designed website that insulted many of its readers, and possibly insulted The Queen (depending on one’s interpretation). The web site had “place holder” text and graphics that were not removed before release. Here’s the story.

Let this be a lesson to you, web developers!

A legislator in California is afraid of the asbestos in the State Rock. But, this asbestos can’t really get out of the rock an harm you. But technically, yes, it is in there, in the serpentine, helping it look all cook and stuff. Read about the stupidity.

IBM has a computer that produces hot water to use for heat and takes less energy (than comparable computers) to run. Check it out.

Clarification in the You’re Not Helping maneno

July 6, 2010UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

Certain individuals who shall not be named (or linked to) by me on this blog have been making the usual petty and annoying nuisance of themselves. But there is some justice on the Internet, and the slapping upside the head happens here. Enjoy. Or throw up a little in your mouth. Either way, fine with me.

Caster Semenya is a valid female athlete

July 6, 2010UncategorizedGender and Sexual OrientationGreg Laden

According to those who decide these things. This is what I had assumed would happen assuming that Caster Semenya is an XY person with complete AIS. (see: Caster Semenya’s Gender: What would the science be?)

The current news story, just being reported and quite incomplete (and perhaps appropriately so) is from the BBC.

Are you a North American and interested in being a research subject?

July 6, 2010UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

… in a research project having to do with dialect …
Continue reading Are you a North American and interested in being a research subject? →

US 5th District Court Slaps Evolution and Reason Upside the Head

July 6, 2010UncategorizedCreation Science, Creationism, Intelligent DesignGreg Laden

Apparently, it is OK for a government agency to insist that its employees consider religious explanations for natural phenomenon as equal to scientific ones in the context of science education.

In a decision issued on July 2, 2010, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a lower court’s decision that the Texas Education Agency’s policy requiring “neutrality” of its employees when “talking about evolution and creationism” is not unconstitutional.

This idiotic decision is contrary to a lot of other case law and won’t stand. But we will have to fight over this one.

Elections matter. Because elections determine who gets to be judge.

Details here at NCSE

Louie Gohmert Hates the Constitution

July 6, 2010UncategorizedReligion, RepublicansGreg Laden

Hat Tip: Rachel Maddow

New Photograph of the Universe

July 6, 2010UncategorizedCosmosGreg Laden

It must have been very difficult to get the Universe to stand still for this photograph, but the European Space Agency managed it . Check it out.

Here is a web site that shows you what the sky looks like when viewed in different wavelengths, or using different energy sources.

Bobby Fischer’s Body Exhumed

July 6, 2010UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

The remains of US-born chess champion Bobby Fischer have been exhumed in Iceland to establish a paternity claim.

Lawyers for nine-year old Jinky Young and her mother, Marilyn, who had a relationship with Fischer, claim she is entitled to Fischer’s fortune.

The Supreme Court in Reykjavik ruled last month a tissue sample was needed to prove she was Fischer’s daughter.

He died in 2008 having become an Icelander in 2005. Apparently, there are a lot of people after his two million dollar estate.

How geology affects your dog’s demeanor and the view from your back yard

July 5, 2010UncategorizedBiogeography, Dogs, LandscapeGreg Laden

Does your back yard slope up, away from your house, or does it slope down?

The likelihood that your yard slopes one way or the other … statistically … depends in large part on what region you live in. (Here I’ll be speaking mainly of the US, but the principle applies broadly.) If you live in New England, your yard is more likely to slope up. If you live in the Midwest/Plains, your yard is more likely to slope down
Continue reading How geology affects your dog’s demeanor and the view from your back yard →