Thought of the day

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Michael

I couldn’t have possibly asked for a better group of people on my Kilimanjaro trip.

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Andreas Moritz up for deletion

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Michael

No, not from the medical scene, that place where he keeps causing such harm. Just his sock puppet Wikipedia page has been proposed for deletion. And you can help.

Go to the discussion page for deletion and say why his page ought to be taken down.

Moritz, like Christopher Maloney, wants to make himself look legitimate. Unfortunately, creating such an appearance on the web isn’t that difficult. But what this also means is that it’s possible to create an honest web presence that these quacks must face. That has happened with these two particular quacks and they can be considered defeated in that regard. Of course, they’re still harming innocent people with their pseudo-science and lies, and so they remain a significant danger to society.

With that slightly in mind, I’ve been editing Moritz’s page with a short criticism showing his discord with science. I haven’t been going to the significant length required to explain why the guy is a dishonest, thieving, lying, scummy charlatan, however, because I’m not doing much more than having fun. Since his page has already been recommended for deletion (I was attempting to make the recommendation at the same time as the person who actually did it), he will soon have one less platform from which he can tell lies anyway. Right now I’m enjoying making him freak out over the insignificance of temporal Wikipedia edits. That’s why I say I only have his danger “slightly in mind”; this is more about watching him get cranky. He is quite the baby.

Anyway. Let’s make sure this guy’s malarkey is never seen as legitimate. Help delete his scummy, lying page.

Filed under: Pure bullshit | Tagged: , | 6 Comments »

Sexually immature much?

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Michael

Christine O’Donnell is the Teabagger who won the Republic primary in Delaware this week. Of course, being a Teabagger, she’s a ridiculous candidate, and that fact is quickly coming to light.

But I want to be fair about this. It’s true enough that a lot of Christians are sexually immature. They find discomfort in sexual displays when the reality is so benign. They fight against giving equal rights to people who like different sexual things (the audacity!). They say no sex before marriage is a good thing, as if healthy relationships are at all likely between two people who may not, as it turns out, have a very strong sexual connection. But what isn’t true is that a lot of them are anti-masturbation. I suspect there are plenty who say masturbation is a sin, but the reality of their actions is that they don’t much practice what they preach. And I can’t be sure, but it’s my hope and suspicion that a good number grow to a state of comfort with their actions, past, present, and future. (But probably less so for a lot of Catholics.)

But maybe an (old) anti-masturbation message will resonate with a lot of Christians. I’m don’t know. But I do know it makes for a good point-and-laugh type video for those of us with a little perspective and reason.

Yeah! It’s so icky and, like, stuff! Christ.

As PZ emphasized, here’s the best line:

If he already knows what pleases him and can please himself, then why am I in the picture?

I mean, it’s clearly best that we think of our significant others as there for the sake of giving us physical pleasure. And besides that, who wouldn’t choose masturbation over sex?! Solid Teabagger points, I think.

Filed under: Politics and Social, Religions | Tagged: , , , | 24 Comments »

Vote William Logan

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Michael

For those living in certain sections of the west side of Augusta, Maine, you have an opportunity to vote for William Logan. Take note of how rare an instance this is: I’m recommending a Republican for office.

And the reason isn’t that I know him or even that I particularly like one or any of his ideas. It’s that his opponent is Christopher Maloney’s wife, Meaghan. Though she is a Democrat, she’s unfortunately the greater of two evils. She’s highly likely to support any legislation that promotes woo while opposing any reasonable efforts to cut down on the danger alternative medicine practitioners pose to everyday people. Even though such legislation probably isn’t anywhere on the near horizon, a win now could mean a relatively long political career for Meaghan Maloney. Given the sort of time that offers her to help harm Maine’s medical services and regulations, that ought to be unacceptable to anyone of science and reason. Her close association with a known liar and quack should lead everyone to vote for her opponent.

A vote for William Logan is a vote for the health and well-being of Maine citizens.

Filed under: Politics and Social | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Anti-science stances

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Michael

One of the indicators that science is the best way of knowing is how everyone clamors to claim their views are in line with its findings. Of course, it can’t be so that anyone’s views are entirely in line with science, even for those who, ya know, actually accept scientific findings. That’s simply because it isn’t possible to be familiar with every ounce of science out there. Anyone who is smart enough to constantly be considering what science has to say on the issues around us will have discovered this time and time again; if you haven’t had to change a preconceived view in light of learning something new within science, then you can hardly be aware that, no, not everything you believe is in line with science.

That said, it is possible to hold a vast majority of one’s views in line with science. Evolutionists do this, as do most atheists. But one group that can’t possibly do this is theists who believe in miracles.

It is a basic fact of physics that for something to be considered a “law”, a consistent, discernible pattern must be exhibited. We call gravity a law, in part, because it is true everywhere and at all times. If it could be suspended at the whims of a supernatural being, it wouldn’t be worth calling a law. All we could say is “Gravity is true. Probably. Maybe. Who knows?” And what more is a miracle than a claim that any given physical law or constant can be altered without regard to what science tells us can happen?

This is one of the dangerous of religion. The belief that science isn’t really describing the Universe because, hey, miracles can contradict all we know, sows unjustified seeds of doubt. But religion encourages such belief. It says it is okay to claim any random thing can happen – and it’s okay that it isn’t possible to describe why. Such an insane fostering of promoted and celebrated ignorance has no scientific backing; belief in miracles is about as anti-science as it gets.

Filed under: Religions | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

LePage freaks out

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Michael

This joke of a candidate, Paul LePage, has had issues with his anger in the past. He once declared he wouldn’t be talking with reporters directly when he was caught up in his creationist lies. According to some info from a little birdie, there exists a tape of him from March 2008 where he flipped out on a librarian at a City Council meeting; the librarian apparently had some budget concerns – the audacity! (FYI, the tape is available for $50 at Waterville City Hall.) And now there’s this.

On Monday, Paul LePage was asked by a reporter to clarify the residency status of his wife. He said he’d already addressed the issue.

When other reporters continued pressing for an answer, he began walking away.

“I am running for governor, not my wife. I want to talk about the $1 billion shortfalls we have,” he said.

Asked why he transferred the deed for his house at 438 Main St. in Waterville from both their names to just her name, LePage said his name never appeared on the deed.

“I never had it on. Never had it on! Ever,” he said. “That house was bought for my wife. That house in Florida my mother-in-law bought, we helped her.”

According to Kennebec County property records, however, LePage and his wife’s names were on the deed issued October 11, 1995 when they purchased the house. The property was transferred to just Ann LePage on Feb. 23, 1996, according to another record bearing Paul LePage’s signature.

The guy clearly has poor control over his emotions. But notice when he has poor control. Once the issues move from his constant threats to cut every program into oblivion because he hates poor people, he gets testy. LePage’s big rhetorical weakness is on the social issues. Of course, he’s a weak candidate all around, but rhetorically, at least on the economy, he has obvious appeal. But that disappears when he starts talking about his creationist beliefs or his deeply held bigotry. Once he moves into those issues, he’s a goner.

I hope reporters keep pressing him; he shouldn’t be the one dictating the election season discourse.

Filed under: Misc | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »