by Jesse Galef – I’m not usually one to feel that sense of awe about the universe. But… wow. This new image NASA released yesterday as part of their “Blue Marble” project is incredible: (I also found the absolutely enormous, 8000×8000 px version. It blew my mind.) Really gives a sense of perspective, doesn’t it? … And then you realize that the planet is a tiny speck in the solar system, which is an even smaller speck in the galaxy,… Read more
***Update*** (from Hemant): If you’d like to make one of these kinds of billboards a reality, please read this post and support Katie Hartman’s proposal! … Richard Wade here. In the continuing debate over the benefits and drawbacks of “in your face” atheist billboards versus “soft sell” atheist billboards, the assertion that the religious public will claim that they’re “offended” whether the message is strident or mild is frequently put forward. As a good skeptic, I thought that perhaps this… Read more
by Jesse Galef – Perhaps I’d gotten too cynical, but I didn’t see this good turn of events coming. As announced yesterday, religious leaders in Cranston, Rhode Island stepped up to defend Jessica and speak out against the hateful comments, the bullying, and the threats. Here were the rapid reactions I jotted down as I watched: Yes, like you, I cringed every time the news anchors opened their mouths to talk about the case. I would have loved it if… Read more
For 30 years, Alaska Airlines gave passengers a card to read while eating their in-flight meals: (Because, as we all know, Jesus holds the plane in the air…) Even though only first class passengers have received the cards over the past few years, no one will be seeing them much longer. As of February 1st, Alaska Airlines is getting rid of them: Airline spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said the airline heard from customers who preferred not to mix religion with transportation…. Read more
The Freethought Film Festival Foundation is hosting a “Freethought Celebrity Charity Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament & Casino Night” on Wednesday, August 1st with all proceeds going to the Foundation Beyond Belief! There are seats for 135 players. And if anyone wants to buy me a plane ticket to Denver, I will gladly show you how to calculate basic odds in your head… and then probably bust out quickly. “This is going to be an amazing event,” said Dale McGowan,… Read more
The bill that didn’t have success last year is unfortunately back… It has been called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill because it would ban teachers from discussing homosexuality in public school classes in kindergarten through 8th grade. The House ran out of time last year to consider addressing this bill, but Republican representative Joey Hensley, who is sponsoring the bill, told the Associated Press that he expects it will advance out of committee this year. It was expected to be… Read more
Women in Iran have it rough. This wasn’t always the case – at least, not the way it is today. Before the Islamic Revolution in 1979, most Iranian women didn’t wear veils. They were active in high levels of academia and government, so much so that even the conservative Revolution couldn’t completely erase their involvement. The civil law protected women’s rights, even when it contravened Sharia law to do so. There is a history, within living memory, of liberated women… Read more
You may think you’re sick and tired of the “Shit___ Say” meme, but John Rael’s “Shit Skeptics Say” is still worth two minutes of your time (NSFW language): There are many good lines, but a few stand out enough to be worth highlighting. Well it was just a theory… like GRAVITY. Aren’t you a little old for an imaginary friend? Hey, do you know what they call alternative medicine that’s been proven to work? You know that doesn’t actually do… Read more
The Young Turks (Ana Kasparian and Cenk Uygur) spent some time talking about the over-the-top responses from some Christians to the Jessica Ahlquist story: On a side note, the Providence Journal had a nice, short article about the “Evil Little Thing” t-shirts which are being sold in Jessica’s honor. All profits from sales will be donated to her scholarship fund, which is (incredibly) at $33,000 and counting! Read more
