MT_SPACE

Sorry about that…

2011-11-23T10:01:00.001-08:00

** Although I get email notices about comments to this blog I have often been too busy to do the followup work of even publishing them. I took the time today and while I still can't get free to comment on the comments, I do appreciate them - even the stupid, nasty and fact-deficient ones. Hope to get back soon.

Foundations of a deluded life

2011-03-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

** I’ve commented that my re-reading of the "Foundation" trilogy by Isaac Asimov left me underwhelmed (or only just whelmed in spots). I had read the books as a young teenager but I’ve been wondering why it had occupied a special place in my adult psyche. The re-read at this time so much later in life has cleared that up for me. It’s all about mental power. The trilogy posits two “Foundations” as

Sci-fi travels

2011-03-11T12:08:00.000-08:00

** I’m almost finished with the third book in the “Foundation” trilogy by Asimov. I was curious to re-read these for several reasons. The first time I read them was when I was about 12-14, so I wanted to know how much I would remember. Precious little, it turns out. In fact, I wonder if I even read the “Second Foundation.” p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Verdana} p.p2 {margin:

Guns & Revolution

2011-01-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

** The NRA and its apologists claim that the Second Amendment has to do with citizens having weapons to fight an oppressive government. But look at what is happening in the Middle East these days. The rebellions aren't armed conflicts - well, the rebels aren't armed anyway.In order for citizen uprisings to have a chance at armed conflict they have to be as well equipped as the governments they

2010-11-23T16:14:00.000-08:00

how does one stage a coup in such a tightly-held organization?**Hi Anonymous, and welcome back. You are referring to what I called a "coup" in 2004. I was speaking almost figuratively. Two distinct factions had sprung up over the previous ten years. The newer one might be called "liberal," which held that the church needed to tear down the walls of exclusivity and let new ideas, people and

5000 kids

2010-10-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

there's still at least 5000 kids in christian science sunday schools ** Continuing the dialogue with my anonymous commenter, who thinks I need to save some of the 5000 kids still in Christian Science Sunday Schools. Again I demur. 1. That's not a large number. There are probably more kids being abused daily by priests in Catholic schools and churches across the country. And that's damage being

"LIVES DEPEND ON IT!"

2010-10-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

** So says my new commenter, urging me to continue to populate this space with my thoughts about Christian Science. I appreciate the intent, but I'm pretty sure no lives will be saved because of this. The time to have spoken up was twenty years ago, when there were enough people maundering down that path to constitute a statistical risk. During that "nova" period Christian Scientists were not

Comment on a recent comment

2010-10-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

** p.s. i'm one of your former colleagues at the mother church. the place may have been odd when you were there, but it's become an insane asylum since you left. Don't know who this is but I appreciate the visit. I haven't been very active on this "column" for a long time, a victim of the "social networks." I can only imagine how insane Christian Science headquarters is these days. It's the

Woody Allen speaks for me

2010-05-05T11:57:00.001-07:00

Interviewed by a priest for the Catholic Commonweal magazine, Woody Allen clearly articulates his world view. Most people will find it depressing, not because it isn't true, but because it isn't hopeful. Until five or so years ago, I was in that class. All my life I had sought a meaning, a principle, an unfailing source of goodness that controlled me and the universe. Even when I stopped

Thoughts after a power outage

2010-05-04T17:54:00.001-07:00

Our complex of about 250 homes lost electrical power for about 8 hours yesterday. I was working so I didn't even know about it until I was informed that we'd be eating out since there was no power for cooking at home. Coming to a darkened neighborhood after dinner, we did the usual setting up of battery-operated lights and then just sat in the dark waiting for the lights to come back on. Which

The bone-on-boneness of living in only one world

2010-04-29T12:34:00.001-07:00

Having done it myself for over 35 years, most Christian Scientists attempt to live in two worlds at the same time - the ideal and the real - though they won’t admit it. I would take every opportunity to deny the less-than-ideal facts of the real world, calling it just a dream or delusion, or at most a “temporary” accommodation to inferior understanding, while asserting that the world of the “

The new look

2010-04-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

**I really liked the old template but it was pretty old - about ten years. and the archives and comments modules were broken. And since lately I seem to have stirred up some comment activity, I chose another template that will display them. Hope this one isn't too wacky for your eyes. I'll work with it awhile and change if I see something better.

Poor but typical defenses of Christian Science

2010-03-29T06:35:00.001-07:00

There are two predictable responses you'll get from Christian Scientists when they are challenged about the ineffectiveness, and danger, of their particular brand of spiritual healing:1. People have bad medical outcomes too2. They know without a doubt that healing happens because they’ve experienced it themselves.I was Christian Scientist who had no medical insurance for over 30 years, but never

The few, the healthy, the lucky

2010-03-24T11:45:00.001-07:00

A “truce” with medicineA mild stir has ensued from a report that my former church is trying to make some efforts to ward off criticism that its form of spirituality is in conflict with general standards of health care. The NYT story didn’t go the way the PR department at the church had expected. It conveys the image of an organization in the final throes of its own death. The few remaining

Christian Science Church Seeks Truce With Modern Medicine

2010-03-23T21:17:00.001-07:00

Oops! Condolences to those who were affected by the Pre-Truce standard. I'll have more to say on this later, but for now here's the article as it ran in the NYT:Christian Science Church Seeks Truce With Modern MedicineBy PAUL VITELLOPublished: March 23, 2010 Since the founding of their church 131 years ago, Christian Scientists have been taught to avoid doctors at all cost. It is a conviction

Family-assisted suicide

2010-03-06T18:10:00.001-08:00

Dr. Kevorkian was pilloried and branded "Dr. Death" because he was willing to help terminally ill people who had come to a decision to end their lives voluntarily. "Physician-assisted suicide" became synonymous with the macabre, the unprofessional, the criminal.And yet, when religious beliefs enable people to do the same thing by withholding essential medical or nutritional aid, we chalk it up to

Religion may be more than a headache for non-believers

2010-02-28T06:05:00.001-08:00

The damage that religion does may start in the brain of the believer. This post cites findings of a team of researchers in Italy who found that "damage to a specific region of the brain (the posterior parietal cortex) can increase a person’s feelings of “self-transcendence,” or the feeling of being connected to others and to the universe." If so, I'm not sure if surgery is the cure for this

I am published!

2010-02-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

** In December '09 my friend/drummer Rick and I arranged to record five of my songs at Ex'pression College of Digital Arts in Emeryville. We gathered most of the RedHouse AllStars plus a bunch of other musicians and recorded the old fashioned way, on two-inch tape. While I continue to work on the rest of the songs, and on some new ones, I managed to get the first two songs published on iTunes,

Vets Day second thoughts

2009-11-11T11:02:00.001-08:00

While not intending to disparage veterans, it's hard to honestly thank them for their "service." We've had a volunteer army for many decades now so they know what they're getting into. It's more important to remember that our soldiers haven't really "defended" us from anything in a long, long time. Most of the lives and bodies expended since Vietnam have been in the service of politics, in

My response to LATimes article on spiritual healing and legislation

2009-11-04T11:22:00.001-08:00

Thanks for your article "Healthcare provision seeks to embrace prayer treatments." As a former Christian Science practitioner ("healer") for over 30 years I can vouch for the statements from the critics to which you refer: But critics say the measure could have a broader effect, conferring new status and medical legitimacy on practices that lie outside the realm of science.There is no true "

Deus ex machina galore!

2009-10-18T21:54:00.001-07:00

My impressions of “The Lost Symbol”Dan Brown is no William Gibson. He's obviously writing a movie treatment - you can see the shot setups, the key dialogue bits, etc. His language is pedestrian and utilitarian, and strains when it attempts to be dramatic or deep.Thematically, the book is a kind of cross between “What the Bleep” and “The DaVinci code.” It launches from the kinky field of “noetics,

God on the brain

2009-10-04T23:23:00.001-07:00

Sam Harris worked on a study using fMRI that sought to compare the brain's behavior when it considered two kinds of topics: god and "tables and chairs." In other words, intangible vs. tangible objects. What the study found is that belief in god was functionally the same as NOT believing in god. Both were identified as "facts" by the person being studied. However, either experience was not

Group vs. Individual Health Insurance

2009-09-23T05:00:00.001-07:00

A relative who works in the health insurance industry confirms that people in a group plan are not subject to the same vulnerabilities as those with individual policies. This means that the health insurance debate is not only about the 46 million Americans who have no health insurance at all, but also those who do have individual policies and therefore can be dropped, excluded for pre-existing

Eddie Izzard on Religion

2009-09-10T09:17:00.001-07:00

A clip from Dress to Kill by one of the most intelligent and articulate actors today.

Savior of Animal-kind

2009-08-20T07:17:00.001-07:00

Somebunny up there loves you.

What is an atheist?

2009-08-12T06:00:00.001-07:00

It's not just a person who doesn't believe that your god exists. An atheist is one who lives without professing or believing in the existence of what anyone calls a god. Everybody's atheistic about something. If you are a Catholic you are probably atheistic about the Hindu gods. The Christian Scientist (my former brand) is atheistic about Jesus, defining him as only an especially inspired human.

"The Second Declaration" is a piece of crap

2009-08-03T21:19:00.001-07:00

There, I said it. And I appear to be the only person in the world who has said it.What is this book? Well, if you search the Internet, in dozens of entries you'll be told, in these same words, it's Absolutely original, with vivid style, verve, imagination and sharp view points, The Second Declaration is a fascinating vision of future economies, the development trends of future cultures, and the

Lucky and selfish

2009-07-30T17:26:00.001-07:00

THE FOLLOWING WAS A REPLY TO AN OP-ED PIECE IN THE CS MONITOR ABOUT HEALTH CARE THAT WAS NOT PRINTED:RE: What if I don't want health insurance?Would that we all were as lucky as Becky Akers. She's got good genes, time to run, hike and bike to meetings and leads an apparently healthful, comfortable and affluent life. And she hasn't had any accidents or catastrophic health problems. But she is not

Sure fire INSOMNIA CURE

2009-06-30T09:48:00.001-07:00

Taking a break from the usual carping about religion or politics to post part of a reply to a friend about a method of dealing with insomnia. I've had many nocturnal ceiling study opportunities. Usually it's some kind of worry, but too often it's just plain speed. I discovered the audiobook trick after falling asleep listening to audiobooks I'm actually interested in. When that happens it's

Brainwashing children

2009-06-13T22:36:00.001-07:00

I will have more to say later about Barbara Bradley Hagerty's new book, "Fingerprints of God." When I have more time, I will take up some of the issues raised in this well-written book. Suffice it for now that her book confirms for me the fact that those raised in a religion find it very difficult to depart from it even when reason and solid, testable facts intrude. I believe this is especially

You don't have to be an Einstein to figure this out...

2009-05-24T15:45:00.001-07:00

.. but I so happens that he did anyway. “As the first way out there was religion, which is implanted into every child by way of the traditional education-machine. Thus I came — though the child of entirely irreligious (Jewish) parents — to a deep religiousness, which, however, reached an abrupt end at the age of twelve. Through the reading of popular scientific books I soon reached the conviction

Saint George Carlin slays the media dragons

2009-05-11T06:44:00.001-07:00

Click the play button below. I disabled annoying autostart.UFO Believers vs. Religious BelieversSee more like this on kontraband.com

Young people and religion

2009-05-06T20:09:00.001-07:00

A recent Pew poll states:Historically, the percentage of Americans who said they had no religious affiliation (pollsters refer to this group as the "nones") has been very small -- hovering between 5 percent and 10 percent. However ... the percentage of "nones" has now skyrocketed to between 30 percent and 40 percent among younger Americans. (via ABC news)I certainly know what it is to be young

How to ruin a Good Book:over-praise it!

2009-05-05T06:25:00.001-07:00

After 35 years of reading and reading about the Bible, this formula worked for me. Even so, it's amazing how long people can stay deluded. http://unreasonablefaith.com/2009/05/04/keep-praising-the-bible-it-breeds-freethinkers/

Why I am no longer polite to god

2009-04-24T06:59:00.001-07:00

One kind of wisdom says to forget the past and move forward. Another kind, like that espoused by HL Mencken in 1925, says it's noble to contend with stupidity. I might not be so motivated by the latter if I hadn't spent most of my life as a believer. I consider those days a waste, and painfully embarrassing to even contemplate. This is my way of coping.The way to deal with superstition is not to

The WEAK in CS

2009-04-22T10:17:00.001-07:00

So a Jewish guy thinks Christian Science is cool. But he really gives no reasons other than he likes it and it seems right to him. The remnant of the swiftly languishing CS church is so desperate for any kind of recognition that they'll interview any blowhard who has anything nice to say about them. As Kent Jones would say (on Madddow): WEAK!https://admin.secure.streamos.com/streamos/player/flv/?

God and Elvis

2009-04-15T09:30:00.001-07:00

Don't tell me that god exists because you KNOW it from experience. That's not a proof and not a reason why anyone should agree with you. Don't try to argue with Sam Harris!

7 Things You Need to Know About Chiropractic Therapy

2009-04-08T08:04:00.001-07:00

It's easy to take shots at conventional medicine, because it's not 100% perfect, and there is lots of waste and even fraud connected with it. But realistically, it's effective enough for most people to use it instead of "alternative" methods. Having practiced "spiritual healing" and seen it fail for over 30 years, I'm convinced it is mostly useless for physical problems. Chiropractic is another "

Why there is no spiritual healing industry, cont.

2009-03-28T08:30:00.001-07:00

The reason there is no spiritual healing industry, no massive IPOs for companies offering new spiritual healing methods, products or practitioners, no TV spots or infomercials touting spiritual healing, is because it just plain doesn't work and isn't worth the investment. Sure, there's a huge market - all of us - but after millennia of wishing for it, no one has come up with a legitimate,

Continuing the dialog about the lack of a spiritual healing industry

2009-02-12T19:54:00.001-08:00

"Anonymous" asks:Are you aware of other long-time practitioners who have rather suddenly left the practice and taken a 180, so to speak?No. I know that some dropped out suddenly but I never heard any explanations, certainly not as much as I'm willing to divulge.Among your former colleagues in the healing work, were there ever discussions of discouragement, disillusionment, etc.?No. It's

The prostate of the union

2009-02-11T09:08:00.001-08:00

I didn't have surgery for cancer, but Jennings' experiences are very similar to mine recently. "Yes, yes and yes — lust is essential. But right now, sex seems quaint, old-fashioned." By Dana JenningsI vividly recall those first few hours in the hospital room after my prostate cancer surgery last July: the plastic thicket of I.V. tubes; the leg cuffs huffing and chuffing to ward off blood clots;

Reply to comment: Why there's no spiritual healing industry

2009-02-11T06:09:00.001-08:00

I got an interesting - and rare - comment to my last post, but thought it worth replying with another post instead of burying it in the comments section. The commenter asks: Why did it take you 30 years to reach the conclusion that spiritual healing doesn't work? How did you survive that long without being able to make a living? I ask these questions sincerely, as a prospective spiritual healer

Why there is no "spiritual healing" industry

2009-02-09T07:04:00.001-08:00

For over 30 years I practiced "spiritual healing" and never could make a living from it. And I never knew anybody else who got rich off that kind of practice. The little money I did make was from faithful people who believed they should support the practice, or from people too timid to complain they weren't healed, or from people who simply wanted a dial-a-friend. (Yes, there are a lot of lonely,

Why do people believe in god despite the lack of evidence?

2009-01-31T06:04:00.001-08:00

As a former believer (addict) I concur with Larry Beinhart's explanation, excerpted below. This is one in a series of articles he's writing for AlterNet. Needs that can't be satisfied don't go away.Hunger doesn't cease when there's no food, thirst when there's nothing to drink, the desire for sex when there's no appropriate partner, the yearning for love when everyone hates us.Our being is built

New sidebar listing

2009-01-27T06:51:00.001-08:00

This blog, MT_Space, has been added to The Atheist Blogroll. You can see the blogroll in my sidebar. The Atheist blogroll is a community-building service provided free of charge to Atheist bloggers from around the world. If you would like to join, visit Mojoey at Deep Thoughts for more information.

Economic stimulus: best bang for the buck?

2009-01-27T06:07:00.001-08:00

A year ago Moodys put out a report on the impact of the Bush tax cuts. It concluded that the best bang-for-the-buck comes from increasing SPENDING on unemployment insurance, food stamps, general aid to states and infrastructure. NOT TAX CUTS! Why are we letting the Repugnicans sing their same old song?You can read the lengthy paper but below is a chart from the report that summarizes the

Non-believers: we're #2!

2009-01-24T15:46:00.001-08:00

In his inaugural address, President Obama (love that phrase!) mentioned - for the first time, I think - "non-believers" as part of America's "patchwork heritage." This comports with the latest Pew research findings, which show that though Christians comprise 78% of the population, "non-believers" are the second largest group. This is probably a low number considering that of those Christians,

Sagan: "The dragon in my garage."

2009-01-03T07:40:00.001-08:00

Wanting, needing, feeling better because you believe it, doesn't make a delusion true. And it certainly isn't worth killing unbelievers for.The following is an excerpt from "The Demon-Haunted World: Science As A Candle In the Dark" by Carl Sagan, a Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author. The Dragon In My GaragebyCarl Sagan"A fire-breathing dragon lives in my garage"Suppose (I'm following a

Move over Jesus, Mithra got there first

2008-12-28T07:40:00.001-08:00

The religion of Mithra preceded Christianity by roughly six hundred years. Mithraic worship at one time covered a large portion of the ancient world. It flourished as late as the second century. The Messianic idea originated in ancient Persia and this is where the Jewish and Christian concepts of a Savior came from. Mithra, as the sun god of ancient Persia, had the following karmic similarities

Dan Dennett: A secular, scientific rebuttal to Rick Warren

2008-12-19T08:21:00.001-08:00

Prayer at an Inauguration is still a silly idea. There is NoOne out there to hear that prayer or do anything about our desperate situations. Might as well have an elf appear to beg Santa for goodies. Dan Dennett, one of my favorite authors, spoke at TED in 2006, right after Rick Warren spoke. He makes an important point: teach religion to all students.

Inspiration for us "youngsters"

2008-11-20T08:08:00.001-08:00

The View from 90Carol Winfield is 90 years old, resides in Burlington, Vermont, has no family or friends living nearby, taught yoga in her 70s, is an author (Yoga in the Morning, Martini at Night), has spinal stenosis, and often has insomnia. Though she can do very little physically, she can write. I have started following her blog in hopes that it will help me fight back against the encroaching

Milestone 389

2008-11-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the final electoral vote count, Jess at Wallstats.com created this typographic mashup of the history of slavery, racism, and the progress of African Americans. You can see the rest of this amazing poster and even buy a print at the web site. http://www.wallstats.com/blog/389-years-ago/

Do we need god to be good?

2008-11-11T08:57:00.001-08:00

This article compares America's religiosity to free but godless societies. It appears that "community" is the active ingredient in religion, not belief in the presence of a supernatural being. I agree. Most of my present apostate unhappiness stems from isolation from former friends.In general, you might expect people in less God-fearing countries to be a lot less kind to one another than

Parsing the candidates' resumes

2008-10-30T07:23:00.001-07:00

This is the kind of patriotism we need

2008-10-27T21:39:00.001-07:00

Dozens of telemarketers in Indiana refuse to read anti-Obama soft-on-crime call script.Citizen protest, citizen sacrifice - this is what helped create this country and this is what this election is all about. It's not just choosing the better candidate, it's about exercising the responsibility to say NO to corporate and government pressure to conform to sanctioned hatred and character

Definition of "Undecided"

2008-10-23T06:56:00.001-07:00

Just days before the most important election in US history, David Sedaris nails it:I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. "Can I interest you in the chicken?" she asks. "Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?"To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment

Our god damned society

2008-10-22T11:38:00.001-07:00

From samharris.org:Contrary to the views of many conservative pundits and the Christian Right, the least religious countries in the world today are not full of chaos and immorality, but are actually among the safest, healthiest, most well-educated, prosperous, ethical, and successful societies on earth. Based on a year's worth of research conducted while living in Scandinavia, SOCIETY WITHOUT GOD

Foot-in-mouth disease strikes McCain

2008-10-22T08:04:00.001-07:00

A gaffe, for sure, but given the McCampaign's robocalls, a fitting self-damnation.

Death and the election

2008-10-20T07:04:00.001-07:00

Posted in AlterNet. I'm posting here in case I need to refer to it in case one or more of the four scenarios listed occursWhat if the Presidential candidate dies before being sworn in on January 20?Being this is the United States – the rules, law, regulations and precedent for this 'event' are extremely murky and vague. Mainly because we never do anything until we have no choice. And even then………

McCain, get your yoga on!

2008-10-19T10:58:00.001-07:00

Letter from a former fundie to Sarah Palin

2008-10-16T06:53:00.001-07:00

That god-fearers are toxic to liberty has been made plain the past 8 years. With god on your side you can turn on your fellow-humans with impunity. Here's an excerpt of an open letter from a former fundamentalist, Marlene Winell, PhD. Read the full text here. As a former fundamentalist, I'd like to call you on what you are doing. The media has found you "opaque" about your religion. Why? You have

Ridiculous religionists - too easy

2008-10-12T09:51:00.001-07:00

There are many funny moments in Bill Maher's "Religulous." And that's part of the problem. Freaks, nut-cases, extremists in outrageous costumes and inarticulate people can all be easily set up for a laugh. They are ridiculous religionists. There are a number of these in "Religulous," a film that Maher says is intended to raise doubts about the claims of religion. A laudable, even important, goal.

More on impending martial law in the US

2008-10-11T09:19:00.001-07:00

A video contained in an article on HuffPo by J.S. McDougall. See also corbettreport.com

US soldiers in US streets - sign of an October surprise?

2008-10-10T12:30:00.001-07:00

Read the full article to learn how to resist the growing dictatorship in America: The Battle Plan III: Deployment and Its DangersExcerpts:On October 1, 2008, President Bush deployed a brigade -- which means three to four thousand warriors -- somewhere in America. We do not know where they are deployed though citizens have informally reported to me having seen military vehicles and troops in

Garrison Keillor on future trivia

2008-10-10T12:08:00.001-07:00

Powerful prose! Not sure where it was first published, but I provide the brilliant full text forwarded to me by a friend.We are a stalwart and stouthearted people, and never more so than in hard times. People weep in the dark and arise in the morning and go to work. The waves crash on your nest egg and a chunk is swept away and you put your salami sandwich in the brown bag and get on the bus. In

McCain: seriously out of touch

2008-10-10T11:41:00.001-07:00

Gotta love these guerrilla videomakers, protesting while there's still time.

Swing music for voters

2008-10-09T06:00:00.001-07:00

This makes me think of all the words that could rhyme with "McCain." Like:paininsaneblameshameinanefeigndown the drainmore of the same...I'm sure you can think of more. In the meantime, enjoy:

Naomi Wolf's "Handbook for American Revolutionaries"

2008-10-07T10:49:00.001-07:00

The coup has begun. Are we ready to fight back?The book: Give Me Liberty. Get it!

Ad Campaigns I'd Like to See Obama Run

2008-10-06T17:50:00.001-07:00

Now that personal attacks are the only weapon McCain has left, here are some that Obama can add to his Keating 5 assault:1. McCain's a gambler It's well known that he doesn't mind throwing around $100 chips at casinos. Bring this to light and ask the voting public if they want a gambler to lead their country through rough times.2. Maverick = Unstable Instead of tacitly agreeing with the idea that

Does theism add value to the universe - or subtract it?

2008-10-06T08:21:00.001-07:00

In this simple, home-made video a former minister asks the question that I asked as I took leave of theism: why isn't the world wondrous enough all by itself? Why must we make its existence subservient to the claim for an unprovable "creator?" Ultimately the answer is that in times of fear or crisis we long for the comfort and protection of our outgrown infantile relationships. But yearning

Is it her "privilege" to be stupid and incoherent?

2008-10-06T07:13:00.001-07:00

Palin, in an interview on "fair and balanced" Faux News, reveals that she thinks freedom of the press is a privilege. "As we send our young men and women overseas in a war zone to fight for democracy and freedoms, including freedom of the press, we've really got to have a mutually beneficial relationship here with those fighting the freedom of the press, and then the press, though not taking

War is the McCain way

2008-10-04T08:09:00.001-07:00

Peons no more!

2008-09-30T10:20:00.001-07:00

In this article, Tom Sullivan explains "Wall Street's Lifeboat Ethics" in arguing against a Paulson-type bailout. Wall Street can wait a little longer. Investment houses don’t bleed. This is not a life-and-death matter for artificial lifeforms conceived in law, born on paper, and engineered to relentlessly pursue profit. The bottom line is, as actor Michael Biehn said of “The Terminator,” that’s

A heartbeat away...could be this mouth

2008-09-29T06:42:00.001-07:00

Fareed Zakaria suggests in Newsweek that Sarah Palin leave the ticket and "spend more time with her family."I hope she doesn't. I hope she continues to spew evidence of her total ditziness all over the McCain campaign. Tina Fey did hardly any editing of the following exchange with Couric:COURIC: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are

A heart-rendering message from Sarah - no, not her

2008-09-26T09:01:00.001-07:00

See more Sarah Silverman videos at Funny or Die

What is "White Privilege"?

2008-09-26T06:38:00.001-07:00

Published on BuzzFlash.org (http://www.buzzflash.com/articles)White Privilege, White Entitlement and the 2008 ElectionCreated 09/13/2008 - 3:44pm by Tim WiseFor those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin

McCain caught the Katie, instead of the Shuttle to DC

2008-09-25T07:00:00.001-07:00

Watch how easily McCain lies. Caught on tape with hilarious commentary by Dave Letterman.

American Cathartic

2008-09-22T11:13:00.001-07:00

This is not sexy, but is sure SCARY

2008-09-22T08:16:00.001-07:00

Because financial issues can be complex people tend to avert their gaze. But under that cover the government is about to steal another vital freedom. Read the text of the Bailout Act. Then RE-read it. Can you believe the audacity of dictatorship-in-the-making?Text of the Bailout Is Authoritarianism At Its WorstThe text of the Bailout Act is out. And Section 8 is egregious:Decisions by the

Anti-Palin rally in Alaska - pix

2008-09-21T21:24:00.001-07:00

I've gathered some pix about a rally in Alaska, organized by women who oppose Palin's claims for the VP. See the rest of the pix here.

Don't bother reasoning with most conservatives - it's their brain, stupid.

2008-09-21T09:36:00.001-07:00

http://www.alternet.org/election08/98902/what_makes_people_vote_republican/Recent research suggests that reasonable, fact-based arguments don't reach the core of the conservative mind.But now that we can map the brains, genes, and unconscious attitudes of conservatives, we have refined our diagnosis: conservatism is a partially heritable personality trait that predisposes some people to be

Political musical theater

2008-09-13T09:48:00.001-07:00

WHICH "country" first?

2008-09-12T10:29:00.001-07:00

McMoose on secession:

No further comment.

2008-09-07T08:37:00.001-07:00

October surprise?

2008-09-04T07:06:00.001-07:00

From the Jerusalem Post:Dutch intel: US to strike Iran in coming weeksSep. 1, 2008JPost.com Staff , THE JERUSALEM POSTThe Dutch intelligence service, the AIVD, has called off an operation aimed at infiltrating and sabotaging Iran's weapons industry due to an assessment that a US attack on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program is imminent, according to a report in the country's De Telegraaf

Addendum about that half-baked Alaskan

2008-09-03T17:56:00.001-07:00

Sam Harris responds to criticisms of his article in the LAT about Sarah Palin:Sam Harris: Sexist Pig and Liberal ShillI've received more than the usual amount of criticism for my recent opinion piece on Sarah Palin, most of it alleging sexism and/or an unseemly infatuation with Barack Obama. For those who care, I'd like to briefly respond:My alleged sexism: It is true that I used some hackneyed,

Beyond the Palin - from a voice I respect

2008-09-03T07:12:00.001-07:00

Sam Harris thinks incisively on the influence of religion in society. This article from the LA Times puts succinctly the reasons why McCain's VP choice is so dangerous" "Americans have an unhealthy desire to see average people promoted to positions of great authority." Palin: average isn't good enoughShe's not qualified to be president, and in picking her, McCain shows that he has little respect

Fave quotes

2008-07-28T08:48:00.001-07:00

Over at Debunking Christianity there's a flash movie showing several quotes about theology and religion. It's embedded here, but these are my favorites because they comment on my own experience:No man is convinced the Bible means exactly what it says. He is convinced it says exactly what he means. -Mark TwainOne man's religion is another man's belly laugh" -R.A. HeinleinReality is that which,

50 ways to leave your lord

2008-07-08T09:02:00.001-07:00

It is easy to prove to yourself that God is imaginary. The evidence is all around you. Here are 50 simple proofs:

Bush, the Disaster

2008-07-07T10:13:00.001-07:00

Painfully funny.Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

Faith and health

2008-06-16T13:45:00.001-07:00

The grammatically challenged website On Faith, poses this question, ably answered by one of my favorite thinkers, Dan Dennett:Do you believe that faith can effect [sic] your health or is that a lot of new age nonsense?:Dennett:Of course faith can affect your health, as various studies have shown. So can faith in new age nonsense. So can faith in the Yankees or the Red Sox. People cling to life to

A pause about Obama

2008-06-05T07:16:00.001-07:00

Happy as I am that he is the Dem candidate, this short piece by Virginia Postrel, suggests something to watch for in an Obama presidency. Postrel is the author of an important book, The Future and its Enemies, explaining how conservatism tends to dampen creativity and innovation. In today's blog, she quotes a passage from Dreams from My Father that describes Obama's emotional reaction to

What is your mental image of Iran?

2008-05-27T06:52:00.001-07:00

http://www.lucasgray.com/video/peacetrain.htmlMcCain wants to "Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran" and would support Bush's urge to depart the scene in a blaze of machismo. Don't let it happen again!See http://www.populistamerica.com/insane_aggression_against_iran

The Consistent Inconsistency of John McCain

2008-05-23T11:39:00.001-07:00

It's time to start the Presidential campaign. Time to start telling the truth about the Republican candidate. Mainstream media is going soft on McCain and his flip-flopping (remember that Repub term of derision?) Here's the #1 most viewed video on YouTube, #1 on the viral video chart, and the #2 story on the Digg Election 2008 page - an audience that most cable news shows only dream of. You can

The comfy killer

2008-05-05T11:42:00.001-07:00

When people say that they like things "a certain way" and don't want to change, I cringe. Especially in "senior" years, people can get downright cranky if you propose doing something they aren't used to. On one hand it could be called normal: they've tried a lot of things and have settled on things that work. But on the other hand, as this article points out, comfort can become a bottomless pit

Sam Harris: "Losing our spines to save our necks"

2008-05-05T08:46:00.001-07:00

Important article in Huffington Post

"The greatest thing about Obama isn't really about Obama at all, per se."

2008-04-04T07:11:00.001-07:00

As a man of words myself, I admire Mark Morford, my favorite columnist for the SF Chronicle. He regularly pours out such a torrent of verbal pyrotechnics that it's sometimes overwhelming. But today's column has a soberness, a restraint, that strikes deeper than many of the shards of wit he normally launches. I think he has found the most hopeful sign for our long dreary, sad, painful time. His

Democracy is not a public opinion poll

2008-03-24T03:11:00.001-07:00

"...by the people" is the LAW. But this administration thinks the will of the American people is just an optional commentary. In the words of the Vice President, the will of the American people is just a breeze that would interfere with the course, the will, of him and his puppet. Quoted at thinkprogress.org:This morning, on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion, ABC’s Good Morning America

Sam Harris on Obama's religious tightrope walk

2008-03-22T10:35:00.001-07:00

Sam Harris is another of the intelligent, articulate observers of the current upheaval in the "spirituality" movement. Remember when spirituality was the "megatrend" that would blossom fully by 2010? Ain't going to happen. Of course, full-blown atheism isn't going to happen by then either, because the issue is so widely disruptive. Since John Edwards quit the race, I've been an enthusiastic Obama

Hitchens on Christianity

2008-03-12T07:44:00.001-07:00

I know he has many detractors but I can't help admiring Christopher Hitchens, whose intelligence and language skill is always persuasive. Granted, I haven't heard his defense of the Iraq war, but everything else I've seen is convincing - which is probably why I have avoided his views on the Iraq war!Here's a YouTube "illustrated" talk on his critique of Christianity, which I totally agree with.