tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19717949262915698012011-06-05T16:42:37.318-04:00Random musings of a graduate student on reproductive rights, atheism, politics and philosophy.Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.comBlogger1631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-87393687065950826672009-05-13T10:49:00.003-04:002009-05-13T10:57:41.864-04:00

Pharma giant Merck apparently paid publisher Elsevier to put out a fake peer-reviewed journal. Well, okay. So, one little case of fraud. These things happen, right? Yes. They do. It turns out that these thigns have happened more than once - six times, in fact. Who is going to trust Elsevier now? I'm not inclined to. But what's worse is how this incident can be used by quacks who don't want to

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-49419367988746374702009-05-13T09:25:00.003-04:002009-05-13T10:06:21.624-04:00

Liz Cheney is off defending "enhanced interrogation techniques", that is, torture, on cable TV.She denies that these terrible "techniques" were torture. But what I'm interested in is the question she asks Robinson. Go ahead and watch:She asks whether Robinson would waterboard if he knew that a detainee had information about a plot that would kill his family, and that he would get it if the

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-9354781805959579022009-05-10T12:12:00.003-04:002009-05-10T12:17:24.728-04:00

All you mothers rock! Go relax or do something you really enjoy. Take advantage of that mother's day breakfast and the flowers or card or chocolates or long distance phone call. Happy Mother's Day!

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-76928945167967225712009-05-10T11:18:00.004-04:002009-05-13T10:59:41.756-04:00

When Obama said that he wanted a justice who was capable of empathizing with the plights of the people who would be impacted by their rulings, I was skeptical at first. After all, the law is cold and hard. It's not about feelings. It's not about empathy. And we shouldn't allow our emotions to adulterate our reason.But that was before I saw this. A 13 year old girl was strip searched because

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-12319004090267492852009-04-03T15:42:00.002-04:002009-04-03T15:45:28.623-04:00

Some people get excited about the Academy Awards. Not me. I prefer the Pigasus Awards. Here's the man Randi himself announcing the winners:

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-60022931990572618632008-11-29T19:21:00.003-05:002008-11-29T19:58:13.906-05:00

Anti-choicers have long claimed that abortion causes PAS - Post Abortion Syndrome. They claim that women suffer anxiety, depression, substance abuse, etc, etc, after having an abortion. This is a highly contentious claim. The anti-choicers justify this claim by referencing the anecdotal stories of women who are unhappy with the choice they made, and regret it (I wonder who made them feel bad?

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-76630808117923552252008-11-18T20:00:00.001-05:002008-11-18T20:02:27.625-05:00

My one and only "publication" (and those quotes are really important) is up on Amazon.com. Of course, it's unavailable at the moment, and they don't know when it'll be in stock. Probably never. Who would want that?

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-53499856551565527012008-11-18T16:15:00.002-05:002008-11-18T16:18:38.799-05:00

These are great. Collectible religion cards. Awesome. I have to say, though, I wish there were more in the set. The wiccans, spiritualists and Mormons all really deserve a spot.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-47255350661907072662008-11-18T15:41:00.002-05:002008-11-18T15:49:29.160-05:00

The election was just a few weeks ago, but the Democrats have already ticked me off. They've allowed Joe Lieberman to retain his chair of the Homeland Security and Government Oversight Committee.There were a lot of voices from the left calling for Lieberman to be punished for being a turncoat this past election cycle. That's not why I think Lieberman should have lost his chair. I've no desire for

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-25528765884497864052008-11-10T22:55:00.004-05:002008-11-10T23:04:27.243-05:00

Think you're finally done with Dubya's idiotic run of our country? Think Dubya can do no more damage? Think again.In the spirit of so many leaving administrations, the Bush Administration is quickly instituting - via executive order - things that might take us years to be rid of. Here's a few of the sampling the Houston Chronicle reported on:A proposed Justice Department regulation would allow

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-19509976203170593002008-11-10T22:23:00.003-05:002008-11-10T22:37:47.456-05:00

That question was asked by Joe Scarborough a few moments after he accidentally dropped the F-bomb this morning, live on MSNBC. (Video below for the morbidly curious)He apologized for the slip after realizing (or being informed by co-hosts) about his mistake, and the cute question from his wife via email was apparently "How big's the fine?"The sad thing is that we may not be far off from a place

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-14238894743826555242008-11-10T22:02:00.002-05:002008-11-10T22:09:49.106-05:00

I recently tried to give Republicans some advice. Mark Lilla isn't advising, but he does give a great explanation of what the conservative movement seems to have done to itself. Check it out. Although, if he's right, then it's the Republican intelligentsia that caused this problem in the first place. According to Lilla, the intellectuals of the conservative movement are the ones who fanned the

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-23479855701846366442008-11-09T13:22:00.003-05:002008-11-09T13:32:17.059-05:00

We all know that the universe is expanding, but a recent study has revealed evidence of a different movement - a movement at a steady speed in one direction. This indicates that there is something, well, pulling on our universe. But what?It might be another universe, which would mean that our universe is just one bubble afloat in a sea of universes - one part of a multiverse. Pretty cool, huh? As

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-46898602507752164302008-11-08T22:59:00.002-05:002008-11-08T23:06:31.129-05:00

After my rather serious and heated post advising Republicans on what to do next, I thought a little fun would be in order. So, here they are, the 10 types of Republicans:

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-85243548747172789392008-11-08T22:32:00.005-05:002008-11-08T23:09:45.400-05:00

The Republican party has some decisions to make at this point. They have to remake themselves. The infighting, on an ideological level, that occurred during this past election season, and the high profile defections of Republican intelligentsia reveal a party in crisis. The Republican party is a rather large tent. The three basic pillars of the Republican party - old guard fiscal conservatives,

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-22592976220072110552008-11-08T17:38:00.003-05:002008-11-08T19:02:10.575-05:00

You may have heard that Prop 8 - an amendment to California's Constitution banning gay marriage - passed. You may have also heard that its passage was at least in part due to record African American turnout - 7 in 10 blacks voted to ban gay marriage.I normally wouldn't have anything to say about this, other than shame on you California. We all know religion was the main force behind the votes to

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-51232430744823103042008-11-08T16:27:00.004-05:002008-11-08T16:56:56.303-05:00

At a few minutes past 11 here on the East Coast, the media called the election for Barack Obama. And I began to cry. I cried out of pride for my country. I cried out of relief that the extreme right wing of the Republican Party can no longer ruin this country. I cried out of happiness.But now the dancing in the streets is over. The firecrackers have burned out. Now it's time to find out if the

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-33455221756560431932008-11-03T11:26:00.001-05:002008-11-03T11:30:54.051-05:00

Via Pharyngula (like he needs me to link to him. Ha!)

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-83912669290167065612008-11-02T22:30:00.000-05:002008-11-02T22:31:42.299-05:00

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-40459894033872530462008-10-26T18:32:00.000-04:002008-10-26T18:33:00.914-04:00

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-84010276955337743962008-10-26T15:50:00.002-04:002008-10-26T16:11:25.047-04:00

Forgive me use of internet speak, but THIS:see Sarah Palin pictures

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-34204914715876825232008-10-26T15:39:00.002-04:002008-10-26T15:43:03.556-04:00

I always thought the pro-life protests in which women taped their mouths shut and wrote "life" over them were a little odd. I'm glad I'm not the only one:see Sarah Palin pictures

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-22979969250690922822008-10-26T14:03:00.005-04:002008-10-26T14:59:53.514-04:00

I recently stumbled upon an opinion in the Des Moines register that I found interesting. The author believes that atheists and agnostics cannot call themselves freethinkers. He has two arguments. The first relies on the fact that the first freethinkers were deists and unitarians. Um, so? Freethought is a manner of belief formation - which beliefs get formed are irrelevant to whether or not you

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-38814272963636872212008-10-23T23:46:00.005-04:002008-10-24T00:06:27.928-04:00

According to some Catholic Bishops, abortion rates cannot be reduced unless Roe v. Wade is overturned.You might think that makes sense, but it's false. Guttmacher's statistics indicate that there is no correlation (much less causal relationship) between the legality of abortion and the number of abortions that occur in a country:while it may seem paradoxical, a country's abortion rate is not

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-2282615671840329532008-10-23T23:45:00.000-04:002008-10-23T23:46:35.857-04:00

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-53751604109844045112008-10-22T00:48:00.004-04:002008-10-22T01:04:33.753-04:00

After the recent comments made by Sarah Palin, Nancy Pfotenhauer, and Michelle Bachmann, I was ready to write out a long post about how this divisive understanding of our country was horribly misguided, insulting, and dangerous to the nation.Thankfully, I didn't have to. Jon Stewart did it for me.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-87774546103306032692008-10-22T00:07:00.003-04:002008-10-22T00:47:58.907-04:00

The extreme right wing's justification for their opposition to gay rights has always confused me. I understand why they don't like gays. Their Bible tells them that homosexuality is "an abomination". Of course, it tells them this in the same book which also says that it is an abomination to eat shellfish or wear garments made of two types of fabrics. Putting that aside, though, it's clear what

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-82314553793615851372008-10-19T14:23:00.005-04:002008-11-08T19:08:12.050-05:00

There are very few high ranking members of the Bush Administration that I have even the smallest amount of respect for. The two I do have some respect for are Rice and Powell. I may disagree with them on many policy matters, but both are smart as whips. Powell especially seems to own something that many in the Bush administration lack - a moral compass (Rice seems to have one, but there is a

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-29873170632192412742008-10-17T23:40:00.003-04:002008-10-18T00:21:00.504-04:00

I finally got the chance to see Bill Maher's new movie "Religulous". It was hilarious, but would probably only be so to the "choir".Which "choir" am I talking about? Well, to give you an idea, there were only about 15 people in the theater at the 8 o'clock showing, including the five in my party. What did all the members of my party have in common? We are all atheist or agnostic, and I would bet

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-69521109099285671222008-10-13T16:01:00.002-04:002008-10-13T16:24:02.402-04:00

There are exams to be graded, papers to be critiqued, and Bill Maher movies to go see, so I'm a little behind on posting. Here's a few things to tide you over.The Clintons have come out of their hole to campaign for Obama. It's about time. I'm not one to latch onto conspiracy theories, but I did have moments where I wondered if the Clintons would rather win in 2012 than turn this country around

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-47162793255490782712008-10-07T18:20:00.001-04:002008-10-07T18:21:54.578-04:00

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-8684925488255925712008-10-07T17:44:00.003-04:002008-10-07T18:08:15.691-04:00

Lewis Black is hilarious, at least in part, because he channels our rage for us. In writing this post, I was reminded of a bit of Black's stand-up, and I thought I would share. If you can't handle profanity, I would advise against watching the clip. I would also advise a thicker skin, because you're missing out on a lot of fun.Lewis Black on "America is #1" (and also on milk)And, if you liked

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-60387994650627410142008-10-06T08:43:00.006-04:002008-11-18T16:08:19.931-05:00

A silent but much treasured reader has requested that I post on the so-called "Elegant Argument" for abortion rights. Since I'm terribly pleased to have any readers, much less requests from them, I'm happy to oblige. So here goes:First, don't ask me why they call it the "Elegant Argument". I've no idea. As far as I'm concerned, all logically valid arguments are elegant, so I see no reason to

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-1308735289144328192008-10-06T08:09:00.005-04:002008-11-08T19:09:10.336-05:00

You may have heard about Palin's latest jab at Obama. Dragging up something that was already hammered to death during the Democractic primary race, Palin has accused Obama of "palling around with terrorists". Here's a video of Palin's comments and the CNN Truth Squad's assessment of her claims:Now, forget for a moment that this charge is super weak. I found it rather interesting that Palin would

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-83043665805992336472008-10-06T05:54:00.004-04:002008-11-08T19:09:36.102-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to this guy I know. His name is Sam. He's really rich, but he's one of those rich people who makes a ton of money and yet can't live within his means. He spends way more than he makes and is in debt up to his eyeballs.Not only is Sam rich, but he's also the biggest, strongest guy on the block. He's made of muscle, knows martial arts, streetfighting, you name it. He's

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-82544959849660156292008-10-02T22:48:00.003-04:002008-10-02T23:12:25.393-04:00

Credit where credit is due - Palin didn' totally suck. Kudos to her for surviving the debate and actually getting in some good jabs.That doesn't mean that the true Palin colors weren't present. As far as mistakes go, she falsely claimed that the commander in Afghanistan didn't say that the surge tactic wouldn't work there. He did. She also got his name wrong. It's McKiernan, not "McClellan". And

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-86952130289017576472008-10-02T16:20:00.003-04:002008-10-02T17:15:41.882-04:00

To her credit, the problem was not that Palin couldn't name any SCOTUS case, it was that she couldn't name one other than Roe that she disagreed with. That's still pretty sad. She doesn't disagree with Kelo? Dredd Scott? Plessy v. Ferguson? I'm pretty sure she disagrees with Planned Parenthood v Casey. You'd think for such a staunch pro-lifer, she could have named that one.Here is a comparison of

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-27736973322292698652008-09-30T21:57:00.003-04:002008-09-30T23:45:11.034-04:00

Couric and Palin, again. My comments on the interview are below the video00:41 - Palin claims she's a feminist who supports equal rights. I don't believe that is possible for someone who is pro-life. Of course, you actually have to have a significant understanding of the philosophical issues surrounding the abortion debate to see that the positions are inconsistent, so I can't fault Palin for

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-56662161454216626392008-09-29T20:46:00.003-04:002008-09-29T21:20:45.097-04:00

There have been murmurs for a while that the ADF was going to put together some pastors to risk their tax-exempt status by endorsing political candidates. Well, they've done it:I love the guy at the end of the video who says that the pastor has the right to let them know that a candidate is not abiding by what the Bible says. I'm assuming your pastor already tells you what the Bible says, but are

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-54382954702517908462008-09-28T09:52:00.006-04:002008-09-28T11:36:32.337-04:00

Linda Hirshman has an excellent piece at the Washington Post examining the question of how far states will be able to take their "states' rights" if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned. In particular, she looks at the issue of whether or not states where abortion would be criminalized would be able to prosecute women who travel to states where the procedure is legal to obtain an abortion.If John

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-23649253472774482232008-09-26T18:16:00.003-04:002008-09-26T18:18:38.294-04:00

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-60182247028857450512008-09-26T18:07:00.002-04:002008-09-26T18:09:17.695-04:00

Rep. DeFazio has a suggestion on the bailout that would make Wall St. pay for its own bailout. I like it.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-16811792143699889412008-09-25T13:52:00.004-04:002008-09-25T14:01:53.879-04:00

Campbell Brown just gained another heap of respect points from me. She had previously shown some fine journalistic chops by asking a McCain campaign spokesman some hard hitting questions. Now, she puts forward this extremely clever bit of advocacy journalism:If you're confused about Campbell's charges of sexism, then exactly what other reason could they have for keeping Palin from the media?

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-34744325153816669842008-09-25T13:48:00.002-04:002008-09-25T13:51:55.973-04:00

Not that anyone would notice, but I seem to have disappeared from the blogosphere for a time. Well, I'm back now. The dissertation proposal is drafted. The quizzes are graded. The new Rock Band II has lost just a bit of its initial shine. And so I'm back in the blogosphere to write posts that virtually no one reads. My apologies for being gone, but every once in a while even philosophers have to

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-8284671304478884012008-09-10T01:31:00.002-04:002008-09-10T01:47:34.000-04:00

Palin calls herself a fiscal conservative, but she must mean something different by 'fiscal conservative' than what I'm used to. As mayor, she drove her town into debt, despite all the earmarks she was getting from the federal government.The American Chronicle has a great article about the history of secularism.A Harvard study finds that voters (particularly men) are prejudiced against women in

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-85749823175160722992008-09-06T18:35:00.005-04:002008-09-06T20:52:12.635-04:00

Below is video of Sarah Palin speaking to graduates of the Master's Commission at her childhood church.What's really freaky? She's praying that Iraq is a task from God, rather than, say, using her reason to discover whether it's actually the right thing. She thinks a pipeline in Alaska is god's will (but for some reason people still need to pray for it). And she thinks a police force and

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-41778843161476687562008-09-06T17:35:00.004-04:002008-09-06T17:42:29.786-04:00

I have been so fed up with how the Republicans have decided to deal with Bristol Palin's pregnancy. It's not that they want it to be a private matter. That's fine (although they seem perfectly content to use Palin's family as a prop whenever they want... a little hypocritical if you ask me). It's not that they want people to leave Bristol alone. I agree. To a certain extent, it's not even that

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-66830762985042863202008-09-06T16:51:00.004-04:002008-09-06T17:06:56.546-04:00

I've got it! Cindy McCain's outfit has inspired the perfect American Express ad. Are you ready? Here goes:Oscar de la Renta Dress - $3,000Channel J12 Watch - $4,500Four Strand Pearl Necklace - $11,000 to $25,000Designer shoes - $6003 Carat Diamond Earrings - $280,000Conning a vote out of people who can't pay their mortage while wearing clothes that are worth a whole house? Priceless

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-37083697976073182202008-09-06T16:15:00.004-04:002008-09-06T16:20:01.139-04:00

Palin's being tagged for VP has Republicans falling all over themselves to say things that run contrary to previous statements. Jon Stewart, with his usual wit, puts it in perspective:Via Pharyngula

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-29915624464685155852008-09-04T14:39:00.002-04:002008-09-04T14:44:50.340-04:00

ProfMTH, who I have a bit of an internet crush on, gives us the week in review:For the citations referred to, see the video on youtube.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-36618705687816648762008-09-03T00:35:00.005-04:002008-09-03T01:47:58.789-04:00

So, with the news that Sarah Palin's 17 year old unwed daughter, Bristol, is pregnant, there has been a lot of chatter about how this is a private family matter and we should all just leave poor Bristol Palin alone. I agree that we should leave Bristol alone, but her pregnancy should force some light on the conservative policies and stances that her mother and McCain support. Here are 5 reasons

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-83199721990744066442008-09-02T21:40:00.004-04:002008-09-02T21:44:14.822-04:00

John McCain, that's who. He has cancelled an appearance on Larry King Live because of an exchange between CNN's Campbell Brown and a McCain campaign spokesman. The campaign claims that the exchange was over the line. The video is below. You tell me. What line did Campbell cross? Looks to me like good journalism, for once. But maybe asking simple questions and demanding answers to them is just too

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-66393950829046993392008-09-02T14:33:00.004-04:002008-09-02T15:22:56.196-04:00

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! was arrested at the RNC yesterday and charged with obstructing a peace officer. She was attempting to obtain the release of two Democracy Now! producers that had been arrested and have been charged with felonies. While all three have now been released, the two producers sustained injuries during the arrest, and all three still face charges. Free Press has called for

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-83633886876464406242008-08-31T20:43:00.003-04:002008-08-31T21:32:21.796-04:00

I'd like to ask you to use your imagination for just a moment. Imagine a typical house of college aged American kids. There might be band posters up on the walls of some of their rooms. There's probably the remains of a pizza and a six pack of beer in the fridge. There's an Xbox in the living room. These kids pay their rent. They are nice to their neighbors. They don't cause trouble.Now imagine

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-8089291955432022362008-08-30T21:29:00.003-04:002008-08-30T21:49:28.730-04:00

The reason for my curiousity on this matter will become apparent in short order. See, while John McCain is only aware of the internet, his new running mate, Sarah Palin, apparently has a little experience as a hacker. And that experience has apparently come in handy. Her wikipedia page was altered favorably the night before it was announced that she was the Republican VP nominee. And the internet

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-22194615942419378392008-08-30T20:47:00.003-04:002008-08-30T21:16:18.531-04:00

You remember Ben Stein, right? He's the nutjob who made that disgusting, piece of filth creationist propaganda film Expelled. He also claimed that science leads you to killing people. Well, he's at it again, this time claiming he "abhors racism" while basically calling Barak Obama an angry black man (video of the statement below).Now, I'm not saying that you are automatically a racist just

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-47667344078013266182008-08-30T20:31:00.003-04:002008-08-30T20:42:36.438-04:00

Sarah Palin told a fib. She claims to have been opposed to the notorious "bridge to nowhere". Well, it looks like she must have been for it before she was against it, then. And the mainstream media, worthless talking heads that they are, can't seem to inform the American public about it. CBS hasn't done their homework. Nor has the Wall Street Journal. Nor has Forbes.com. Of course, what should we

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-19323827363957581852008-08-29T20:49:00.001-04:002008-08-29T20:51:22.275-04:00

Sarah Palin is the republican nominee for VP, but two months ago...

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-46078316915871769672008-08-26T19:37:00.002-04:002008-08-26T19:41:22.239-04:00

I may not always agree with him, and FSM knows I'm horrified by the whole UFO thing, but I really wish that more politicians had his passion.This is Rep. Kucinich addressing the DNC.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-29431308776459109312008-08-25T19:56:00.001-04:002008-08-25T19:58:24.908-04:00

just....wow.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-60337915802402629842008-08-23T14:22:00.005-04:002008-08-25T20:27:56.379-04:00

How are we to analyze the semantics of linguistic expressions like the following? (1) The Queen of England is old.(2) The prime minister of England is male.(3) The present king of France is bald.(1), (2) and (3) contain what are called definite descriptions (because they are descriptions beginning with the definite article "the"). At first blush, it seems like we might analyze them in the

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-35158793392264848662008-08-23T14:04:00.002-04:002008-08-23T14:08:11.337-04:00

McCain has said that he wants to renegotiate the Colorado River Compact to take water from the upper basin states - and that includes New Mexico - and give it to his state of Arizona. Given that the states are all working well together under the recently renegotiated compact, I've no idea why McCain would want to do this. If word gets out (which, of course, it won't, given the stupid media), this

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-84577683012368765842008-08-20T13:51:00.003-04:002008-08-20T14:08:05.701-04:00

I've been finding it very difficult to understand how people could come to trust John McCain to do anything but make matters worse when it comes to our ailing (okay, let's face it, our seriously ill) economy. As a graduate student, I don't find it particularly troubling that I have to scrounge or ask Mommy and Daddy for a little help now and again. That's what graduate student life is like. But

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-80059487518705353632008-08-17T19:37:00.001-04:002008-08-17T19:39:21.342-04:00

Precisely what is wrong with this country.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-12648338847324729322008-06-22T17:19:00.005-04:002008-06-22T17:44:45.706-04:00

Lloyd Clarke of Frankenmuth, MA, who happens to be an atheist, has asked that crosses be removed from two bridges and the seal of his town. Now, there is nothing terribly usual about this situation. It's far too common for Christian symbology and beliefs to infiltrate aspects of the government. And it isn't unusual for those who believe in the separation of church of state to request that the

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-34100328090236869212008-06-21T16:31:00.003-04:002008-06-21T16:39:46.442-04:00

Apparently, people have taken to praying at gas stations in the hopes that God will bring down gas prices.Now, I understand the feeling that many of these people have that there really aren't any viable options available to bring gas prices down. Then again, as someone who takes mass transit, I haven't really looked into it. At the end of the day, however, asking the big man in the sky to bring

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-69779564508922406722008-06-21T16:07:00.002-04:002008-06-21T16:17:56.373-04:00

Found on GraphJam:If you don't get it, you really, really need to watch more Monty Python. Here, I'll get you started:

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-73515067510045670822008-06-19T14:47:00.002-04:002008-06-19T14:48:38.704-04:00

Chimps have a better memory than you do.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-69642096661545633822008-06-15T16:58:00.006-04:002008-06-15T17:30:07.519-04:00

This guy... Bobby Jindal, is not only a self-proclaimed exorcist, but also wants ID taught in schools. And he's on the short list of potential McCain running mates. Yikes!There is a part of me, though, that really wished that this story hadn't broken until after he had been selected. That would have led to lots of election media fun. But, since it's out there, might as well spread it.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-3970448335481672432008-06-14T16:54:00.003-04:002008-06-14T17:00:28.634-04:00

We all remember the Tom Cruise couch-jumping incident. It was one of many strange incidents on the downward path of Cruise's career. Well, here is a new version of what really happened when Cruise shook Oprah on the fateful day. This is so hilarious that not only can I not stop watching it, but I had to share.And remember, folks, Scientology claims that upper level scientologists like Cruise (who

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-37258616591525817262008-06-09T15:56:00.001-04:002008-06-09T15:57:33.577-04:00

Abiogenesis in 10 minutes... with some great music!

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-84389015218034922452008-06-09T10:35:00.005-04:002008-06-09T10:51:12.949-04:00

Having been born and raised in the Albuquerque metropolitan area, I always thought Santa Fe's tagline - "the city different" - was fitting. The problem with Santa Fe was that the "different" in the city wasn't just different, they were a tad bit looney. Usually, however, this was harmless. This, however, is just completely ludicrous:A group in Santa Fe says the city is discriminating against them

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-58661363794643748492008-06-05T00:40:00.002-04:002008-06-05T00:46:27.702-04:00

Is this really the sort of man that you'd claim as the great prophet of your "religion"? Well, if it's a vicious, mind controlling, money grubbing cult, then I guess this would be the sort of person you would find leading it.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-44662976098356786922008-06-04T15:52:00.005-04:002008-06-04T16:11:20.214-04:00

Just listen to the arguments and the statements that these brits are making. I once thought that brits were so much educated, logical and thoughtful than Americans. If this show is representative, they may very well have the same problem we do. Hopefully it's not and they don't. I don't know if I'm capable of turning away from my anglophilia.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-90472738546606099702008-06-04T15:36:00.002-04:002008-06-04T15:38:53.954-04:00

DonExodus2 is one of my favorite YouTube educators. He's just posted a video explaining the basics of DNA which I found so informative that I just had to post it. So, here it is:

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-3331525769485266232008-05-08T00:50:00.002-04:002008-05-08T00:54:06.960-04:00

The video below is of a prayer offered during the National Day of Prayer for right-wing, anti-abortion justices.Two questions. First, do you think she really means all the manifestations of religious freedom? Does that include the freedom not to believe? And second, if this prayer isn't answered, and they don't get their right wing appointments, does that mean that it was God's will that the

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-81469638041468235922008-05-06T15:47:00.002-04:002008-05-06T16:08:32.748-04:00

One of the things you often hear from anti-choicers when questioned about their use of grotesque photographs in attempting to shock people into believing as they do (rather than, say, using reason), is that abortion really is grotesque. That's what these people have to say in response to this challenge (note also the incoherence of what the latter commenter has to say. Why did they even publish

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-43251921311207442712008-05-03T14:52:00.002-04:002008-05-03T15:35:11.662-04:00

Ben Stein recently made the following claim:When we just saw that man, I think it was Mr. Myers, talking about how great scientists were, I was thinking to myself the last time any of my relatives saw scientists telling them what to do they were telling them to go to the showers to get gassed … that was horrifying beyond words, and that’s where science — in my opinion, this is just an opinion —

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-79523074959884936192008-05-01T18:07:00.002-04:002008-05-02T01:19:01.846-04:00

More proof abstinence-only education doesn't work.Creationists keep asking for evidence of evolution. Well, on top of all of this, now there is this.And Priests plagiarizing sermons. Is it really that hard? The book's already been written for you!

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-84709049656360498312008-05-01T17:39:00.003-04:002008-05-01T17:43:00.867-04:00

Another good video about Expelled.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-91807896471009466582008-05-01T11:47:00.002-04:002008-05-01T12:02:49.884-04:00

Images of an Orangutan attempting to hunt fish by using a stick as a spear. Hmmm... we're so far above them, are we?If you watch Orangutan Island, as I do (my two favorite reality shows don't involve people at all), you've already things very similar to this (although not exactly this - this is the diamond on the crown, so far). You've also seen Orangutans like this one laughing, playing, sharing

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-67131737194376403132008-05-01T00:27:00.006-04:002008-05-01T00:39:38.622-04:00

And we all benefit. I have not the words to describe this incredible breakthrough. You'll have to watch for yourself. Warning, there are some graphic images.Link

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-78586098313162264212008-04-29T13:16:00.002-04:002008-04-29T13:21:18.136-04:00

Nota Bene: What the youtuber suspects is quote mining is in fact quote mining. Dawkins was asked what he thought the most plausible version of ID would be... he was asked to use his imagination, and he did, positing that aliens designed us. Stein then misrepresents the quote to fit his own purpose. Intellectual honesty, anyone? Oh wait, the makers of Expelled aren't the least bit concerned with

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-40195396303186012432008-04-29T12:50:00.003-04:002008-04-29T13:01:19.761-04:00

Below the fold are a few youtube videos that I've come across that address the movie Expelled. I haven't yet seen the film, although there is a plan to see it later in the week. I'll be sure to write my own review after I've seen it. At any rate, though, the videos below argue (and, in my opinion, argue well, given the available evidence) that Stein and his movie demonstrate a complete lack of

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-75044755965286334552008-04-29T12:46:00.002-04:002008-04-29T12:49:52.304-04:00

You hear this from anti-choicers all the time. Margaret Sanger, one of the founders of Planned Parenthood, was a bigot who believed in eugenics. She thought that birth control should be used to wipe out “lesser” populations.Well, it’s true that Margaret Sanger held these terrible beliefs. But it’s important to think about what the anti-choicers are trying to prove when they point this out. While

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-56700984443776837582008-04-18T18:13:00.004-04:002008-04-18T18:59:12.269-04:00

I just finished reading David Brock's The Republican Noise Machine and it got me thinking. In the book, Brock makes the claim, also put forward in the documentary Outfoxed, that the notion of "liberal bias" in the media is something that has in large part been put into the American consciousness by the right wing, and something that has been continually pushed even as the radical right has taken

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-44209293624954246392008-04-18T16:31:00.003-04:002008-04-18T16:35:06.443-04:00

It's not just science that won't let this sort of talk in. I know from experience that it's completely unacceptable in philosophical circles as well. This is a serious infringement on the free speech of scientists and philosophers who see the evidence for this alternative theory!via Pharyngula via Dawkins

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-36358373286228567072008-04-17T13:54:00.000-04:002008-04-17T13:56:16.718-04:00

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-34992615741427210152008-04-12T15:13:00.003-04:002008-04-12T15:35:07.741-04:00

Creationists often complain about the lack of transitional fossils. They claim that evolution has been disproven because we haven't found the fossils that would verify the theory. Blah, blah, blah. Well, since I'm so sick of hearing it... and since Ben Stein's IDiotic movie will be coming out soon, I thought I would compile some of my favorite youtube videos laying out the fossil record. Some are

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-60671076942076046692008-04-09T21:56:00.002-04:002008-04-09T21:58:43.395-04:00

I should have known that good ol' Keith would call it like it is:

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-14465307472216081302008-04-08T15:34:00.002-04:002008-04-08T15:35:50.477-04:00

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-83631696174567033972008-04-08T14:26:00.003-04:002008-04-08T14:31:37.877-04:00

The recent controvery with Rep. Monique Davis made me think of comments once made by George Bush Sr.: " I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God." How much different does she sound from him? Ms. Davis! You're talking like a Republican!

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-13612596605404353842008-04-08T14:08:00.006-04:002008-10-02T16:47:41.465-04:00

Apparently, atheists don't have the right to try and protect the 1st Amendment of the Constitution. And people wonder why we're becoming so vocal? Because even Democrats are unwilling to stand up for us. The man you hear in the video is activist Rob Sherman, an atheist who was testifying about what looks to me to be a violation of the Establishment Clause. The woman you hear is Rep. Monique Davis

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-89391477146031251642008-04-03T23:13:00.005-04:002008-05-01T00:52:14.402-04:00

So, this is definitely a bit of ID/Creationist material, and if you listen closely you can hear the bad arguments of the creationists and theists slipped coyly in. But it's still absolutely hilarious. Anything that has Dennett in a big pimp hat with a cane can't help but be funny._____________________________________________________________________________________Update 4/8/08: After significant

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-14854598712017441272008-03-21T17:02:00.005-04:002008-03-21T17:15:13.563-04:00

There is a great op-ed at the Arizona Republic. But while the author – Linda Valdez – is dead right about the fact that religious tolerance, something carefully pushed by the GOP, is infringing on individual rights, there is one thing that bothers me about her piece. She is adamant in her assertion that “it is time for some lines”. But this seems to indicate that we need to work on balancing our

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-50142066343830358182008-03-20T22:18:00.000-04:002008-03-20T22:20:04.544-04:00

This is just too funny not to share.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-771174047092887832008-03-19T06:51:00.009-04:002008-03-19T07:57:04.495-04:00

There are a good number of people in this country that view John McCain as a bit of a maverick, a man who is willing to stand up to the Republican party has a whole, cross the isle in search of effective compromise, and stand behind his own beliefs even when they conflict with the dominant views of the party. This may very well be true with regard to some issues, but despite some public

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-29020179698499509932008-03-17T20:32:00.002-04:002008-03-17T20:34:49.616-04:00

There is a great post over at Pharyngula handling some of the most common arguments against and misconceptions about atheism. Check it out.

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-50520148064449634042008-03-17T20:14:00.004-04:002008-03-17T20:21:12.760-04:00

Penelope Trunk of the Boston Globe has an important message for women – if you want kids, then you best get busy. Your biological clock is ticking. And don’t worry about that career – you’ll have time for it later.Well, Ms Trunk, first, we career women are all painfully aware of the fact that our biological clocks are ticking. And we know better than to believe those who say “Oh, you still have

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1971794926291569801.post-59972494192964217142008-03-14T17:15:00.001-04:002008-03-17T20:10:17.947-04:00

This has confused me for some time. Lots of people will say that they are spiritual, but there doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus on what this means. Some “spiritual” people tell me that they believe in ghosts, others laugh at the idea; some tell me they know how many kids I’ll have based on the lines on my hands, others say that’s a bunch of hogwash. Some say they can feel good energy and bad

Artemis311http://www.blogger.com/profile/15202412794798410063noreply@blogger.com0