Hi everyone! I'm back until next time I have a lapse in my sanity. I suffer from post traumatic syndrome and certain things cause me to have flashbacks that disrupt my "normal" rational self. The other day when my wife and son were away, I was awaken by a helicopter circling the house telling me
by hopee on April 20, 2008, 02:56:00 PM 35 Views | 2 Comments
I couln't resist not sharing this with you all. I happen to enjoy doing all kinds of things with my cats but I hadn't realized the connection about the tuna being like cocaine... Personally, I'd say it's like crack but I suppose effects vary with each cat and owner... Enjoy!
"Bayonne instituted mandatory uniforms last September for grades K-8, and fifth-grader Michael DePinto wore the button several times before objections were raised in November, attorneys for the plaintiffs said.
In a letter dated Nov. 16, 2006, Janice Lo Re, principal of Public School 14, notified Laura DePinto that her son "will be subject to suspension" for wearing the button in school.
Parents of the other student, Anthony LaRocco, a seventh-grader at the Woodrow Wilson School, received a similar letter from principal Catherine Quinn.
After the suspension threat, the boys' parents filed a federal lawsuit claiming the district stifled the children's First Amendment free speech rights. They also have mounted a legal challenge to the uniform policy."
These parents are keen to understand why schools commit to uniformity at a young age. It keeps them from thinking outside the box later and makes them feel like the outsider for being an individual. I'm surprised this judge allowed the kids to wear the armbands. Now if only those boy scouts could be sued...
by hopee on March 11, 2008, 01:52:00 AM 58 Views | 0 Comments
"In the Vatican's latest update on how God's law is being violated in today's world, Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti, the head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, was asked by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano what, in his opinion, are the "new sins."
He cited "violations of the basic rights of human nature" through genetic manipulation, drugs that "weaken the mind and cloud intelligence," and the imbalance between the rich and the poor."
Ay yes. I remember when they also updated the drivers' ten commandments for road rage and stupidity. Good ole Vatican deems itself still able to bend and twist the all mighty's interpretations of sins to fit society today. It's funny how they also duck the question about the corrupt officials and their many sexual misconducts by saying it's discredits the church.
Wha? Oh that's right! Silly me. The new sins are not meant for the church itself. it's still those damned church-goers the church likes to dictate to. Yeah. Forget about future church embezzlements and even more rape and sexual preditors lurking within its very walls. Those sins do not apply since the cloth still keeps the man underneath it void of commiting any such common sin.... riiiiiiiiiight.
by hopee on March 06, 2008, 03:06:00 AM 52 Views | 0 Comments
"Hall alleges he was denied his constitutional right to hold a meeting to discuss atheism while he was deployed in Iraq with his military police unit. He says in the new complaint that his promotion was blocked after the commander of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley sent an e-mail post-wide saying Hall had sued." Full story here.
I'm not sure if this is the same fellow atheistbob had spoken of but it definitely fits the same kind of problem he had. A soldier wasn't granted a promotion because his superiors thought he won't be able to pray with his troops (as shown in the photo) before or after a mission as well as bond with them.
So they're are saying because of his nonbelief in a supernatural being, the soldier, Spc. Hall, cannot possibly share the kind of brotherhood and camaraderie as that of a xian? WTF? This kind of thing gets me every time and I am seriously going to see if I can get a mailing address of this guy to send letters of support in order that he might show to other newspapers and maybe even the ACLU. Being a veteran myself, I understand there are differing rules for filing complaints but this seems like something he can win and help other nonbelievers-military and civilian alike, know they won't be ignored and quieted and overlooked because of their atheism.
This video has a major point, in my opinion.
Ellen Johnson of American Atheists says that she isnt going to vote in november because none of the candidates are willing to give us the acknowledgement we deserve. None of them care about us, or what we think of the issues.
We make up about 11% of voters in the US. Thats a larger minority than blacks and gays.
Now I admit that I have NEVER voted in my life. I made this decision for the reason that none of the candidates in history have ever been honest, or keep their promises to the people. But after seeing this video I feel that Ellen is on the right track.
What do you all think of this? Do you feel that you should still vote, even though all of the candidates cater to the religious?
If I may stay on my soapbox for a bit longer, I'd like to make a point of my own.
Ellen is right in pointing out that we probably shouldn't vote if we don't get the respect we deserve from the candidates. But: us simply not showing up at the polls isn't enough. They'll say it was just poor turnout.
The french philosopher Sartre said (yes, remember I'm a philosophy nerd...) that nothing can be done without class awareness. Without it, all efforts are useless.
What I am suggesting is that we get together and make some noise. Let the media know why we are choosing to not vote. Heck, theyre not even aware of what is going on right now. They have no idea that we are upset. No idea, or dont care, it could go either way.
*end soapbox*
I've started a thread in this forum on the issue. Please go there to comment. I hope to hear from all of you. The link is below. Click here.
This guy just rocks!
I am so looking forward to his upcoming documentary.
I also dig how he calls us 'rationalists'.
I think ill start using that term.
Catholics are the creepiest
A short video about a bunch of dead corpses that the Catholic Church keeps around.
...and I thought I was a packrat.
I know that I've been bad lately at keeping up with the forum, but today I was able to add some new features.
Check 'em out.
Auto Embed Videos With this feature, you no longer have to use the 'youtube' button to embed a video into your posts. All you have to do is copy and paste the URL of the video into the text box when you post, and it automatically embeds the video. This also works for google video, and any other video website.
User Control Panel From now on, when you click on the 'Profile' button in the top menu, it will take you to your very own User CP, a new interface where you can change your settings, etc.
Let me know what you guys think of the new features!
A movie adaptation from Philip Pullman's children's book, "The Golden Compass," is drawing controversy for strong anti-Catholic and anti-religion themes. Is the movie an example of 'atheist evangelism'? Discussing the issues of the movie, the book, and religion itself is Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom from Religion Foundation and Fox News religion contributor Father Jonathan Morris. (30 Oct 2007)
Ah, it starts again! One more mainstream non-religious movie. Remember when the DaVinci code came out? The boycotts, the angry television interviews...? Here's one for the upcoming movie The Golden Compass. I have no idea what it's about, but it looks good. They say that it promotes thinking in kids. I wonder if my sister will let my nieces and nephews watch it? She's very religious. Maybe I'll buy them a copy for X-mas.
