1. They had already been banned from schools as teachers said they were “too distracting” for other pupils - so they have never learnt to read or write, one of their biggest regrets in life.

Holy shit.

Thank god nothing like that happens now. Thank you, ADA/IDEA.

2. I'm not the most sedentary person in the nation!

3. This study involves some categorization/conception of religious belief that I found pretty interesting. Including this definition and analysis:

Fundamentalism (the belief that there is one set of religious teachings that clearly contain the essential, inerrant truth) was linked both to greater homophobia and racism. So fundamentalist religion generates group cohesion that's sufficiently powerful to overcome the non-racist message of conventional Christianity.

4. Sweet.

This especially kind of blows my mind:

So many Americans claim no religion at all (15%, up from 8% in 1990), that this category now outranks every other major U.S. religious group except Catholics and Baptists.

Not that I think non-believers should take over and/or start converting. But I can't help but think this will mean increased visibility and therefore increased societal acceptance.

5. So yeah. Old news:

The controversy erupted when media reported that a nine-year-old girl from the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco had had an abortion to remove twin fetuses. The girl and her family learned she was 15 weeks pregnant when she went to hospital complaining of pains.

The girl, who has not been identified, told authorities her step-father had sexually abused her since age six. The 23-year-old step-father is currently in police custody.

Here's the kicker:

Upon learning of the abortion, the regional archbishop excommunicated the doctors, as well as the girl's mother. He did not excommunicate the step-father, saying the crime he is alleged to have committed, although deplorable, was not as bad as ending a fetus's life.

Holy.

Fucking.

Shit.

Sometimes I truly hate this world.

1. Gift ideas, anyone?

2. First, ow. Second:

The scientists then pumped up the sexual organ with a tiny artificial inflator powered by a water-jet vacuum pump.

...Wow.

3. Another one! But this one didn't spontaneously regenerate a smaller version of itself while in captivity.

4. They have the opportunity to train a penguin, and they train it to go shopping....

5. I'm amazed Brown doesn't make an appearance on this list.

1. A New York hunter may be feeling a bit sheepish after mistaking a feral llama in Paradise Valley for a Rocky Mountain elk, but he apparently did not violate any laws.

I'd like you to focus on the words 'feral' and 'llama'. They're next to each other. This amuses me greatly.

2. A flow chart of sorts, showing which languages are considered most difficult by other language speakers. Based mostly on the equivalent of the phrase "it's all Greek to me" in various languages. I wonder where Icelandic would fall on there....

3. There's plenty of ridiculous fundamentalist bullshit here, but the funniest part is that they assume that only homosexuals get up to these kinds of shenanigans.

Though I agree it's kind of sketchy to book this kind of event at a venue that isn't fully informed of the planned activities. While I'm fine with consenting adults -- of any sexual orientation -- participating, somehow I don't think it'd be cool for some poor kid staying at the hotel to stumble across some of the spillover....

4. I find this paper and its subject pretty boring, honestly, but the title is pretty awesome.

5. Ha. I'm so looking forward to re-entering academia.

1. And now we have an American version of the bus ad. I like it better than the British version, but it could still be (mis?)interpreted as being a bit combative/condescending. I like that it addresses the morality-without-religion issue, though.

I have no objection to this, however.

Seriously. Well done. There's no way critics can call that offensive without looking like defensive idiots.

2. Everybody raise their hand who's surprised that Haggard is blaming someone else for his behavior.

Anyone?

Bueller?

3. In a brilliant and tactful move, a government official has unwittingly compared all non-Christian beliefs to despotism. Discussing a (non-Christian) religious group's request to place a monument beside the Ten Commandments:

"You have a Statute of Liberty, do we have to have a statue of despotism?" said Chief Justice John Roberts.

4. How do conservative talking heads do it? Just like you'd think they do it -- by playing on people's fears and their desire to be thought of as oppressed underdogs.

5. Kick-ass Aztec costume/make-up. I'm confused by the Aryan-blue eyes, though.

1. About damn time. Though, like it says in the article, it needs to be expanded to first-years too.

2. Wasn't Sesame Street supposed to be educational?

What precisely is the lesson to be learned from this? That information can be looked up in books?

And this? That disco is scary and early techno is good?

3. Let's learn about animals!

(From a 16th century bestiary....)

The Hyena

[I]t stalks the sheepfolds of shepherds and circles their houses by night, and by listening carefully learns their speech, so that it can imitate the human voice, in order to fall on any man whom it has lured out at night.

The hyena also [imitates] human vomit and devours the dogs it has enticed with faked sounds of retching.

The Parrot

Its skull is so thick, that if ever you have to admonish it with blows to learn - for it tries hard to speak like men - you should beat it with an iron rod.

Man

Varro says that the kidneys, renes, are so called because streams, rivus, of the obscene fluid [semen] rise there.

The loins, lumbi, get their name from the wantonness of lust, libido, because the seat of fleshly pleasure in men is there, just as in women it is in the navel.

The word for testicles, testiculi, is a diminutive of testis, witness; there is a minumum of two. They supply to the penis, calamus, semen which the kidneys and loins take from the spinal cord, in order to create a fetus.

The posterior parts of the body are so called because they are at the rear, turned away from the face, lest when we empty our bowels, we should defile our gaze.

4. This is far too much fun.

5. It's always amazing how much the human body can be modified and still function.

1. From the TWoP recap of Dancing with the Stars:

Backstage, everyone is chanting for the Gute. I think they all had a little too much sugar before the show.

No, I still think Penn started it.

Penn pretends to fall down while walking backstage because he can't not be the center of attention.

Ha. So true. But so entertaining.

2. An amusing take on the taboo of criticizing religious beliefs.

The most common excuse is to claim that non-adherents of a religion should not "offend" religious believers by criticizing their faith. This argument is based on the idea that criticism of a belief system is the same as a personal attack on the believers. Sometimes, and in some cases, such a connection may be valid -- but for the most part it is not.

Good point.

3. Your God must be a real dick.

4. This is a good idea, actually. And why am I not surprised that they're based in Oregon?

5. Is Atheism Only a Bundle of Sentiments?

exposing atheism “more as a bundle of sentiments than a coherent doctrine.”

I don't know about anyone else, but part of the reason I'm an atheist is because there isn't a doctrine. Atheism, to me, is a loose group of ideas or ways of thinking. That's all. But that's a good thing.

This semester, I learned that one of my colleagues is teaching our Sociology of Religion course with two supplemental texts, neither of which could be characterized as sociological in nature.

Since when do texts used in social science courses have to fit strictly into their specific little subfields? And notice the word "supplemental" up there? Yeah. That means they're extra, not the core of the readings. You said it yourself, dude.

And then there's this:

Back in my days as an atheist, speaking truthfully on a panel would have required a public admission that I rejected Christianity largely because it would not have allowed me to continue getting drunk and high every night while splitting time between four girlfriends.

Because one guy's reason/s for being an atheist is surely the same as any other person's reason/s. [The same argument applies in reverse, though. One guy's idiotic reason for believing in god doesn't mean that all believers are equally idiotic.]

This did make me think, though, about why I'm usually reluctant to talk about my personal reasons for being an atheist. When it comes down to it, I think it's a combination of three factors. 1) I suck at arguing/debating anything, 2) I don't want to offend the usually religious person I'm talking with (which is nigh unavoidable since many religious people think the very existence of atheism is a personal attack against them), and 3) I've been burned too many times already.

Don't get me wrong. I've had it relatively easy. I've never lost real friends or a job due to my nonbelief. But I grew up in the Midwest. I've experienced enough friction over this topic to make staying in the closet often preferable to confrontation.

1. My first reaction to this:

Bad principal. Bad. No more treats.

Then I realized he's in a really tough situation.

Principal Timothy Voels and a sign language translator were waiting for Cave and Simba at the entrance and laid down the law[.]

First, if the school provided an interpreter at all times, the need for a service dog would be moot. But I can also see how the kid might prefer being more independent, which the dog would facilitate by eliminating the need for a human shadow tagging along all day.

But school officials think the Labrador Retriever could aggravate or serve as a distraction to students with severe allergies and would pose a danger during fire and emergency lockdown drills.

I can understand the worry about allergies. But distraction? After awhile the novelty would wear off. And if the kid knows what he's doing, he won't let people randomly pet and/or interact with his service dog. Lastly, a danger during drills? I don't quite see that. But I'm open to a more specific explanation.

Cave's family countered that the 1,500-student school could be outfitted with air filters.

Now that's a bit excessive, I think. But then again, do they really have students so severely allergic to dogs that they can't stand being in the same classroom with one for, say, one hour a day?

Also, judging by the photo accompanying the article, that dog is not old enough to be done with its training. It looks like a half-grown puppy. I could be wrong about that. And even if I'm right, I'm not sure what the implications for this case would be, other than complicating matters because the dog is in training and therefore not yet an official service animal (though in-training guide dogs are given the same access as trained guide dogs, apparently).

2. Have I talked about this before?

Even if I have, it's worth another mention. I mean, come on. It's Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter.

3. So the church-sponsored month-long sex-fest is over.

If the goal was to improve marriages, I can't say I agree with their methods. I'd wager that most people's sex drives aren't ideally sated with daily sex. In fact, I'd say that's overkill for most people. Can't the married couples just talk to each other about what their ideal schedule would be? Wouldn't that serve the same purpose? And wouldn't daily sex between an already-incompatible couple only aggravate the problem further? Though I suppose from a practical standpoint, that's probably good. If the marriage isn't working, it's probably best to end it sooner rather than later (except where there are kids involved). And I doubt the church wanted this exercise to result in divorces.

Doug learned that Lorena's top need is spending time together. Lorena learned that Doug's top need is openness and honesty.

"We're finding things out about each other that we didn't know,'' he said. "It's really brought us together as a couple.''

Shouldn't they have known that already, without forced sex as a catalyst for disclosure?

The same goes for Paul Wirth, the pastor at Relevant Church. He and his wife of 16 years, Susie, took the challenge to refocus their relationship and inspire others, using the Bible as their guide.

Are they saying the Bible encourages daily sex for married couples? Can I see a citation, please?

4. An interesting discussion of legalization of prostitution. Before, I'd probably say I was for legalization, simply because I don't think government should prohibit victimless behaviors for the sake of moral policing. But there are some compelling arguments here:

The Netherlands formally adopted the legalization model in 2000, and there were modest public health benefits for the licensed prostitutes. But legalization nurtured a large sex industry and criminal gangs that trafficked underage girls, and so trafficking, violence and child prostitution flourished rather than dying out.

And again, Sweden comes to the rescue:

In contrast, Sweden experimented in 1999 with a radically different approach that many now regard as much more successful: it decriminalized the sale of sex but made it a crime to buy sex. In effect, the policy was to arrest customers, but not the prostitutes.

Some Swedish prostitutes have complained that the policy reduced demand and thus lowered prices, while forcing sex work underground. But the evidence is strong that the new approach reduced trafficking in Sweden, and opinion polls show that Swedes regard the experiment as a considerable success.

Interesting approach.

I think that the problem with legalization schemes is that prostitution is more, for the majority of the customers, about buying the opportunity to treat a woman like utter trash.

Sadly, this is often the case, I'd wager. But it's definitely not 100%. And what about male prostitutes? Or dominatrixes? They're paid to be the treater-like-trash, not the treatee.

Which is why I tear my hair out at the people who focus on the exceptions, like Kerry Howley arguing that prostitution is about women who love sex so much they want to make it a career.

Meh. I think that's a weak and possibly false argument. Though there are probably a few cases that would confirm it.

There’s probably a few high class hookers that fit the “love sex so much I do it for a career” model, and probably even more that are just really good looking women who figure it’s easy cash, even if they don’t have any illusions that it’s a great time having sex with the kind of assholes who pay for it.

I'm actually going to come to the defense of people who pay for sex here, strangely. I doubt they're all assholes. What if someone just wants an honest sexual experience without worrying about the emotional pitfalls otherwise (often) inherent in the process? The fact that it's not an experience I would seek out doesn't mean I have the right to condemn those who would seek it.

5. Didn't this already happen a few years ago? Anyone else remember that?

Sex and the Church

1. British lawmakers vote to abolish blasphemy laws

Sweet. Even a country with a state religion can legislate sanely.

2. Sometimes, frogs can be sad.

3. On the surface, House Bill 2211 (RTF file) sounds like a nod to religious freedom. A good thing.

If they can argue that one should be able to opt out of science curriculum due to religious freedom, then one should be able to opt out of using Standard English due to freedom of speech. If you're gonna go for one, go for the other. They use the same argument. Yet somehow I don't think the Spanish and non-Standard English speakers (who are mostly non-white) will get quite as much sympathy as the religious fundamentalists (who are mostly white).

Simplest solution: admit that learning Standard English and evolution-based science is a necessity for getting a job in this country. That doesn't necessarily mean the standard is better or more valid; it just means that it's endorsed by whoever's in power at the time.

4. “Kevin and Mandy had been married 18 months and worried that they had not conceived a child.

“It turned out they had never had full intercourse.”

Not to worry -- Church of England to the rescue!

Officials decided to write the book because of concern about the high number of divorces.

Well, lack of sexual compatibility can lead to divorce. But guess what can lead to lack of sexual compatibility? Abstaining from intercourse before marriage so you don't know if you're sexually compatible, perhaps?

5. The Vatican to the rescue: It's A Sin Not To Do It.

Another chapter likely to raise eyebrows unearths theological justification for post-coital masturbation for women who fail to achieve orgasm during intercourse.

Next thing you know they'll be advocating sex for non-procreative purposes!

1. THE Lakota Indians, who gave the world legendary warriors Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, have withdrawn from treaties with the US.

I'm not sure what to think of this. I mean, good for them. But I think the chances of this succeeding are slim to none.

2. Apparently Cahokia wasn't the only ancient site to have built a Woodhenge.

Also, I guess the aliens-built-Stonehenge theory is now moot. Who knew. Actual humans were responsible for it the whole time.

3. Most Sexually Healthy City: Tacoma, Washington

Weird. What precisely were their criteria, I wonder?

4. An entire Japanese island that's been abandoned and left to disintegrate. What makes ruins so compelling to me? (There's also some hardcore long-exposure night-time photography going on there that's pretty awesome.)

5. I've linked to this before, but it's so good I have to plug it again. Warnings include some NSFW language and (*gasp*) humorous criticism of the war in Iraq.

Academic content only?

Let me introduce you to the Gablers. They founded and head "a conservative Christian organization that reviews public school textbooks submitted for adoption in Texas." In their own words:

[W]e review textbooks for academic content only.

Let's see about that....

Review Criteria for elementary reading programs:

Story content should present:

Sensitive treatment of benefits to children of strong, stable, two-parent families

Equal stress on Europe's literary, religious, and cultural heritage compared to other regions [Because Europe is so underrepresented and maligned in the canon of Western literature.]

Review Criteria for high school world history texts:

Prevent stereotypes of whites-as-oppressors and people-of-color-as-victims from slanting discussions of Western imperialism

Review Criteria for high school American Literature texts:

Story content should present:

A universe that rewards virtue and punishes vice, where good and evil are not moral equivalents, and where problems have solutions [Oh yeah. Let's teach the kids that if their problem doesn't have a solution, it's their fault.]

No sensational violence, offensive language or illustrations, occultism, or deviant lifestyles (e.g., homosexuality)

Anthologize substantive selections from...pre-Civil War figures/sources, so that the mid-point of the course is no later than 1865 [Is this a literature course or a history course??]

And here's where we get to the good stuff.

Review Criteria for health texts:

Avoid asexual stealth phrases and definitions that covertly legitimize homosexuality.

"Gender identity" should not mean "sexual orientation," implying that homosexuality is innate, not learned.

"Parenting" should not include homosexual "adoptions." [So now the word 'adoption' only pertains to heterosexual couples?]

Discuss emotional/ethical harm of sexual activity outside marriage.

Reject idle self-contemplation, underachievement, and non-competitiveness. [Because non-competitiveness is such a dangerous and degenerate personality trait.]

Note benefits of population growth, such as better transportation to larger markets and more creativity. [And more people to evangelize!]

1. I can see both sides of this one, but I think I'm siding with the outraged parents. An atypical neurology does not equate with a malevolent baby-snatcher.

2. Looks like a good movie. I'm a tad worried it'll mean even more people asking me, "How many languages do you speak?" when I mention I'm a linguist. I think I'll manage.

3. Huckabee, of course, thinks wives should submit unconditionally to their husbands. Wonder if he's a fan of our friends here?

4. Is it just me, or could this just as easily be interpreted as "making fun of" nontheists?

And some more Whining from the Privileged:

He continued, “Christians have always been used to being punch bags but I would have hoped that, in a society in which we are seeking to show respect to all people and beliefs, we might have grown out of this kind of nonsense.”

I have nothing to add. Just found that gratingly amusing.

You know, it just occurred to me that it might all boil down to this: For the first time in history of this country, American Christians are being asked/expected/prodded to explain and defend themselves. Every other religion has had to do this since the inception of the nation. Every other opinion, or value, or school of thought, or political movement has had to do the same. It's not oppression -- it's what's expected of everybody. Simple accountability. But Christians have gotten used to not having to be accountable for their beliefs.

5. This is really, really sad. At this rate the species will go extinct five times over before there's an American president who dares to even hint at not believing in god.

1. I successfully replaced my laptop's distorted LCD. By myself. Armed with nothing but a screwdriver and some print-outs. And I didn't even electrocute myself once. Let's hope it doesn't fall apart next week.

2. Really creepy but strangely compelling.

3. Really fucking creepy but not at all compelling. These people are using the Bible as an excuse to practice lifestyle Discipline/Domination/Submission. I mean, if you wanna do the latter, go for it. But don't claim you're only doing it because God wants you to do it (and not, God forbid, because you get off on it).

4.
From here.

5. Hee.

1. "If you can have 'The Passion of the Christ' on one hand, then you can have 'The Golden Compass' on the other." [From here.]

Uh. Comparing the two? I don't think there's much in the way of drawn out, bloody pornographic torture in the Pullman movie. I also think 'Compass' might also have a plot and not just an ideological agenda to bash people over the heads with.

Not that I'm really all that positive on 'Compass.' I heard the screenplay was shit.

2. While this is not a litmus test for sexual orientation, Witelson said this finding could prove to be one additional valuable piece of information for physicians and individuals who are trying to determine their sexual orientation. "Sometimes people aren't sure of their sexual orientation." [From here.]

This sounds a little dangerous. I don't think anatomy or physiology should be the be-all and end-all of someone's identity. If I were confused about my gender identification or sexual preference, I wouldn't want some glorified version of phrenology (okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but still...) telling me who I am. But this is purely speculative, so I suppose those who've experienced it first hand deserve the final say.

3. This is pretty disgusting. Parents don't always like/get along with their biological children. Yet they don't (usually) try to return them like defective merchandise. First of all, they can't. Second, it would be wrong to do so. You have a child (by whatever means), you automatically take on responsibility until they're of age.

4. Duh.

Though I'd like to see a study done by someone without a vested interest in the outcome....

5. This pretty much sums up my opinion as well.

1. Yay!

2. The mouse-over makes it worth it.

3. Possible alternative employment opportunity?

4. Remember O'Reilly's expose on Brown's SexPowerGod party? Someone finally realized that it, as well as many of his other segments, was just an excuse to talk about girls making out with each other.

5. I have no idea how school vouchers work in reality, but I actually don't agree with the church-state separationists on this one. If the vouchers work for religious schools as well as prep schools and whatever other private/alternative education options are around, I don't see the problem.

Harold and Maude gone terribly, terribly wrong. (Not that it could ever really go in any way right.)

She was his guardian??

1. Sad.

2. I'm fine with studying the Bible in school, if it's treated like any other piece of text. Analyzed. Questioned. It's an important part of American cultural history and obviously still effects current events.

I'm a little worried about the authors of this particular textbook, but I'll -- for once -- try to stay optimistic and just assume it's all right....

3. This article didn't particularly hold my interest, but I love this sentence:

Psychologists Nathan DeWall of the University of Kentucky and Roy Baumeister of Florida State University ran three experiments to study existential dread in the laboratory.

4. The Best Club Ever.

5. An article discussing people with disabilities patronizing prostitutes. I have no problem with it (the article or the concept), but I'm disappointed by the comments from people claiming that prostitution automatically constitutes violence toward women. Pfft. And what about male prostitutes? Somehow I don't think these people would see them as poor, put-upon victims. (I am aware that some women in sex work are there against their will or preference, but obviously they don't comprise the entirety of the industry....)

Amusing

In the state of Texas, it's illegal for a dick to touch an asshole.

Time to Spare

1. What kind of person invents and then patents this?

I'm not saying he/she is a bad person, necessarily. Just not an ordinary one.

2. I just watched a documentary about David Bowie's teeth. The specter of show withdrawal rears its ugly head as I look for entertainment in the strangest of places....

Roll Up

1. I always suspected....

2. This starts out "funny as hell," ends on "fucking scary."

Yellow Dart Needs Food Badly

1. This makes me wish I could legitimately claim to be Native American.

2. Good idea, guys.