2008-08-31

"Swamp-the-intersections rain"




Hat tip : Zy

I think this is yet another nail in the coffin of God ever existing. James Dobson from the religious right wing group "Focus on the family" begged his "flock" to pray to God for rain to upset Obama's outdoor speech.

From here

Shepard called for "abundant rain, torrential rain ... flood-advisory rain." He adds, "I'm talking about umbrella-ain't-gonna-help-you rain ... swamp-the-intersections rain." Explaining why he wants everyone to pray for rain, Shepard explains, without a hint of humor, "I'm still pro-life, and I'm still in favor or marriage being between one man and one woman. And I would like the next president who will select justices for the next Supreme Court to agree."


I think if God exists, do you think he would allow such death from floods to begin with? Or I guess all those good Christians who died in hurricane Katrina were really just "evil". Or the city of New Orleans was just "evil" and God needed to punish the city.

With Gustav bearing down on New Orleans again, I wonder if New Orleans was so "evil" that he needed to punish it again three years later?

2008-08-30

category 4




At least we have a competent person (or so we hope) in charge: R. David Paulison

2008-08-29

Meanwhile, in the real world




Let us not forget the failure that was New Orleans and Katrina. It is starting to not look good at all with this storm and the projected path.

Forget about Palin. There are more serious issues at hand. I doubt the situation in New Orleans has improved in three long years.

If New Orleans gets hit again the consequences are going to be inexcusable. Three LONG years later.

Its a shit sandwich. And we're all going to have to take a bite of it.

2008-08-25

Dnc blogger lounge


Dnc blogger lounge
Originally uploaded by Dan Patterson
It seems as though these are getting later and later in the year. in 2004, I remember stepping off a plane at Logan after a red-eye from Denver in the end of June cause Daniella hadn't been born yet. And I remember that being the day when John Kerry made his way into the inner harbor and security was tight.

I saw this photo from Dan and thought it was interesting. I thought it was in poor taste for the RNC to hold its convention in Sept. 2004 in NYC trying to fearmonger and milk as much out of the memory of 9/11 as they can. According to a blog post I read, GWB took the stage at the RNC on Aug. 3rd 2000.

If you aren't Christian, F- You

Like a big middle finger, to the victims and victims families of the 9-11 attacks who weren't Christian, someone (it is unknown at this time) decided it was a good idea to erect a cross using WTC steel at the Shanksville crash site. On the one hand, I see no harm in letting people grieve in the way that they need to. If it gives them solace, so be it. But on the other hand I see this as a huge slap in the face to anyone who died that day who wasn't Christian. It almost seems -after reading the article- that they are circumventing the legitimate memorial construction. Since the AP is the only outlet reporting this, and they are being total dickheads regarding copy / paste of articles even though you include the source in a link back. I will not copy /paste the article here. This is ongoing and I'll follow it closely.

2008-08-20

Eerie




I was listening to skeptoid and heard an analysis of the "lost cosmonauts" and the recordings are truly eerie and creepy. One of which has been sampled on a mix I heard from Banyek (UER (LIVE@RADIO TILOS) 2007. 02. 05)at the beginning of the mix around 1:29. (LISTEN). I didn't know what it was at the time but now I found out what it is.

The English translation is as follows:

five...four...three ...two...one...one
two...three...four...five...
come in... come in... come in...
LISTEN...LISTEN! ...COME IN!
COME IN... COME IN... TALK TO ME!
TALK TO ME!... I AM HOT!... I AM HOT!
WHAT?... FORTYFIVE?... WHAT?...
FORTYFIVE?... FIFTY?...
YES...YES...YES... BREATHING...
BREATHING... OXYGEN...
OXYGEN... I AM HOT... (THIS)
ISN'T THIS DANGEROUS?... IT'S ALL...
ISN'T THIS DANGEROUS?... IT'S ALL...
YES...YES...YES... HOW IS THIS?
WHAT?... TALK TO ME!... HOW SHOULD I
TRANSMIT? YES...YES...YES...
WHAT? OUR TRANSMISSION BEGINS NOW...
FORTYONE... THIS WAY... OUR
TRANSMISSION BEGINS NOW...
FORTYONE... THIS WAY... OUR
TRANSMISSION BEGINS NOW...
FORTYONE... YES... I FEEL HOT...
I FEEL HOT... IT'S ALL... IT'S HOT...
I FEEL HOT... I FEEL HOT... I FEEL HOT...
... I CAN SEE A FLAME!... WHAT?...
I CAN SEE A FLAME!... I CAN SEE A
FLAME!...
I FEEL HOT... I FEEL HOT... THIRTYTWO...
THIRTYTWO... FORTYONE... FORTYONE

AM I GOING TO CRASH?... YES...YES... I FEEL HOT!...
I FEEL HOT!... I WILL REENTER!... I WILL REENTER...
I AM LISTENING!... I FEEL HOT!...

Whether or not this is the dying voice of the first woman cosmonaut it is unknown. If anything the Judica-Cordiglia recordings are interesting and are worth a listen.


The background to the recording is here Also this can be heard in the YT video:

2008-08-18

Odd


George Bush street
Originally uploaded by monkeypile
I shared this in Google Reader. But I have to ask why is there a Goerge W. Bush St. in Tbilisi? Odd.

File under: WTF

Not Blogging

This blog is pretty dead. I just haven't had the chance to write at all. Not even using my N810 - there just isn't time to.

An alternative is to go over to my Shared items page - which is a blog in a sense. I come across something cool and I share it. It can be looked at as my new page. Blogging takes time, it starts with reading, in which I use reader to do. I think using the shared items is a good way of sharing things in a blog format. Its pretty cool. Call me lazy but I really can't invest too much time writing lately. Its also a great way to share podcasts - what I am listening to at the moment.

Head over for something to read.

a welcome change


a welcome change
Originally uploaded by Chris1051
lots of cool air moving in at night but we trade off a break in heat and humidity with increased ozone in the air.

2008-08-14

A Battleground




And I am on the front lines of it. These people will not rest until we become "Christian America" as outlined in the TOE YRNL episode called "Holy War"

2008-08-13

Fun Bible verse of the day


BibleNut
Originally uploaded by Chris1051
"Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

If you don't believe in God you will die? This begs the question. Is hell a real place then? There is an excellent write up in the SAB about this question.

Wednesday Morning post


Bad
Originally uploaded by Chris1051
I was talking with a colleague about the use of coal-fired power plants and yes they still burn it like they did in 1825. If you live in middle TN your power may come from hydro but it may come from a monstrosity like this. This photo was taken in Cumberland City, TN and it is the TVA's Cumberland plant.

After fantasizing about winning the lottery, I got to thinking about my dream house. I thought for sure I would love to get some solar panels and wind turbines on an efficiently built house. (This lottery fantasy is another post altogether) but I know for sure I would not buy an SUV nor would I buy a sports car. Sure a Bugatti Veyron would be extremely fun to drive, but I wouldn't want to own one.

More on this later.

2008-08-12

Fun Bible Verse of the day

"Psalm 37:38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off."

Poor Examples


Annoyed
Originally uploaded by Jsome1


I came across an article and I was going to comment but the whole "you must register to leave a comment" rigmarole seemed too troubling. Then I got to thinking. And then finally, sure I'll go ahead and blog this cause I haven't blogged in a while and I figured this needed addressing.

The article in question is at this location.

This is of course, an opinion piece. And Norris Burkes is doing well to spark emotions. On the Christian side, I am sure there are plenty of Amen's, at a boy's and pats-on-the-back. But for people like me this article evokes an emotional response so I will admit right up front, I am going to analyze this with a biased eye.

The part that really annoyed me was not even from Burkes' own words but a quoting of another article authored by Nicholas Kristof:

Dawkins encourages his readers to imagine a world without 9/11, Crusades, witch hunts, Israeli/Palestinian wars, Serb/Croat/Muslim massacres, Northern Ireland "troubles," "honor killings" or "shiny-suited bouffant-haired televangelists fleecing gullible people of their money."

Kristof asks you to imagine a world without the infamous atheistic leadership of Mao Zedong, Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot.

Thankfully, Kristof, a world traveler, sees another side.

"Every time I travel in the poorest parts of Africa, I see missionary hospitals ... churches (that) galvanize their members to support soup kitchens, homeless shelters and clinics that otherwise would not exist. Religious constituencies have pushed for more action on AIDS, malaria, sex trafficking and Darfur's genocide, and believers often give large proportions of their incomes to charities that are a lifeline to the neediest."


Firstly, the above argument set in place by Dawkins is valid. People do horrible things in the name and under the guise of religion. Religion gets a free pass, of any criticism. In Kristof's very weak argument that those horrible dictators did those horrible things they did in the name of atheism is laughable. They did those horrible things they did because they are horrible people not because they shun religion. Religion is not the basis of morality. If you are reading this and you disagree, ask yourself this. If there were no 10 commandments - no "thou shalt not kill" would you honestly go into your kitchen drawer and pick up a chef's knife and stab someone? Of course you wouldn't. If you believe, as I do, that killing is wrong, you just don't do it. If you still disagree, and would only not kill out of fear of God's judgment than I question your moral center. Saying that those dictators who all happen to be atheists did those things on the basis of their non belief is invalid. It is not the same as saying that the Westboro Baptist Church among a multitude of others promote hate on the basis of his religion. (which would be true - if you read the bible). I don't make the generalization that all Christians hate homosexuals. I am aware that religion does some good. I have heard that Hamas gives money to families in need and also Farrakhan helps young black men in getting off the streets.

In the last paragraph Its a good thing Kristof brings up AIDS and Africa. It is none other than the Catholic Church that has discouraged the use of condoms in AIDS stricken Africa. It is this example, where their dogma has a shocking human cost.

2008-08-06

People who do not deserve to have kids

Tennessean

Nashville

A Nashville woman has been arrested after she left her 5-week-old son in her car while shopping in a Goodwill store, according to Metro police.

Shatckia Elam, 26, of Hillside Avenue was charged Saturday with reckless endangerment after a Goodwill worker noticed Reginald Hill Jr. inside the car and called the fire and police departments.
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The baby was taken to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and treated for dehydration.

Elam said the child had fallen asleep and she forgot he was in the car.

— MATT MEDVED



Um... She FORGOT!?!? This deserves a WTF!

2008-08-01

Forecast : Preset oven, bake



They changed Sunday's high of 98 (36.6 C) to 95 (35 C) but Tuesday is now supposed to get to 97 (36 C).

New Moon today


Moon5crop
Originally uploaded by Chris1051
This is of course just a picture I took a while back. I am only using it to illustrate this blog. There is no visible moon now. As I type this the moon is 1% full You will have a hard time viewing it at RA 8h 55m 32.3s, Dec 18d 2m 56.2s. At a current distance of 368,423 km and an angular diameter of 32m 26.1s.

For learning about phases of the moon I recommend the USNO