quick recap

this is the way it is. Via PZ, natch.

Fundamentalists: believe 2+2 =5 because It Is Written. Somewhere. They have a lot of trouble on their tax returns.

“Moderate” believers: live their lives on the basis that 2+2=4. but go regularly to church to be told that 2+2 once made 5, or will one day make 5, or in a very real and spiritual sense should make 5.

“Moderate” atheists: know that 2+2 =4 but think it impolite to say so too loudly as people who think 2+2=5 might be offended.

“Militant” atheists: “Oh for pity’s sake. HERE. Two pebbles. Two more pebbles. FOUR pebbles. What is WRONG with you people?”

(props to Stephen Wells.)

finally

nicely summed up “controversy” over “evolution” (i don’t think anti-evolutionists even understand it):

There aren’t two sides in this debate, unless you count presenting the facts as one side, and presenting a batshit insane lie as the other.

That’s basically the rightwing’s whole approach, to economics, to geopolitics, to science, to everything they do. “Well, now, you may have the facts and figures and pretty logic on your side, but I didn’t come from no monkey!

Wha? Of course not, asshole. Why would monkeys still be around? Anyways, read the link, it’s good stuff.

well now

I thought my answers were pretty reasonable, I don’t consider myself militantly anything, other than militantly pro-Constitution.

You scored as Militant Atheist, Willing to take theists to task, the Militant Atheist is someone who knows deep within themselves that there is no god and they want to tell you all about how they know. Even though they’re as annoying in their own way as militant theists, this is often a phase of development and doesn’t tend to last very long. If it does, they’re in danger of becoming an Angry Atheist and making everyone uncomfortable.

Militant Atheist

67%

Angry Atheist

58%

Apathetic Atheist

58%

Scientific Atheist

58%

Spiritual Atheist

50%

Agnostic

25%

Theist

17%

What kind of atheist are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Via Pharyngula

random fridayity

the implications of me posting a link to American Conservative magazine are staggering. Staggering. But this article is pretty good despite some standard con stupidity. snagged from Wolcott:

A secular value system is of course no guarantee against injustice and brutality, but then neither is Christianity. America’s antebellum plantation owners found solid support for slaveholding in their cherished Bible, to name just one group of devout Christians who have brought suffering to the world.

Escondido caught fire about ten minutes after i left the exact area yesterday! I was taking elise home from the doctor and drove by this joint. a bit later, fwoosh! big burny! scary. luckily no one got hurt. i saw lance who noted they were having trouble selling those condos, and he feels someone lit it up to avoid taking a bath on the project. the TV news said it was being treated as a “crime scene” but we’ll see. arson investigators are pretty good at finding out how fires start, so i’m thinking we’ll know. i hope it’s marie waldron, and they lock her racist, homeless-hating ass up for 50 years. i doubt it though. i get to dream don’t i?

in kingdom of loathing there’s an area thats up above the clouds, and you can go to a spot called the hole in the sky to fight constellations. not kidding. all the constellations are named after penis jokes, like the hooded warrior and skinflute, complete with constellation-style pics in KoL style (ie stick figures, which constellations generally are anyways, if you have a crazy head). i don’t know what i’m getting at, but it made me laugh.
go play KoL, i’m grabulater. send me a message. fun times.

also, both lance and jerm told me that their show on saturday, at distinction gallery, went over very well. outside, cold, people dancing and yelling for more. not bad. apparently it was viewed by a mr. jim traeseger, of the north county times. lance is the drummer for, and jeremy the bassist for, the bologna ponies. they play a kind of insane circus music that’s a blast to listen to. i’ve read this guy’s crap op-eds for a while now, and he’s generally a huge d-bag. he’s in the “entertainment” section and yet constantly writes political op-eds. listen jim, i can get bad opinion on stuff the writer knows jack shit about from my own website, i don’t need your help. clam up already. i heard from a few people that apparently, after watching the show, he was gathering info from the manager of the gallery. he did a little research into the name of the band and realized, my goodness! it’s a slang term for a penis! this apparently was too much for ol’ jim to handle, and after a nice lie-down and some xanax he decided not to review the band. funny if true.
i have no idea how to spell chante’s name: