Picture says it all

picture source: National Geographic

In the wheelbarrow is the body of Dorothy who died of natural causes and is about to be buried, while the rest quietly look on. I really wonder what they are thinking!

Redundancy

Do I really need to say anything? Just one question though - how do you tell the difference between "hearing voices" and religious "conversations/messages"? Don't get me wrong, I know that schizophrenia is a serious illness! Still, what would be the difference and how would you know?

Redundancy

Do I really need to say anything?

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Redundancy

Isn't the second part a given?

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cats!!!

I found this link at Skepchick and for all you cat lovers, just on more reason to like them I guess and now you can get therapy for free although I think this just shows how evil cats are and that they are just manipulating all of you into loving them in the first place (evil evil things!!!)

“The regulation of hypnotherapists in the UK is so lax that even a cat can become accredited, the BBC has found.” From Madfishmonger

Is this still porn-O-graphic if it has science?

I found a link at Skepchick to a picture at College Humor and thought I would share: is it still nerdy or is it just hot?

In my opinion it's event better with the formula's LOL

Update

OK so I had a great Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and got a little work in while I could. It has been getting colder (-7C) at times and the days are getting shorter: sucks! My comprehensive exams start soon which means 4 weeks of hell but at least it will be over with. Up till now this semester I have been primarily working on getting my DNA sequencing to work and extracting DNA from the blood samples so lots of time in the lab which won;t end for another oh... 8 months!

Couple interesting links for your entertainment:

for those that think all morality and good deeds come form a god (i.e. all morality, empathy, altruism has a divine origin etc.,) I would like to know why this dog does this (Warning - a dog gets hit by a truck):

for those that think including religious ideas about the origin on life (intelligent design being a main one), you have to realize that ALL stories of origin without any real evidence would also have to be included in school curriculum such as the Norse story and this summary over at Pharyngula provides a good description which is entertaining, and no crazier than Genesis by the way!

OK I am off for a meeting....

A little Cat-ertainment

Quick note and a picture

So I am slaving away at dna crap and wanted to just post a quick note: My buddy Rusty was kind enough to send a little reminder of "good times" that I thought I would post on this blog. You may have seen the scar but this is the day I took off the stitches!

OUCH - try to "hand, reef and steer" with that!

there is actually a video of us taking the stitches (24 total) out which I will post if I can get it

Some Random Points

Alrighty, so after a few days off I am back now at school and ready to get back to it. I do have lots of things to start writing about and will get on that a.s.a. p. I am also starting my comprehensive exams soon so wish me luck!

A couple cool things I have found lately:

There was a good piece in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Man vs God with essays by Karen Armstrong and Richard Dawkins (for a great detailed write up go see Jason's at EvolutionBlog. Dawkins says it much better but basically evolution leaves the gods nowhere, with nothing to do - or gives them their pink slip and explains how the world trundles along according to the laws of physics without ANY violations, and god has become irrelevant. Armstrong argues that religion is [was] not supposed to provide "explanations that lay within the competence of reason but to help us live creatively with realities for which there are no easy solutions and find an interior heaven of peace" or as PZ puts it "ignorance is bliss". She even argues that religions explains nothing and isn't supposed to which means what exactly? I have no idea. And, I don't know where she gets this from because throughout history religion was used to explain what we didn't know (where we came from, how it all got here etc.) and still is for many; just look up anything on Intelligent Design - it will end with something we can''t explain so "god-did-it" because we need SOME explanation) and I'm pretty sure that if you go into any major church service they won't like being told that "god is just a symbol" - even though she argues many have thought that before. Do you know anyone or any religion that that professes this.......

"many of the most influential Jewish, Christian and Muslim thinkers understood that what we call "God" is merely a symbol that points beyond itself to an indescribable transcendence, whose existence cannot be proved but is only intuited by means of spiritual exercises and a compassionate lifestyle that enable us to cultivate new capacities of mind and heart."

A close relative to my study species, the great tit apparently will go into caves and attack bats! This is a tiny bird that normally eats seeds, insects and fruits but when it goes through tough winters it becomes "a ruthless killer" which I think is really cool.

Just for my Canadian friends: states which do well educationally can blame, well... Canada! Razib Khan over at Gene Expression has a few blogs on how being close to Canada also prevents murder and increases life expectancy.

And finally, I liked this video and I think it's a good way to make a point -

Kentucky Watch Out!

I am finally back in the lab, working away and will start to write again more often now but wanted to throw out a warning to watch for god to strike down Kentucky who had the audacity to think that the motto of Homeland Security should probably not rely on the almighty! So watch: the next disaster in that state (and statistically we know there will be) will probably be attributed to god being pissed they took away his responsibility in the safety and security of the commonwealth! Oh but maybe if they have a long stretch disaster-free they will claim something like Florida: Prayer Saves Florida from Hurricanes apparently it is due to the Governor praying extra super duper hard.

Texas may redeem themselves a little but don't hold your breath. The Institute for Creation Research which if you will remember is an "outfit" that provides advanced degrees in science has appealed to the state board for being denied the ability to just make up what they think should be science degree requirements. The original appeal was 67 single-spaced pages of rambling that the courts told them had to be whittled down to 20 double-spaced which they did and filled it with:

"the word “herein” is sprinkled randomly throughout, rather like the way Miss Teen South Carolina sprinkles “such as.”It occurs four times on page 2 alone–including “venue herein,” whatever the heck that means. There are italics,boldface, ALLCAPS, and all sorts of different combinations herein, of course. There are delightful spelling errors (“advertizes”), rhetorical flourishes (“as if with a ‘scarlet letter’”), and neologisms (I can’t decide if “favoritistically” or “applicational bounds” is my favorite). Of course it quotes the Bible. It even has rhetorical questions! In a complaint!"

Quote the Bible in a legal complaint??? WTF??? For those of you interested, click on the link above for a much better summary at Panda's Thumb

Basically their argument is that the Master of Science Degree is like a title such as deacon or pastor and that the state can't regulate it. So basically they think watching Barney should allow an "institution" to give out advanced degrees in paleontology if they so desire!

Another note - A study reported that the reason for McCain's loss was not the economy and his break from the campaign but rather his announcement of Palin as running-mate. Apparently as soon as that was announced it was all downhill in the stats, which gives me a little hope that the general public has at least some common sense if they could identify her as a moron.

Update Aug 3

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still around! Finishing up in Colorado then off to Montana for a few days to catch gray jays, but then I get to go home. I have been taking notes and will have a lot to write about as soon as I get back to civilization and a regular internet connection so look for more creationism in the classroom (Texas just can't stop trying to be idiots), generators and ATV's at campgrounds, religion as a guide for morality why that is really a joke (yes you can be moral without religion and in fact most religious people do not use religion as their guide) , science blogging, great evolutions songs, some explanations of common fallacies given by religious apologetics etc... all coming soon!