Every now and then I stumble across a web site that I really like, and if I really, really like it, I add it to The Serenity of Reason's list titled "Some Sites I Like" (which can be found down a little bit and on the right hand side of the page).
Well, I found a great FAQ on God that I added today called The Official God FAQ. If you have God-related questions click on over to it - it should answer any questions you have about god.
If you have a favorite site that you think needs to be shared with everybody feel free to drop me an e-mail... same as if you have a pertinent news item or web thingy that you think should be mentioned here... I'm open to everyone's ideas.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Thursday, August 9, 2007
On Wiretapping
On Monday, August 6, 2007 the House handed President Bush a victory Saturday, voting to expand the government's abilities to eavesdrop without warrants on foreign suspects whose communications pass through the United States.
(President) Bush said, "The Director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell, has assured me that this bill gives him what he needs to continue to protect the country, and therefore I will sign this legislation as soon as it gets to my desk."
Slowly but surely we are giving the president too much authority to perform surveillance operations. But hey, why did Bush even need this new legislation to pass? Anyone remember this from back in March 2006:
As Senate Republicans wrestled yesterday with legislation for the controversial warrantless wiretapping program, the Bush administration said there is no need for congressional approval and added there have been no abuses since the surveillance began shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
I know, I know, one is focused on domestic wiretapping and the other supposedly on international... but I worry as we continue to bestow more "Big Brother"-like capabilities onto our government.
If you are interested, here is the roll call vote for this bill.
(President) Bush said, "The Director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell, has assured me that this bill gives him what he needs to continue to protect the country, and therefore I will sign this legislation as soon as it gets to my desk."
Slowly but surely we are giving the president too much authority to perform surveillance operations. But hey, why did Bush even need this new legislation to pass? Anyone remember this from back in March 2006:
As Senate Republicans wrestled yesterday with legislation for the controversial warrantless wiretapping program, the Bush administration said there is no need for congressional approval and added there have been no abuses since the surveillance began shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
I know, I know, one is focused on domestic wiretapping and the other supposedly on international... but I worry as we continue to bestow more "Big Brother"-like capabilities onto our government.
If you are interested, here is the roll call vote for this bill.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
God Must Hate Amputees
While out surfing the web I ran across this great web site that asks the question "Why Won't God Heal Amputees?" I know, it sounds ridiculous but take the time to follow the link and read the material on the web site. It is a reasoned and well-written piece that takes Christian preachers and the Bible at their word.
Basically, the gist of the piece is this: if God answers prayers (Matthew 17:20, Mark 11:24, and more) and can do anything why are there no amputees claiming that God grew them a new arm or leg? The author talks about Christian claims where supposedly God's interceded to cure a tumor and such, but such claims, though extraordinary are actually common. But have you ever seen someone who re-grew an appendage? If God is working his mojo out there to cure tumors then surely he is re-growing legs somewhere...
or, in the case of those less needy praying Christians, maybe growing hair on a bald guy somewhere or erasing that regrettable tattoo above that new Mom's ass? But then again, I guess we can turn to science (Minoxidil and lasers) for that stuff!
Basically, the gist of the piece is this: if God answers prayers (Matthew 17:20, Mark 11:24, and more) and can do anything why are there no amputees claiming that God grew them a new arm or leg? The author talks about Christian claims where supposedly God's interceded to cure a tumor and such, but such claims, though extraordinary are actually common. But have you ever seen someone who re-grew an appendage? If God is working his mojo out there to cure tumors then surely he is re-growing legs somewhere...
or, in the case of those less needy praying Christians, maybe growing hair on a bald guy somewhere or erasing that regrettable tattoo above that new Mom's ass? But then again, I guess we can turn to science (Minoxidil and lasers) for that stuff!
Monday, August 6, 2007
E-Voting Still Deplorable
According to a recent eWeek report, problems are still rampant with e-voting systems in the United States.
Evidently the office of California Secretary of State Debra Bowen on July 30 published investigation results showing that three major e-voting systems are liable to having their accuracy, security and/or integrity compromised.
You can view the California report in Adobe/PDF format at this link.
Until we get politics out of the voting process things will not improve. We need voting machines that are manufactured and supplied by non-partisan companies. We need a full and complete paper audit trail of each person's vote, with a slip showing the actual vote held both by the voter and the voting authority. (Of course, none of this removes the need to have the appropriate non-computer security in place to protect the paper audit trail.)
For national elections we need a consistent interface and mechanism to avoid confusion and fraud. And we need to ensure that all personnel overseeing the actual voting process are trained in how to use the machinery - - and how to explain that usage to voters of all ages.
Finally, there needs to be a contingency plan in place whenever e-voting is used. If the machines are compromised or broken, the electricity goes out, or some other eventuality occurs, there should be a manual process ready and available to move in place so that voters are not delayed, or worse, prevented from voting.
What say you?
Evidently the office of California Secretary of State Debra Bowen on July 30 published investigation results showing that three major e-voting systems are liable to having their accuracy, security and/or integrity compromised.
You can view the California report in Adobe/PDF format at this link.
Until we get politics out of the voting process things will not improve. We need voting machines that are manufactured and supplied by non-partisan companies. We need a full and complete paper audit trail of each person's vote, with a slip showing the actual vote held both by the voter and the voting authority. (Of course, none of this removes the need to have the appropriate non-computer security in place to protect the paper audit trail.)
For national elections we need a consistent interface and mechanism to avoid confusion and fraud. And we need to ensure that all personnel overseeing the actual voting process are trained in how to use the machinery - - and how to explain that usage to voters of all ages.
Finally, there needs to be a contingency plan in place whenever e-voting is used. If the machines are compromised or broken, the electricity goes out, or some other eventuality occurs, there should be a manual process ready and available to move in place so that voters are not delayed, or worse, prevented from voting.
What say you?
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Not Agnostic, Not an Atheist? Maybe You are Apatheistic
Ran across this new term, apatheism, on the Double-Tongued Dictionary. It is defined as follows:
apatheism n. the attitude of not caring about religion or whether there is a God.
I'm just guessing, but I think there might be more apatheists in the USA than there are theists, atheists, and agnostics. I say this because a good many folks who claim to believe in god do nothing to back up that "belief" at all. They don't go to church, except maybe on Christmas and perhaps Easter, and then only because it is a family outing or tradition, of sorts.
Oh, most folks would never label themselves an apatheist, but their actions and lives tell a different story.
Then again, maybe I am delusional. A recent Newsweek poll indeed shows dismal numbers of those of us embracing reason in the good old US of A. Evidently, if this poll is to be believed (and it probably should), 91 percent of American adults surveyed believe in God—and 48 percent reject the scientific theory of evolution.
Maybe I should invent a new term:
apollplectic adj. pissed off at the results of recent polls and apparent stupidity of the poll-taking public
Here, I'll use it in a sentence... That blogger csm reacted in an apollplectic manner as he viewed the results of the Newsweek poll.
apatheism n. the attitude of not caring about religion or whether there is a God.
I'm just guessing, but I think there might be more apatheists in the USA than there are theists, atheists, and agnostics. I say this because a good many folks who claim to believe in god do nothing to back up that "belief" at all. They don't go to church, except maybe on Christmas and perhaps Easter, and then only because it is a family outing or tradition, of sorts.
Oh, most folks would never label themselves an apatheist, but their actions and lives tell a different story.
Then again, maybe I am delusional. A recent Newsweek poll indeed shows dismal numbers of those of us embracing reason in the good old US of A. Evidently, if this poll is to be believed (and it probably should), 91 percent of American adults surveyed believe in God—and 48 percent reject the scientific theory of evolution.
Maybe I should invent a new term:
apollplectic adj. pissed off at the results of recent polls and apparent stupidity of the poll-taking public
Here, I'll use it in a sentence... That blogger csm reacted in an apollplectic manner as he viewed the results of the Newsweek poll.
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