Let's Not Forget About the Gulf of Mexico

Yes, it was in the news for what seems like forever. And yes, maybe we're all tired of hearing about it. But please, now that the Deepwater Horizon oil well has been capped let's not forget about the shitload of chemicals swirling around in the Guld of Mexico. It will take a lot of money and effort to clean things up - if it is even possible to clean it all up...

Here is the latest:

Today scientists revealed the results of an investigation into the severity of the Deepwater oil spill. The plume of petroleum hydrocarbon chemicals measures a staggering 22 miles long, and has settled in a deep underwater layer (see photo).

The actual existence of the plume was in some doubt until a team of researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution provided incontrovertible proof. The researchers managed to catch up with the plume about three miles southwest of the original blowout location, then used a remote-controlled submarine and an underwater spectrometer to figure out its dimensions. They were able to study the plume for ten days in June before Hurricane Alex forced them from the area. It's still not known whether this was the only plume or whether others formed, and the team said at a press conference today that they would be unwilling to commit themselves either way on that point.

Tell Your Representative to Stand Up For Fact-Based Education

Atheists Need to Stand Up and Fight

We are close to the point where atheists are the last group where most folks think it is just fine to hate, persecute, and harbor bigotry against. Consider these quotes from high-ranking officials that really did not cause many problems...

• George Bush the First: "No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God."
  
  
• Ed Murnane, cochairman of the Bush-Quayle '88 Illinois campaign: "Everything that American Atheists does, Rob, is bullshit."
  
  
• Ed Derwinski, the secretary of the Department of Veteran's Affairs, for the First Bush Administration: "What you should do for me is what you should do for everybody: Believe in God. Get off our backs."

A few weeks ago I posted some examples of state constitutions that contain bigoted tests for holding office -- tests that are illegal according to the US Constitution. Yet nothing gets done about it.

Religious organizations are not taxed, yet many want to be politically active and foist their backwards mindsets on the nation. Just look at all the anti-gay sentiment. It would be unlikely to proper without religious backing. And what about David Patterson's (Governor of New York) suggestion that New York would provide money (taxpayer money) to those wishing to build a mosque on ground zero if they'd just move it elsewhere?

But now I'm rambling... back to the point of this post... there are a lot of atheists and people "without faith" out there; many more than the religious believe. I think it would do a world of good if all atheists/agnostics/no-religionists came out of the closet and proudly exclaimed they don't need faith because they have reason.

Some day...

A Mosque at Ground Zero?

OK... I was hoping to ignore this stupid, stupid story, but I guess it is just going to simmer along and not go away.

For some time now, there have been plans to build a mosque near ground zero in New York City. Some are frothing at the mouth and complaining that this should not be allowed, under the assumption, I guess, that Muslims blew up that area and should not be permitted to build there.

Now I don't know how the folks building this thing acquired the land, but if it was all done above board, then why is anyone fucking whining. The location used to be a Burlington Coat Factory. Now... (w)hen completed, the building will incorporate a prayer space to accommodate 2,000 worshipers; a gym and pool; a 500-seat theater and galleries for exhibitions; and a catering hall for weddings and other social events.

The president has it right on this one. Our country provides freedom of worship and there is no reason to forbid any group from legally purchasing property and building a house of worship. PK, maybe a less incendiary location could have been chosen, but if you don't like it, you should have bought it yourself... or done something to turn the area into a park or something...