Miss Idiot

   Ladies and gentlemen !!! Step right up and experience something that will leave you trembling in terror. The need to run as far and fast as you can will wash over you like a tidal wave,alas there is no escape it spans the nation.
  Get ready for the scariest thing you've seen all day....

Miss USA answers question- Should evolution be taught in schools?

I could write an hour about why almost all these women are not the brightest bulbs in the chandelier and it would only scratch the surface.
  I will limit myself to the top two things which bug me.
 1) Evolution is constantly equated to religion. Evolution IS NOT A RELIGION OR RELIGIOUS BELIEF
 2) You can't teach 'EVERYTHING' in school, and even if you could, that does not mean you should.

I'd like to thank Miss California for not making us look like a bunch of stupid twits. 

Bat-Shit Bachmann

Just in case anyone was considering supporting Michelle 'bat-shit crazy' Bachmann for the next president.....I thought maybe after watching this video you would change your mind. If you still would like to see her become the next president follow these instructions please-
1) Go to the phone
2) Dial 911
3) Report yourself as brain-dead and unresponsive.
Thank You.

Does This Donation Make My Atheist Look Good?

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF BEND, OREGON
Located in Central Oregon at the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Bend is an energetic city with a growing population of over 76,600. Bend is noted for its scenic setting, year-round recreational activities and growing economy. At an elevation of 3,625 feet, the city covers 32 square miles.

     
    In other words, they say "Bend is blah". Some of you may enjoy it but I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about the teenagers.  Having been a teenager at one time I can recall doing some things that would possibly have made the national news on numerous occasions if they were to be done today. My past idiotic behavior does give me some insight into things sometimes. 

  The Friendly Atheist posted a blog about a church that had been vandalized You can read his blog here.  

Please note: this is in no way indicating I think the Friendly Atheist blog sucks or have a problem with him in any way. This is an opinion formed from the response to his blog. That's all

     In his blog you find a call to arms asking for people to donate. It has a widget showing $1955.00 had been donated at the time of this posting. Readers are encouraged to post the widget on their web sites. The first, the VERY FIRST comment is from a painter  

"Revyloution Says:

June 14th, 2011 at 10:28 pm I live in this town, and I’m a painting contractor. I sent out an email to the churches as soon as I heard what was happening, volunteering my equipment and time to get this fixed.

I was checking here, Hemant, to send you a note about this. Thanks for being so on top of it!"

     Now that is action, positive action. I think this guy offering his time and equipment is perfect. I mran what more could the church hope for? If the painter would refrain from telling anyone he is an Atheist until his work was done that would be even better. While the congregation was thanking him he could say  "Yea, some say I'm the best Atheist painter in the area"  

     Maybe someone could call the local paper and tell them about the baby-eater who donated to help the church and the city by removing the work of some punk teens. Wouldn't that have covered it? Church helped- Atheist give lesson in how to  lead by example- City thinks about providing more activities for teens. Everyone wins. 
   Now what? Hmmmm I heard about a church that needs a new roof cause god struck it with a bolt of lightening, let's help them now!

     A lot of people seem to not have a problem with giving money to the church and if they wish to do that,  fine. I think it is important to do something showing most Atheists do not condone putting the letters FSM and associated symbols on a church or on any building without permission. A public statement such as this one from Bobby Henderson, 

"Last night, vandals spray-painted “Praise the FSM” and pirate-fish on two Christian churches in Bend, Oregon.

This is not ok. This is counter to everything we stand for and acts like these only set back our cause. I don’t know who did this, but I will try to find out."

   Blogs by Atheists that condemn such actions are a good way of showing how most of us feel.

But IMO that is enough. Now the cause has raised over $1,900. Was the goal to provide enough money for church picnics through the summer too?

   I know this was a well-meaning gesture but there are so many other people who need help and don't feel comfortable going to the church because they are Atheists. The problem is the church is the only place that offers the help they need.  I think we need to do something about that.  As Atheists we can't hope to remove the hold organized religion has on people and not expect to fill the gap that will open if we are to succeed. 

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul 

numbers about 950,000 in some 132 countries worldwide, whose members operate through "conferences". A conference may be based out of a church, community center, school, hospital, etc., and is composed of Catholic volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to help those in need in their community. Non-Catholics may join with the understanding that the society is a Catholic organization.

   
Can Atheists pull something like this off? If the Catholic Church were to go under tomorrow and take the Society of Saint Vincent down with it would non-believers be able to help those in need?

 I got an email in response to the Angry Atheist podcast, it said -

"Why is it if I get beat up by christians I am given help and understanding and kudos, but if I am a long standing atheist who has helped others and given to others for many years, and me and my children are at great risk of losing our lives, we are ignored by the very people who are always screaming for more humane treatment, for helping each other? Read more about it here 

   
   This is not the first time I have heard people saying Atheist don't help people as often as they should considering they generally consider themselves to have more compassion for people than the brainwashing organized religions do.

   Besides the cause above there are other ways to help. Here are a couple of links  for charities that don't force you to read a bible or talk to jesus in order to get help and the problem they address are bigger than some bored teenagers with a can of paint. Now that we've taken care of the tax-exempt church that takes donations constantly from it's members, and wants people to believe god needs their money........let's help somewhere else.

Responsible Charity.

Atheists Helping The Homeless 

 

Economic Cookie Crumbs

I have often joked  that the price people pay for a box of Nilla Wafers is directly related to the current status of our economy. The price is an economic indicator. And although I was just kidding when I thought of it, it's kinda turning out to be more accurate than a lot of other opinions. The 'Nilla Indicator Theory' as I have come to call it does seem to come out on top most often when compared to other supposedly accurate formulas.
   The price of Nilla wafers has been high ever since the last time gas prices went up like a rocket, remember that? Overnight the prices would jump so much that you thought maybe that stop to get fueled up in the morning was just a bad dream soon to be smashed by an equally bad alarm sound. I wondered at that time why no one seemed to see the timing between a downward turn in the economic reports after the rise in gas prices had time to trickle down.
  The price of gas went down enough to appease most people and allow them to get back to worrying about where they were gonna live after foreclosure instead of worrying about how they were gonna manage to drive themselves off a cliff because it was impossible to survive this economic climate.

 At the store I began to see prices like what is shown to the left. The unemployment  rate was dropping in most places, we had killed bin laden, and the Chinese didn't seem interested in repossessing every property they owned here. All we needed to do was get rid of those republican morons and it would be close to utopia.
 Then the gas prices went up again, and again no one said anything. Sure they had some meeting with the oil executives in D.C. but nothing came of that. Big fucking surprise that was. Meanwhile the oil companies were seeing record profits and quietly giggling while trying to say 'supply and demand' out loud without laughing so hard they soiled their own pants.
 Sure enough Nilla wafers have seen a price spike. About 3 weeks after this hike, the news started talking about another stumble in adding jobs and another recession was on it's way.
 This caused me to get excited because my Nilla Indicator Theory was still valid, it also caused me to become a bit depressed. I don't want to live the rest of my life listening to republicans and democrats talk about how I should feel guilty for leaving my grandchildren some bills to pay. If I start to pay those bills down now, it isn't gonna kill them to pay a little too, look at what they are gonna get when  it's all paid off.
  If your parents have a million dollar home (only really worth about $300,000 now) and they have been paying on it for 20 years. Let's say they burst into flames on a nice summer day while standing in the sun too long at the race track. You are left the house on which they still owed $7,809.94. You pay the remainder of the balance and the home is yours. Seems like a good deal to me. 
   In case you didn't know it, there is another thing that has a huge effect on our economy.......us. Our perception of how good/bad the country's economy is doing is what causes the stock market to trend up or down. I in no way can claim to understand all the ins/outs of our system and I know there are other events that do have an obvious effect, but most other factors are a result of unforeseen or unforeseeable events. An earthquake, a housing bubble which was in plain view yet no one saw it, or the incredible greed of the oil companies (should have seen that comin too)
   Kinda reminds me of a puppy chasing it's tail. The puppy can have a good time running around and around as long as it doesn't take the game too serious, after all how serious should you take running in circles? But, if the puppy concentrates and gets mad, determined to catch that fucking tail at any cost then it probably will. The pup will take a snap at it's tail, hard as it can and BAM! The dog will start howling rolling around on the floor in pain. That's us. If we take ourselves too seriously when it comes to polls and news reporters askin random people what they say about how the economy's health looks, we are gonna end up rolling around on the floor. Most of those people are like me....They may have a cool theory with an even cooler name but, at the end of the day, they don't know any more than what they read on a box of cookies in the cupboard.

Up Next......Nabisco Oreos- friend or foe?

  

Just One Atheist

I'm going to explain some things to some people, you know who you are.
  I am outspoken most of the time. There are times/situations when my loud mouth and confrontational personality could work against my goals, I realize that. There are some people who don't agree with my style. I hear things like "oh your podcast needs editing" No, my podcast does not 'need editing' it is just as I want it to be. It is unique. When I post a video of a friend who marched at a Memorial Day parade I see comments like "oh he is just as bad as the christians, antagonizing people" No it's not the same as a christian trying to bring you to jesus with a megaphone. The christian is trying to get you to believe in something that is based on old fairy tales, lies, and hypocrisy. An Atheist, if they are doing it right, is talking about reality. If a man comes to your door and wants you to buy insurance which only covers you when an alien spacecraft blows up your house with a purple laser, on Friday the 13th, in the year 2015, if it's raining, at night, are you going to hand over your money? No, you are probably going to( I hope) tell him to get fucked and slam the door, or laugh in his face, pointing with one hand and slowly closing the door with the other. If during a flood watch a guy comes to your house and offers flood insurance and  your coverage had lapsed the day before, all you need to do is sign the paperwork. Would you take him up on it?  There is a difference when what you are offering is something that is based on reality. If you already had current flood coverage the salesmen knocking on your door  would be a bit of an inconvenience but you couldn't really be too pissed because the people who did need his coverage would be helped by his actions.
 Let me make this clear MY PROBLEM IS WITH ORGANIZED RELIGIONS THAT ARE BASED ON FANTASY, AND INSIST ON DICTATING WHAT EVERYONE CAN SAY OR DO ACCORDING TO THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THAT FANTASY.  Anyones' personal beliefs are none of my concern as long as they  DO NOT HAVE A DIRECT SAY IN HOW I LIVE OR IN GOVERNMENT.
  Every time I think about how religion and stupidity put the brakes on stem cell research it makes me sick and angry. Not only have stem cells been able to help countless people, their potential is incredible. Stem cells are used to treat numerous conditions and grow human organs. They provide new hope to those who need transplants. Religion was a major factor in the ban on stem cells. Abortion is another issue religion has stuck it's fat nose of hypocrisy into. The catholics restricting birth control. The fact that gays don't share the same rights as anyone else. This is just a small sample of the ways religion has fucked people over.
  Most people don't give a lot of thought to religion but there are some who will push theirs into the lives of others at any opportunity. Look at how many school boards have had to fend off the teaching of something  that offers nothing to help the human race. Creationism can be broken down into two words "it's magic"
     Believing that things happen by magic is not how we have achieved medical and technological advances that boggle the mind.
  Like I said at the beginning of this .....Some people don't think I should be so outspoken but I see us coming to the point where religion does not have a stranglehold on our progress and our quality of life. I think some believers see it too and it has them worried. That worry has them doing any and everything to try and stop the wave of non believers working its way to the shore, it won't work.If I can help us get to that point any quicker by stirring up waves then that is exactly what I am going to do.
  As for anyone who does not like my style and thinks I should shut up, with all due respect.......
go ______ (insert action of your choice) yourself.