Everyone do the raindance!

UPDATE: http://www.randi.org/jr/2007-06/061507.html#i2



Last week, James Randi reported that the Australian Prime Minister called for the whole country, in the face of a very serious drought the country is having, to "literally and without any irony, pray for rain over the next six to eight weeks."

Today on the BBC there is a news story about how six people have been confirmed deceased and two more are still missing after a huge storm has hit the east coast of Australia.

"This is the worst storm and the worst damage our electricity network has seen for more than 30 years," EnergyAustralia executive general manager Geoff Lilliss was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

I'm not entirely sure this is what Mr Howard had in mind... Maybe too many people prayed and God overcompensated? Or perhaps He got grouchy because all the voices in His Holy Head woke Him up. He is a vengeful god after all.

Or maybe, just maybe, -now, hold on to yourselves, this is going to be quite a shocking new idea here- maybe... God is imaginary and weather follows the Second Law of Thermodynamics which states: "shit happens".

Watch this space in case Mr Randi uses my information in a future Swift.

Randi's Swift for June 1, 2007: http://www.randi.org/jr/2007-06/060107.html

The BBC news story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6736687.stm

FSM v IPU

Whenever you here of a holy war and any nobility such a cause might have, remember this atrocity.




My faith is wavering now,
The artists take their bow
I really don't know how
I'm to make up my mind
How can everyone be so blind?


Reminds me of Tenacious D.


Should probably post some original content one of these days...

Stupider

Nope... that sort of thing is serious sometimes:
link

ffs!
"A scientist doesn't have to be wearing a labcoat."
Then why has he got a globe and sciency-looking ight behind him?

Stupid

I really, really hope this is a joke:
link


But I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't.

Blasphemy Challenge Blasphemy

It's becoming increasingly popular of late, and I've agreed to be swept away by it, because it is jolly important, after all: God. Religion.
There's a huge list of different issues about this, from people who think the Bible is true because it says so in the Bible, and that any other claimed Holy Book is just a pack of lies because it isn't their Holy Book, to atheists debating just how much damage religion is doing. I wouldn't anyone to take my word for it, because that's not how this freethinking thing works. Just Google "Richard Dawkins", "James Randi", "Skeptic", "Rational Response", stuff like that. YouTube is overflowing with stuff.
So as I said I want to take part. Because my bullshit-meter has been ringing for far too long now and I want to vent some anger. Na! and, while we're on the subject, Cl! too.
OK so the one I want to point out this time is the Blasphemy Challenge: YouTube yourself denying the power and existence of the Holy Ghost, thus committing the only unforgiveable sin in Christianity (and get a free DVD! price-one soul). Pretty silly, but irritating enough to have ellicited a response in the form of Challenge Blasphemy (clever play on words there you see!), where they ask you to YouTube yourself saying you confess Jesus.

Now, all other idiocy aside, I don't see where the conflict is. Clearly, the upset Christians of Challenge Blasphemy didn't read the Blasphemy Challenge properly. Where is the contradiction in denying the Holy Ghost and accepting Jesus? (We'll ignore the 3=1 mess for purposes of simplicity.) Protestants do it all the time (apparently). A but then the Protestants are going to Hell along with the atheists. Unless it's the Catholics.

I almost feel sorry for Deists now...

Muslims in Orbit

From JREF's Swift, because I just had to, this is so great:

Next year, we’re told, Malaysia will be sending a Muslim astronaut into space via the Russian space program. This poses several tricky problems for the Malaysian government's efforts to promote what it calls “Islam Hadhari,” or civilized Islam. This variation encourages Muslims to embrace education, science and technology. About equality for women and such other basics, we’re not told…

Consider the busy day of an astronaut, and know that a Muslim on board the space station will be confounded by the fact that he experiences more than a dozen sunrises and sunsets within each 24 hours, each event requiring that an appropriate prayer be offered. He’ll be very busy. And, since Muslims always wash before they pray, and water is a precious substance in space, attempting to wash up is also expensive and impractical, especially in weightlessness, where the water will be distributed all over the place.

Even before facing those difficulties, facing Mecca – essential for prayer – will be pretty tough in zero-gravity, and may lead to catastrophic spinning of the devotee as he tries to keep pointing toward a rapidly-moving target below.

As reader Andrew Williams comments, “It appears that Muslims might have to evolve in their views regarding life in space. Unfortunately, evolution runs against the grain in most religions.”

Progress has its penalties…

I'm not entirely sure Mohammed would approve, although I have a bit of an idea what he might look like...