The View from Number 80

Ramblings - a recent survey by Pew Global Attitudes Research has revealed a strange situation in the UK. While 63% of all Britons have a favorable view of Muslims, the Muslims (at least those who were questioned) do not reciprocate. The poll found that British Muslims have far more negative views of westerners and western culture than their European counterparts. They are also more prone to anti-semitism, only 32% of British Muslims viewed Jews favorably, as opposed to French Muslims who clocked up 71%. Whether this can be explained by British Muslims perhaps feeling able to express themselves more openly than their European co-religionists is not examined - Pew seem to take the answers given at face value. Assuming the survey is accurate, one wonders why so many of these people bother to stay in the UK when they disapprove so strongly of the majority of its people and culture. One could be cynical and point to the free healthcare and social services - something hard to find or nonexistent in the countries that immigrants left behind but it does not explain the attitudes of those actually born in the country. A major contributory factor here is likely to be Britain's part in Bush's Iraq war. Regarding those who dislike Britain so much, an old saying comes to mind, "If you know of a better hole - go to it."

One such possible hole is the USA, where there is a row going on about whether women should be partitioned from men when worshipping in a mosque. One group, the Islamic Society of San Francisco, which deems such segregation more of a cultural prohibition than a religious one, decided women should not be corralled in this way and removed the barrier at San Francisco's largest downtown mosque. The move has split worshippers along the lines of those who welcome such a progressive move and those, both men and women, who want the old ways to continue. The latter group's protests reveal why the women have to be segregated, not because of anything they themselves have done, but because of the inability of men to concentrate on talking to their all-powerful god when women are around. One Yemeni cab driver quoted in the New York Times (reg rqd) said "I don't want to be distracted by ladies in the back when I am praying". Such a remark says little for this man's powers of concentration, even when at prayer. One wonders what his driving must be like with all those hussies parading up and down the street, distracting him. His sexist attitude and inability to control his libidinous thoughts has a long history. The NYT article tells us "Some early adherents of Islam showed up late for prayers so they could stay in the back and ogle the women's behinds, even penning bawdy odes to the sight..." So, yet again, women are penalized for being unwitting objects of male lust. But then why bother to re-examine your own attitudes and clean up the inside of your head when it is easier just to blame the women and wall them off? Such a mindset likely lies behind a lot of the disapproval expressed by the British Muslims that Pew surveyed. While women in the UK have yet to achieve full equality with men, especially in terms of pay, they are no doubt already considered far too uppity for some. Which all raises again the question of just how compatible Islam can be with sexual equality and secular democracy.

One of the problems with fundamentalist Islam, as well as its Christian counterpart, is a very basic one, the inability (or unwillingness) to change with the times, to reflect what we have learned since these faiths were founded. This can be seen even in the thinking of those that many would class as moderates. In a Washington Post piece on the morality of Iran possessing nuclear weapons there is a telling quote from an Iranian cleric, Mohsen Kadivar, who is not in favor of the bomb. "In the time of the prophet, we didn't have nuclear bombs, so there's not a verse about it in the Koran." There are also no verses on a host of other topics - topics on which the prophet said nothing because he knew nothing. Let's face it, the prophet or any other ancient holy men were producing laws and beliefs based on the knowledge of their time, in Mohammed's case circa 600 CE - knowledge now shown in many cases to be inaccurate, erroneous or most often, absent.* This is another basis for a so-called clash of cultures, whether it is between strict Muslims or devout Christians and modern secular society. We live in times that are increasingly perilous and which present us with such huge problems as global climate change and mass epidemics. To take our knowledge of the world from ancient scriptures written by men who could only be the products of their times and culture is a recipe for disaster. Yet, in the UK for example, the Blair government is pushing for more sectarian schools, schools which can only exacerbate the situation. The country does not need Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Hindu or Sikh schools - it needs mixed schooling - mixed sex and mixed religion in order to start children off learning that we are all human beings first and foremost and that the religious (or racial) labeling of children (and adults) is divisive and harmful. The world, because of modern travel and communications, has shrunk so much that we can no longer rely upon geographical separation to keep different faiths and ideologies apart. A recent outrageous example of this was the whipped-up hysteria in many countries over cartoons of Mohammed - the outrage seemed more over the fact that it was non-Muslims who drew them rather than any real offence - depictions of the prophet in Islam are far from rare - a fact that those who fomented the riots and protests coveniently forgot.

The latest instance of trying to censor or block offensive images is a Pakistani attempt to block access to web sites that carry caricatures of the prophet Muhammed. (This even extends to 80's favorite strip, Jesus and Mo.) Pakistan's move, accompanied by the ridiculous statement that such depictions are "intellectual terrorism", will fail. (80 is willing to bet such intellectual terrorism has killed far fewer people than the prevalent jihadist kind.) The internet was designed to be an unbreakable communications network that if damaged or blocked can re-route - and that is exactly what will happen, thanks to technology and a large measure of human ingenuity. More outrageous is that the attorney-general has been asked to "explore legal avenues for implementing a global ban on these sites." The Pakistani government has yet to realize that in many ways we are now in a global village and if you don't like what your neighbors find acceptable then tough, don't look, and, above all, don't start start dictating to others who do not share your faith what they may or may not see. Any faith that feels so threatened by a few pictures reveals just how shaky it really is. Once a genie is out of a bottle it is well nigh impossible to put it back.

Footnote - to the above. As you may recall, the whole Mohammed cartoon row came about because a Danish author, Kåre Bluitgen, was struggling to find anyone willing to illustrate a children's book of the prophet's life. Right-wing newspaper Jyllands-Posten stepped in with drawings solicited from 12 artists - with results that are too well-known to repeat. But what happened to the book? It was eventually illustrated and published but has now run into more trouble - school libraries are reluctant to stock it. Not, one might imagine, because of the cartoons row but, in at least one instance, for another and more interesting reason. One school librarian put it this way "It is not because of the Mohammed controversy, or that we want to exercise censorship, but it is a very violent book, and if it is read without conversation with an adult, it will give a wrong impression of Islam, not the least the Muslims’ view on other religions..." In other words because it is perhaps too accurate. (Thanks to the Gates of Vienna blog for this story, for an alternative take see here. Also do take a look at the Skeptic's Annotated Quran)

* This point is made far more clearly by Paul Kurtz in his piece Why I Am a Skeptic about Religious Claims, "The Bible, Qur'an, and other classical documents are full of contradictions and factual errors. They were written by human beings in ancient civilizations, expressing the scientific and moral speculations of their day. They do not convey the eternal word of God, but rather the yearnings of ancient tribes based on oral legends and received doctrines; as such, they are hardly relevant to all cultures and times. The Old and New Testaments are not accurate accounts of historical events. The reliability of the Old Testament is highly questionable in the events and personages it depicts; Moses, Abraham, Joseph, etc. are largely uncorroborated by historical evidence. As for the New Testament, scholarship has shown that none of its authors knew Jesus directly. The four Gospels were not written by eyewitnesses but are products of oral tradition and hearsay. There is but flimsy and contradictory evidence for the virgin birth, the healings of Jesus, and the Resurrection. Similarly, contrary to Muslim claims that that religion's scriptures passed virtually unmediated from Allah, there have in fact been several versions of the Qur'an; it is no less a product of oral traditions than the Bible. Likewise, the provenance of the Hadith, allegedly passed down by Muhammad's companions, has not been independently confirmed by reliable" Do take a moment or two to read Kurtz's whole essay - it would be time well-spent. (thanks to the excellent Butterflies and Wheels for bringing this essay to 80's attention)

Good Riddance - 80 must apologize for the late mention of some good news. According to The Daily Record the Britain will no longer be a refuge, as it has for these past many months, for alleged baby-trafficker and self-styled archbishop Gilbert Deya. He "has been arrested and is facing the boot from Scotland" where he has been skulking. It seems he was spotted in Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week while he, oh the irony, was "supporting a couple involved in a civil paternity case". He is currently in Dungavel Immigration Centre in Lanarkshire awaiting extradition. Now perhaps the distraught parents in Kenya whose children are missing will be able to find some answers. For more, see What, Still Here?

Poacher Turned Gamekeeper? - sadly not. Iran's delegate to the new U.N. Human Rights Council has not been met with universal approval. It seems that prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, described as "hardline" and who has been responsible for "... the closure of dozens of newspapers in the last few years, often without valid legal excuse or observance of Iranian laws governing the press." believes his job is to "to help prevent the West and other world powers from using the issue of human rights to attack his government. " This is particularly rich coming from a man who was involved in the botched cover-up, at the very least, of the murder while in Iranian custody of Iranian Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi. Human Rights Watch has made its views plain saying that Saeed Mortazavi is implicated in "in illegally detaining and torturing numerous former prisoners." To send such a delegate demonstrates that the current Iranian government is incapable of understanding the concept of human rights, let alone defending them. It is all very well for Mortazavi to cite such disgusting instances as the Abu Ghraib torture or illegal detention in Guantanamo Bay but his country sanctions the public judicial murder of homosexuals as a matter of course and sentences an 18 year-old girl to death for defending herself against rape. The idea that any country that employs the barbaric system of sharia law should be represented on any body dealing with human rights is obscene. Nobel Peace laureate and attorney Shirin Ebadi puts it thus, "Maybe we should regard people like Mr. Mortazavi as representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran's attitude toward human rights." Payam Akhavan, a former UN war crimes prosecutor was rather more blunt in his estimation of Mortazavi and others "I think that we have to treat these people not as dignitaries but as accused criminals." At one stroke the brand new UN Human Rights Council is reduced to the level of a joke.

Bad Company - here is an interesting item regarding the chum of the beleaguered British Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, Philip Anschutz. It seems that when this billionaire is not planning a super casino for London's Millennium Dome he is funding creationists such as the Discovery Institute and supporting the campaign against gay marriage. He was also, according to the Independent, involved in a (failed) ballot initiative to "overturn state laws that protected gay rights." It seems strange that a man who shows such signs of a right-wing fundamentalist Christian outlook is in the gambling business - but we must also be aware he is a man described by Forbes magazine as the "greediest executive". While the bible does not explicitly condemn gambling (at least according to this page) there is no denying the malign effect it can have upon on people's lives. A silly piece of trivia perhaps, but 80 was amused to note the name of Anschutz's ranch where he entertained Prescott. Eagle's Nest - now who else had a spread with that name? Prescott claimed that his stay at the ranch was partly prompted by both men's interest in the great anti-slavery campaigner, William Wilberforce. Perhaps Anschutz is unaware that Wilberforce famously renounced gambling - or does he cherry pick the parts of Wilberforce's life story that suit him, much as folk do with the bible? One thing is for sure - Anschutz's cultivation of Prescott was a waste of time - a man hanging onto his position by his fingernails is really in no position to do any favors for anyone.

Quote - “Why should a British citizen who happens to be Muslim have to rely on clerics and other leaders of the religious community to communicate with the Prime Minister?” Amartya Sen, Nobel prize-winning economist, in his new book Identity and Violence. (brought to 80's attention by the National Secular Society's free weekly email newsletter Newsline. (see a Breath of Sanity)

Cui Bono? - a familiar name appeared in this piece from the Guardian about a father, Rob MacDonald,  who has won the legal right to challenge the replacement of his son's school, Tamworth Manor, and another school, Mitcham Vale, both in Merton, London by one of Blair's academies. The proposed sponsor for this academy, Lord Harris of Peckham, is mentioned on the web site of Christian Voice (CV), a group of bigots who want everyone's lives ruled by their superstitious beliefs. CV has won attention and notoriety for its opposition to Jerry Springer: The Opera (JS:TO) and for such brave deeds as the threatening of a cancer charity if it accepted a donation from a benefit performance of JS:TO. (see "Christians" Cut Cancer Cash). So, one may well ask, what is Lord Harris's name doing on their site? It seems that Harris is considered by CV to be one of a "... list of peers normally sympathetic on ‘Christian Issues’ ". Now obviously Harris has no control over the placing of his name on the site - 80 mentions George Bush frequently, for example - but one cannot help but think that anyone considered sympathetic by a group like CV should be kept well away from any involvement in children's education. Harris is one of several sponsors whose motives should be examined very closely indeed - think Vardy. Even if Harris wins the sponsorship, and if the record so far of payments by other successful sponsors is anything to go by, there is no guarantee he would actually cough up. According to this Guardian piece "Most of the sponsors who agreed to fund the prime minister's flagship academy programme have not paid the £2m they pledged..." the result being that "In all, 23 of the 27 academies opened so far are still waiting to receive what was pledged." This makes a complete mockery of any economic argument in favor of these institutions. Well done, Blair and chums, you have allowed the school curriculum to become polluted with supernaturalism and so far it is the taxpayer footing the bill for this outrage. (also see Campaign Against Academies in Merton and No To Academies)

Moronic Makeover - "This statue proves that Jesus Christ is Lord over America, he is Lord over Tennessee, he is Lord over Memphis." Thus spake the historically challenged homophobe, Apostle Alton R. Williams, (yep, apostle!) on the unveiling of a christianized version of the USA's most recognizable landmark, the Statue of Liberty. The poor Lady now sports a cross instead of a torch, carries the Ten Commandments instead of a tablet engaved with the date of the Declaration of Independence, and has the (mistranslated) name Jehovah engraved on her crown. The statue, all of 72 feet high (including the "tomb of Christ" upon which she somewhat sacrilegiously plants her sandalled feet) cost the World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church a princely $260,000. Williams, when asked if the money could have been better spent replied, "I personally feel that the answer for the poor is Jesus Christ." 80 doubts whether many of the poor would agree. The "Apostle" has written that a teardrop at the corner of the Lady's eye "...is God's response to what he calls the nation's ills, including legalized abortion, a lack of prayer in schools and the country's "promotion of expressions of New Age, Wicca, secularism and humanism." His church has, in the past, ".. bought full-page advertisements in The Commercial Appeal, the Memphis daily, condemning homosexuality" and, in another of his writings, Williams said "...  Hurricane Katrina was retribution for New Orleans's embrace of sin." Perhaps the Lady is crying at being turned into such a tawdry piece of Christian propaganda by this ignorant bigot. (Quotes are from the New York Times which, requires free registration.)

Thought for the Day - give your left and right hemispheres a good workout. (warning - broadband required)

Dangers of Homeopathy - one timeworn excuse made for this quack treatment is that, given how much the ingredients are diluted, it is at least harmless. After all plain water can't hurt you, can it? Yes it bloody well can, taken in lieu of, say, an anti-malarial drug. Blindingly obvious? Not if you don't realize that there is no evidence that homeopathy works in any way whatsoever (apart from a possible placebo effect). A BBC Newsnight investigation found that people, wary of possible side effects from modern (ie effective) drugs, are travelling to risky areas having only taken a homeopathic remedy. Worse, the undercover survey conducted by Sense About Science found that all ten homeopaths visted by intern Alice Tuff advised her to use homeopathic products instead of being referred to a GP or conventional travel clinics where effective medicines are available. "Alice, who recorded the discussions, said she would be travelling through several African countries, which included places where the World Health Organisation has reported an increase in P. falciparum, the most dangerous species of malaria." These irresponsible quacktitioners are putting the lives of the ill-informed and gullible at risk and should be prosecuted for doing so. (see also Faith-Based Medicine and Homeowatch and this excellent piece from The Times by Jamie Whyte entitled Homoeopathy: voodoo on the NHS )

Deya Update - more news for those who, like 80, have been following the interminable saga of Gilbert Deya and the miracle babies. Deya has vowed to fight his deportation to Kenya to answer allegations of baby-trafficking. 10 days of detention have done little to temper his bluster "The Home Office had no reason to detain me and it has no reason to deport me. I am determined to remain in the UK." Let's hope the UK is equally determined for him to answer to the Kenyan authorities. Deya's nonsensical talk of miraculous pregnancies should not be entertained for a moment - those babies came from somewhere other than Deya's God and all the evidence indicates that somewhere was a backstreet clinic in Nairobi. His wife and alleged confederates are in the hands of the Kenyan authorities and no time should be wasted in packing him off to join them.

Holy Toast - Can't get the Virgin Mary to appear on your toast? Don't despair, technology has the answer! Now, if only they could make her weep melted butter.........

Scheer Disbelief - "At least the other [presidents] knew a lot about the world, had experience, had brains about this, cared. This guy had the platinum American Express card and didn’t even want to see Paris or London." Veteran reporter and now editor of Truthdig, Robert Scheer, describing how "after he had spent decades covering U.S. presidents, (George W) Bush threw him for a loop". Taken from an interview on Democracy Now, available as streaming video, mp3 audio file or transcript. Recommended.

Quote - "The right to question religion and to freely express one’s views on religious matters is a human right. Human beings have human rights, religions do not. This Council has a solemn duty to protect people -- not ideas, religions, customs, beliefs or traditional practices, especially when they are used as justification for the abuse of human rights. It is the believer, not the belief, that must be protected." Roy Brown, head of the International Humanist and Ethical Union delegation, in a statement responding to the call from some delegates to the new United Nations Human Rights Council for limits to freedom of speech with regard to religion. Why does the fact that such a request came from countries such as Bangladesh, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates come as no surprise?  (Brought to 80's attention by Humanist Network News, a free weekly newsletter and podcast - subscribe here)

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night - for those of us who enjoy excruciating, syntax-mangling, meandering and verbose introductory paragraphs, and even for those who don't, although they are unlikely to be reading 80's maunderings, despite the fact that they might actually enjoy them or at least gain a different perspective on the world, even though they arrived on this site as the result of a poorly-couched search engine inquiry as many confused individuals do, here are the winners of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. As a taster here is the runner-up, Stuart Vasepuru's fine contribution to world literature, "I know what you're thinking, punk," hissed Wordy Harry to his new editor, "you're thinking, 'Did he use six superfluous adjectives or only five?' - and to tell the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement; but being as this is English, the most powerful language in the world, whose subtle nuances will blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' - well do you, punk?" Great stuff.

Quote - "I am sure I speak for millions when I say that it is high time that the fuzz moved in on the Blairite high command, and they might as well start with his tennis partner. As far as I am concerned, the whole lot of them deserve to have their collars felt. If the cops decide to launch dawn raids on all the other arch-toadies of the regime, they will find many of us prepared to hold their coats." Boris Johnson, faux-buffoon, Conservative MP, journalist and star of Boriswatch and the Adventures of Bonking Boris commenting in the Daily Telegraph on the arrest and subsequent questioning of Lord Cashpoint, friend, confidant and tennis partner of Tony Blair. (Also see cartoonist Steve Bell's take on the "cash for honours" inquiry.)

A Room Somewhere on the Afghan/Pakistani Border - imagine, if you will, that you have succeeded where the USA has failed (and is now apparently no longer even trying). You have found bin Laden and his cohorts and can eavesdrop on a planning session for further attacks on the infidel Crusaders.  But where, they ask themselves, to strike with maximum effect and show the world that al Qaeda is still capable of destroying the oppressors of Islam? An explosion and the resulting deaths and injuries are not enough - something iconic is needed, an image to stay in the mind, like that of the collapsing towers of 9/11. Suddenly inspiration strikes one of the bearded assembly. "I know, let's destroy Old MacDonald's Petting Zoo, in Alabama, that will make the world tremble." All heads in the room swivel toward the speaker, who now seems a little less sure of himself beneath their steely gaze. He begins to sweat and fervently wishes he had remained silent. Finally bin Laden speaks, "Fool, you know nothing. Old MacDonald's Petting Zoo, is listed by their Homeland Security department as a critical potential target." Suddenly there is a clamor of voices in the small room as the others push their own suggestions. "We could destroy Sweetwater flea market in Tennessee", "How about Amish Country Popcorn in Indiana?" "There's always the kangaroo conservation center". The leader climbs somewhat unsteadily to his feet, leans forward (almost disconnecting his dialysis machine in the process) and looks around desparingly at his companions, "No, no, no. This is hopeless - those accursed, cunning Americans have all these targets too well covered. I am afraid we shall have to admit defeat - we will never beat a nation that predicts our every move." (also see here)

Butterflies and Wheels - 80 was minded to write about an article by Karen Armstrong in the Guardian on Saturday but procrastinated. Now Ophelia Benson of Butterflies and Wheels has put the very point that 80 had in mind - and likely made a better job of it too. You can subscribe for a free weekly update from Butterfies and Wheels here - it is highly recommended. (And now she's added more)

Quote - "The U.S. Congress simply should not have to play Twenty Questions to get the information that it deserves under our Constitution." Representative Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, in a letter dated May 18th to President Bush voicing his concerns that "..the administration might have violated the law by failing to inform Congress of some secret intelligence programs and risked losing Republican support on national security matters." See the New York Times (reg rqd), which broke the story, and also the Washington Post.

Gasoline on the Flames - "The Bush administration is rushing a delivery of precision-guided bombs to Israel, which requested the expedited shipment last week after beginning its air campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, American officials said Friday. The decision to quickly ship the weapons to Israel was made with relatively little debate within the Bush administration, the officials said." (New York Times reg rqd) Fresh from vetoing the "Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act" in order to "protect" surplus embryonic stem cells in fertility clinics from research, calling it "murder", the imbecile Bush makes damn' sure the arms flow to Israel is not interrupted. This, of course takes priority over such wimpish things as ceasefires. So let's get this straight, Bush has, by his veto, made sure the unused embryos from fertility clinics go into the trash instead of being used for medical research which could potentially benefit millions. He has also expedited delivery of munitions to tear apart the bodies of helpless Lebanese civilians caught between the terrorist Hezbollah and Israel's totally disproportionate response to the former's kidnappings and rocket strikes. Bush's veto and his blind and wreckless support of Israel may well have the same cause - Christian fundamentalism. Bush's need to pander to his religious friends is certainly behind the nonsensical veto. It is worth also remembering these same fundamentalist nutjobs believe Israel has to be protected at all costs because God gave it to the Jews and they have to be in possession of "Greater Israel" before we can all enjoy Armageddon. No one should really be surprised by the President's actions - if we hadn't already had enough evidence that this man is an ignorant dolt we only need to read the transcript of his conversation with his poodle Blair and others and see his offensive groping of Angela Merkel. (Mark Morford has something to say about the latter in Bush Gropes, Planet Cringes and here are Andrew Rawnsley's thoughts on the former, It wasn't the 'Yo' that was humiliating, it was the 'No') Update - here is proof Blair is not Bush's poodle - not exclusively anyway.

Potato Pair's Pogrom - hot on the heels of the news that the Potato Pair are now running Poland comes a move to hound those "...who collaborated with the communist secret services from public life." According to this BBC news report the move could "lead to the dismissal of hundreds of thousands of people working in business, the media and government." No one will be safe from the new law. Even the "...well-respected former finance minister, Zyta Gilowska, was recently sacked after she was accused of informing - claims she strongly denies." Actually it is not true that no one will be safe - the priesthood will be exempt, which is odd, to say the least, considering that "...an estimated one in ten Polish priests collaborated with the communist regime" (including this guy). For the reason why, one needs to look no further than the fundamentalist, hardline Roman Catholicism of both the President, Lech Kaczynski (aka Spud 1) and his twin brother Jaroslav (Spud 2) who recently became the Prime Minister. They already countenance an anti-semitic Catholic radio station, Radio Maryja (described here as blurring the lines between church and state) and were no doubt behind the absurd, fawning restrictions enforced during the recent visit of Pope Ratzinger. Poor Poland, lurching from a Soviet fiefdom to a Vatican one. It seems that this Potato Pair are perfect papal pawns.

Mystery Map - here's a strange one. Users of Google Earth, "a 3D interface to the planet" have spotted an area in China, near the village of Huangyangtan that appears to be a large scale model (900x700m) of a location on the Sino-Indian border. But what on earth is it for? One suggestion is that it is used to train helicopter pilots in the event of a border dispute but surely a decent flight simulator would be a much cheaper (and far less arduous) option? For more pictures and some frankly bizarre explanations take a look here scroll down. Also see the comments posted by the Google Earth Community.

On This Day - in 1925 in a Tennessee courtroom the "Scopes Monkey Trial" ended with a guilty verdict and a fine of $100 for John Scopes. His crime? Teaching evolution. At least 81 years later we have put all such silliness behind us....oh, wait. See this original report from the New York Times (reg rqd) and also, for a very detailed look at the trial go here - also be sure to read this report of the affair by H L Mencken, written with his characteristic flair " The Scopes trial, from the start, has been carried on in a manner exactly fitted to the anti- evolution law and the simian imbecility under it. There hasn't been the slightest pretense to decorum. The rustic judge, a candidate for re-election, has postured the yokels like a clown in a ten-cent side show, and almost every word he has uttered has been an undisguised appeal to their prejudices and superstitions. The chief prosecuting attorney, beginning like a competent lawyer and a man of self-respect, ended like a convert at a Billy Sunday revival. It fell to him, finally, to make a clear and astounding statement of theory of justice prevailing under fundamentalism. What he said, in brief, was that a man accused of infidelity had no rights whatever under Tennessee law..."

Quote - "Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There's a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning." Bill Gates, from a piece in Time magazine and brought to 80's attention by the free weekly Humanist Network News in an article on atheists and philanthropy.

Kinky's Candidacy - as if to compensate somehow for the disaster that is George W Bush the Lone Star state has a most original runner in the race for governor - Kinky Friedman. This man is something of an institution and his participation, dressed in his trademark all black cowboy duds and with a one-liner for any situation, has shaken up what looked to be a dull campaign. According to the Washington Post this comic country singer, mystery novelist and Texas humorist has managed to accrue the 137,154 certified signatures necessary to get on the ballot, easily exceeding the minimum of 45,540, and confounding those who said he wouldn't make it.

The idea of Kinky Friedman as governor of Texas is no more absurd than Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor of California - and he is certainly more amusing. He describes himself as a "..compassionate redneck" and always has a quip for his many supporters. When one man calls out "I'm voting for you!" he fires back "May the God of your choice bless you." He has big plans for the state announcing "We can make Texas number one in renewable fuels -- which is a helluva lot better than being number one in executions, toll roads, property taxes and dropouts!" There are two Republicans in the race, including the incumbent governor and also a Democrat candidate, who, the Post tells us, is known as "What's-his-name, the Democrat." Even if he doesn't win the contest Friedman has certainly injected some humor into the world of politics and his participation may well make an impression on the campaigns of his rivals.

You can't help liking the guy whose 1970's band, Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, performed such anti-bigot anthems as "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore," and a "parody of Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee" called "Asshole From El Paso," which suggested that men from that Texas city were a little too fond of sheep. His style has not changed, he announced recently that he prefers campaigning among Hispanics because "their food is better ". His stance on some hot button issues will likely confuse the hell out of the voters - he supports school prayer and gay marriage. Of the latter he says "They have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us." He enjoys quoting a pig farmer who told him "You ain't worth a damn, but you're better than what we got." Come on, Texas, it is time to atone for Dubya. Kinky's campaign site is here. Even if his bid fails you can still expect some fireworks. He has said "If I lose this race I will retire in a petulant snit, I'm not going to go out gracefully, I promise you." Also see this New Yorker piece by Dan Halpern on Friedman's candidacy, including such gems as his remark about Baptists - they don't keep them underwater long enough.....

Secret Weapon - one thing the po-faced religious fundamentalists cannot deal with is humor. A lovely illustration of this was brought to 80's attention by Mediawatchwatch (Watching Pointing Laughing - a wonderful logo) in a piece on the mocking of űber bigots Christian Voice at EuroPride - check out the Flickr link.

Man With Two Brains - no, not Steve Martin but Dr. Steve E. Abrams, a veterinarian from Kansas who can keep two completely contradictory ideas snuggled side by side within his skull. Commenting on the elections for the State Board of Education, of which he is chairman but is not up for re-election, in which moderate Republicans and Democrats are combining their efforts to defeat proponents of so-called Intelligent Design/Creationism (IDC) Abrams indignantly rejected the accusation that as the science curriculum now stands it favors IDC. He told the New York Times (reg rqd) "We have explicitly stated that the standards must be based on scientific evidence, what is observable, measurable, testable, repeatable and unfalsifiable." Which sounds reasonable and sensible enough until Abrams adds "In my personal faith, yes, I am a creationist, but that doesn’t have anything to do with science. I can separate them." Furthermore he agreed that "my personal views of Scripture have no room in the science classroom." So, he believes in Young Earth Creationism (YEC), no doubt sincerely, and yet claims to be happy that children be taught what he must surely regard as falsehoods. So he is not just a man with two brains but a hypocritical man with two brains. The YEC position does not just reject evolutionary theory, which underlies all of modern biology, but almost all science, including astronomy, geology, physics, you name it.

A clue to just where Abrams stands politically is given in the way he described the moderates on both political sides that want the standards changed. Abrams doubted they were in fact moderates, dismissing them with, "They’re liberals". In any other English-speaking culture on the planet this would describe people who were perhaps left of center in their political stance, but in Bush's America is code for atheistic immoral scum. The fact that some Republicans are also pressing for a change seems to have escaped him - unless anyone who disagrees with him is automatically a "liberal". Now Abrams may have two brains but Connie Morris, a conservative Republican who is running for re-election, seems not to have one at all. This is her view of a process that is backed by exquisitely detailed evidence not only from fossils and DNA studies but also can be observed happening around us today. "It’s a nice bedtime story. Science doesn’t back it up." She no doubt has a bumper sticker that says "Pig ignorant - and proud of it". (For more on the elections see here) Update - the opponents of evolution lost control (reg rqd) of the board and Connie Morris was not re-elected.

Tangential Plug - 80 has links to some great sites in the sidebar and if you clink on the Links Page you will find many more - including Professor Tangent who provides "nutrition for the mind". Here is the site's own description "Just as some foods that taste good might have little nutritional value, or could even be harmful, ideas sometimes seem emotionally satisfying but have little basis in fact or logic. Such ideas could be harmful if they become so entrenched as to obscure alternatives that might lead to the truth. Be at least as careful about what goes into your mind as you are about what goes into your stomach. Professor Tangent can help you decide with skeptical inquiry, brainteasers, games, logic, common sense, humor and curriculum suggestions for educators, homeschoolers and students of all ages. Quality thinking protects you from being deceived by others, and prevents you from deceiving yourself." A truly excellent site and suitable for inquiring minds of all ages - highly recommended.

Sites For Sore Eyes - so many web pages are full of vacuous nonsense it is a great relief to find some that try to redress the balance. Featured in the return of this occasional section is Live Science with two pages that are well worth a moment of your time. The first is a piece by Benjamin Radford (a name familiar to readers of Skeptical Inquirer) called Medical 'Miracles' Not Supported by Evidence about the claims of Adam Dreamhealer, the latest in a long line of "psychic healers" out to fleece the ignorant and the gullible of their hard-earned cash. Still with quackery, Christopher Wanjek writing in the Bad Medicine page takes a look at Kevin Trudeau, a con artist who produces books on "natural healing". Wanjek was concerned that in reviewing Trudeau's latest work, "More Natural Cures Revealed," he would be giving him undeserved publicity - as it is, Trudeau is adept enough at hoodwinking the media on his own. Wanjek describes the book as "..a fascinating cross between a health book, fictitious novel, and a paranoid, hate-filled rant along the lines of "Mein Kampf." " - just the kind of publicity, in 80's view that the book and the rest of Trudeau's trashy outpourings deserve. Both Radford's and Wanjek's pieces mean that Live Science will become a regular port of call for 80.

Two More - 80 recently wrote about that faith-based hokum, homeopathy, but was considerably more restrained and polite than the Two Per Cent Company, which has a  wonderful rant on the subject called You Might Need Arnica Montana. Even if you thought you did, after reading Two Per Cent's profanity laden piece you will have changed your mind - unless of course you are a true believer. (Also check out Allison DuBois: Debunked! by Two Per Cent - great stuff.) In James Randi's weekly commentary Swift he too takes aim at homeopathy, and in particular a junk remedy called Head On, which has found its way onto the shelves of major drug store chain Walgreens. It is a relief to see that Randi has lost none of his sharpness following his recovery from a recent serious illness. Randi, you will remember, featured prominently in the BBC Horizon science show called Homeopathy: The Test - a test which this "complementary" therapy flunked. An added bonus on the Horizon site is a transcript of a web chat with Randi that makes for interesting reading.

Religious Gadget Freaks - need look no further. If you have ever felt that when you are praying you are merely talking to yourself, then buy this technological miracle and be like the presidents of Iran and the USA - hear God answer! "The Prayer Antenna is part of a series of Religious Technological Artifacts that I am making. The Antenna receives signals from God (yes, your God). The Antenna currently takes the form of a surplus / thrift-store motor-cycle helmet (or similar) that is ornately ordained and fitted with sufficient technology to receive signals." (thanks Tony) And for those of us with strong stomachs and a sense of humor why not put in a bid for the latest in holy relics?

Faith that Divides - those who still harbor the quaint notion that religion in schools and public life is not divisive and harmful to social cohesion should read this Amherst Times  article about a Jewish mother who had the gall to ask her local school board to consider "...prayers that were more generic and... less exclusionary." This was enough to trigger a fit among local Christians, "Anger spilled on to talk radio, in letters to the editor and at school board meetings attended by hundreds of people carrying signs praising Jesus." The mother and family finally could take no more and had to move from the area at great financial cost. The family's son had been singled out at school because he wore a yarmulke and his mother "described a classmate of his drawing a picture of a pathway to heaven for everyone except 'Alex the Jew.'" A speaker at a school board meeting suggested this solution if the boy was unhappy at his persecution, "If you want people to stop calling him ‘Jew boy,’ you tell him to give his heart to Jesus." Mmm, one wonders if this guy knows Mel Gibson. The family has now sued the school district, "challenging what they asserted was the pervasiveness of religion in the schools and seeking financial damages." The Indian River District school board and its supporters have given an object lesson in religious prejudice and can only make the case stronger for those, of different faiths and none, fighting to maintain the wall between church and state. (Ophelia Benson writing in Butterflies and Wheels has a very different take on this story and picks up on some things that passed 80 by - recommended)

Lobbying for Armageddon - in case you thought 80's imagination had run riot (see Gasoline on the Flames) do read this piece by Sarah Posner about those Christians in the US that can't wait for the final war they think is prophesied in the bible. Posner's opening paragraph should be enough to engage your attention "In a perfect world, a reporter at last week's press conference with George Bush and Tony Blair would have asked Bush, in the presence of his principal European ally, if he believes the European Union is the Antichrist. Although it sounds like the kind of Pat Robertson lunacy that makes even the wingnuts run for the nearest exit, it's a question Bush should be forced to answer. Bush and other leading Republicans have lined up behind a growing movement of Christian Zionists for whom a European Antichrist figures prominently in an end-times scenario." This is a frightening piece on the alliance between religious fundamentalists and neocons, both hoping and lobbying for war with Iran. These nutters actually want the world to end and are happy to take us with them.

No Laughing Matter - this piece by Michael Yglesias, writing in American Prospect, It's the Stupidity, Stupid, tells us "The president's ignorance would be hilarious if it weren't so dangerous". When you read that sentence you immediately thought of no other president than George W Bush didn't you? And you would be dead right. Bush's wilful ignorance of world affairs and his inability to communicate coherently have given many of us a laugh - a laugh that is swiftly stifled when you consider the number of deaths for which he is responsible. One example given by Yglesias is enough to make most people at first cringe in embarrassment, then become enraged at the thought that this know-nothing is the president of the USA. The great man said the other day "There's a lot of suffering in the Palestinian territory, because militant Hamas is trying to stop the advance of democracy." As Yglesias puts says "It is? Has Bush forgotten that Hamas came to power as a result of elections that he insisted the Palestinian Authority hold?" 80 yearns for the simpler times of "That's My Bush" the sitcom from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of South Park, before the public mood after 9/11 put a stop to such mockery. It is one thing to laugh at an inept clod and quite another to laugh at the commander-in-chief in time of war. It doesn't look like That's My Bush will ever return (pity) but for those who would like to remind themselves of the show or find out what on earth 80 is talking about see this page of clips from Comedy Central.

How Shall I Kill Thee? - let me count the ways. This piece by Duncan Campbell writing in the Guardian looks at the number of attempts that have been made to assassinate Fidel Castro - a grand (if suspiciously exact) total of 638, including exploding molluscs, snipers, poison pills, a fungus-infested scuba suit and exploding cigars. Weird and wonderful they may be, but all these disparate methods of terminating Castro have one thing in common - a conspicuous lack of success. It looks now like he will shuffle off this mortal coil without the CIA's help. On the subject of conspiracies, real or imagined, the 9/11 atrocity is one of the most popular, with a plethora of websites claiming that it was an "inside job". There is no convincing evidence of this but there was certainly a cover-up over how badly the Pentagon and others (no, we are not talking about My Pet Goat) reacted to the events of that day. This article in the Washington Post by Dan Eggen tells how the September 11 panel seriously considered referring the matter to the Justice Department for criminal investigation. We are told "For more than two years after the attacks, officials with NORAD and the FAA provided inaccurate information about the response to the hijackings in testimony and media appearances." So, probably no big conspiracy but a minor (and still indefensible) one that attempted to conceal an ineffective and bungling response to the attacks of 9/11.