Morons, Intelligent Design, and the JREF
I won't even attempt to apologize for the discursiveness of this post, however, a few things happened which have given me cause to comment.
This morning brought the news that the Halfwit-in-Chief supports the teaching of Intelligent Design (ID) in the classroom. To any but the most mind-bogglingly stupid, ID is without a doubt a colossal piece of pseudo-science and quasi-religious flummery; so one is not particularly stunned when President Bush comes out swinging in its defense. Our inestimable Dumbya in Pennsylvania Avenue seems to embrace slipshod theories and muddled thinking such as Iraqis behind the terrorist attacks of September 11th. I almost miss the astrologers in the White House.
This pronunciamento from our elected Theocrat-in-bureaucrat's clothing will, no doubt, fan the flames of illogic, paralogia, and irrationalism that are currently sweeping the nation. Kansas, which is already poised to plunge back into the twelfth century, will no doubt make hay while the sun shines and cheerfully wave good-bye to the twenty-first century. I anticipate witch-burnings and Inquisitions by the end of the year from the Sunflower State.
What our dearly loved President doesn't understand is that by promoting the instruction of half-baked pseudo-science in the classroom, he's paving the way for lower test scores in the sciences. And I'm sure that the religious kadodies who embrace the precepts of ID will soon find a way to condemn algebra - If God had meant for numbers to be represented by letters he would've made netters or lumbers, show me the transitional links... - as they add more books to the pile waiting to be flung onto the pyres.
But I digress.
President Bush's statement was, no doubt, calculated to garner further support from the religious and social conservatives to whom he panders in the most obsequious manner. The White House Science Advisor, John Marburger, stated that evolution is the 'cornerstone of modern biology' in an interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education earlier this year. Additionally, Mr. Marburger has characterized ID as not even being a scientific theory. Confidential to Mr. Marburger: Resign in protest now; before the hooded cabal comes knocking at your door to drag you away for having the temerity to suggest that the earth isn't flat.
It's a pity that Ol' Moses hisself - Charlton Heston, for those of you not in the know - isn't quite as active as he was during the Reagan Administration. Ol' Moses was a good mouthpiece for that particular crepuscular old fart (de moriturii and all that notwithstanding, he WAS a crepuscular old fart). Besides, he commanded the attention of the Moral Malignancy and their masses of morons who are just a-waitin' for the Rapture.
As an aside, have any of you noticed an increase in the number of loons driving around with bumper stickers that read, 'In case of Rapture, this car will be unattended' or some such? Is it just me or is this really alarming? Viz. 'Excuse me, sir, but did you realize that you were swerving across six lanes of oncoming traffic?' 'No, officer, I wasn't present, I'd gone up to Sweet Baby Jesus in Rapture.' Of course, I jest, when the Rapture comes (if ever), it'll sweep all the True Believers off to the arms of the Lord in Heaven. The sooner, the better, I say. We could use a good housecleaning here on old Terra.
For any of my loyal readers, all two of you, who are not familiar with James Randi, I commend to you the website for the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF): http://www.randi.org/. It is a wonderful site, I suggest that you read his commentary and the archives to get a few laughs and more than a little bit of disgust at the yipyops and cretins who feep about trying to make a quick buck with their shills and flimflams all at the expense of the ignorant. As a quick overview, the JREF is working to combat the Forces of Darkness by exposing the shams and tricksters who peddle pseudo-science, the paranormal and other dreck and raise false hopes and claims in others. To this end, they've offered a million dollars ($1,000,000 US) to the first person to successfully demonstrate their claim under rigorous scientific testing using mutually agreed upon methods by a third-party. To date no-one has successfully passed the preliminary examination. Sylvia Browne, that 'psychic' darling of Montel Williams has accepted the challenge and then oiled out of it. The JREF is running a timer on its site indicating the number of days elapsed since she said she'd try for the money. I'd suggest reading the submitted applications and the dialogue with Kramer from the JREF. They're a hoot. Don't mind the typographical errors which occasionally crop up. If you can, I'd suggest buying a little something from their store. It'll help keep the JREF going and quite possibly help in the battle against these jimooks.
On a related note, I’m wondering what the stoats that push astrology will have to say about the discovery of that tenth planet. When Pluto was discovered, they at least had the ‘mystical’ number nine to work with and could cover themselves that way. I’m not familiar with any particular mysticism surrounding the number ten, but then I wouldn’t follow that sort of lunacy if I were paid to do so.
You know, I just thought of something. Isn’t the pushing of ID monumentally stupid on the part of El Presidente in light of his much vaunted No Child Left Behind scheme? After eating of the insane root that is ID, how could a child, without previously having been exposed to rationalism and the scientific method, be expected to do well on a science test? Are they going to think that dinosaurs were placed here to confuse us? That, by the by, begs the question: Why would any “loving” deity ever willfully seek to confuse his/her/its followers in such a manner? Does the aforementioned deity have a perverse sense of humor? Or is he/she/it not really as nice and kind and loving as suggested by the people who are still waiting to be rapt off this planet and into Heaven? I don’t know about you but I tend to find trust to be one of the cornerstones of a successful relationship. In what other subjects is this deity deceiving us? Just a thought…
Hey, no complaints, didn’t I warn you that this was going to be discursive?
This morning brought the news that the Halfwit-in-Chief supports the teaching of Intelligent Design (ID) in the classroom. To any but the most mind-bogglingly stupid, ID is without a doubt a colossal piece of pseudo-science and quasi-religious flummery; so one is not particularly stunned when President Bush comes out swinging in its defense. Our inestimable Dumbya in Pennsylvania Avenue seems to embrace slipshod theories and muddled thinking such as Iraqis behind the terrorist attacks of September 11th. I almost miss the astrologers in the White House.
This pronunciamento from our elected Theocrat-in-bureaucrat's clothing will, no doubt, fan the flames of illogic, paralogia, and irrationalism that are currently sweeping the nation. Kansas, which is already poised to plunge back into the twelfth century, will no doubt make hay while the sun shines and cheerfully wave good-bye to the twenty-first century. I anticipate witch-burnings and Inquisitions by the end of the year from the Sunflower State.
What our dearly loved President doesn't understand is that by promoting the instruction of half-baked pseudo-science in the classroom, he's paving the way for lower test scores in the sciences. And I'm sure that the religious kadodies who embrace the precepts of ID will soon find a way to condemn algebra - If God had meant for numbers to be represented by letters he would've made netters or lumbers, show me the transitional links... - as they add more books to the pile waiting to be flung onto the pyres.
But I digress.
President Bush's statement was, no doubt, calculated to garner further support from the religious and social conservatives to whom he panders in the most obsequious manner. The White House Science Advisor, John Marburger, stated that evolution is the 'cornerstone of modern biology' in an interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education earlier this year. Additionally, Mr. Marburger has characterized ID as not even being a scientific theory. Confidential to Mr. Marburger: Resign in protest now; before the hooded cabal comes knocking at your door to drag you away for having the temerity to suggest that the earth isn't flat.
It's a pity that Ol' Moses hisself - Charlton Heston, for those of you not in the know - isn't quite as active as he was during the Reagan Administration. Ol' Moses was a good mouthpiece for that particular crepuscular old fart (de moriturii and all that notwithstanding, he WAS a crepuscular old fart). Besides, he commanded the attention of the Moral Malignancy and their masses of morons who are just a-waitin' for the Rapture.
As an aside, have any of you noticed an increase in the number of loons driving around with bumper stickers that read, 'In case of Rapture, this car will be unattended' or some such? Is it just me or is this really alarming? Viz. 'Excuse me, sir, but did you realize that you were swerving across six lanes of oncoming traffic?' 'No, officer, I wasn't present, I'd gone up to Sweet Baby Jesus in Rapture.' Of course, I jest, when the Rapture comes (if ever), it'll sweep all the True Believers off to the arms of the Lord in Heaven. The sooner, the better, I say. We could use a good housecleaning here on old Terra.
For any of my loyal readers, all two of you, who are not familiar with James Randi, I commend to you the website for the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF): http://www.randi.org/. It is a wonderful site, I suggest that you read his commentary and the archives to get a few laughs and more than a little bit of disgust at the yipyops and cretins who feep about trying to make a quick buck with their shills and flimflams all at the expense of the ignorant. As a quick overview, the JREF is working to combat the Forces of Darkness by exposing the shams and tricksters who peddle pseudo-science, the paranormal and other dreck and raise false hopes and claims in others. To this end, they've offered a million dollars ($1,000,000 US) to the first person to successfully demonstrate their claim under rigorous scientific testing using mutually agreed upon methods by a third-party. To date no-one has successfully passed the preliminary examination. Sylvia Browne, that 'psychic' darling of Montel Williams has accepted the challenge and then oiled out of it. The JREF is running a timer on its site indicating the number of days elapsed since she said she'd try for the money. I'd suggest reading the submitted applications and the dialogue with Kramer from the JREF. They're a hoot. Don't mind the typographical errors which occasionally crop up. If you can, I'd suggest buying a little something from their store. It'll help keep the JREF going and quite possibly help in the battle against these jimooks.
On a related note, I’m wondering what the stoats that push astrology will have to say about the discovery of that tenth planet. When Pluto was discovered, they at least had the ‘mystical’ number nine to work with and could cover themselves that way. I’m not familiar with any particular mysticism surrounding the number ten, but then I wouldn’t follow that sort of lunacy if I were paid to do so.
You know, I just thought of something. Isn’t the pushing of ID monumentally stupid on the part of El Presidente in light of his much vaunted No Child Left Behind scheme? After eating of the insane root that is ID, how could a child, without previously having been exposed to rationalism and the scientific method, be expected to do well on a science test? Are they going to think that dinosaurs were placed here to confuse us? That, by the by, begs the question: Why would any “loving” deity ever willfully seek to confuse his/her/its followers in such a manner? Does the aforementioned deity have a perverse sense of humor? Or is he/she/it not really as nice and kind and loving as suggested by the people who are still waiting to be rapt off this planet and into Heaven? I don’t know about you but I tend to find trust to be one of the cornerstones of a successful relationship. In what other subjects is this deity deceiving us? Just a thought…
Hey, no complaints, didn’t I warn you that this was going to be discursive?
posted by The Wicked Brian of the West at 7:19 AM
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