Brownback, Tancredo, and Huckabee uh bye bye

Thank science I'm a Canadian. But as I've stated before, I realize the USA is our great protector, so what happens in US politics has more of an affect in my world, than Canadian politics has. Unless of course, we end up with one of the three stooges mentioned in the header of this post.

This clip is only 20 seconds long. From last night's Republican debate:


It is just too embarrassing in this day and age to even consider having an anti-evolutionist as head of the Western world.

I'll forgive John McCain. My gripe isn't against theistic evolutionists as much as it is YECs, by a long shot. And McCain does have a duty to mention God, or he has no chance of getting elected in a place where 45% of the country believes in Young Earth Creation. But Brownback, Tancredo, and Huckabee can not become leader. They just buried themselves anyway because the internet will destroy them now that they exposed themselves as wilfully ignorant.

For the record, I realize ALL politicians lie. Bush has pretty much feinted agnosticism when it comes to evolution and always considers his YEC voters. My view is the reason he said creationism should be taught next in science class was simply to keep his flock happy. To my knowledge, other than saying "the jury is still out on evolution," Bush has purposely not committed to an answer. Plus, with the evolution debate being so strong during the Bush reign, my bet is Bush now knows that evolution is fact.
I'm sure he was forced into some really informative lectures by real scientists.

Thanks to the internet of today, and especially blogs, Bush was probably the last President who could have possibly been elected IF he really doesn't know evolution is fact, as the internet is completely destroying the YEC movement, and especially over the couple of years.

Some Mallards Put Their Penises In The Wrong Quack

I see lots of science stories, but I just couldn't pass up on this one: "

Some female ducks and geese have evolved complex genitalia to thwart unwelcome mating attempts, according to a new study.

"

You see, mallards are part of the 3% of birds that have penises (phalluses, dicks, shlongs, etc.) that are capable of penetrating the females love tunnel. But plenty of mallard males don't believe in dating, and do the forced sex thingy (aka rape).

More:
"

Tim Birkhead at the University of Sheffield in the UK and colleagues examined vaginas and the corresponding phalluses from 16 wildfowl species. They discovered that the longer and more elaborate the male member, the longer and more elaborate its female recipient was.
No-entry signs

Some vaginas had spiral channels that would impede sex by twisting in the opposite direction to that of the male phallus. Others had as many as eight cul-de-sac pouches en route, that could prevent fertilisation by capturing unwelcome sperm. Moreover, these features were only found in species renowned for forced sex. All other species had simple male and female genitalia.

“These structures are wonderfully devious, sending sperm down the wrong road or impeding penetration,” says Birkhead.

"

The mallard penis has evolved longer and longer, and the female has evolved a trickier and trickier vagina. Usually, only when the female is relaxed, does she let the sperm find it's way. In other words, mallard males reading this post should either get to know the female or at least get them drunk first.

I'm just wondering what is the evolutionary advantage of this particular genitalia arms race. I'm not sure if rapist ducks pair off if they are successful with the female. The male does pair off, but only stays until the eggs are laid.

I'm thinking out loud, maybe the female knows what duck will make the best mate or she doesn't want the father to a duck that needs to rape to get laid.

Another interesting finding from Wikipedia:
"

Mallards also have rates of male-male sexual activity that are unusually high for birds. In some cases, as many as 19% of pairs in a Mallard population are male-male homosexual.

"

I wonder if the 19% that are gay have evolved a butt hole that is contoured in a way that is perfect for the cork screw penises of the mallard ducks. Of course Fundies will brush off the homosexuality on female rejection.

Some ducks do make a few good points though:


I have a feeling AngloAmerican will be commenting on this post.

Stupid Pet Tricks By Daisy & Laugh With Pat Condell

This is very short. The cookie trick is pretty cool:


There are quite a few good Atheist comics. Pat Condell, from the UK, is probably the best. Logical and extremely witty. Here are a couple of his best Youtube videos:

You can't argue with, but you sure as heck can smile and laugh a lot with him.

Here is his newest video:


For all of his videos, and I suggest you watch them all if you liked the above two: go here.

Check out his website too.

And here is a cause he is helping to promote: The World's Greatest Lawsuit

Reddit and Digg Buttons For The New Blogger

You may ask, what does this post have to do with being an Atheist Jew? The answer is nothing. I just wanted to share a few blogging ideas to my readers.
If you look at the top right hand corner of this post, you will see a Digg Button. If you are using the new blogger (or blogger beta format) and you want this button, click "template", then "edit html," check the "expand widget box," and follow these instructions:

Find this code in your template:

<p><data:post.body/></p>

and replace with this code:

<p>
<!-- DIGG -->
<div style='float:right; margin-left:10px;'>
<script type='text/javascript'>
digg_url = '<data:post.url/>';
</script>
<script src='http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js' type='text/javascript'/>
</div>
<data:post.body/>
</p>

H/T
Ajaxcold

Now, if you want the Reddit, Digg, and Del.icio.us buttons you see at the bottom of all my posts:
Enter Dashboard, select "Template" or "Layout" and "Edit HTML". Select checkbox "Expand Widget Templates". Follow these instructions:

Find the following code in your template:

<p class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'/>

And replace it with the following code and save:

<p class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'>
<a expr:href='"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=" + data:post.url + "&amp;title=" + data:post.title'>
<img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1785/2897/1600/digg.gif" /> digg</a>
<a expr:href='"http://reddit.com/submit?url=" + data:post.url + "&amp;title=" + data:post.title'>
<img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1785/2897/1600/reddit.png" /> reddit</a>
<a expr:href='"http://del.icio.us/post?url=" + data:post.url + "&amp;title=" + data:post.title'>
<img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1785/2897/1600/delicious.gif" /> del.icio.us</a>
</p>

H/T
Taw's Blog

Note: If you have something in the "p class....line-3'" part of your template, then do what I did, and make a new "line-4" which I pasted right after the "/p" for line-3.

Now you may ask, why bother? Well, you want your blog to be read by as many people as possible, don't you? I do. If you have an appealing enough title for your post, and then you submit your story to Reddit or Digg, you will be amazed at how many new hits your blog gets.

CoComment

Another useful free blog tool I use is coComment.
CoComment allows you to automatically follow any posts in the blogosphere that you commented on. I have an add-on for it from Mozilla, but I'm not sure if it is needed or not, because I'm really just winging it. I'm not sure how coComment works with other browsers.

Who says atheists, don't help out their fellow man (bloggers)?


Finally, I don't usually participate in internet related "things to do" that are emailed to me, but I couldn't resist this one:

Seven year old Shane Bernier is a brave cancer patient at CHEO and he is asking people to send him a card for his birthday on May 30th. Shane wants to set a world record for the most number of cards received!

I bought the card yesterday and I will mail it on Monday. Here is a link to get Shane's address: http://shanebernier.ca/

Of course, being the skeptic that I am, I had to check out if his story was true or not. Snopes says it is real. If Snopes says it is real, then it must be true.

Saudi Arabia's Modesty Buses Draw Fire

Saudi Arabia's 'modesty buses' draw fire
By Katia Abdul
BBC News, Riyadh

The other day I was waiting for a bus in downtown Riyadh. I was in the bustling extreme Islamic neighbourhood of Olaya and the bus stop was extremely crowded.

When the Number 40 bus arrived, the most curious thing happened. Husbands left heavily pregnant wives or spouses struggling with prams and pushchairs to fend for themselves as they and all other male passengers got on at the front of the bus.

Women moved towards the rear door to get on at the back.

When on the bus, I tried to buck the system, moving my way towards the driver but was pushed back towards the other women.

These are what extreme Muslims call "modesty buses".

The separation system operates on 30 public bus routes across Saudi Arabia.

The authorities here say the arrangement is voluntary, but in practice, as I found out, there is not much choice involved.

'Abuse and threats'

Fatime Rahma is one of a group of women now taking the separation bus system to court. She is a deeply religious Muslim herself.

"I wasn't trying to start a revolution, all I wanted to do was get home," she tells me.

"I was in downtown Riyadh and I saw a bus going straight to my neighbourhood and I got on and sat down, in a single seat behind the driver.

"It was a completely empty bus, and all of a sudden, some men started getting on, Muslim extremist men. They told me I was not allowed to sit there, I had to go to the back of the bus."

Not only is the segregation system discriminatory, says Ms Rahma, but it can also be dangerous, she says, for those like her who ignore it.

"I said to him look, if you bring me a code of Islamic law and show me where it's written that I have to sit at the back of the bus I'll move.

"And he tried to gain support from the rest of the passengers and I underwent a half-hour of pure hell - abuse, humiliation, threats, even physical intimidation."

'Positive discrimination'

Supporters of the separation system say the buses involved serve mainly extreme fundamental Muslim neighbourhoods - but not exclusively.

Many passengers are not happy. You will hear complaints at bus stops all over town.

One man told me that if some people wanted segregation buses they should pay a private company to provide them.

Another told me that in a society that is democratic and where the buses are subsidised by the government, a minority's concerns should not override those of the majority.

But Achmed Farouk disagrees. He is a city councillor in Riyadh where a large proportion of Saudi Arabia's segregation lines operate.

"This really is about positive discrimination, in women's favour. Our religion says there should be no public contact between men and women, this modesty barrier must not be broken."

Uphill struggle

Opponents of the separation buses face an uphill struggle. Radical Muslim leaders are a powerful minority in Saudi Arabia.

Fatima Regen says the buses are just part of a wider menacing pattern of behaviour towards women in parts of the extremist Muslim community.

"They've already cancelled higher education in the radical Islamic world for women. They have packed the religious courts with extreme Muslim judges.

"In some places there are separate sides of the street women have to walk on."

She says that there are signs all over some religious neighbourhoods demanding that women dress modestly.

"They throw paint and bleach at women who aren't dressed modestly and if we don't draw a line in the sand here with this seat on a bus, then I don't know what this country and this religion is going to look like in 20 years," Ms Rahma said.

Petitioners like Fatima Rahma have asked Saudi Arabia's High Court to either ban the segregation buses altogether or to force bus companies to provide parallel bus routes for passengers wanting to sit where they like.
************************************************
Alright, for those who don't know, this happened in Israel, not Saudi Arabia. The names and religious references were changed to get my following point across.

First, I realize that this post may jeopardize my chances at winning the JIB Award for best Jewish and Israeli Skepticism Blog. DON'T FORGET TO VOTE

Aside from that, most of the point, I hope is obvious. If this was in fact, a story that was from about Arab country (sure, this would have no chance of being debated within nor would it be considered newsworthy), many bloggers I know would be eating it up.
And I'm not just talking about Atheists, but I'm mostly directing this to my anti-Jihadist/pro-Israel friends as well.
And yes, it is easy to find these types of stories in most Arab and/or Muslim countries. They are hourly occurrences. Just check out Eye on the World, Elder of Ziyon, or The Muslim Question, just to name a few.

But I can't be hypocritical at this stage. Especially after opening up my new blog, Judeophobe Watch.

The behavior of Ultra-Orthodox Jews with regard to modestly dressed women and the 'modesty buses' is wrong. Plain and simple. I realize some of the comments at the end of the BBC article are very good, but they don't offer enough justification.

Here is the thing: Everyone is entitled to believe whatever they want. As long as they don't interfere with anyone else's right to believe, or not believe in whatever anyone wants to believe, everything is fine.

But imposing ones extreme beliefs or even moderate beliefs on other people, is just plain wrong. There are facts in the world, and there are beliefs. Beliefs do not take precedence in MY WORLD.

The fact is that these buses are NOT PRIVATE. If the Ultra Orthodox Jewish community want them to be exclusive, by their rules, they should buy them and run them themselves.

As far as their treatment of modestly dressed women on the streets; that is a shame, and no better than how we perceive the Muslim world's attitude towards women in many countries.

The Ultra Orthodox Jews should grow up, and be accepting. Whether they like it or they don't. If they want or need TOTAL exclusivity, they can move to Antarctica. The streets are not an Ultra Orthodox temple. They really don't have the right to be disgusted. Live and let live, unless you are being attacked. It is impossible for me to be tolerant of a religious person who is intolerant of others, especially in a public setting.


Tommy from Exercise in Futility is also outraged by the 'modesty bus,' and he isn't even a Jooooo:) Oh, and I can't believe how friggin stupid I am. For a couple of years I had him in my sidebar as ExCercise in Futility. I just noticed the mistake tonight for the first time and corrected it. And nobody said squat to me about it either.

One more plug, even though he probably will hate this article. Vote Elder of Ziyon for Best Pro-Israeli Advocacy Blog.