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Back from TAM

And boy do I have lots and lots to say. But I have to work, so it’s going to be a little while before I’m able to put everything together. But expect a rundown of the whole event, some pictures, an in-depth response to Phil Plait’s Tone Police speech, and all of the best quotes of the event.

As David Jaberbaum, former Executive Producer of The Daily Show, put it, “What happens in Vegas can be shared with everybody because it makes so much common sense.” And “It makes more sense to have TAM in Vegas than in the Vatican only because the architecture is less gaudy and the illegal sex is more consensual.”

More soon!

Back from TAM

TAM: Going Dark

So, I’m leaving tomorrow morning to go to TAM. I probably won’t have much internet access beyond email, so there (probably) won’t be any updates while I’m there. I will, however, be taking notes analog style, so I’m sure there’ll be stuff to post when I get back.

So, if you’re going to TAM feel free to either e-mail me, or facebook friend me, I’ll be primarily available by text message and my phone number is on my FB or I can email it. It’s times like these that I wish I had some sort of intelligent phone machine.

TAM: Going Dark

Andrew Sullivan is a Dick Cont’d

Should we pray for Hitch? I will, in part to piss him off.

That’s what’s fucked up about it. You’re not praying because you think it’s going to legitimately do him some good, you’re praying because you see his illness as a chance to be a complete jerk? Tell me how that’s not fucked up.

And I agree with the rest of what Sully says

I don’t believe in treating the sick as suddenly tender souls who cannot enjoy humor and debate – and that would apply in truckloads for my dear friend. I’m delighted that no one ever pulls a punch with me on the grounds of chronic disease and I’m sure Hitch would feel the same way.

Absolutely, don’t pull punches, don’t be afraid of debating, and if you want to be a dick fine, but we’re gonna call you on it. And I would think that religious people would have a problem with their religion being used specifically to be a dick — oh wait, nevermind on that one. And if you feel the need to pray, fine, but what you said was

May the God he believes poisons everything be with him

DICK. And oh so guilty of being the kind of Christianist that he claims he hates.

Andrew Sullivan is a Dick Cont’d

Andrew Sullivan is a Dick

Today he posted about Hitch’s Cancer and said the following:

I’m devastated by the news. We need Christopher around for a long, long time. I do not know the details and understand his need for privacy. But he seems in good spirits if this classically British understatement is symptomatic of his mood:

“I have been advised by my physician that I must undergo a course of chemotherapy on my esophagus. This advice seems persuasive to me.”

May the God he believes poisons everything be with him. And a simple word of encouragement: surviving a potentially fatal disease can be a form of liberation. I look forward to an even more liberated Hitch.

I’m glad that he cares, and I feel much the same way towards Sully as I do towards Hitch, they’re both interesting to read even when I totally disagree with them which isn’t infrequent.  But what a dickhead thing to say.  He doesn’t believe God does anything because he doesn’t believe in God, he thinks that religions poisons everything because it’s false.  It’s in the damn title of the book he wrote, it’s not difficult.

And then, using the opportunity of someone’s major, potentially fatal illness to insist on pushing your religious bullshit is… well it’s fucking rude bullshit.

Andrew Sullivan is a Dick

Christopher Hitchens Cancellations Explained: Cancer

I was really excited, I was supposed to go to a book signing in LA with Christopher Hitchens.  He was going to give a talk this week.  It was going to be awesome.  A couple weeks ago, there was a thing in Seattle that a friend of mine was trying to go to, he cancelled for “personal reasons”.  Not long after that, he cancelled the one in LA, also for “personal reasons”.

I threw myself into full internet research mode, but there just wasn’t any info out there.  I even tried to get the Pharyngulite Horde onto it, but no one really responded.

He’s got cancer.  Esophageal cancer for which he’s getting chemo, which means it’s probably advanced.  The average five year survival rate, according to Wikipedia, is 5%.  According to the following site, 14,250 are diagnosed each year, and 14,000 die.

While no surefire way to prevent cancer of the esophagus exists certain risk factors can be minimized to reduce the risk of cancer. Smoking and excessive alcohol multiply the risk of esophageal cancer up to 44 times, so avoiding these two factors decreases the risk and improves your overall health.

Well, that’s Christopher Hitchens in a nutshell, he smokes and drinks, it’s who he is.  It’s a shame if that means he’s going to die at 61.  He’ll probably laugh and say at least he got his memoir done before he died.  🙁

Christopher Hitchens Cancellations Explained: Cancer