Month: February 2012

Atheist Billboard Celebration

Brianne Bilyeu, , , , 1,024 Comments

Yesterday a group of Minnesota Atheists gathered at The Public House restaurant for an evening of socializing and celebrating the two billboards that are nearing the end of their month-long run. There was one couple who was attending this as their first MNA meetup; they had donated to the billboard fund and wanted to gather for the last hurrah.

I sat next to a group that discussed  the joke that was Darrel Issa’s hearing on the constitutionality of the HHS rules on contraception and the now infamous aspirin as contraception quote from Foster Friess (aka, keep your legs shut you filthy sluts), then we chatted books. One of the guys tried to keep us on track about the “serious” books we were reading, but then someone mentioned the Hunger Games and all was lost (ohmigawd – only a little over one month until the movie comes out!). We were also sitting next to the producer of Atheists Talk, the MNA radio show that airs every Sunday morning at 9am on KTNF AM950, so we talked about some of the upcoming guests – it’s quite the lineup!

There was a fun 10-question quiz about religion, atheism and separation of church and state. One of the new attendees ended up winning the free Minnesota Atheists t-shirt prize. The shirts were also available for sale – $6.66 each. And then we all trooped outside into the brisk Minnesota weather to take a group photo under the billboard. I haven’t seen the photo posted up on the meetup site or mnatheists.org yet, but here’s a pic that was taken earlier this month when the sign was being put up:

Billboard by Minnesota Atheists

Billboard in Minneapolis by Minnesota Atheists. Photo by Lynn Fellman.

I can’t properly describe to you how this photo doesn’t do the billboard’s SCREAMING YELLOW!!! justice, especially at night when the board is illuminated by three powerful lights. I’ll post the photo that we took last night when it become available.

Both billboards – this one and the one in Saint Paul – come down on Monday. They’ve been up for the month and the committee overseeing the billboards are very pleased with the reception, the media attention, and the increase in people who have signed up on the MNA meetup group. And from the water cooler gossip being tossed around last night, it sounds like this might be something that MNA is interested in doing again in the future.

Atheist Billboard Celebration
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He's baaaaack!

Brianne Bilyeu, , 151 Comments

Remember the first Purity Bear that saved our male hero from the female seductress? Well, Purity Bear is back and this time she’s a a gal!

Don’t forget to watch all the way to the end of the movie, where you can see these vague and un-referenced “facts”:

  • 2/3 of girls wish they had waited longer.
  • Young men who are sexually active outside of marriage are 3x as likely to suffer chronic depression.
  • Virgins who wait for marriage have a higher success rate.

Thanks (for nothing), Purity Bear!

 

He's baaaaack!

He’s baaaaack!

Brianne Bilyeu, , 496 Comments

Remember the first Purity Bear that saved our male hero from the female seductress? Well, Purity Bear is back and this time she’s a a gal!

Don’t forget to watch all the way to the end of the movie, where you can see these vague and un-referenced “facts”:

  • 2/3 of girls wish they had waited longer.
  • Young men who are sexually active outside of marriage are 3x as likely to suffer chronic depression.
  • Virgins who wait for marriage have a higher success rate.

Thanks (for nothing), Purity Bear!

 

He’s baaaaack!

Coffee With Bernie

Brianne Bilyeu, , 146 Comments

A gentleman named Gary DeSomber sent me a video short that he wrote, produced and appeared in (he plays Boppa). He created Coffee With Bernie for an atheist film festival. It won 1st place in two film festivals, Cedar Rapids Iowa and La Jolla, California and was shown in two other fests.

Gary knows that I’m posting his video today, and I’ve invited him to browse the comments for any feedback y’all might have. He is about to start filming a longer production (30-35 minutes), and may even attempt a feature length film one day soon. He’s active in one of his local Freethinkers groups, and plans on taking “lots of jabs at organized religion” in his upcoming works. He has a website where you can watch his other short film and learn more about him. If you have any constructive criticism on Coffee With Bernie, or ideas for future productions for Gary, I invite you to write them below.

Coffee With Bernie

C'mon kids! Let's go to the Creation Museum!

Brianne Bilyeu, 160 Comments

As of yesterday, the Creation Museum was winning in internet votes for Budget Travel’s Top 15 Places Kids Should See Before 15 contest. Happily, it’s been pushed down the list to second place as of 0725 CST.

BUT IT’S STILL LISTED AS #2!!!

Want to vote that sucker right off the list? Go here to place your vote.

Seen at the Friendly Atheist.

C'mon kids! Let's go to the Creation Museum!

C’mon kids! Let’s go to the Creation Museum!

Brianne Bilyeu, 375 Comments

As of yesterday, the Creation Museum was winning in internet votes for Budget Travel’s Top 15 Places Kids Should See Before 15 contest. Happily, it’s been pushed down the list to second place as of 0725 CST.

BUT IT’S STILL LISTED AS #2!!!

Want to vote that sucker right off the list? Go here to place your vote.

Seen at the Friendly Atheist.

C’mon kids! Let’s go to the Creation Museum!

Dinkus Award: Liz Trotta

Brianne Bilyeu, , 624 Comments

This made me see red. I haven’t seen such an egregious, obvious, reprehensible case of victim-blaming on a major news program in a while.

Liz Trotta says that if women want to serve in the military they should expect to get raped. She says that the increasing incidence of sexual assault is just a case of feminists wanting to be both warriors and victims. She says that we’re wasting our tax money paying for sexual assault and rape prevention services. She says that we don’t need to protect our military personnel because it’s their job to protect us, not the other way around.

This is so twisted, so vile. Trashing the military or the troops seems like such a politically incorrect thing to do, but I guess trashing women trumps the “supporting our troops” sentiment. This whole piece is “She was asking for it”.  I don’t know how this woman sleeps at night.

Dinkus Award: Liz Trotta

A Moment of Happy

Brianne Bilyeu, 474 Comments

I loved reading this short story. I was hunched over my phone, nearly weeping into my lunch today when I got to the gloriously sappy, beautiful ending. It’s a birthday story. It’s a mystery. It’s an adventure. It’s a love story. Here’s an excerpt:

She raced into the parking lot, and as she ran in pulled the door too hard and let it slam against the wall.

“Hey!”

“Oops sorry Mister Hansel. But I’m in a hurry.”

He looked upset but when he realized it was Alexandra a warm smile came over his face.

“So you figured it out. I wasn’t sure you would, but he assured me you’d get it.”

She smiled. “Yup!” and she ran off to the tea room.

She ran in, startling the new girl who was in there, and frantically started searching the giant jars and containers of tea looking for the right one.

“Can I help you with something?”

“No. Yes! I am looking for the Earl Grey Crème. It’s our favorite.”

They both started looking, and the girl became as frantic as Alexandra, without really knowing why.

“Got it!” the girl yelled triumphantly, as Mister Hansel sauntered in, smiling. Alexandra grabbed it, turned it around, and sure enough there it was, a post-it.

Read the full story at A Flash of Inspiration – an art and writing blog by Dennis Finnochiaro

 

A Moment of Happy