To the editors and readers: I am writing to respond to a letter from December; one that clearly went beyond any measure of civility in how it framed its views, so I’m writing in rebuttal, so the citizens can choose. Let me first list my credentials, and define my expertise, so you’ll know I’m not …
Monthly Archive: January 2013
Jan 30 2013
Doing “Wrong” Right
Two experts, both alike in views (So much, you can’t tell whose is whose) Saw something on the evening news Which challenged their belief And something that they’d thought was right, Believing in with all their might, They now saw in a different light— It brought them both to grief The first said “well, I’ve …
Jan 29 2013
Just In Time For The Super Bowl
Just in time for the Super Bowl, the Public Religion Research Institute has released an opinion survey on… well, it’s not really about the role of religion in sports, or about the religiosity of sports fans, or about how important religion and sports are to people, or much of anything organized (although in part it …
Jan 27 2013
Documentary: Bible Quiz
Via the Beeb, a story of the Bible Quiz culture–the director, raised Christian, left the faith in college. The documentary is her attempt at understanding the culture she left behind, and at sharing that understanding with her new, secular culture. Brief video trailer here. Others here.
Jan 27 2013
A Different Approach To Prepping
In a time and place of plenty In a calm and placid mood There are things we take for granted Like a sure supply of food But when everything collapses— When the shit has hit the fan— Since it’s hard to love starvation, Time to love your fellow man…
Jan 25 2013
At The Dalai Lama’s Science Conference…
They’re analyzing consciousness By means of introspection And none of them have noticed that They’ve looked the wrong direction. The Dalai Lama saw the moon Was not lit from within He shared his observation (To his tutors’ great chagrin) Tibetan thought did not survive Objective observation The moon was not a lantern— That was just …
Jan 23 2013
I will be true despite thy scythe and thee.
Our data we once kept in drives and disks, Protecting it for use some future day; Predictably, we did not know the risks: Its storage starts the process of decay But scan a sonnet; digitize a play Record a speech—whatever you might choose And store it in synthetic DNA Encoded there in zeroes, ones and …
Jan 22 2013
NY Times Debate: Is Atheism A Religion?
The New York Times is hosting a bit of a debate, with views from folks like Penn Jillette and Jason Torpy, as well as frustratingly misguided writers who prefer unsolved religious mystery. It’s worth the read, if only to reinforce how good the quality of some of the thinking and writing is here at FtB. …
Jan 20 2013
Losing My Religion In A Major Way
Well, a major key, actually. Via Open Culture, a bit of computer rejigging by MajorScaledTV, turns a familiar minor-key song… weird: Sure, pretty much everybody will prefer the original, but this is a neat exercise. I just wonder how many times I will have to listen to it before my eyelid stops twitching. (Ok, you …
Jan 19 2013
On Arming Teachers
Though we must protect the children, What I’m seeing is bewilderin’— There’s a call to arm the teachers in the name of common sense Cos it wouldn’t quite be prudent To give guns to every student But we’ve got to pack some pistols to provide for our defense! Now, in truth, my grade school teachers …
About the Author
Recent Comments