Today marks The Digital Cuttlefish’s one year anniversary here at Freethought Blogs–my first post here went up July 21st of 2011, a few days before the network went public. Thanks, Ed and PZ, for creating this space and populating it with these people. And thank you, readers and commenters, for the reactions that keep me addicted to writing here.
From one year ago: [Read more…]
Is the person, or system, at fault,
For the crimes which must come to a halt?
In today’s Air Force case
There was one guilty face—
Sergeant Walker committed assault.
Headline: Air Force instructor convicted of rape, assault
An Air Force instructor was convicted in military court Friday of raping one female recruit and sexually assaulting several others, giving prosecutors a victory in the first trial over alleged widespread sexual misconduct by military trainers at a busy Texas base.
A seven-person jury of military personnel at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio found Staff Sgt. Luis Walker guilty on all seven counts he faced, including rape, aggravated sexual contact and multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault. He faces up to life in prison and a dishonorable discharge at his sentencing hearing, which starts Saturday.
Know your audience! If you choose your audience well, you have no need to be funny, or informative, or rational, or coherent.
Ok, maybe you all already knew that. But I’ve been teaching at Cuttlefish U., and our students are actually pretty smart, so I clearly have not chosen my audience well. And you, dear readers, are even smarter (and probably better looking, and you likely smell pretty good too), so I can’t get away with things like cheap flattery.
Actually… come to think of it, you *are* smart–so could one of you please explain the following to me? From context, I get that it is supposed to be funny. That’s point B. I need somebody to get me there from point A: [Read more…]
Via Ed, yet another establishment clause violation, and another group of privileged people helpfully telling us to look the other way so we aren’t offended by their breaking the law.
When the people face the loss of their local civic cross
They will gather in a circle and they’ll pray
Though it’s twenty-six feet tall, you can hear the common call:
“You don’t like it, then just look the other way!”… [Read more…]
Yeah, eventually I’ll get sick of posting pics of cuttlefish car stickers in the wild, but it won’t be for some time. This time, it’s Ctenotrish who has sent me the pic. (I expect mine in the mail soon, perhaps even today.) Pic after yon jumpage: [Read more…]
Let me tell you all the story
Of John E. Brennan
On a tragic and fateful day
Put his passport in his pocket
Kissed his wife and family
And he pissed off the TSA… [Read more…]
So, this pops up in my inbox this afternoon, and it’s the most beautiful bit of writing I have seen in a long while. Nobody writes like this these days–who is it? I ask.
Ah. Emma Goldman, writing in 1916. (hat tip to Eagainst.com, who also have the essay in Greek, if you prefer) [Read more…]
God’s been making plans again
To show us he’s our master
And time has shown, when god makes plans
It always spells disaster
God’s notion of a good idea
Is not the same as man’s—
So bar the windows! Bolt the doors!
Cos God’s been making plans.
Though reality-based it was not,
Michele Bachman still gave it a shot…
But it seems it’s too much
For her colleagues to touch—
They’re denying her Islamist plot!
Headline: Lawmakers Condemn Michele Bachman’s Claim of an Islamist Plot [Read more…]
I love this–my recent campaign song for Mitt Romney has been recorded by a reader*, in what sounds to me like a wonderfully raucous drinking song. Mind you, I had my own melody in mind when I wrote it, and it is nothing like what you are about to hear… but for the life of me, I can’t get this tune out of my head to re-hear my original! (viddy after jump:) [Read more…]