We have an exciting press release from the University of Texas! Human evolution has been demonstrated by psychologists! It’s titled Men’s Preference for Certain Body Types Has Evolutionary Roots. Try reading it critically, though, and you discover it’s yet another set of bad studies overinterpreted by evolutionary psychologists.
Yesterday, I was rudely confronted on Twitter by a fellow going by the moniker @DConRadiolo who was insistent that he had proof of Near Death Experiences (NDEs). I have no problem believing that people near death have experiences, but I do find it improbable that they represent minds existing outside the body. But this guy was adamant that Life Reviews are “the holy grail of NDEs” and prove that there is something miraculous going on.
It’s so satisfying when a wingnut steps right into the trap. Kids at a school in New York heard the pledge of allegiance recited in Arabic, and the student body president actually said “One nation under Allah”…and predictably, the right wing has gone into a frothy spluttering meltdown.
The New York Times has responded to all the criticisms of their stupid article on the health dangers of the Apple Watch. And they have done a terrible job.
Three things bothered me about this reply.
So #GamerGate is outraged at auto-blocking software. There are several blockers out there; a lot of people are finding them useful. I think they’re fine…and I’d say that even if my name were on any of them. I simply do not understand the attitude that it is somehow a violation of a person’s right to free speech if a mechanism is provided to make it easy for other to exercise their right to not listen.
I’d let the Digital Cuttlefish know that pick-up artists are writing poetry. Or is that “poetry”?
Every year, UMM students put on the F-Word Conference — workshops and conversations about feminism. They’ve been very good the last two years, and it’s coming up again this Saturday. You can register online (it’s free! They just want to know who’s coming).
All it took was this one short ad.
It ends, “Ron Reagan, lifelong atheist, not afraid of burning in hell.” To my surprise, I’ve been contacted by a lot of people who are really, really happy with that ad: the idea that atheists are unafraid seems to resonate. But there are also people who are freaking out over it.
Y’all come on out! Come early — we’ve been having packed houses every month this year.
