Somebody tell them…Dickens’ London was not a utopia

Jane Cunningham, a Rethuglican (of course), has sponsored a bill in the Missouri congress that will disillusion you a little further today. Behold, SB 222!

This act modifies the child labor laws. It eliminates the prohibition on employment of children under age fourteen. Restrictions on the number of hours and restrictions on when a child may work during the day are also removed. It also repeals the requirement that a child ages fourteen or fifteen obtain a work certificate or work permit in order to be employed. Children under sixteen will also be allowed to work in any capacity in a motel, resort or hotel where sleeping accommodations are furnished. It also removes the authority of the director of the Division of Labor Standards to inspect employers who employ children and to require them to keep certain records for children they employ. It also repeals the presumption that the presence of a child in a workplace is evidence of employment.

OK, that’s enough. I’m not reading any more email this morning. Instead, I think I’ll zip down to the liquor store and pick up a gallon jug of rum and curl up in a corner, weeping.

Damn, no. We’re in the middle of a storm with 35-50 mph winds howling outside. I guess I’m just going to have to face this universe sober.

I hope these people aren’t your friends

Japan has a tragic and devastating earthquake. American responses follow a range of attitudes. One that is normal and appropriate is sympathy and outreach by donations to organizations like the Red Cross; if you’re in that group, good for you, congratulations on being a human being.

Another response that is far too typical is for people to drop to their knees and start praying to their fairy-tale magic man in the sky, being about as ineffectual as is possible while still feeling smug about it. That’s human too, it’s just dumb. You don’t get congratulations for being a stupid human being, but at least you don’t make me want to disown the human race.

And then there’s a third reaction. I was sent a collage of messages posted on Facebook in the last day or so, and these make me ashamed to share a culture with these wretched people.

I may be about to ruin your morning. Don’t click on this compilation of facebook entries unless you’re one of those cynical people who already has low expectation of the worst of Americans.


And…the story from Japan has just gotten worse. There was an explosion at a nuclear power plant last night.

Markey is a hero, Rethuglicans are morons

Lately, I’ve completely given up on giving any credit to the Rethuglican party at all — where once I could have grudgingly admitted that perhaps some conservative policies were sensible, the current party is no longer conservative, but simply insane. As an example, I give you The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, a Republican-sponsored, Republican-promoted exercise in outright science denial blessed by Koch Industries.

To amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas due to concerns regarding possible climate change, and for other purposes.

It simply blatantly redefines “pollutant” to exclude carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and any other substance that science might discover contributes to climate change, and says the EPA cannot regulate them. As you might guess, the oil and coal companies, as well as agribusiness, are drooling over the prospect of gutting the EPA.

The hearings on this bill have been a series of scientists testifying to the lunacy of it all, with Rethuglican ignoramuses responding with canards and stupidities. One guy did stand up for reason, Representative Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachussetts.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to a bill that overturns the scientific finding that pollution is harming our people and our planet.

However, I won’t physically rise, because I’m worried that Republicans will overturn the law of gravity, sending us floating about the room.

I won’t call for the sunlight of additional hearings, for fear that Republicans might excommunicate the finding that the Earth revolves around the sun.

Instead, I’ll embody Newton’s third law of motion and be an equal and opposing force against this attack on science and on laws that will reduce America’s importation of foreign oil.

This bill will live in the House while simultaneously being dead in the Senate. It will be a legislative Schrodinger’s cat killed by the quantum mechanics of the legislative process!

Arbitrary rejection of scientific fact will not cause us to rise from our seats today. But with this bill, pollution levels will rise. Oil imports will rise. Temperatures will rise.

And with that, I yield back the balance of my time. That is, unless a rejection of Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity is somewhere in the chair’s amendment pile.

That last remark is a little bit unfortunate, since the fundagelical zealots actually do hate the theory of relativity. They really are that crazy.

My hat is off to Ed Markey, and right now, I’d like to make him president. Unfortunately, the Rethuglican chaired and dominated House energy and commerce committee subsequently proceeded to approve the bill.

Do you get that?

The Republicans have decreed that pollutants are not pollutants, therefore we can ignore them.

A family opportunity at the Atheist Convention

Are you going to the American Atheists National Convention in Des Moines, Iowa this April? Are you bringing the family? Are you concerned that the kids might get bored listening to Christopher Hitchens, Lawrence Krauss, Matt Dillahunty, Elizabeth Cornwell, me, Greta Christina, and Hector Avalos?

There’s an option: Camp Quest of Minnesota will take your 8-15 year olds off on a godless adventure for a day. Here are the details:

Camp Quest of Minnesota
Mini-Camp Event!

Join us for a fun-filled mini-camp occurring one day only during the 2011 American Atheist Convention in Des Moines. There will be Camp Quest style activities and events as well as field trips to the Science Center and All-Play.

When: Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (field trip leaves at 9:30 am sharp).

Where: Embassy Suites: Scott’s Landing Room

Ages: Eight to fifteen years-old

Cost: $30.00 (will cover meals, activities and field trips. You may bring a check or cash when dropping off your camper.)

Bring: Swimsuit, walking shoes and a raincoat

For information about Camp Quest of MN, visit us online at: www.minnesota.camp-quest.org and for questions about attending this event email Camp Quest of MN at mncampquest@gmail.com

Rand Paul’s poop is more important than any mere woman

I’m stunned. People actually elected this lunatic, Rand Paul?

So, somehow, Rand Paul, who is 100% anti-abortion, deeply resents the fact that the government wants to enforce energy efficiency and insist that we should conserve resources, because it infringes on his right to buy old hot wasteful light bulbs and toilets that use lots of water when they flush. Priorities!

If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office.

(via Jezebel)

Bravo, Oregon!

The Oregon House has passed a bill removing the special protections for faith healers. Sorry, god-botherers in Oregon, you don’t get to claim the approval of gods to justify torturing, maiming, and killing your children with neglect.

It passed unanimously, too, although of course a couple of Rethuglicans had to voice reservations. Why? Because they’re idiots.

Rep. Jim Weidner, R-Yamhill, said he worried “we might be heading down a slippery slope.” He said he prayed earlier in the day about his son’s severe tonsillitis. His wife took his son to the doctor Thursday morning, he added, but “am I going to go to prison because I took the time to pray with my child?”

No. Notice the part where his wife took his son to the doctor? That’s what’s important. Not whether he also mumbled magic words, or patted the kid on the head, or went home and sacrificed a chicken for the child’s good health. All that matters is that you don’t neglect necessary care because your superstitions say it is alright.

All right, I want to go to FogCon for just one thing

There’s a science fiction convention going on in San Francisco this weekend, and I wish I could attend for this one reading:

Fritz Leiber will be reading from his recently completed work, as well as answering audience questions.

Leiber is one of my all-time favorite authors, which is one reason to attend, but another is this little fact.

Yes, the rest of the con looks good, too.