Stonewall and else

I don't post enough; I can never make myself post and I guess I'm not really that interesting anyway :P

I went to the Stonewall festival (gay pride parade), but I think most of my friends in the area were away at Anthrocon so I didn't see them. I helped set up the Raelian booth and had burned them some cd's to hand out. I sat there with them and chatted with the pro-choice booth next to us and some other people, then walked around. One of the people was dressed in what looked like militant garb and talked about Jesus a lot to us, but I think we may have frightened him as much as he frightened us. I'm not sure Jesus would approve of associating his peace and love philosophy with a militant look, but the whole 'Christian soldier' concept is surprisingly common. One of the Realians marched in the parade with one of our crazy signs, but I wanted to watch it because this was my third year and had never actually ~seen~ the parade. I've always been in it with one group or another instead of seeing it. There were a surprising number of churches in the parade, and that made me really happy even though I wasn't personally interested in them. I was tempted to go down and stand with the bigots to see what they did when the more level headed churches (or even better, the politician floats) passed them.

I need to meet more people in the area, and am also looking about for a new place to live that might be closer to work so I can spend less gas. As annoying as it might be to some people, I've been driving 55 mph on the way to work, which increases my gas mileage 8 to 10 mpg. I really hate peeving others on the road, and don't understand why they choose to ride my bumper when there is one or two clear lanes to pass me with, but I am wanting to save money for other things.

Anyone looking for someone or a roommate? I thought about moving somewhere different than Ohio too, but it'd have to be with someone I am sure of and I'd need to find a job before I actually moved because I don't want to afford being jobless more than a week after a move.

Robots. On the moon. FIGHTING TO THE DEATH!

So Google is offering a prize for the first private company that can land a rover on the moon and make it travel 500 feet and send back pictures and stuff. Its suppose to be done with no government help and such. I suppose that's okay..

I think they aren't being creative enough. They should make all the competitors land at once, then their robots would fight to the death for the prize! Robots. Fighting. On the moon. It would be the most awesome. day. ever.

Maybe next time.

Robots. On the moon. FIGHTING TO THE DEATH!

So Google is offering a prize for the first private company that can land a rover on the moon and make it travel 500 feet and send back pictures and stuff. Its suppose to be done with no government help and such. I suppose that's okay..

I think they aren't being creative enough. They should make all the competitors land at once, then their robots would fight to the death for the prize! Robots. Fighting. On the moon. It would be the most awesome. day. ever.

Maybe next time.

government idiots

Should members of government be required to pass periodic intelligence and psychological tests? Yes. Yes they should. Of course then we have to deal with who will come up with said tests. Certainly those idiots in Congress aren't going to cooperate or do it right if they do. Here's to hoping.
Its a far more dangerous thing, of course, to ask voters to pass a simple intelligence test, because its something the government definitely would fail implementing. If only it could be done right, it'd be great; maybe people would stop electing people like Bush, Hamas, and Hitler into power as they have so often done over the past century. If only. Maybe we can start with the test for politicians.
Of course this post won't get any good responses cause I didn't mention sex. Or did I?!

Arrrrrrrrgh

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH

When a straight male someone says something like "There's this really nice girl that wants to have sex with me, but I don't know how to tell her no.", I want to knock some sense into them. When they tell me this story, I just stare at them, wishing I had problems like theirs. Seriously, some people don't know how to count their blessings.

Ragarth, you need to come here and get under my desk. Right now. Bring friends.

... Hi everyone!

God's unchanging law

(stolen, without any shame whatsoever, from here.

The validity of this letter having actually been sent to Dr. Laura is unknown, but it still makes some great points about people who quote scripture to excuse their bigotry against homosexuals.

Dear Dr. Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.





In other news, I have a headache. My ratties offered to nibble me cutely, but it didn't help.

Its still me

So I'm still here, but forget to post all the time.

I got a new rattie. She was looking at me cutefaced in the store and she was all alone and had been alone in her box for like two weeks. I felt so bad that I caved and bought them and brought her home. I named her Biscuit and she gets along well with Flip, Flop, and Toggle; they snuggle up all four in the nest together, and even seem to be getting along better than usual. When I stick my hand in the cage Biscuit attempts to grab it in her little hands and then noms me.

I saw part of that movie Expelled, as much as I could watch before Ben Stein's voice put me to sleep and made me drool. (Okay, so less than five minutes). From scanning through it, it seemed really disappointing; I had really hoped they would at least make an effort to be relevant in today's society without droning on about 'a loving God', which to me is a deal breaker in any science lecture. It didn't seem like he had a good concept of what his own theory was, much less the one he was competing against. However, I must reserve judgment until I actually watch the movie. Consequently, I may have to judge this movie in five minute increments between naps.

Also: I have a sudden desire to watch old episodes of "Win Ben Stein's Money". I loved that show ^.^

I remembered I had a facebook account. I should do things with it like... I don't know. What do people do with facebook accounts? I sent virtual plants to people and this was somehow suppose to save the environment. I will join some random groups I like too.

Intelligent Design vs Evolution... OR IS IT?

One thing that bothers me most about the ID vs Evolution debate is that people assume they are mutually exclusive, both sides creating a sort of false dichotomy. The fact is there are people who believe in Evolution via Intelligent Design (like several Popes oddly enough, also many Deists, some scientists ) and people who believe in Intelligent Design without believing in an 'almighty' Creator(s) (like Raelians and some other scientists ). Intelligent Design's main enemy, of course, is not Darwinism, since concepts like natural selection and micro-evolution are valid in both theories. Its the religious fanatics who try to 'help' by throwing their holy book at scientists, claim that the Earth was created in only 6 days, or use it to try to push religious indoctrination into schools, which gives the whole thing a false image because the actual theory doesn't support any of those things. I came to the realization that most people I have personally spoken to on the subject haven't actually looked into the science behind either side, even their own side. Most ID people believe it simply because they fear their religion will be invalidated if they do not. Most Darwinists believe it simply because they fear mainstream religion (rightly so), and think any attack on macro-evolution must be an attempt to take us back to the Dark Ages. Alternately, because they did a head count and want to follow the majority of scientists. That's fine and no harm done, but the majority of scientists used to believe in the theory of spontaneous generation. The important thing is to realize that there are legit scientists on both sides, both sides have both religious and non-religious people, and both sides have idiots that speak in all caps or use profanity and lolspeak to get their point across. Religion shouldn't be part of the debate and we shouldn't judge either side by the dumbest proponent, in my view.

Anyway, I have been reading an article by a scientist, but I haven't finished the article yet. Its here. It has a lot of scientific jargon and references so I am sometimes needing to read paragraphs two or three times or stop and check other references to be sure I understand what they are saying and it that it follows. If anyone actually reads that, they can tell me what they think of it. And hell, its a public journal, you can tell me what you think of anything you want whether you read it or not :p