Name It And Claim It

Here's a great article updating the progress of Sen. Grassley's investigation of several televangelists. I would add that even the ones who are cooperating, like Joyce Meyers, still operate under some very reprehensible practices and still rake in mountains of money (legally) from trusting, struggling believers.

Critics acknowledge the idea that God wants to bless his followers has a Biblical basis, but say prosperity preachers take verses out of context. The prosperity crowd also fails to acknowledge Biblical accounts that show God doesn't always reward faithful believers...

Uh, what about this critic, who says it's obviously all a load of swindler horseshit and that these mountebanks are preaching credulity and then reaping its rewards as they smugly grin asscheek to asscheek?

On the assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Counterterrorism Blog:
Analysis of the Bhutto Assassination

Benazir Bhutto’s assassination is a tragedy, and likely a strategic setback as well. It is tragic because, despite the notorious corruption of Bhutto’s administration, in many ways she represented the best that Pakistan has to offer. Bhutto boldly opposed the fundamentalists’ dark vision for Pakistan and was openly pro-West. After the unsuccessful attempt on Bhutto’s life in October, she called out by name the figures whom she believed were complicit.

Jihad Watch:
Bhutto "champion of moderate face of Islam"?

Calling Benazir Bhutto a moderate Muslim is one manifestation of what's wrong with the term, and how confusing and misleading it can be. Benazir Bhutto was indeed a Muslim, at least nominally, but when she was in power in Pakistan what she championed was a Western secularist, socialist vision, not an Islamic one by any stretch of the imagination. She did not, in other words, offer an alternative vision of Islam itself, shorn of its draconian and supremacist elements. She didn't offer or stand for an alternative understanding of the Qur'an and Sunnah that taught that Muslims should not wage war for Islam, subjugate unbelievers, or institute stoning and amputation and the rest. Rather, she essentially advocated that in some areas Islamic law should be set aside. That, along with her gender, is what aroused the ire of the Islamic leaders in Pakistan against her, as it has against Musharraf.

Andrew McCarthy @ NRO:
Benazir Bhutto: Killed by the real Pakistan.

There is the Pakistan of our fantasy. The burgeoning democracy in whose vanguard are judges and lawyers and human rights activists using the “rule of law” as a cudgel to bring down a military junta. In the fantasy, Bhutto, an attractive, American-educated socialist whose prominent family made common cause with Soviets and whose tenures were rife with corruption, was somehow the second coming of James Madison.

Then there is the real Pakistan: an enemy of the United States and the West.

Star Trek Holidays

This Festivus we've been enjoying the remastered first season of Star Trek. Reminds me of a recent boingboing post about the Women of Star Trek, which led me to a find a more informative site - Star Trek Women. Many more than I'd realized. We watched Court Martial this morning with prosecutor Lt. Areel Shaw.

It Better Not Hit Our Droids!

An asteroid has a 1 in 75 chance of hitting Mars on January 30.

Happy Festivus

Archbishop says nativity 'a legend'

The Archbishop of Canterbury said yesterday that the Christmas story of the Three Wise Men was nothing but a 'legend'.

Dr Rowan Williams has claimed there was little evidence that the Magi even existed and there was certainly nothing to prove there were three of them or that they were kings.

He said the only reference to the wise men from the East was in Matthew's gospel and the details were very vague.

Dr Williams said: "Matthew's gospel says they are astrologers, wise men, priests from somewhere outside the Roman Empire, that's all we're really told. It works quite well as legend."

The True Meaning of Festivus

From WeTheRobots:

Engaging Discussion

The Richard Dawkins Foundation has posted two hours of discussion between Richard Dawkins, Dan Dennet, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris. It's like what we all do when we're together, just without bringing up horror movies, American history, pet eccentricities, scifi, hoi polloi sagas, political ennui, and Mallet anecdotes.

The DVD will be out January 7.

Oh, That's Why We Like Ron Paul (Kinda)

When asked about Huckabee's nauseating Christmas campaign ad, Ron Paul replied:

Well, I haven't thought about it completely, but you know, it reminds me of what Sinclair Lewis once said. He says, 'When fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag carrying a cross.'

Then he goes on about he's a Christian too, and that the whole ad was kinda tacky. At least he partly gets it.

Let's Put A Smile On That Face!

The new trailer for The Dark Knight is up here. I can't wait.

Battle of the Bulge

Atheism And Prejudice

Check out this post from PZ Meyers concerning a recent article reviewing a recent prejudice and religion study. The studies findings are probably what we would all expect, but the article's writer seems to think that the results are tragic in some way.

I guess it must be sad to some that non-religious people are less prejudice than the faithful among us.

Synthetic Biology makes me all tingly.

I love it when a scientists says, "The cat's out of the bag." It could be really cool or end in a fiery zombie holocaust - Synthetic DNA on the Brink of Yielding New Life Forms. I can't wait.

The Fruits of Procrastination

Cloverfield Trailer
(that cinema verite' Godzilla-type movie)


and

A geeky site we should probably be checking out regularly:
Great White Snark with posts like Reader Poll - What say you about the director of the Clash of the Titans remake?

I've always been a proponent, and now only moreso.

Pure nostalgia

VH1 video classics

Which Of These Is Not Like The Other?

1. nuclear weaponry
2. environmental destruction
3. gay marriage

According to Pope PanzerKraut I, they are ALL equal threats to world peace. The Vatican may be cleaner, but it's just as fucking sick, debase, superstitious, and dangerous as Sudan or Iran.

What an asshole.

Sad News

Terry Prachet has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.

James Woods Space Telescope

The Hubble replacement is in the design phase. Looks like the mirrors for it ar ebeing made in Cullman. I'm not sure to be proud or to worry that it'll mess up. Oh well, anything that look for extra solar planets is OK in my book, just so long as they don't search for heaven.

The Manger Was Lit By Rudolph's Nose, You Know

From here.

Two of My Favorites

John Stossel interviews Ron Paul on Personal Freedoms - it will be interesting to see how many votes Ron Paul can actually get. He just sounds so reasonable. Even if he does have some personal views I disagree with, I can't imagaine he'd use the govt. to impose them. He has absolutely no chance...

Transparently Absurd

The Pope says that if you visit some dopey shrine your stint in purgatory will be shortened.

Catholic pilgrims who visit Lourdes from now through next year, which will mark the 150th anniversary of the miracle claim, will receive an "indulgence" from the Pope, which he says will speed the trip to heaven.

Who buys this bullshit? How about instead telling the third world that if you follow the Catholic church's policy against condoms, you're stint in purgatory will be sooner than you planned?

Best Cursing I've Read All Week

A document distributed to National League players in 1898.
(Link).

PRINCIPAL HIGH BUILDINGS OF THE OLD WORLD (via FARK)

World's Tallest Buildings Circa 1884

Double Good News?

Chavez goes down and we say Iran stopped its nuke program four years ago. Have we had news this good in a while? Now if only the dollar could rebound and we could find someone who would make a good president, we'd be in business.

Dino for Dinner

"Dinosaur Mummy" found with much of its tissues and bones still encased in an uncollapsed envelope of skin. Very cool.