The last words of Christopher Hitchens
10 February 2015 by 1 Comment
I continue to read Hitchens for inspiration, and brush off those detractors who devalue his entire life simply because he was in favor of the Iraq war. The man spent his life battling totalitarianism and irrationality, and of course he was sometimes wrong. Who among us hasn’t been? But mark a few errors against the very full column of his brilliance, his fight for what he saw as true, his copious writings on so many topics, and the eloquence that inspired us all. It’s a bromide to say of someone who’s died that “they can’t be replaced,” but in the case of Hitchens it’s undeniably true.
via The last words of Christopher Hitchens « Why Evolution Is True.
A moving tribute from Professor Ceiling Cat.
Book Review: Why I Am Not A Christian
9 February 2015 by Leave a Comment
Dr Richard Carrier wrote Why I Am Not A Christian because he was sponsored to set out his reasons for not being one.
Discussing our experiences, we realized we’d both encountered many Christians like this, who color their entire perception of reality with the assumption that they have to be right, and therefore the evidence must somehow fit.
Facing Wine
7 February 2015 by 1 Comment
Never refuse wine. I’m telling you,
people come smiling in spring winds:
peach and plum like old friends, their
open blossoms scattering toward me,
singing orioles in jade-green trees,
and moonlight probing gold winejars.Yesterday we were flush with youth,
and today, white hair’s an onslaught.Bramble’s overgrown Shih-hu Temple,
and deer roam Ku-su Terrace ruins:
it’s always been like this, yellow dust
choking even imperial gates closed
in the end. If you don’t drink wine,
where are those ancient people now?
Li Bai (701–762)
Skateboarding Makes Afghan Girls Feel Freed
4 February 2015 by Leave a Comment
When I ask Nelofar about her hopes for women in Afghanistan in 2015, she says, “It’s my dream that everyone can do sport, especially girls in the street, and nobody will disturb them. Hopefully things will change.”
Her hope is shared by her father, who says, “Go, my daughter, and build your
via Skateboarding Makes Afghan Girls Feel Free | VICE | United States.
This is a great story.
Expert Advice on How to Avoid Destroying your Phone’s Battery
2 February 2015 by Leave a Comment
You can leave your phone plugged into the charger overnight without too much risk, provided it’s not a counterfeit charger, and you don’t let your phone overheat. For best results with your smartphone charging, here’s what to remember:
- Always use official chargers and cables, or certified alternatives from reputable brands and retailers.
- Don’t let your phone get too hot. Remove the case when charging overnight.
- For the longest battery life possible, try to keep your battery between 50 and 80 percent.
- Avoid letting phone battery completely discharge, and don’t charge it from 0 percent up to 100 percent too often.
Expert Advice on How to Avoid Destroying your Phone’s Battery | Digital Trends.
Nice to know.
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The Reason Stick: The Venn Diagram of Irrational Nonsense
2 February 2015 by Leave a Comment
A blunt, shit-stained instrument wielded indiscriminately to bludgeon pseudoscience, superstition, blind faith and common or garden irrational bollocks.
via The Reason Stick: The Venn Diagram of Irrational Nonsense.
H/T to AB for bringing this to my attention. Do visit the original site as there’s more fun.
Click for larger image
Oldest modern human remains outside Africa found in Israel
1 February 2015 by Leave a Comment
“This is the smoking gun that confirms what geneticists have been predicting,” he said. “We had finds from Africa and from Europe but we were missing the connection between them; it’s like finishing a puzzle and finding that a piece is missing: it drives you crazy. This is the missing connection between the older African populations and the later European populations.”
via Oldest modern human remains outside Africa found in Israel – Archaeology – Israel News | Haaretz.
Another piece of the puzzle.
Oh, the Internet is marvellous thing: Popeye the Sailor: Nearlyweds
31 January 2015 by Leave a Comment
From archive.org.
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What’s Wrong with Blasphemy
30 January 2015 by Leave a Comment
The End Blasphemy Laws campaign believes “blasphemy” and “insult” to religion laws are wrong in several ways:
- They violate the human right to freedom of expression
- They protect religious belief and practices, institutions and leaders, from legitimate and necessary criticism
- They are intrinsically bad laws
- They legitimize mob violence, vigilantism, and persecution of minorities
This extract is from the site End Blasphemy Law, which is part of a new campaign aimed at the abolition of blasphemy laws. The campaign is lead by the International Humanist and Ethical Union and European Humanist Federation.
You can read a discussion of these bullet points here, and you can join the campaign here. I urge you to do so.
oddrops 