More American Family Ass. Drivel

'Elite' Colleges Not Always Best for Young Christians, Says Home School Advocate um, really guys, this has a lot to do with the fact that "Elite" colleges use these concepts that evade the christian right like 'logic,' 'science' and 'reason' and not blind faith. Also since you mention James Madison, you should probably read what he wrote as he was a big fan of SEPARATION of myth and state.

Score Me 1, AFAss. 0

Church Renewal Activist Doubts New TV Ads Will Help UMC's Dwindling Numbers Really?!? This has nothing to do with their slogan "Open hearts, Open minds, Open Doors." but has everything to do with the rational and logical people not buying to fairy tales.

Score Me 2, AFAss 0

Apple Why Do You Have to Hate on DC?

Apple's library of baseball calendars neglects the Nationals and still lists the Expos!

Really? Now?

Why does all of the good shit and all of the bad shit have to all come at the same time?

Mike Fair Spaghetti Monster Supporter

South Carolina Senator Mike Fair is making progress on helping to educate the world to the glory of The Flying Spaghetti Monster

But seriously look a the semantics and this guy is pretty easy to tear apart.
expose students to the "full range of scientific views that exist" on biological evolution.
It is the practice of the American Family Ass. to put things they don't agree with in quotes. They are basically saying that they don't believe in them.

Fair says his bill would not prevent teachers from discussing evolution, but would require them to present other theories such as intelligent design, which says that life is too complex to have evolved by accident.
This means that teachers could still discuss evolution, but they will have have to discuss other theories, (note the lack of the word scientific) regardless this means that the Spaghetti Monster Theory would be required, to be taught in class, praise to the pirates. Luckily it also doesn't mention how it should be taught so a science teacher would be free to say "I'm going to now, comply with the law and discuss Ignorant Design and let you know that it is not based in science but is instead a story just like Santa Claus and while like Harry Potter, may be interesting to read, is a work of fiction."

Fair believes what students learn in public school science classes should not undermine what they are taught at home or at church.
So if children are taught at home that fire won't burn you and that kicking people makes them taller, this should not be undermined in school?

Fair says. "The biblical worldview, the one that I embrace, is that our Creator God spoke things into existence, and that same creator God demonstrated His love for me by sending His only son, Jesus, to die on the cross. And what a wonderful message that is."
Fair then goes on to support a world view that isn't even inline with Ignorant Design, he instead says that things were "spoke in to existence" Harry Potter style.

sigh.

Potbelly - Official Sandwich Restaurant of DC Dan

Potbelly
Originally uploaded by dcdan.

This is chicken salad, a sugar cookie and Juice, all for under $7 and it was good, Potbelly is the now the official sandwich restaurant of DC Dan.

Energy Policy

Energy Policy
Originally uploaded by dcdan.

And I'm supposed to trust the Addict Bush's energy policy? Can someone please explain why?

Go Badgers!

That's how we roll

Simple Solution

From Slashdot

"Ars Technica has an interesting article on how HDCP figures into Microsoft and Apple's future OS plans. Not only will future HD content not play in pure HD on most existing monitors (it will be degraded, or not shown at all), but high-end monitors today don't support HDCP yet. HDCP has been coming for 3+ years, but geek fantasy items such as Apple's $3,000 30" Cinema Display don't even have support for it yet! The end result is that when Windows Vista ships (and Apple's next OS), most people won't be able to watch protected HD content on their computers."


Here is a simple solution when companies follow these stupid restrictive moves, DO NOT BUY FROM THEM! when the movie industry realizes that people stop buying, they will finally start listening, but when you bitch about DRM this or the RIAA does this or the MPAA does that, they don't care, because they are still getting your money and corporations exist only to increase shareholder value everything else they tell (which may or may not even be true) is said only to support this goal. If you want to make this work, put your credit card back in your pocket and go to your local library and check out a book instead.

Plan for .XXX Domain

Since the .XXX will likely be shot down as the Addict's Administration, panders to mythical beliefs about sexuality. I propose another use for the .XXX domain. The .XXX domain should be used instead for "intelligent design" and non-reality based initiatives that for some reason have the attention of the Addict's Administration. That way it will be very easy for parents not have to worry about their young impressionable children being exposed to things like this, because it will make it easy for kids to be able to tell the world of make believe from the real world by knowing that if a site has .XXX at the end, it is make believe.

Thanks for The Onion Writers

worship_3_1
Originally uploaded by vaughn.

Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New 'Intelligent Falling' Theory

Stance Against Tolerance

I saw this today and it makes the baby jesus cry.

Christian College Praised for Holding Fast to Its Biblical Worldview
A Bible college professor and home-schooling dad is praising a Christian college in Virginia for firing a low-level employee because he does not believe salvation is found only through faith in Jesus Christ.

This quote here sums up the arrogance and danger of fundamentalist Christianity:
"In the midst of the culture in which we live -- where relativism and tolerance are considered the ultimate virtues -- Patrick Henry [College] has taken a stance in direct opposition to that kind of thinking," Baucham says.

This brought to mind a conversation I had with my friend Dave (who is getting his Ph D in Divinity so he know a bit about this stuff) this weekend. One of the common "proofs" brought up when people defend Ignorant Design. Is that Evolution is only a theory, thus it is must be called into question. The problem is that argument is that real science does not use absolutes, everyone can and always should be questioned. The religious right doesn't understand this and works in the unquestioning world of absolutes. When you are allowed to question you are allowed to expand and explore, but when you deal only in absolutes you run the risk of being absolutely wrong.

Anyway too annoyed to write about this anymore, and I'm heading out to the Hieroglyphics concert tonight!

Park Shoes

Park Shoes
Originally uploaded by dcdan.

To quote Atmosphere

Those are your shoes
These are my shoes
We've got issues

Make 4:20

Make 4:20
Originally uploaded by dcdan.

Is Make Magazine hinting at something? Will the next issue feature "Build Your Own Bong?" This is from a how to on a tool to dispense munchies automatically at 4:20.

It's Still National Airport to Me

Reagan
Originally uploaded by Idio Lector.

One of the things that is heard a lot from the right is that people from Hollywood should stay out of politics. I just want to point out that I agree, had second rate actors like Reagan and Schwarzenegger, stayed out of politics the US would be better off.

I HEART DC DAN REDUX

I
Originally uploaded by dcdan.

Several friends asked for the shirts but they wanted different styles and sizes. To those people I say ask and ye shall receive DC Dan Wear


Also big up to Jess for help with the logo.

Gravity I Like It

From the latest American Family Ass. survey

Should students be exposed to different ideas, or should they be shielded from information about intelligent design? Give us your opinion.

Yes, students should be exposed to the theory of intelligent design in public schools.
No, the theory of evolution is the only theory which should be taught in public schools.


This is a great example of a totally biased question. The American Family Ass is clearly trying to get you to click "yes" it is the default choice and they use the word "exposure" and not taught.
Yes children should be exposed to the theory of intelligent* design but NOT in their science classes, because it is NOT science based. They should be exposed to it in their political science classes because intelligent* design is political maneuver by the Christian fundamentalists to bring their myths into schools for early indoctrination.
The "No" answer is equally as biased, no evolution shouldn't be the only theory taught, number theory, the theory of relativity, game theory and even music theory should also be taught. Should it be the only theory taught given any credence related to how man has evolved? Yes.

Here are two related links
Darwin Has a Posse
Intelligent Design Explained Intelligently




*I don't like to use intelligent when discussing this in the future it will be referred to as ignorant design

Nana Nana Nana

You can find this Daily Show clip here The first part is just okay, but mostly and ad-homien attack on Bolton's mustache. The second part with Rob Courdy is classic and sadly really represents the reality of the Addict President's world view.

Because The Media is Still Neglecting It

The Truth Hurts
Originally uploaded by dcdan.

Rove! Rove! Rove!

Bolton! Bolton! Bolton!

Invisible Monsters Quote

Chuck Palahniuk the author of "Fight Club" who has yet to disappoint me with his work, I just finished "Lullaby" and am plowing through "Invisible Monsters" which has a quote that I like a lot

"Santa Claus is just a story," says Seth. "He's just the opening band to God. There is no Santa Claus"

To Quote the Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Read the papers, thing look grim
Watch the news, the outlook' dim
It's clear to see there is something wrong
Could be that we don't change alot
But we should give it our best shot
Our only weapon is a song
Maybe we're being to naive
But this is something we believe
What's beyond belief is just how much is wrong
Nothing is gained when people fight,
Maybe our heads aren't screwed on tight
Our only weapon is a song
We're not building bombs or storing ammunition
We're just playing songs hoping people will listen
Others try hate but hate won't move anything
We're trying love and unity too
We're not packing pistols,
We're not waging war
Most of our missiles have only four chords
It's not a great plan but we like the agenda
The arsenal's music and the army's our friend
Could be our idea isn't great,
Maybe our heads aren't screwed on straight
We may be wrong and maybe nothing's wrong
And we might never win the war
But we'll have fun and that's for sure
Our only weapon is a song

Maybe there will be a new generation of punk, god (pun intended) I hope so.
Remember words are some of the most dangerous weapons we have.

Watching History Happen

With the Installation of Bolton you can see more of the trend of operating outside of the government "of the people, for the people and by the people." Connected with things like invading sovereign countries Iraq (Poland); taking advantage of the attacks of September eleventh (Reichstag fire); restricting civil rights and liberties via the Patriot Act (Reichstag Fire Decree); the establishment of DHS (Gestapo), encouraging people to spy on their neighbors; the "for us or against us mentality" and "restoring the US" (The Third Reich) ; the suppression of "deviant art" and the ostracizing of homosexuality (Nuremberg Laws)
Though it is all right before our eyes, right now, people are more concerned about who will win Rock Star INXS. Seventy five years from now people will be looking at US and British citizens of the first decades of the new millennium and ask, just as they did of the German citizens and the Italian citizens of the of the 30s. "How did you let this happen?"