All posts by Deana

Stupidity by Design

Religion

Hi, this is Deana, your Michigan correspondant, writing with a report from the field. Despite all the supporting evidence, it turns out, according to this Detroit News editorial, that the theory of evolution is “an antiquated, unproven teaching theory”. Oh, I see. It also says that evolution “fails (the) test” of being a “genuine scientific theor(y)”. Ah. Unlike intelligent design, which “can and has been proved scientifically.” I’m learning so much here in Michigan!

It is so, so, so awful. I’ll finish this despairing rant with another quote, “Some Michigan educators have already vowed to fight intelligent design. One Grand Rapids Community College biology professor called it “embarrassing.” But the theory that we “evolved” from apes isn’t?”

Oh, joy.

Discouraging Pedophilia?

Crime

Can’t make my mind up about this web site, Perverted Justice. There was an article about it on Salon.com (but it’s premium, so the link wouldn’t work here), and it’s basically a site where vigilante types go to chatrooms and pose as underage boys and girls. When they’re approached, they try to get as much information about the would-be pedophile that they can, then reveal their identities and post the whole session on this site. They’re not cops, but they hope to discourage this kind of trolling for kids on the internet. I don’t know whether it works – apparently people find would-be pedophiles on this site and harrass them, too. It’s an interesting approach, I suppose.

Evangelism as public education?

Religion

I belong to a humanistic web group here in Michigan and recently someone noticed that one of the community colleges was giving a class called the Alpha Course, meant to determine what relevance Jesus has in the lives of its students. The humanists alerted the ACLU and apparently they agreed that the separation of church and state was being violated, and managed to shut the class down. This article discusses the situation. What do you think? Is this an attempt to evangelize, or just education?

Talk to the animals

Science

Hiya,

I’m working on a lecture about human language and its relationship to abstract thought and culture, and I wanted stuff on meerkat alarm calls for comparison’s sake. I stumbled across this great site talking about animal behavior and communication in a number of arenas, all assembled for your reading pleasure. It has the overly simple title of “biology – animal behavior”.

Me and the quiz thing again -

Fun

I’m breaking from all the political stuff to demonstrate a very accurate quiz. I’m well nigh obsessed with Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and I took yet another quizilla quiz that pegged my favorite from the fab five with extreme precision. The Queer Eye guy who is my type is:
ted
Ted: Food & Wine Connoisseur

And it is, too! Yay! (Even though I find Kyan very, very attractive as well…)