Archives for June, 2008
Could a McCain win impact evolution education?
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 30, 2008 The Washington Post points out that: as justices finished their work last week, two overarching truths about the court remained unchanged: It is sharply divided ideologically on some of the most fundamental constitutional questions, and the coming presidential election will determine its future path. A victory by the presumptive Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, would probably…
Memery
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 30, 2008 The cool kids are wondering what happens when you: Take out your iPod (or Zune, I guess…really, who buys a Zune?) Press shuffle songs. Answer the following: a) How many songs before you come to one that would absolutely disqualify you from being President? b) What is that song? After a random intro from the…
Green conventions
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 27, 2008 On October 30, 2007, the GOP Convention site was overjoyed at a Washington Times article touting the convention’s green efforts: Tree-huggin’ GOP “Republicans are committed to making next year’s nominating convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul the ‘greenest’ in party history. From transportation to venue selection to staff workspace – convention planners are working to implement the…
Roberts faces stiff opposition
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 26, 2008 I haven’t written much about Jim Slattery‘s race to replace Memory Pills Roberts. Not because it isn’t an interesting race, just because I haven’t had much to say. Slattery knows Kansas and is experienced at winning elections there, Roberts has done a crappy job, and I hope Slattery wins. For more on his biography, check…
The business of psychics
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 26, 2008 My high school buddy James Grimmelmann unleashes on Newsweek: Tony Dokoupil manages to write 1,200 words in Newsweek about professional psychics without once telling his readers the single most relevant fact: Psychic powers don?t exist. Would Newsweek run an interview with the Easter Bunny? Would it let Jane Bryant Quinn suggest investing in perpetual motion…
Book sale!
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 26, 2008 The National Academies Press is selling books at half price for the summer, meaning you can get Robert Hazen’s excellent Gen-e-sis for cheap. It’s perfect reading whether you’re at a deep-sea vent, tidal pools or floating on the surface of the primordial ocean.
One day of reason in Oregon
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 25, 2008 Jim Lippard reports that the Oregon Governor declared June 21 a “Day of Reason.” Am I the only one wondering what that says about the other 364?
“Not a sham”: Oppose creationist legislation in Louisiana
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 25, 2008 An important principle in first amendment jurisprudence is that government actions must not be undertaken solely for the benefit of religion. In 1987, the Supreme Court considered a law passed by Louisiana that required teachers who presented “evolution-science” to “balance” it with “creation-science.” Legislators insisted that the bill had valid secular purposes, but the Supreme…
Ben Stein: Still a rat-bastard
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 24, 2008 As Ben Stein’s egregiously bad Expelled opens in Canada, the Canadian press is getting a taste of the offensive bile Stein unleashed in his US media tour. Peter McKnight, of the Vancouver Sun, asked Stein about the ADL’s condemnation of his movie: Nowhere does Stein mention the centuries of anti-Semitism before Darwin — in fact,…
McCain admits more drilling is useless
Posted by Josh Rosenau on June 24, 2008 MSNBC’s First Read quotes McCain justifying offshore oil drilling: Even though it may take some years, the fact that we are exploiting those reserves would have psychological impact that I think is beneficial. In other words, it does nothing, but might sound good to people who don’t pay attention to details. This, my friends, is…
Joshua Rosenau spends his days defending the teaching of evolution at the