Witches In The Philippines

Look at this super evil lagoon.

Kind gentle and very good looking readers, ya know I heart me my beautiful Philippines. I do, I do so much. But part of what love is is callin' out your loved one when it matters. If you had a destructive and abusive friend or family member, then wouldn't you say something-I would (that is what love is). Two thingies, peeps....

One, my beautiful Philippines unashamedly laid claim to the 7 billionth human born to this erffs. Just like my peeps brag about being the most Catholic nation in S.E.Asia, I don't think that that is something to brag about. I have written about over population and doing Dog's work many many times. It is not a good thing and it certainly is not sumthin' to brag about. We/they should be ashamed. The Philippines biggest crop is rice and the government has to bring it into the country because it can't produce enuff...and there are hella peeps that do not have enuff to eat. 7 billion people that is not good. That is nothing to be proud of. WTF.

Are you a dude or a chick. Regardless, I'm scared.

Pictured above is Ceyetano Umbalsa, 76, lives in the super beautiful Central Visayas...oh and s/he is a witch. Just like all native peeps all over the world, some kind of shaman-y witchcraft stuffs proliferated in the Islands before the coming of medical science (and even before the Spanish and their Catholicism). The thingy about it in my beautiful Philippines...it's still there.

Some Filipino witches practice the healing arts and some practice the dark arts. Fo sho you one can purchase a spell that can make someone love you...or you can make dude impotent. For an island with a yearly income of $2,500 a spell can cost anywhere from $345 to $700. What do you get for that much money. The witch will put the magic stone in a glass of water and blow air bubbles into it until the water becomes clear. Needless to say, many locals swear by this practice and go for the natural and indigenous over the medical science to cure their ills.
Super super funny thang...Father Larry Catubig says...

"It's good that the witches are going to church, and we try to steer them away from magic," he said. "But when they go back into the mountains, we have no control over what they do (LA Times)."


Now I've heard everything. Happy Hell-o-weeny everyone.

* Filipino witches

Don't go in the water. Why. I dunno.

* Congrats? 700 Billion. WTF.

* Ugh,  my mouth hurts so fuckin' much right now. Double Ugh.

* Wiki Siquijor

The Slutty Halloween Costume Conspiracy

Hiez, everyone, I'm totally cute.

Like I said the other day, Halloween is popular because of the Slutty Halloween Costume Conspiracy. If you would like to debate that, then bring it on. I'll Lincoln-Douglass your arse till the break of dawn (and I'm pissed right now cause I have a toothache and no insurance. Aaaaaaaa). If that does not seem possible or probable to you, then try this one. Halloween is the devils day. It is the day when real evil lurks the streets recruiting the chillin'. It is a demons nite and if you are not careful, then you will become possessed. Satan rules the nite. Or...that is bullshit...

Don't forget you omega 3 fatty acids.

Or Halloween is a time of great parties, costumes, fun and some of that good 'ol stupidstition that those know it all skeptics keep talking about. Some believe that it originated in the festival Samhain from those crazy Celtics, you know the ones that invented that dancing with no arm movements (River Dance). During Samhain peeps would lite bonfires and wear costumes to ward off the ghosts and ghouls.

Filipino's eat dogs, esp Taco dogs.

In the 8th century, Pope G-III went all Christian and did what Christians do best and they hijacked the holiday (like they did with Christmas, Easter, dying and rising Gawds etc...). Just like when they hijacked the Winter Solstice from the Pagans, Pope G declared Samhain to be All Saints Day-they did incorporate some of the traditions of the Celtic festival-but now it was about honoring saints and martyrs (which sounds super boring).

Booty.

While the rest of the secular world adopted All Hallows Eve (Halloween) and celebrated the winter nites, created child based activities (trick or treating) and used it as a reason to celebrate within the community, those crazy hijacking Christians used it as an opportunity to spread fear and live in fear.

What was once a pretty good party, ya know with that super good alcohol that I like so much...oh yea and food also, was turned into a supernatural and superstitious nite of fear. Unsubstantiated entities like demons, pure evil and Satan himself now roamed the nite and ya know what...they ARE gonna git ya. So watch out you sinner.

I have to tip my hat to all the good and reasonable Christians out there that just see it as a nite where their kids can collect some kid crack (candy) and hopefully, the adults can have some tasty beverages and treats of their own. (Some) Religion is elitist and dividing, and I feel bad for a poor kid that doesn't get to do what all the other kids get to do (trick or treating) because their parents are....crazy.

Be safe tonite everyone. Awesomeness.

* The History of Halloween

* A Christian Debate Over Something Harmless Like Halloween

* Jesus-Ween. See whata mean.

Double Dog Epic Science Win

 Oh science...why are you so truth-y-n-all. That is why I heart ya so much. What is it about the truth that Team Atheist and Team Skeptic heart so much...THE TRUTH. Fo sho science does not know everything (and no one ever said it will. is that even possible. no) but, I believe, it is the best  and most reliable knowledge out there (compared to, let's say...theology). One of the beauties of science, is that it can change when better evidence is presented (read "change" in a Homer Simpson voice, "Mmmmm, change.")

First up in the Double Dog Epic Science Win is this father daughter duo from one of my favorite cites, B-zerkeley. Richard Muller, of the Berkeley Erffs Surface Study, was a climate change skeptic, but as the sayin' goes...his heart and mind changed...err, due to that pesky evidence that Team Skeptic keeps talking about.

Dude pursued long held climate skeptic theories (remember Climategate) and he analyzed hella data (because that is what scientists do, right) and guess what...no not chicken butt this time...He concluded that the erffs temperature is 1.6 degrees more right now than in the 1950's. This is the best part and this is for Team Prog-Lib. The study was partially funded by those guys, the Koch brothers. And that my kind gentle and very good looking readers makes this particular science victory...even sweeter.

This is a Bay Area two fer, cause next up is the City I was born in...yes, my wonderful San Francisco (baby, I may come back one day, once day. le sigh). This science win has to do with those urban legends that Team Skeptic loves to debunk (ya know, cause we are all thruth-y-n-stuffs) specifically the bronze plaque in the Mission district that claims to be the place of the Cities origin.

Legend states that in June 29, 1776, the first Spanish settlers camped at Lake Dolores (aka Dolores Lagoon). I'm not gonna go all geek creek geologist-n-all (I'll leave that up to the two brainiacs pictured above. thanks), but the latest research claims that "No way Jose. It is physically impossible for those water formations and a canyon to physically exist at these points in the city (read the super good NPR article for, ya know, the real details-n-stuffs).

Fo sho the article has science-y stuffs, but what I wanna point out is this. The people that put the (incorrect) plaque in the Mission district are hella pissed. They did not wanna be interviewed for the article. They spent years researching the topic and dagnabit, they-ze ain't gonna change. What did the scientists say.

"The two creek geologists would like to see the plaque taken down or at least revised. They say there's nothing really wrong with a creation myth, but they'd prefer the truth (NPR)."

Thank you science,

Heart Kriss

* What is this strange feeling welling up inside of me. Let's see, the sun is out, I've been taking my meds (thanks again science), I have supportive friends that love me, my internet presence is killin' it (the six pack blog is back up to 300 hits a day, yippie), and I have the full range of feelings again (both positive and negative)...is it happiness. Fuckin' hope so......

Poisoned Halloween Candy

 I read a million gazillion newspapers everyday...and the LA Times, often times, has some good atheist-y and Team Skeptic articles. Today they tackle the super stupid myth, urban legend, or as I call it, stupid stupidhead, of Halloween candy being poisoned-n-such. OM(nonexistent)Gawd...we're, agh, WTF. Any who...

Oh noz, a lion escaped from a private rare animal sanctuary. Kill it.

 Tricks in The Treats: The Myth of Poisons Halloween Candy the Mighty LA Times busts out with the "There have never been any substantiated cases of strangers tampering with Halloween candy." In fact the Times has written about it several times: "One area hospital has been x-raying candy for years and has never found anything," "candy poisoning (is a) myth."


Sociologist Joel Best had been trying to debunk the stupidhead myth for 30 years. Dude's Snopes interview is pretty much everything you need to know about the myth of Halloween candy poisoning that you needed too know but just was not interested enuff to ask about...because y'all think it's stupidghead, also. For 30 years dude has been looking at the numbers, the actual reported cases (that turned out to have another explanation, like fat kids eating too much.) and there have be no incidences of this urban legend ever happening. So why...

I have a theory that
Halloween is only popular because of the Slutty Halloween Costume Industry. It's true.

Well, to live in fear of course, right. After all we are America and we are a Christian nation (at least that is what we are told). We have to fear the terrorists, fear God (ironically because he loves us so much), fear the government, our neighbors, people that are different than us and yes, candy. Fear the fuckin' candy. After 9-11 the myth of the killer candy legend grew to include malls that give out candy. Now you can't go to a mall and get candy, because, I guess, the terrorists fucked up that candy. Sheez.

#teambro member (@Invisible_Govt) just suggested to me that maybe it's parents that don't want their kids to eat hella candy. Awh, I can just see that at the diner table, after a nite of collecting that sugary kid-crack called candy, and the kids greedily try and ingest all the candy at once, then the parents busts out with, "Nooooooo, wait..." So awesome.


If I were a parent (1) I would be more scared of a drunk driver than the mythical razor apple. And I know...I drink a lot. Have fun tonite everyone. Don't Drink and Drive (but do everything else).

(1) I wanna a half white half Asian baby to dress up as food for Halloween. Hope to c'ya soon (nonexistent) Kriss baby.

In the meantime...there are many kinds of "babies".

Is this my baby, DAM it's just a picture. 

* LA TIMES...Tricks in the Treats.

* The Always Good and Rational...Snopes.

My Rather Weak Attempt At A Book Review

 OK, late start...had a good nite. A couple of thingies all you kind gentle and very good looking readers I can't stop thinking about TQotD from yesterday and the day before. Soooo.

What is super empty space, a total vacuum-no particles, no energy, no nutthin', called. Then is it even possible to have that, even theoretically...because if you take a chunk of space and go all vacuum on it, in that space there is still stuff, dust, air, ya know...stuff. So you make the chunk smaller by cutting it in half, then you cut that in half and then keep doing that...1) can you cut in half to infinity, or does it end at one time and 2) is there even such a thing as infinity (is the universe infinite?), because if you can keep cutting the space vacuum chunk in half forever, then you will never reach infinity and besides that there will always be space in it and in space there are particles and energy...right. OK, maybe I'm a little too stoned...Now I'm going to write an epic book review...so there.

How about this one. how many times can ya fold a piece of paper (12)?

Ok now, if you have never read one of my book reviews you are in for a shocking treat...they are never very review-y, ya know with facts like who wrote it, social impact, character analysis-n-stuff. So here we gozzzzz......

A very kind, retired, old white dude, a customer that I shoot the atheist shit with, just kept talking about this book that he has read three times in his life. I commented that in my 20's I read The Sun Also Rises three times (boy that Jake Barnes and posse sure did like to party), but he was all "No...no, Kriss. THIS book. Kriss! This book." And I was all like, "Dude, oookkkkaaaayyy, then (while in my head going WTF), I'll check it out (but I never had the intention to follow thru). Well, dude ended up giving me money to buy it, I ordered it at the book store, but when it came in I had already spent the money so it sat on the shelf, he kept asking me and asking me but I was like "Oh yea dude, I just haven't gone down there, yet." And then he ended up buying it for me (and of course I gave him his money back). So now I had to read this book.

It was sooooo awesome.

The Longships by Frans G. Bengtsson is the life story of our hero, no not Christopher Hitchens this time, but Red Orm. The Longships takes place during Viking times and there is a lot of viking-ing going on. As a normal child growing up I checked out any action movie, book or comic book from any genre, like Westerns (even tho if I was there back in those days, I'd be a slave on the railroad, or chillin' with the Native Bro's), Samurai, Shaolin, any warrior culture with cool swords and spears-n-stuff..except Viking culture. Now in 2011 I think it's totally baddass.

I guess it was the job to have back in the day. You got to use the best and newest technology in the form of a baddass ship that will take you to a different land, so you can rob them (including cattle and women), and probably kill them with the latest technology of swords, shields, spears and bows and arrows. There were more than a few times in the book when one of the characters said something to the extent of "let's go a Vikinging."

Dam Jake, you're weiner doesn't work. Dam!

What is "a Vikinging?" You get a sick ass posse together, or what I call in 2011 your #teambro. Of course you need some pretty manly men the kind that are worthy in battle, because of course, there is going to be a battle (and there were enuff battles in the book to satisfy me). But what I didn't know was that you needed a dude that could navigate the waters. If he had been to that particular land before then that is a deff. plus, because for sure "he knows the waters and the lay of the land." That is important because you are going there to rob, kill and pillage those peeps.

Also on the crew you need a poet. Yes, a poet. In those times the job of poet was actually...a job. If you are a great king, then of course in your palace you will have the court poet that you can command to recite verse at the drop of a hat, after all, the poet lives in your castle, drinks your beer (they call it ale) and does your ladies (behind your back of course), so the least you can do, if you are the court poet, is bust out some rhymes. Who woulda thunk that savage dudes like Vikings had the brain capacity to appreciate a poet, not me (and if the poet was skilled at killin' people, then that is a plus).

One time I was in a park with my g-friend of the time. These dudes needed a fourth to play some b-ball. I said hell yea, and to my g-friends amazement, we shouted commands at each other, like "screen", "give and go", "trailer" and "pick and roll". We never met each other but we knew how to play ball and it was fun.  It was very bro-y. A super awesome thing in the book is the bro-ness of the Vikings. Straight up one crew can take over another crew, kill their captain and then the remaining crew is given the choice "die here or row." To my amazement most in this book choose to row. After all, at least you were still alive. Then guess what happens...they bro out, drink beer (ale) together and then get swords and then kill and pillage other people, together.

OK this is too long. Lastly, Joe Average Viking Guy needed, da da daaaa, God on his side. The reason the nice retired dude gave me the book is that one of the main story lines in the book is that Christianity is spreading in the land and if you don't give up "the old Gods"...then we'll kill you. This is during a time when people were very superstitious. If a warrior had luck, then you wanted to be on his side. There is one part of the book when everyone is totally down because it was prophesied that "three will not return for this trip."So they got excited everytime one of their homies got killed, because it meant their chances, thru luck, increased. And if you had God on your side, then you can go into battle with confidence, ya know, cause you are going to kill hella people.

Ok, one more last last thing. There was a funny part where a young Christian priest went into Viking land to convert the heathens. He was really devout, trained in theology and very sincere in his mission. But...he was also good looking and the ladies couldn't help themselves and I dunno what they called it back then, but nowadays we call that "doing it." So young priest guy went backdoor man on some of the Viking guys ladies, he was traded to a witch lady (because he killed her powerful shaman guy) and then next time we see him...he's running his own crew of marauders and burning churches down. And killin' hella fools.

Here's the whole point of my rather weak attempt at a book review. Reading is awesome. Not in a million years would I have thought to pick up a book about Viking adventures and think that I would like it (and I was totally entertained, totally). There is a whole universe of stuffs to read out there. Recently I came across a place that reviews young adult vampire-y types of books and I'm thinking I should try that genre. Years ago I was in line at the supermarket and on a whim I picked up a romance novel by Alice Hoffman. Since then I have read, like, 5 or 6 of her books (it's always about an independent woman and she has the choice between the stable guy, but not a passionate relationship and the artsy more rugged, but unstable guy, that IS all about passion. good stuffs).

Being a proud card carrying member of Team Atheist and Team Skeptic, I deff. can get in the rut of only reading, what my friend calls, "important, but downer stuff (guilty as charged)." Let's make a deal peeps. If I promise to "lighten up" on that serious downer reading, will y'all do the same. It's that there is a whole world out there to read and experience. Fo sho the battle for secular society is important-n-stuffs, but don't forget to take care of yourself and enjoy life. Fo sho I want to read the upcoming Richard Carrier epic two parter on the historicy of Jesus, or Dawkins and Hawkins newest books...but I promise y'all...I'm gonna sneak in a vampire novel or another Viking novel before winter ends.

Join me.

* A real book review of The Longships.

Say It Isn't So

Yea buddy, Team Atheist/Feminist.

Ugh, I do believe that it is a totally waste of time to fight the same fights over and over; and yet because the same issues keep coming up...then bring it on. That Gawds party is still fighting/debating the scopes monkey trial and Roe v. Wade are perfect examples of the battleground rewind. We are still fighting for civil rights, equality for minorities and fer Christ's sake, it's 2011. Feminism is also one of those battle grounds.

Just read an article on USA Today about the younger generation and feminism. Sadly, so it seems, the young ladies are not embracing feminism, they think equality has arrived and the worst part, they see the movement in stereotypical terms that should have been left behind in the 70's (that was a long time ago). I understand that a little boy might think that "boys are better than girls", but adults, college students, the young ladies (say it isn't so). The worst worst part of the article is the comments.

Many many times the best parts of the article is the comment section (esp. when Team Atheist shows up for the debate. so proud of y'all). Not this time. The remarkable group NOW is celebrating their 45th mighty year, the thingy about it is that...it's not that mighty.

The first comment implied that NOW is a dinosaur like the NAACP. Oh Nooooozzzzz. Say it isn't so. Another one said that the 70's Women's Rights Movement "wiped out femininity" and created a generation of tomboys. WTF, who are these weirdoes ("were-dooz" or weirdos (we're-doze"). And of course, God will show up in the comment section with this commenter saying that feminism ruined the traditional family structure (no, maybe sexism, abusiveness, inequality and religion ruined the "traditional family").

Oh Jenn, you should have went to school in Nor Cal. Le sigh.

Some of the college aged females students interviewed said that they think feminism automatically means something bad. For their generation it might mean an angry and pushy person that does not shave. To them it is something that their mothers and their grandmothers did (sheez, appreciate much). Recently, with the MLK statue thingy, I saw many reports of young black kids, kids that are reaping the benefits of their predecessors, going to the ceremonies and showing respect and appreciation for those that paved the way before them. Where is that for the feminist movement?

You have come a long way, baby, but there is still a ways to go. The main reason that I see is the bad religion that the mighty atheist blogosphere keeps talking about. Look at the language of the evangelical: submissive, dominionism, take our family back etc....so sayith the Lord.

Feminism is not dead, but it is not thriving either. Is their equal pay, no. Is there equal treatment, no. We , Team Atheist that is, have a lot in common with the feminists (literal biblical interpretations is our opponet). That is why I keep pumping the "team" concept. We need to team up. Divided we will fall, but together, with civil rights advocates, the #OWS'ers, secularist, and those who battle for scientific intergrity...and the feminists....let's team up and do this thing.

Thoughts On Yesterday's Question Of The Day

OK, so I work at this place that we call the #atheistcafe. It's not really, but WTF. There are some Team Atheist members, skeptics, philosophy clubs, believers-yes, we let believers in (I will gladly take anyone's money), punk rockers, hippies and professional types. This one customer in particular, "R", proposed the question of the day yesterday. What is in vacuumless space and can you quantify it (I assume he means measure it). Can you pump the "everything" outta a space. What is left? Oh joy, I didn't know the answer (I said dark matter which wuz incorrect), soz I asked around.

I'll be first to admit that, yes I'm a skeptic, I know science-y stuffs, but I'm totally deficient in the areas of astronomy and cosmic stuffs. Funny thing, I probably know more about ass-trology, than astronomy. Go figure and try and take a way my skeptics card. Any who...

The first person I hit up is this very nice fellow who years ago he took some sort of test and Sac State gave him (because he earned it) a BS, astronomy (he had been studying on his own for years and got offered this test I never heard of. I dunno). Dude told me 1) there is no such thing as a pure vacuum and 2) there is no such thing as a pure vacuum. The most empty space, whatever empty is, will still have dust particles in it, perhaps energy of some sort-a truly nothingness cannot really exist (if I understood dude correctly).

(Immediately I thought, can nothing exists, is there such a thing as nothing and even if there was, then could we call this nothing...something. Just give it a name and actually, I thought that's what dark matter/energy was....anyways).

The difference between space and let's say this table I'm sitting at is that all the particles that make this chair are totally packed together, hella, like so many. In space, I guess whether is is vacuumless or not, the particles are totally hella far apart, they are still there, but there is not as many and once again...totallly far apart.

So what do you call that. One of my tweeps, "T" suggested that it is vacuumless energy and free space. Vacuum energy is when space has no matter, then this is what is left behind. Click the link because it is to cosmological-y for me to explain and I don't understand it anyways. I don't think this is the answer tho, because if there is energy there, then we can call it energy (we're trying to find nothingness, define it and measure it. does it exist). Free space is vacuum and we already said that there is no such thing, so there.

Which brings me to this. I'm stumped. The question, if you will recall...What is in vacuumless space and what would you call that and could you measure that. OK, here's my new answer. If we see it in micro and macro, and I might get sort of Eastern philosophy-ie so if you do wanna take away my skeptics card, then you will be justified (I have to do something I dunno the answer), then perhaps we can 'see' it.  Is the space between the stars the same thing as the space between the smallest particles in atoms. As far as I know there is no definition for that space. We have not thus far been able to see or measure this totally small something that we are calling nothing. OK, now be really patient....

Is there such a thing as nothing. Can you take something and cut it in half so much that eventually it becomes nothing. It is like infinity...is there such a thing because you can always add one. As long as time exists, then you can always add one. But there it is, time is not infinite, it is finite. The universe will end one day, right...or will it keep expanding forever and ever. Whatever...

So if time is infinite then you can always add one...doesn't that mean there is not such thing as infinite (cause you'll never reach it). Likewise, can you cut something in half forever. Can you cut something in half and then one day there will be nothing. That's not very infinite-y.

Back to the question. What is in empty space, what do you call it and can you measure it. My answer...I dunno. Maybe a theoretical physicists or a mathematician knows. Hell maybe a philosopher can answer this. Howz about a theologian, can that person answer this (NO!). Just so ya know, the dude that asked me this question didn't know the answer either.

So what do you guys think (that's code for you Troy)?

-------------


Update later, early October-ish. On Nova. have ya heard about that show-kinda epic-n-such-any who...The Fabric of the Cosmos... is too awesome for 'lil old me to describe. Team Atheist/Skeptic you should goober out on this (and if you have "that lucky lady"...then you should cuddle...it's cold right now. Awesomeness.

Happy Diwali Everyone

You cannot have a religious holiday without...stuff to sell. Of course, right.

 Ya know, the myth and/or the stereotype is that Team Atheist, that is all of us, totally hate all religion. Bro, soooooo not true. I believe that it is quite fascinating. Just like I can heart me some good folklore or mythology, fo sho I can heart me some good religion. It is as simple as there are good things and bad things, there is good religion and there is bad religion (1).

BTW...Happy Diwali everyone. Oh what's that...well lemme tell ya. Diwali is a Hindu holiday, aka The Festival of Lights, and it is practiced from India to Nepal (that's a joke)...and also Trinidad, Malaysia-n-other places. It can mean slightly different things to different communities from Hindus, Sikhs, Janes and Buddhists. The basic story is outtasite science fiction-y stuffs: the forces of good v the forces of evil, love, fortune, blessings-n-stuffs...and yes, superstition.

 I've got nothing against a symbolic new beginning (like the project Nu Kriss Summer/Fall 2011), or a winter or summer harvest festival thingy, a celebrate the female goddess thingy or a solstice thingy. Festivals that are tied into the seasons and that are symbolic (not literal) are OK by me...esp if there is food, drinking, music and dancing.

It is my hope to experience as many diff culture fests as I can (2). Really, music, food, awesome stuff to look at, cultures.

 And if Aishwarya Rai (I dare ya to click this) can be there then that is cool also.

It's kinda all light-y-n-stuffs.

(1) I personally feel that the best religion can be is deceptive. It can be used as a crutch/a tool to use or to allow you to good things. And I'm not saying a crutch or a tool is necessarily a good thing or a bad thing, I'm just sayin' that I just don't think it's necessary in order to be a good person.

(2) I remember walking around downtown in my neighborhood and I stumbled upon a church that was having a South American, of some sort, festival. So I went in there, cause there was music and food and cultural dancing, and I had a couple of beers also...and it was fun.

Why Lite Yo' Self On Fire. Why Why Why.

Ok I was lying in bed this morning and listening to NPR when I heard the news that a 10th Buddhist monk set himself on fire-self immolation. So WTF, why would a person do that. Is it one of those things that Team Atheist would say that religion is what motivates people to do extreme things...or are there environmental factors that cause this and these people just happen to be religious.


First of all a little background. The Tibetan Buddhist monks are all pissed because the Chinese government will not let them freely practice their Buddhism. There is something about they have to go to conditioning schools or state schools and learn patriotism, the correct patriotism, if they wanna be a monk or nun. The Chinese government exiled their boy, the Dali Lama-yes, that Dali Lama, and Tibetans in general do not get treated equally in Chinese society; they get their power and water cut, no opportunities, ya know, general oppression of a minority group stuffs. OK, that's the ado.


"The self-immolations have set off a cycle of martyrdom and protest, inspiring demonstrations from New Delhi to Taipei. Tibetan blogs have filled with poems to the dead. The Dalai Lama, who lives in Dharamsala, India, led a day of prayer and fasting Wednesday (LA Times)."


This totally reminds me of the Tunisian fruit vendor that started the Arab Spring. Dude was super frustrated at the lack of opportunities and because his living condition was so dookie...he set himself on fire. Talk about "martyrdom" and "protest"...three countries have fallen since then. Don't forget, the fruit vendor is Islamic, right. But was religion the main component in making that decision, or is it the environment, the living conditions and the oppression. 

No one oppresses pandas. They're too cute.

"The ritual suicides, he added, are a sign that young Tibetans are moving away from the Dalai Lama's teachings about nonviolence (LA Times)."


Here's a thought, I'll just throw it out there (and I dunno where I'm really going with this). What if this is the secular/atheist landscape and  mindset that religious people keep warning everyone about. Less God in the public square, as they warn us, will result in lack of morals and ethics and a decline of a civilized society. The younger generations, of all countries, are less religious than those before them. So could it be that the fruit vendor was not devout enuff (or was it environment) and the 10 monks strayed away from the Dali Lamas teachings of nonviolence, do not hurt others and do not hurt yourself. Could be, maybe...no.

"He has always said that people should not harm themselves or others," Anand said of DJ Lama, "People respect him, but they are frustrated and they want to protest (LA Times)."


Which brings me back to...Are these people oppressed and beat down so much and so badly that the only sensible thing to do is frackin' lite yo' sef on fire. Really, it get's that bad. That is so bad. Really bad. Or is it...


"The self-immolations of the eight young monks were revolutionary acts of ultimate sacrifice to rouse the Tibetan people to action, in much the way as Mohammad Bouazizi's (the fruit vendor) self-immolation woke up the oppressed people of the Middle East from many, many decades of fear, apathy, cynicism and weariness," Jamyang Norbu, a prominent Tibetan radical, wrote on his blog this month (LA Times).


Or is it a combination of all of the above. And here's what I 'm getting at...Is religion a factor,  no matter how big or small, in the motivation to lite yourself on fire. What's that sayin'...people do bad things anyways, but it takes religion for people to do really super bad and horrible things. 


One last thought. The Chinese goverment is officially atheist (right?), so are they oppressing the Tibetan monks/people in the name of atheism or do they just happen to be a government that is f-ing up some minority peeps and they happen to be atheist. In all fairness...it goes both ways.


* Fo sho I believe in my heart that we need a MORE secular society, not a less SS.


* LA Times

* Dali Lama on NPR

* 10th Monk

* If I can make a joke, the #OWS'ers should start lighting themselves on fire. OK, I tried to make a funny. Any who...

What Is "Bugnutty" Anyways?

 Bugnut: crazy, insane, flipped out.
Useage: Did you see what happened? Dude went all bugnut/bugnutty.

The Big Guy really fudged up this time. No I'm not talking about Gawd, I'm talking about the big guy part of the comedian duo Penn and Teller (Penn Jillette is the Waaaayyyyyy bigger of the two). What did he do...he wrote an opinion piece in the LA Times. Why is that a big deal-eo, because "they" got mad. Why did "they" get mad, because dude called them "bugnuts" and "bugnutty." So WTF.

In the piece called Politics and the bugnut Christians, the Big Guy talks about how all politicians need to court the whole populations vote. If politicians were to rely on, let's say, only their religions vote, then they would never be elected because no one religion dominates the landscape that much. Pretty decent piece that breaks down some numbers-n-stuff and it is worth a looksie. But in the letters to the editor, the subject, ya know the actual topic of the piece, is not even mentioned.

Some of the Christian readers are all butt-hurt over the Big Guy calling politicians like Perry and Bachmann "bugnutty". They pulled out the "you would never say that about Jews or Muslims" card or the "that is unacceptable" card and even the "hey man, I'm liberal and I'm still butt-hurt" card. I'm gonna pull out the I don't know what they are complaining about card.

 Perry and Bachmann believe in American Exceptionalism and subscribe to that dominionism that even mainstream media has been talking about lately. If those beliefs are not insane, weird and peculiar, then I dunno what "bugnutty" is. The Big Guy didn't say anything like it is totally weirdo to believe that Christians believe that the original hippie, that's Jesus, was 1/3 human, God and ghost (again, if that is not "bugnutty" then I don't know what is. quite bizzare dontcha think). He did mention that he thought is was "bugnutty" for Bachmann to believe that natural disasters are a way that the Great Surveillance Camera in the Sky communicates to his peeps. Again..."bugnutty."

I think it is "bugnutty" for "them" to get all butt-hurt about an opinion piece in a mainstream newspaper. I guess "they" didn't get the memo that the New Atheists have arrived, we are here to stay and we have advanced "the conversation." The free pass for religion has been voided. For centuries religion has enslaved the brown peeps and went all sexism on the ladies. "They" have stifled the advancement of science and are responsible for this thing called the Dark Ages. Wars, both past and present, are fought in the name of God and countless have been straight up murdered in his name. What did the Big Guy funny man do...call them a name. Grow fuckin' up.

Team Atheist ya know what I'm gonna say right...If they don't want to be made fun of for having silly beliefs, then stop having silly beliefs.

* Op-ed article.

* The bugnutty response.

The Intelligent Designer

 Howz about a quick hitter, a bong hit of a post, morning wake and bake/post...and then later I'll get down to that good 'ol (serious) atheist blogging that I heart so much. I'm not a consumer and I have no allegiance to any brands or anything. I'm slightly miffed, if that is the correct word, at all the whoopla of the passing of Steve Jobs (I don't have a phone of any kind, or an iPod, I'am writing on a borrowed iBook...but it's a G4). I just like stuffs that works and if possible, looks good. Still I can appreciate all the hearting that peeps have for their technology guru/savior/God if you will, Steve-o. Here's some thought's on the dude and the new book about dude.

Steve-o's dad was a tool head wrencher that taught him about good design at a young age. Personally I think design doesn't get enuff attention and is waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy under appreciated. It is art. That is how I see it. So any who...Steve-o's dad said something like...yea, anyways boy design is totally important, even if you can't see it. Just like a fence or a cabinet or drawer that has a front and back and even if you don't see it, you will know it's there. That is so awesome. Doing good work for the sake of doing good and great work. Sort of reminds me of my Catholic upbringing. We/I/you/us were guilt tripped into always doing the correct thing because the great surveillance camera in the sky was watching...always. Why not just do the correct thing, because it is the right thing to do. Go figure.

When Steve-o was totally dyeing, ya know he had the cancer, he told the biographer (Walter Isaacson) that he was 50/50 on the existence of God. Really peeps the big "D", death, will make ya think about all the atheist-y and religious stuffs like nothing else (and I say that because I struggle with the not as big "D", depression, which, at least to me, is very much like death. any who...). He also says that he hopes that there is an afterlife.

"...I want to believe that something endures, that your wisdom that you accumulate, that the knowledge that you have somehow is able to endure after you die." And then he goes on to say, "...Maybe {there is just} an on/off switch" and when you die, that is it. Don't forget, dude dabbled in Buddhism for a while, that is after he dumped Christianity. It is very Buddhist and very human to want to believe and desire that you go on somehow (c'mon atheists, admit it. just be honest, yo). And at the same time, it is very materialist, especially when the reports of your coming demise are not greatly exaggerated, to admit that when it's over...it is over.

Steve-o's passing is truly epic in the way that the peeps mourn him. Like I said, not a big deal-eo to me, but I can appreciate (is that the correct word to use?) what he has done and how he has changed the way people communicate, listen to music and even, the way we navigate thru the world. I have a feeling that there will be a new Internet meme going around that goes something like this...

WWSJD.

* NPR

The Unbearable Lightness Of Being...Me

I Googled Deahead, salsa and tango. This is what came up.

OK, here's a million gazillion things. Right now Sac Town is in the low 80's, I'm hung over (went to an epic  good party last nite-might share, might not), I'm having 'hair of the dog' right now (third beer and I didn't get up till 11am-ish and I wake up at 5:30am everyday), yesterday my old, not in age, Deadhead buddy from years ago came to visit (which is the definition of awesome) and I'm at my hangout right now, the #cutegirlrestaurant (but I wish I had cigarettes) and ya know what, kind, gentle and very good looking readers...At this moment I'm experiencing a content of sort, a happiness (could be better, could be a lot worse) that you realize when you sit down and 'let it come to you' and if you were busy, then you might not notice it. Any who...

Sheez, ugly and ugly much (people used to look like that).

 So my long lost, and super hot after all these years, Deadhead friend sent me some links. Really peeps, our friendship was during a time when I believed in, at least a deist God, and fo sho I believed in Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM)...I mean after all, I was a frackin' Deadhead (remind me to tell you about the most epic concert ever ever, OK). Yesterday when she asked, "Yeah, so anyways, what have you been doing...I've been doing Tango lately." I think I answered something like, yea, mmmm, anyways...The New Atheist, skeptic, change, Team Atheist, blogging, writing, depression, depression and guess what, depression, but I'm OK now-ish (could be better, could be worse) and in my mind while maintaining eye contact "Dam, girl, you sure are easy to look at...you sure are easy going...I remember how, errr, and your way..." Any who...links (focus much Kriss).

The band Salsa Celtica. So good.

What my former Deadhead, and ex salsa dancer and current Tango dancer, good friend sent me was links to "epistemology" and the philosophy known as empiricism-both totally worthy, err, thingies (I don't know what to call them". Yeah, hung over much, Kriss. Any who...) that ....

Last year I read a really get book called "Amusing Ourselves To Death" by epic brainiac Neil Postman. In my super awesome review I talk about how 'epistemology' is the understanding of understanding. Why is it that we know what we know. It is the knowledge of how knowledge is acquired. Good stuffs, Manard.

This is important stuffs for Joe and Jane average skeptic/atheist. What is the sayin'...extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and if there is no evidence, then fuck it (that is the quote, right). Back in the day, at first, it was all oral and speech-y. Talking to peeps was the way to transfer the "K"-sound 'nolw-edge.' Then the original graffiti appeared in the form of writing, and when that came to be and then peeps had to now know how to speak, then read and written communication, thus making that evolved human brain bigger and bigger with more and more connections. Awesomeness.


The other term was empiricism. Here is the wiki...

"Empiricism is a theory of knowledge that asserts that knowledge comes only or primarily via sensory experience. One of several views of epistemology, the study of human knowledge, along with rationalism, idealism and historicism, empiricism emphasizes the role of experience andevidence, especially sensory perception, in the formation of ideas, over the notion of innate ideasor traditions^[1].

Empiricism in the philosophy of science emphasizes evidence, especially as discovered inexperiments. It is a fundamental part of the scientific method that all hypotheses and theoriesmust be tested against observations of the natural world rather than resting solely on a priorireasoning, intuition, or revelation.

Philosophers associated with empiricism include Aristotle, Alhazen, Avicenna, Ibn Tufail, Robert Grosseteste, William of Ockham, Francis Bacon, Thomas Hobbes, Robert Boyle, John Locke,George Berkeley, David Hume, Leopold von Ranke and John Stuart Mill (thanks wiki)."

Empiricism sounds a lot like that materialism (1) that I subscribe to (and I actually do not know if they are similar or what). What I do know is that the dude in that photo above, John Locke, is super ugly, gross.  As far as all the philosophies out there, it really is like all the religion out there. For Team Atheist we can subscribe to metaphysical naturalism, angry atheist, accomodationalist atheist, agnostic, pantheist, anti-theist, a combination of all of the above etc...I 'm more interested in...epistemology.

Why do we know what we know. As far as belief is concerned, we automatically know the religion of our parents and their parents parents. It is geography that dictates what religion a person practices in their lives (for better or worse). If you are Indian (dot in the head Indians), then you are more likely to be Hindu, Buddhist, or gasp, Muslim: as opposed to being a Western Christian. And visa versa here in the states. 

I grew up in a typical Filipino Catholic house and I towed the line (and actually that is all any kid can do.) I knew what I knew because I was told what to know (and how to feel, but that is separate) and what I know. You will believe 'this', that is all and never question it. A word like 'epistemology' to me growing up would not ever register. Really, I knew what I knew, because I was told what to know and feel-that is all. 

Thanks Catholicism, really. Thanks sooooo much.

(1) Materialism is that if there are no atoms, then it does not exist. That means ghosts, esp stuffs, fakey fake stuff that doesn't exist. What about love you are asking. The affects/effects of love can be measured by accelerated heart rate, sweating, nervousness, brain activity etc..To say something is 'material' does not say that it is automatically negative (which is the myth). It just says that if it is not of this physical world and cannot be measured using any  of the many modern ways to measure mass, or reality, then it doesn't exists. Sorry.