You’re five times as likely to die in an extinction event as in a car crash

I’ve been talking about the Great Human Die-off for years and have felt like somewhat of a crackpot for doing so. I’ve usually qualified it as just my opinion based on hearing and reading a lot of environmental science.

Now, it seems that the idea of human extinction within the time frame of those alive today is no longer such a crackpot idea.

Human Extinction Isn’t That Unlikely

40 Million Badass Birders Just Declared War On Oregon Terrorists

Woo Hoo!! Go for it my fellow birders. Wish I could join you!

40 Million Badass Birders Just Declared War On Oregon Terrorists

That Time We Almost Nuked North Carolina

Well, this is scary. I don’t have much to add.

That Time We Almost Nuked North Carolina

God Is Too Busy To Stop Wars & Starvation

At last, we finally know why God is too busy to stop wars and solve hunger. It’s not just because He is too busy creating droughts, floods, extreme storms, wildfires, and all the rest. It’s because he’s busy interfering in the fair competitions of sporting events. Instead of allowing sporting events to remain fair, the Lord God Ruler of the Universe feels the need to get involved on the field and choose the winner.

At least, a quarter of Americans feel that this is what He is doing.

Poll: Quarter of Americans say God influences sporting events

Why can’t humans dream up a god who is superior to us? What’s the point of creating an imaginary friend to whom one can pray for the temporary suspension of the laws of physics if said imaginary friend is no better than we are?

For the record, count me among the small number who disapprove of the expressions of faith mentioned in the article. I disapprove for the same reason I disapprove of thanking god for rain after a drought. Why not blame god for the drought in the first place?

Republicans: Is It Time to Stage a Violent Coup Yet?

Why do repugnicans still bother to pretend that they want to live in a democracy? Why not just violently overthrow the government and make Jesus the king? At least it would be less hypocritical. Of course, Jesus who said “love thy neighbor” and gave health care to the sick without checking for either citizenship or insurance would never have wanted such a thing. And, of course, there would have to be some raving lunatic at the helm claiming to be receiving Jesus’ instructions directly. (Didn’t we have that already for eight years?) But, let’s not quibble about how badly the extremist rethugnicans misinterpret the Bible that they believe to be infallible but have never read.

Let’s just look at the way the party gets whatever they want whether they are in power or not and how they get into power at all.

First take a look at this unconscionable and despicable strategy to take the 2012 presidential election by redistricting a key state. Shockingly, this is actually perfectly legal and constitutional.

The GOP’s Genius Plan to Beat Obama in 2012

Stephen Hawking Asks Big Questions About the Universe

I don’t know that I agree with him on all points, especially about other civilizations. But then, he’s Stephen Hawking and I’m not even making mud pies yet.

Be Terrified … of a drive to the mall (MoJo Article:Fear, Inc.)

OK. I must admit that I find the thought of going to a mall a little terrifying. However, this is not what the article is really talking about. Or is it?

Comparing some of the statistics in the article to the number of deaths by terrorism since 9/11/2001 is a little silly. Let’s include 9/11. And, still, look at how many of the following beat out the 3,000 deaths from that date. Actually, more accurate mathematically would be to average some number of years including 9/11. I wonder how the statistics would look if we totaled them for the last 25 years, for example. This would include both terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

McCain to Make Cheney Look Like Ghandi?

Republicans and military leaders discuss John McCain.

Thanks to Tony for passing this along.

The Real McCain 2

I’m not sure why the press doesn’t blast this guy every time he opens his mouth. He just keeps continually contradicting himself. Perhaps the press just finds him too easy a target. Perhaps it feels too much like kicking an old dog. Regardless of where you stand on the issues, you can’t believe a word the man says.

Obama: Eloquently Stating What Needed to be Said

Here’s yet another incredibly eloquent speech by Obama. I find it very refreshing that we have a candidate that can correctly pronounce place names and even the word nuclear. Further, some of the sentiments expressed in this speech are sentiments I’ve been hoping to hear expressed for a long time. Here is someone who can show real leadership, something we have been sorely lacking for 7 years.

I you prefer to read the text, rather than listen to a 36 minute video, the text is available on the Obama webiste.

I’m Voting Republican

OK. Who out there has read my posts before and really believed I might vote Republican?

The home page for the organization that produced this video is I’m Voting Republican Website

Thanks to Tony for forwarding this along

How Would Jesus Vote?

OK. I’m an atheist. I do not even truly believe that Jesus as a flesh and blood human ever walked the planet. However, this fictional character plays a large part in many people’s lives and, unfortunately, their voting decisions. Perhaps, if people really think about Jesus when voting though they just might come up with different answers. So, I address this post to the believers.

So, contrary to my usual rants where I take a radical and non-standard stance in order to point out the violence in the Bible. In this post, I am going to hypothetically take the more mainstream view of Jesus. First, I’m going to pretend that I believe he actually existed. Then, I’m going to cherry pick the Bible, not in the way I did in my Thou Shalt Kill post, but instead, in the way that most religious people do when they respond to my usual assertions about the mythical character.

So, in short, I’m going to point to the nice things Jesus is supposed to have said. And then, given the mainstream view of Jesus, I’m going to discuss his political views and see how well they align with today’s religious right. Then, I’m going to attempt to address the issue of how Jesus might vote in an election if he were alive today. Finally, I will point out that if Christianity is about people attempting to be Jesus-like to the best of their ability, then religious Christians should vote that way. Let’s see how this goes.

One Day == $720,000,000

How would you like it spent?

Here’s the link for anyone who wants to sign the petition.

Bush Shatters 2000 Year Old Record

Biblical scholars agree that Samson killed 1,000 people with the jawbone of an ass. This number has stood the test of time, being uncontested until the present day. In 1997, the The Guinness Book of Records recognized Samson’s triumph with an entry in the book. Today, no weapons of mass destruction have been discovered in Iraq. Intelligence reports show a decreased level of safety from terrorism in the U.S. since the war began. The current death toll since 2003 in the Iraq war is 28,629 Americans and 78,743 – 85,813 Iraqis, or well over 100,000. This week, no longer in book form, Guinness World Records has recognized President Bush‘s prowess in shattering the two millennia old death toll record by two orders of magnitude using exactly the same weapon.