PS to last post

You do have to fry the battered god and fary before you apply the cream. Otherwise, well, otherwise it is just ... yuck!

Now, it starts

Giving away my last cigarettes. Oh, wow, is that wise? Oh, well, he is my son and he just tried my vaper and wants one himself. Trust me, and so as not to get too far away from the theme, these things are better than god and the tooth fairy rolled into a batter and smothered in cream.

The Future of Smoking

I have 8 cigarettes left but I am not worried. The midnight bell may toll but I shall not be anxious. I will never buy a cigarette again.

Well, it's only 7 left now.

45 years of this and I am not even perturbed, not even a smidgin perturbed?

Nope, no indeedy or even, no.

Received my e-cigarette starter kit today. Tastes and feels the same. Just no tar or other crap.

Speed on midnight.

Happy New Year.

Oops, my scottish ancestors are now spinning faster over the coals whilst being basted with napalm. No true scotsman ever wishes ye in the new'yir before the clock has chimed the'our.

Dawkins v Sachs

Jews argue with God. That is one reason why an atheist can usually get along better with a jewish believer than with a christian/muslim who is blindly obeissant to his/her pastor's/iman's interpretation of the word of god.

Here's an article on the subject:

https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/5298/Arguing-with-God.pdf?sequence=1

This may also explain why Lord Sachs does far better in argument with Richard Dawkins than other theists:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roFdPHdhgKQ

Lord Sachs does not win, of course, but he is engaging.

Nude Nuns and Big Guns

Saw this film by accident just now. Spoof spaghetti western a la Sergio Leone. Has the power to grip, however and is recommended viewing for all my catholic readers. It may give them some insight into how their church is run. Otherwise, it contains exactly what it says on the tin. But you have to be lucky and catch it on tv. They are suing downloaders.

Can you trust a Christian?

Sadly, no. They are by definition irrational. You cannot reliably predict which random prejudice will actuate them next week.

The Devil's Work at the America Cancer Society

Refusing charitable aid in the name of god. In the name of god, be ashamed. In the name of humanity, be ashamed. Stop. Repent. Apologise.

http://www.alternet.org/story/152685/is_atheist_money_too_controversial_for_the_american_cancer_society

http://www.alternet.org/story/152914/has_the_american_cancer_society_been_caught_covering_up_a_rejection_of_atheist_money/

An American Litigant in London Part 2: The Decision

Einstein: The God Letter

No theist dare read this:

http://richarddawkins.net/news_articles/2012/8/15/albert-einstein-s-historic-1954-god-letter-handwritten-shortly-before-his-death#.UMKIz3dVIg8

You may not have access so here is a bit of Einstein's letter:

The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this. These subtilised interpretations are highly manifold according to their nature and have almost nothing to do with the original text. For me the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything 'chosen' about them.

Oh My God!

The most sanctimonious and also the most unintentionally hilarious website in the universe:

http://www.truthfortodaysabbathschoollessons.org.uk/

Sporting Life

Martin Bengtsson exposes real football.

This Sporting Life remains current. Read about this form of child abuse, encouraged by many parents.

14 Year Old Hangs Himself in Private Prison

Nothing to say.

The God Debates: A User's Guide

God's fool and His favourite ballroom dancer against the Hitch and Stephen Fry (in empassioned mode)is highly watchable. Watch, for instance, as the Widdecombe tells us we are not going to understand her because she has come over all theological - meaning, I know this is going to sound like unintelligble nonsense to sane people but, hey, it's theology so I get a free pass. Not today, dear. It is just unintelligble nonsense which calls into serious question your qualifications ever to have played a part in the governance of this country, never mind your dancing skills. My son thinks the Bish is "likeable". I do not agree. He is dangerously stupid, having no doubt infected many of his fellow countrymen with his loyalty to catholic teaching on condoms and thus been directly responsible for their deaths from AIDS. I realise that the last sentence is logicaly unstainable. It is theologoc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv9ULxpWgPA

Resumption of Service (Ha, and indeed, Ha)

The Tee-Hee Resumtion of Service One person not a family member said I should resume this blog. So, for EA, I do so. For the rest of you (a miniscule band of accidental visitors)blame EA, not me, for the fleeting ennui your distracted click may bring. Leave immediately. You have a duty to mitigate your loss. Any damages for mental suffering you subsequently claim for will be limited to millisecomds of anguish as a result of this warning. And you will need money. This disclaimer will severely restrict your access to lawyers who are willing to bring bad claims on a no win no fee basis. There are, I hasten to add, no such lawyers. John Terry For Fuck's Sake On a more topical note, Terry is now officially not a racist despite the words that he admitted saying. In America, the tribunal of fact would have been examined pre-trial on any sporting affilliations or other prejuduces precluding them from determining matters impartially. I support that idea and would apply it to both juries and magistrates. I am not, of course, suggesting any impropriety in the Terry case. My point is general.

I Despair

I have just been listening to the Moral Maze on radio 4 and questioners and answerers were just simply swapping prejudices. It is a question of applying scientofic method but that is only another descriptive term for thinking and speaking logically. It is also important to think first.

The Missing Question

I was just listening to Any Questions and there were no answers. For instance, "I am absolutely opposed to nuclear power" is apparently an acceptable answer. Similarly, "We should derive all our power exclusively from wind farms" is an acceptable rejoinder. They are not. 2 + 2 = 4 may be said unencumbered by detailed reasoning (unless you ase talking to a child, who deserves more respect) but anything more complex requires at least a minimal attempt at answering the qesrion Why? The paradigm should be I believe x because y. Thus: I believe in God because [fill in irrational gobbledygook of choice]. Even better, state facts but include the magic "because" word: There is a God because there is fairy dust on the moon [or the bible says so and I am a credulous fool]. Then at least we can have an argument, even if only about the existence or otherwise of fairy dust and its presence (or otherwise) on the moon. Fairy dust obnviously does exist and there is a plentiful supply of it on the moon because that is where fairies live. so it is possibly a bad example.