From AlterNet: John Oliver trounces Paris terrorists

Watch: John Oliver's Excellent Response to Paris Attacks

 

“France is going to endure. And I’ll tell you why: If you’re in a war of culture and lifestyle with France, good f'ing luck,” Oliver said.

 

By AlterNet Staff / AlterNet

November 16, 2015

 

On "Last Week Tonight," John Oliver weighed in on the Paris attacks in the most suitable fashion, with an epic rant made up almost entirely of obscenities followed by a shout-out to French pastry.

"Much is still unknown," Oliver said of the wave of terror attacks that have left 129 people dead as of Sunday. "But there are a few things we can say for certain." Chief among them is that the attack was carried out by "gigantic, fucking assholes." Oliver chronicles all the assholery involved, before concluding on a hopeful note.

“France is going to endure. And I’ll tell you why: If you’re in a war of culture and lifestyle with France, good fucking luck,” he said. “Because go ahead! Bring your bankrupt ideology — they’ll bring Jean-Paul Sartre, Edith Piaf, fine wine, Gauloises cigarettes, Camus, Camembert, madeleines, macaroons, Proust, and the fucking croque-en-bouche. You’ve just brought a philosophy of rigorous self-abnegation to a pastry fight, my friends. You are fucked!”

From God of Evolution: Theory of Evolution Disproven by Video Posted on Facebook

by Tyler Francke

 

June 6, 2014

Theory of evolution disproven by video posted on Facebook

The dominant, foundational, and unifying theory among all biological sciences for the past century — evolution by natural selection — has been thoroughly debunked by a Facebook video, every scientist in the world reports.

 

The video in question was uploaded May 23 by social media evangelist Joshua Feuerstein, of Fountain Hills, Ariz. According to his Facebook page, Feuerstein is “a 33-year-old bachelor soon to become husband and father to four.” From the original posting, the roughly five-minute clip was shared over 188,000 times.

 

"Evolution is not a science. Never has and never will be. Why? Because it cannot fit within the parameters and parentheses of science for one simple reason: it was never observed,” Feuerstein explains in his video. “That’s why it’s not science. That’s why it’s called the theory of evolution. One man’s theory.”

 

The fallout in the scientific community has been widespread and devastating.

 

“I honestly don’t know what to say,” a visibly shaken Richard Dawkins told BBC World News this week.

 

For decades, the scientist and author has been widely considered one of the world’s most eloquent defenders of evolutionary biology, but Feuerstein’s arguments left him stammering and virtually speechless. “It’s just … I don’t know. Really, I don’t. It’s like, you spend your life studying this stuff, and then, one day you see a video on a friend’s Facebook page that just … undoes everything you thought you knew.”

 

Pressed by BBC lead anchor Katty Kay about his thoughts of Feuerstein, Dawkins shook his head slightly, staring off into space with a strangely vacant expression.

 

“He’s a brilliant man,” he replied softly. “A saint.”

 

Feuerstein opened the influential video by recounting a recent conversation with an unnamed atheist, who had criticized the social media user for his faith in God. Initially framed as a response to this atheist, the scope of the short clip broadened quickly, as it soon became clear that Feuerstein wished to strike directly at the underpinnings of an overwhelmingly well-evidenced scientific theory that has — for more than 100 years — been used to succinctly and elegantly explain such far-ranging phenomena as comparative DNA sequence analysis, phylogenetic reconstruction, endogenous retroviruses, pseudogenes, nested hierarchies, atavisms, homologous and vestigial structures, fixed-action patterns, continental distribution, island biogeography, ring species, and the fossil record.

 

Without wasting time on such trivial matters, Feuerstein’s video skillfully sidestepped the evidence for common ancestry and struck right at the theory of evolution’s greatest weakness: it’s stupid.

 

“In some accidental cosmic bang, out of that was created one cell, and from that one cell, all life springs,” Feuerstein said, summarizing the definition of evolution affirmed by all biologists. “Every plant, every animal, every single human being. And somewhere along the way over years and years, we mysteriously and magically all developed different wills and all developed different characteristics and traits, all because we willed it?”

 

“I just had never thought about it that way before,” admitted Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and another once-well-known proponent of evolutionary science.

 

Shermer has been in seclusion at his south California home since Feuerstein’s video began gaining traction, but he agreed to answer a few questions through email.

 

“Josh just nailed it. That’s all there is to it,” Shermer wrote in an email that was, originally, utterly devoid of any capitalization or punctuation, as though the writer had simply lost the will to follow such mundane grammatical conventions. “After watching his video, I remember sitting back in my chair and just thinking, ‘Holy (expletive), he’s right. This (expletive) (expletive) doesn’t make sense.’”

 

One of Feuerstein’s main points of evidence was what he called “The Law of Thermodynamics,” which appears to be a postulate of his own devising, since the scientific canon contains nothing that precisely correlates with the idea. Feuerstein defined the law concisely: “Chaos can never produce order.”

 

“What if I were to tell you that somewhere in Oklahoma a tornado rolls through a junkyard of old cars, and somewhere on the other side of that tornado, out of that junk pile, it magically produces a perfectly red, shiny, working Lamborghini?” Feuerstein asked in his clip. “You would tell me I was nuts. You would tell me I had lost it. You would probably try and admit me to the psychiatric ward. Why? Because that is absolutely stupid. I mean, how much faith would it really take to believe something as idiotic as that? And yet, that’s exactly what science believes.”

 

“It’s true: we do believe that,” agreed a shell-shocked Ann Reid, former executive director of the National Center for Science Education, which permanently disbanded in disgrace last week. “Well, at least we did, you know, before Mr. Feuerstein’s work was brought to our attention.”

 

Appearing deeply humbled but saying she had to “give credit where it’s due,” Reid said Feuerstein’s scientific contributions to future generations would include not only the Law of Thermodynamics and the Parable of the Lamborghini in the Junkyard, but also what the scientific community has termed the “Stupidity Test,” meaning that any theory must be ruled invalid if a member of the general public finds it stupid — regardless of what the evidence says.

 

According to his Facebook page, Feuerstein appears to have no formal training in the sciences, but Reid said that is not unprecedented.

 

“Gregor Mendel went into the monastery precisely because he couldn’t afford college, and he founded modern genetic science while working in his garden,” Reid said. “And look at Michael Faraday: he was a book-binding apprentice with almost no formal education, and he went on to become one of the most influential scientists and inventors of all time.”

 

Reid trailed off, shaking her head and muttering something that sounded like “Out of the mouths of babes…” After a while, she smiled and shrugged.

 

“I guess we’re just seeing history repeat itself.”

 

Feuerstein’s video has not been entirely without its critics. Some, Reid included, have called the evangelist’s final thought — that the word “universe” is composed of “uni” meaning “one” and “verse,” meaning “a spoken statement” — a bit questionable.

 

Though “uni” does mean “one,” “verse” is actually taken from the Latin “vertere,” meaning “something rotated, rolled, changed,” Reid said. Then she chuckled embarrassedly and looked at the ground.

 

“Oh, what’s the point?” she mumbled, her face reddening. “I’m just being a nitpicky little sore loser, aren’t I?”

Tyler Francke is the founder of God of Evolution and author of Reoriented. He can be reached here.

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God of Evolution

Promoting Christianity, evolution, the harmony between them, and other perfectly reasonable things.

Editor's note: DarkMatter2525 addresses the "Were you there?" argument in the video below (WARNING: NSFW).

With all that flip-flopping, Uncle Ben's gonna give himself a concussion...if he doesn't have one already!

Ben Carson: We Shouldn't Raise The Minimum Wage, But It Should Be Higher

Watch Ben Carson flip-flop in his own unedited voice, and watch The Young Turks (TYT) hosts outline the simple economic facts that every American should understand--at least, if they don't want to vote against their own best interests.

Can Evangelicals Take the Advice They Give Blacks?

I was watching Cenk Uygur on The Young Turks (TYT) speaking about recent incidents of racism at University of Missouri (Mizzou).

Cenk outlined how Black students, a mere 7% of the student population, felt threatened as white students collected around them screaming racial epithets, drove up in trucks shouting "Nigger," etc.

The Black students had begun to fear for their safety and approached the school administration to address the situation. After assiduously doing nothing, two top administrators resigned, to the outrage of FOX News, whose hosts complained that it was all just words, no students had actually been harmed (translation: not physically harmed yet), and the Black students should just stop being so politically correct and just get over it.

In this video, TYT hosts present some of the death threats actually circulating at the time--including a threat to "stand my ground" and "shoot every Black I see." It stands to reason that even the inaccurate death threat reports would unnerve Black students.

Hell, I would be unnerved and concerned for my safety. Wouldn't you?

And I started to think...

What if Christians took their own advice and applied their own analysis--it's all just words...nobody has been harmed...stop being so politically correct...just get over it--to their precious little "War on Christmas"?

Depressing

OK, it's official: I seem to be on a The Young Turks (TYT) binge today...

I'm watching The WORST Line Of The FBN/WSJ GOP Debate.

The hosts point out the desperation of American journalists when dealing with politicians--especially the Republicans in the debates.

The first Republican debate featured a few tough questions, but Anderson Cooper "took a 2x4 to the Democrats."

Then, the Republicans attacked the media and demanded softball questions.

Since the Republicans are attacking American journalism as a whole, journalists feel threatened.

They have to suck up whatever the Republicans dish out because this is their livelihood; they need the jobs and thus the ratings.

This is why the media never ostentatiously fact-check Republicans on obviously false claims, like tax cuts helping the economy (Google back as far as Eisenhower and check out tax rates, the economy, science and technology, infrastructure, education, ...).

Of course, the media will continue to wallop the Democrats with 2x4s; since Democrats seem to feel obligated to just sit there and take it, all the American public will see is the Republican side of "truth" presented unchallenged by the media along side Democrats who always seem to be on the defensive.

To top it all off, the media are raking it in because of Citizens United.

The TV networks, which continue to make billions from the law, fired Phil Donohue and Ed Schultz for even mentioning Citizens United and campaign finance reform. (So that's what happened to Ed Schultz! Dot Calm and I were wondering!)

And this is why we as a nation can't have nice things.

Pathological: Most Of Ben Carson’s Life Is A Lie

Check out Cenk Uygur's monologue on The Young Turks (TYT), 20 minutes:

Cenk gives the back-story that gives Ben Carson's lies meaning.

He explains why the real story...of a young Black man who used government aid, his family's support, and his own hard work and dedication to succeed against very tough odds...is not "good" enough to "sell" to the Tea Party evangelicals who buy Carson's books and plan to vote for him in 2016.

Understandably bemused, Cenk wonders why such a great story must be discarded...until he provides the narrative that Carson's story must shoehorn into: young, stupid, violent Black man discovers Jesus, who MAKES him successful and good. With Jesus at his side, Ben Carson will personally protect all you good White folk from all the evil Black folk.

Eesh.

Uncle Tom Ben is seriously unhinged, fellow Americans. He can't remember the intense and often unreasonable scrutiny President Obama endured? And how many times have he and his ilk accused the President of not being who he claimed?

Well, here's a news flash for you: President Obama was in fact able to produce a birth certificate.

According to http://www.factcheck.org/2012/07/obamas-sealed-records/, state officials in Hawaii have said repeatedly that Obama was born there in 1961 and is a “natural born American citizen.”

Obama was not a "foreign student" while attending Occidental College in Los Angeles.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthers/occidental.asp

And, no, Obama's records are not "sealed."
http://www.factcheck.org/2012/07/obamas-sealed-records/

At least Michael Baron, one of Obama's professors at Columbia, can verify that Obama attended, completed work, etc.

I recall hearing a "Democracy Now!" interview with one of Obama's law professors at Harvard. I believe the interview was prior to Obama's first term. The man said that both Barack and Michelle were top students, but he had figured Barack for mayor and Michelle for president!

If I can track down that interview, I will post it.

Bah, Humbug!

After the TYT video I mention above, I couldn't help watching another: "Christians Very Offended By Starbucks Holiday Cups."

Yes, I know people like this.

Yes, they are as touchy as TYT makes them sound.

Yes, they really need every retail and media outlet to endorse their religion as clamorously as possible.

Yes, I have lots of close atheist friends who celebrate Christmas as a social holiday. Unlike the touchy Christians (of course, not all Christians are touchy!), the atheists will only tell you about how and why they celebrate Christmas if you ask them. For the ones who do celebrate Christmas, it is a joyous time to visit with family and friends and enjoy all the pretty music, lights, and decorations. It makes the coming of winter a less bitter pill to swallow.

No, they are not trying to take Christ out of Christmas or change how believers celebrate the holiday in any way.

All they want is not to be dictated to themselves.

Personally, I don't see any harm in that.

As for me, I grew up with the familiar greeting of "Happy Holidays" that FOX News and Bill O'Reilly have their knickers in a twist about and that evangelicals boycott stores over. I grew up singing the song by that name along with countless other non-religious Christmas carols, like "Frosty the Snowman" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Does FOX News think that Frosty and Rudolph are plotting the overthrow of Christianity? Bing Crosby sang "Happy Holidays" in "Holiday Inn," which was released in 1942. Does FOX News really think that Old Groaner or, later, Andy Williams were really on the warpath against Baby Jesus?

Or maybe that evil old Jew, Irving Berlin, knew what he was doing all along when he penned the ditty in 1941.

Now...all of that said, screw Christmas until December. We barely finished Halloween before the stores started putting Christmas decorations out. Really?!?? Whatever happened to Thanksgiving? I'd like to celebrate Thanksgiving in peace without having Christmas shoved down my throat just yet, thank you. And I'd like to celebrate New Year's afterward.

As Dot Calm used to say, "Bah, humbug!"

Dot Calm's Shadow's Abridged Tea Party Dictionary

Greetings, Dot Calm Readers!

Let Dot's faithful shadow (that's me) translate a few key code words for you between Tea Party and English to help you understand your politicians and friends.

Ready?

Let's begin!

Slut (n): a woman who has sex, has had sex, or wants sex. Like non-sluts, has no right to work outside the home; would keep busy homemaking instead if it knew what was good for it. Expendable (except as serves a man's purposes). Should not be allowed to vote.

Thug (n): a Black person. Incapable of working a job; capable only of receiving government hand-outs. Expendable. Should bring a bounty. Should not be allowed to vote.

Terrorist (n): a Muslim. They dress funny. Expendable. Should bring a bounty. Should not be allowed to vote.

Illegal (n): any immigrant, legal or otherwise, of Latino origin. Capable only of menial work. Expendable. Should not be allowed to vote.

Fetus (n): God's most sacred creation, the only life-form worth preserving. NOT expendable under any circumstances. Should be allowed to vote.

Baby (n): an inherently evil little mooch deserving only imminent destruction--i.e., expendable--if not rich and white, preferably male. If poor, future cannon fodder in wars of aggression, especially for oil, religion, or (eventually) water. If male, should be allowed one vote per million dollars in assets.

Baby killer (n): an America-hating liberal who mistakenly thinks that all humans have the right to eat nutritious food, drink unpoisoned water, breathe clean air, live in safe shelter, receive quality education and health care, work living-wage jobs, and make their own decisions regarding their own bodies. Evil satanists who believe that the universe consists of universally-observable, self-consistent natural laws that can be discovered and described by lies known as science. Atheists to a man. How dare they assert that life should be safe? Life should be risky, and you deserve to be punished for your own and others' decisions. VERY expendable. Should bring a bounty. Should not be allowed to vote.

Atheist (n): see Baby killer.

Communist (n): see Baby killer.

Democratic Socialist (n): Communist. It doesn't matter that the two things are in fact very different (as anyone with an Internet connection can tell you) because we believe that they are exactly the same. What we say or believe is more important than what is true.

Christian (n): a Tea Party evangelical (no other denominations need apply); a True Patriot. If male, should be allowed one vote per million dollars in assets.

Corporation (n): a Christian person with closely held religious beliefs. Can be trusted like Jesus to do the right thing for America in every situation. Should be allowed one vote per million dollars in assets.

Gun (n): a Christian person with full Constitutional rights, including the right to consume and eject unlimited ammo. Has the greatest right to life of all life-forms except for corporations and fetuses. Should be allowed one vote per round of ammo possessed.

Soldier (n): a True Patriot. Should be allowed to vote if Christian.

Veteran (n): useless mooch looking for free government hand-outs. Expendable. Should not be allowed to vote.

Senior citizen (n): old mooch looking for free government hand-outs. Expendable. Should not be allowed to vote.

American History (n): whatever I as a Tea Party evangelical says it is.

The Constitution (n): see American History.

The Bible (n): the Constitution; see American History.

Liberal rag (n): any media source that disagrees with me as a Tea Party evangelical, often including FOX News, even though it is the most accurate media outlet that God ever created in the universe. That's how corrupt and liberal our media are!

Revisionism (n): the evil liberal practice of pointing out the truth, especially when it conflicts with American History (as defined above), the Constitution (as defined above), or the Bible (as defined above).

Up (adj.): down.

Black (adj.): white.

Science (n): lies. The Bible is the only source of knowledge. Everyone knows that scientists make shit up, like global warming, vaccinations, germs, electricity, gravity, moon landings, and everything else "sciency" not mentioned in the Bible. Everyone knows that disease is caused by sin and demons. Everyone knows that God gives us technology, not science. VERY expendable. People who do it for a living or who rely on it in any way are stupidpants; they need to turn back to God and should not be allowed to vote.

Ignorance (n): truth.

Education (n): see Science.

Truth (n): whatever we say it is at the moment, subject to change as convenient.

...I apologize for this failed attempt at satire: methinks it be too true to be funny.  :\

Uh oh! Are you a Tea Partier?

Then try this challenge: if you don't like these definitions, don't be offended. See this piece as a data point of how you come across to people like me. If this portrayal really seems so unfair to you, then maybe you can try to help people like me understand you better.

Is that too much to ask?

And now here's something you'll really like (I hope)...

Remember the devout Catholic friend I mentioned from my old job in a past lifetime?

He was completely bemused that evangelicals accept the Noah's flood story as historical fact.

He pointed me to these videos, which bring up issues that neither of us as Catholics had ever thought of before.

Atheist Comedy - The Great Flood (DarkMatter2525), 6:25

The Math of the Great Flood (binary_spider), 7:57

 

Noah's Ark (part 1 of 2) (NonStampCollector), 7:54

Noah's Ark (part 2 of 2) (NonStampCollector), 9:19

Would you still be able to believe the Noah's flood story as literal history after watching these videos?

Here's my personal take on it.

No wonder they teach children while they're young to take the Bible as scientific and historical literal fact: you can't do it as an adult, at least not if you've had any education. Well...I couldn't.

P.S.--as a kid, I wondered why God decided to kill all the animals in the first place. I was sad because I like bunnies, and I could not understand what all the bunnies had done to upset God. I also wondered why, since God did decide to drown all the animals, He didn't just make new ones after the flood. The whole ark thing seemed like way too much trouble to my infantile mind. Besides...how would the kangaroos hop all the way to the ark from Australia over all that water? I wondered: maybe the kangaroos built themselves an ark to get from Australia to Noah's ark...?

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There's a 70% chance...

of SCIENCE!

--Adam Savage of Mythbusters

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