I listen to several science/skeptical podcasts and like to browse the latest science headlines on Science Daily occassionally. I was searching for something the other day and came upon 2 news items that I find fascinating.

Atheists are often labeled as nihilistic, all doom and gloom, angry and miserable. But while I can be just as grumpy or unhappy as the next person, I like to revel in the beauty and complexity of the natural world. I find it awesome and inspiring. See? It’s totally reasonable to be a happy, moral and thoughtful person and be completely godless.

The first news report is from June 5, 2008. Humans Have TEN TIMES More Bacteria Than Human Cells.  How amazing is that!? Only 10% of the cells in and on your body are human. The rest are bacteria. Now, before you grab that horrid antibacterial soap you insist on using, pay attention. Read more…

A week ago I did a post called 50 Old Testament Inconsistencies. It was just something I thought might be a bit different to share with everyone. I didn’t write it but I linked to where I had found it and also to the Skeptic’s Annotated Bible’s list of contradictions. Apparently some people found it recently and it’s gotten some traffic, mainly by christians who are none too pleased. I guess I hit a nerve.

In my experience, most people don’t know how to argue effectively. I myself am not very good at it. I hate arguing, and conflict in general. But I think personal attacks are really uncalled for, especially when one person states an opinion and the other person counters with a personal attack. It just shows lack of ability to handle a disagreement.

By the way, this is called the Ad Hominem Logical Fallacy as I wrote about previously.

Sometimes I wonder if people do it on purpose because it’s so easy to lash out at someone and so hard to defend. I think they do, the more I see it happen. And frankly I think it’s weak and lazy. Read more…

I read something the other day that was titled Atheistic Societies are Happy Societies. It’s based on a study by Phil Zuckerman and finds that the most organically atheistic countries in the world are better off.

The top 10 non-religious countries according to the study are:

1. Sweden
2. Vietnam
3. Denmark
4. Norway
5. Japan
6. Czech Republic
7. Finland
8. France
9. South Korea
10. Estonia

This is from the paper, from the site I was at: Read more…

Ok, for some reason this struck me as a bit…. odd. Diesel from dead cats? I just had to share it with you, since we’re Heaving Dead Cats around here on a regular basis. Now we can save money, heave dead cats and make fuel! Woot!

Dr Christian Koch, 55, from Kleinhartmannsdorf, has a special method for turning household garbage into biodiesel. This leads me to believe you can make biodiesel out of just about anything.

So, his method involves heating stuff like old tires, paper, motor oil, plastic, dead cats, just about anything, to 300 degrees Celsius. Then the hydrocarbons go through a catalytic converter.

Now I’ll know what to do with all those dead cats in my freezer! (JUST KIDDING)

Found Here and Here.

One of the things I noticed not long after becoming an atheist was how much christianity and religion is soaked into the fabric of society. Here are a few glaring examples:

• Taking Sundays off
• Blue States where they won’t sell alcohol on Sundays
• Saying “bless you” when someone sneezes
• Christmas, Easter, St. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, All Saints Day, etc., etc….
• Common expressions like oh my god, jesus!, jesus christ, damnit, damn, holy anything, etc., etc…

As an atheist, I wonder, is it necessary to remove and de-christianize ourselves as much as possible? My husband sneezed this morning and I said “bless you.” It’s a habit to say it. I apologized and said, “you’re so good looking” instead. (A Seinfeld episode reference.)

Read more…