If Religion Were Defensible...

It's a problem of discourse. It's a problem that certain ideas remain in good standing, and remain immune to criticism.

Now, previously, I spoke about the problems that beset any claim that any religious doctrine is true. These being, that if religion really were a genuine brand of intellectual inquiry, it would function by the same rules: We would have people's certainties about their religious doctrines scaling with the evidence and the arguments that can be marshalled in support of those ideas, and we fundamentally find that that's not what's going on in religion.

Sam Harris, 11/07/06, "Beyond Belief" conference in San Diego.

Embargo?

"We have shown that Venezuela is red! ... No one should fear socialism... Socialism is human. Socialism is love."

Hugo Chavez has won re-election, by a wide margin: 61% to 38%.

He's allying with Iran, and is being just a big, fat pest in general, so why don't we embargo him?

Call your congressman.

Futurama Opera

I was certain that I'd seen every episode of Futurama, but I don't recall this at all. Can anyone tell me which episode it's from?

"This opera's as lousy as it is brilliant."

Hedonism Bot makes an appearance!

UPDATE: It's from episode 516: "The Devil's Hands Are Idol Playthings"

Two Views on Evolution

View #1, The Onion:

TOPEKA, KS—In response to a Nov. 7 referendum, Kansas lawmakers passed emergency legislation outlawing evolution, the highly controversial process responsible for the development and diversity of species and the continued survival of all life.

[...]

"Barn swallows that develop lighter, more streamlined builds to enable faster migration, for example, could live out the rest of their brief lives in prison," said Indiana University chemist and pro-intelligent-design author Robert Hellenbaum, who helped compose the language of the law. "And butterflies who mimic the wing patterns and colors of other butterflies for an adaptive advantage, well, their days of flaunting God's will are over."

And view #2, South Park: