1. Gunk in T. Rex Fossil Confirms Dino-Bird Lineage

Comment #169437 by IanLowe on April 26, 2008 at 5:02 am

"I hate the way the press messes up the science. Birds did not descend from the T. rex, they descended from an ancestor of the T. rex."

Surely we would need some actual preserved DNA, or some common/lacking physical feature preserved in the fossilised remains that would allow us to confirm whether the path leading to birds split before T-Rex, or descended through it?

I thought the point of this work was that this is the first rock solid (hah!) evidence pinning the T-Rex to a specific part of the tree, in essence confirming the dinosaur -> bird hypothesis?

is there other evidence already out there that gives us an accurate picture of where t-rex and the bird line sit?

2. If God Is Dead, Who Gets His House?

Comment #165627 by IanLowe on April 22, 2008 at 12:39 am

Personally, I have always felt that Humanism presents the quasi-religious side of Atheism.

Here in Scotland, the Humanist Society has been involved in producing educational materials for classroom use, and has meetings every few sundays for the social element.

Atheism doesn't have a moral code, but Humanism does - just one that's derived from compassion and humanity rather than a supernatural bogey man.

3. Religion is 'the new social evil'

Comment #164698 by IanLowe on April 20, 2008 at 2:29 pm

"We are NOT (I hope) trying to establish an atheist state"

I am! :D

4. Thy will be done

Comment #154442 by IanLowe on April 3, 2008 at 9:18 am

"it only gives Theists more ammunition when they claim that our ultimate goal is the complete removal of religion from society"

that IS our Ultimate Goal.

The complete and total elimination of religion from society.

When as many people believe in a god (any god) as believe in a flat earth.. then we will be getting somewhere.

5. In Britain, creationist theory is evolving

Comment #145227 by IanLowe on March 17, 2008 at 11:38 am

The annoying thing is, we already had this fight, and WON.

The UK Government issued guidance to schools that this garbage is not acceptable as teaching materials, and that creationism and ID are not acceptable in UK schools.

The reason Monty has removed this stuff is NOT that he fears antagonizing people, it's that he fears people confronting the illegal nature of what he is doing, and insisting to the schools that they obey the damn law, rather than letting their pet religious pals in by the back door to preach!!

6. Beauty ad banned after Christian outcry

Comment #142468 by IanLowe on March 12, 2008 at 2:28 pm

I'm willing to forgive the ASA this time - they have been a potent force for sorting out christian "healing" services.

Check out the archive of their previous decisions, and look at how many times they have told some bunch of religious wackos "put up the proof, are shut up".

despite the odd one or two dropped balls, the ASA are the good guys.