1. 'The Evolution of Homer' Intro

Comment #29043 by vdubmatt on April 1, 2007 at 10:17 am

Our weeks do have to do with the lunar cycle. Also the days are named after the seven "heavenly" bodies known before telescopes. Monday=moon, Tuesday(Martes)=Mars, Wednesday(Miercoles)=Mercury, Thursday(Jueves)=Jupiter, Friday(Viernes)=Venus, Saturday=Saturn, and Sunday=Sun.

2. Neil Peart cites The God Delusion in new album's liner notes

Comment #28081 by vdubmatt on March 27, 2007 at 9:20 pm

Spinoza is right, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Arcade Fire are also good bands. They still can't hold a candle to Rush. They are such a technically sound band. Like someone else said, a real musicians band. If you can play bass, guitar, or drums, you really can appreciate what they do.

3. Neil Peart cites The God Delusion in new album's liner notes

Comment #27951 by vdubmatt on March 27, 2007 at 11:40 am

Fot those of you who dont listen to Rush, do it. Awesome technical prog rock. This is just another reason to love them.

4. A Familiar and Prescient Voice, Brought to Life

Comment #22401 by vdubmatt on February 16, 2007 at 10:36 am

Right now I am re-reading Billions and Billions, but when i am finished, I am going to pick up "Death by Blackhole". I too agree that Tyson is picking up the slack left in the wake of Sagan's untimely death.

He really is a great figure for the public education in the sciences.

I am teaching an Earth Science lab at a University and I actually showed one of his Nova specials (origins) yesterday to my freshman class.

5. A Familiar and Prescient Voice, Brought to Life

Comment #22379 by vdubmatt on February 15, 2007 at 8:01 pm

Carl Sagan was truly a hero to me. Everyday I regret the fact that he is gone and that his voice of reason is silenced. I really think everyone here should read as much of his works as possible. When I first saw Cosmos in HS it is what opened my eyes to a world of Atheism and rationality.

In some ways I believe Dawkins is continuing what carl had done, but there will never be anyoe else like him.

ps. The author of Carl Sagan: A Life is Keay Davidson. A very good book I would recomend to all.

"We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology."
CS

6. Foreword for the UK edition of 'Letter to a Christian Nation'

Comment #22234 by vdubmatt on February 13, 2007 at 4:30 pm

Sam Harrris' book is truly great. I really enjoyed it. The only dissapointment was that it is so short. I finished it in about 2 hours. I could have read his writing for days. It really is great amunition for those of us actually trying to save this "Christian Nation".

7. In Loving Memory of William Luke Ashton: July 10th 1989 - Dec 25th 2006

Comment #22230 by vdubmatt on February 13, 2007 at 4:18 pm

What a wonderful letter. It is very sad about William, but I am sure if he were alive still he would be so proud of everyone in the community for donating. I hope that contributions to the RDF can help us continue on the path toward enlightenment that we all stand for.

8. Panel discussion on atheism where no atheists are included

Comment #20803 by vdubmatt on February 6, 2007 at 4:59 pm

I find it hilarious that a sports comentator is the only one slightly defending atheism, while a pulitzer prize winner is saying "they need to shut up". The fact is that if someone said that the black movement "needed to shut up" about wanting desegregation it would be considered horendous. I do agree that atheism is not as much under attack in say NJ where I live, but it is a fact that alot of the country is extremely religious. I think that the Jewish community should be just as angry at CNN for the Jew they chose to represent them. She basically cowered at the fact that it is a christian nation. This video was just so udderly despicable. I used to think CNN was at least somewhat better than Fox news, I guess I was wrong.

9. The Chronicles of Kearnya, or, Principles of Evolution Observed in the Field at Kearny High School

Comment #20563 by vdubmatt on February 4, 2007 at 8:05 am

Hello all. I am from a NJ town nearby Kearny and want you all to know I find this teachers actions deplorable.
One note to add on the discussion of recording lectures. Almost every class I have taken in college has said that you must inform the professor that you intend to record his lectures. I do not know if there are any laws regarding this.
Another thing is that alot of people do not realize the kinds of rules that school boards impose that have absolutely no legal backing.
I will soon be an earth science teacher in NJ and it is honestly despicable what is happening here.
As a side note for thoseof you who do not know. Kearny has a notoriously high Irish Catholic. I would estimate it at something like 70 percent. This may give a clue to the reaction of local citizens and staff.