The Lost Message

What The Occupy Wall Street Movement Needs to Succeed

2011-10-12T17:57:00.000-05:00

A few nights ago I along with thousands of others witnessed the beginnings of what will probably be a new chapter in a future history book. Hundreds of protesters, among them women, children and US veterans, being removed by force from a peaceful protest in Boston in the early hours of the morning. Almost simultaneously news hit of unlawful seizure of property in a counterpart protest in San Fransisco. Seattle chimed in a few hours later with reports of police using threat of force to remove people from their tent city. Its clear that these protests are now making enough ripples to make local governments a little anxious. The question stands: What now?

These protesters are volunteers running purely on donations and their collective dedication to the cause. They have no bankroll, political pull and aside from a few laptops and webcams, no connections to the media. The only thing these protests have is strength in numbers. Here are a few suggestions as to how to use it.

1) Organize

Every one of you can identify your enemy. CitiBank. Bank of America. AIG. The people that collapsed our economy are listed by name as board members on each of these companies' Wikipedia pages. Every congressman who is for or against you is known because their voting record is made publicly available. But what does that the nation know about you. There is no spokesman, no poster child, no great orator to elevate this movement into a legitimate mobilization. If you go up to a protester and ask them why they're doing what they're doing the answer will not only vary from city to city but from person to person.This loose association of pissed off individuals is hardly as noble as the uprising of the third estate its advertised to be. There needs to be a national chain of command. I know for a fact there are people involved that are very well educated, well read, well spoken. Hand them field promotions and send them to Washington DC. Establish a hierarchy that can negotiate with congress or at the very least issue a press release that's longer than 140 characters.

2) Sponsorships

No, not corporate ones, although Ben and Jerry's wasn't a bad start. Politicians are nervous about the next eighteen months, and they need someone to sell their services to and with the way the economy is running the buyer will either be you guys or the tea party. So get your smartphones out and start flooding the inbox of your local congressmen, senator and, lets be bold, the white house. If this were a perfect world no one in the 112th Congress would be reelected to the 113th, but lets be frank, you have to make due with what you have. Lend your credibility to politicians so they in return can lend you their voice, as well as their influence in lawmaking. Revolutions aren't all blood and glory. They need compromise.

3)Image control

When this was first cropping up many people said that this will be the grand mobilization of the left. The anti tea party. A protest of a million intellectuals exchanging philosophical quotes over a massive game of hacky sack. However, after stopping by my local sit in, I was disenchanted with what I saw. I understand that the fuel of this fire is free spirit and coming together to remove from power a common enemy, but this is not something to get nonconformist about. By all means, be an individual, but lose the drum circles and acoustic guitars. If you think those are viable protest tactics, go Google what happened at Kent State. This is almost as silly as watching tea partiers wave the revolutionary war flag and wearing triangle hats. It seems like a gimmick, except sadly it isn't on purpose. This is something you need public support for, but the public will never go for imagery of internet memes, obscure subcultural references or pot. Keep it professional, guys. You can't win unless you play their game.

Comic: Creationists

2011-06-21T09:02:00.000-05:00

Came up with this when i was watching the miss USA contestants trying to figure whether evolution should be taught in schools. I have officially lost faith in humanity.

Comic: More Manly

2011-06-15T19:38:00.000-05:00

Works almost 100% of the time. Fair warning: manlier isn't always better.

Comic: Smarter than you think.

2011-06-14T18:54:00.000-05:00

If Palin is pushing gun rights with Paul Revere, then I can be galactic emperor by doing this.

What the Wii U will need to succeed

2011-06-12T03:17:00.000-05:00

Look who's back. After a four year losing streak with the GameCube and a five year semi-hiatus with the Wii, Nintendo comes surging forward with a brand new home console offering in the form of Wii U. The new platform sports high definition graphics, a cool touchscreen controller and a strong backing from third parties. While the Mario factory did have an impressive showing at E3, they may have tipped their hand a little early. 2012 is still a long time away and Sony and Apple look take away the Wii U 's distinct two screen advantage before it ever launches.

So where does this leave Nintendo? For the first time in half a decade Nintendo will be forced to compete on the same playing field as Sony and Microsoft. The third party games made for each system will be, for all intents and purposes identical. Each console will have a gimmick or two based on the console's specific features, but for the most part the game play will be the standard "apply thumbs to buttons for win". So third parties won't sell many systems. Nor will HD graphics, the ability to browse the internet or play music and movies. So what will?

Below is a list of things that the Wii U will need to nail down in order to convince us to shell out a considerable amount of money for a new system.

1) 1st Party Games.

This has always been a massive selling point for Nintendo. Outstanding first party games will be what moves systems. The shear mention of a new Smash Brothers probably will be all the drive I need to buy. The real challenge will be having me dust off the damn thing when I want to play a game that doesn't require three of my friends to be there with me. I fully expect a new Metroid, Mario or Zelda at launch. From launch, there needs to be a steady stream of new games coming in the months to follow. There is endless potential for some of Nintendo's lesser franchise's to become really good. Imagine Battalion Wars, in true HD, with RTS controls on the touch screen and third/first person controls up top. I'd pre-order that right now. Make it happen.

2) Online Connectivity

I am a dedicated fanboy. I have defended the Wii name in 2006 while in complete denial as to how bad it truly is. Even I will not defend the piss poor friend code system that Nintendo implemented in the last seven years. Now they have significant ground to gain. I'm pretty sure that the virtual console and WiiWare services will get ported over nicely. But they need something in place that easy rivals Xbox Live. I dont just mean gamertags and achievements. Netflix should be integrated. Facebook should be integrated and (i know it's a longshot but) Skype should be there too.

3) Experiment a Little

We've been through it before. Sometimes Nintendo gets a little indie and decides that sunshine and lollipops aren't the only things that can utilize their hardware. This trend saw the birth of some of the best games in recent years. The best example I can think of is probably Eternal Darkness. Unfortunately In recent attempts they were less than dedicated. GameCube saw the unique 2005 mature shooter Geist. The game was praised for originality but ultimately failed because of its underfunded attempt falling victim to shoty AI and graphics. If it was treated with a little more care then it could have been a great game. Ditto, the 2008 flop Disaster: Day of Crisis. Again it was a great concept squandered by a lack of polish, namely graphics, physics and pacing. If the big N truly gets behind a game like that, it will pay off.

4) Get the pricing just right

I'm not too thrilled about having to buy a new console. Games are sixty bucks apiece, DLC drains a pretty penny, and I don't even want to know how much I have to invest in new controllers. The point is I dont want a console to set me back more than three hundred dollars. If Sony can make the PSV cost 250 USD, then I really dont see why Nintendo can't do the same.

5) Figure out the controls

This part of the Wii U puzzle confuses me the most. Here Nintendo is, trying to introduce revolutionary new control mechanics and yet there can only be one of those new controllers connected to a console. So what am I to do if I wanna play split screen with a friend? As far as I can tell classic controllers will be the new standard, meaning I'm expected to shell out money for up to four of those and four Wiimotes to attach them to. And what of the fight that will erupt every time i wanna play something split screen co-op and both of us want to use the cool new controller? Work on it, Nintendo.

What concerns do you have regarding the new console? Leave your posts below.

My Take On MLB Realignment.

2011-06-11T21:31:00.000-05:00

Today there was word from informed sources of a bit of a realignment proposed to the MLB team owners. The realignment proposed is said to involve shifting one NL team, allegedly the Houston Astros, to the American League. Such a move would make the divisions even at fifteen teams apiece. Divisions within the leagues would be dealt away with and each league would have 5 playoff spots to give away as opposed to the current four. This is radically different that the current structure and here is how.

Interleague Play: Right now interleague teams play only in two situations. 1) the Interleague play scheduled early in the season, usually before the All star break, or 2) The World Series. Because this shift would set each league at an odd number of teams, interleague play will have to become a season long occurrence. This causes a stir because teams that are in contention to compete in the fall classic could potentially knock each other out before the playoffs by competing in September. also because the removal of division based playoff births, teams can win a playoff spot in their own league by dominating the opposing league. This intermingling of leagues could potentially also make the All Star game a lot less significant.
Playoffs: Right now the playoff structure is as follows: there are are two leagues, each league has three divisions, each division has between four and six teams. The teams with the best record in each division gets a playoff spot. Additionally there are wildcard spots for the two teams that have the best record in their respective leagues without winning a division title. The new system takes that approach and throws it off a really tall building. In the proposed plan the top third of each division gets a birth regardless of their geographical location. This is somewhat similar to how the NBA does their playoffs. The immediate problem this creates is competitive balance. The MLB has teams with budgets ranging from the tiny to the obscenely big. Currently divisions slightly dampen the monetary effect by pinning big markets against each other within their respective divisions (Red Sox & Yankees, Phillies & Mets, Cubs & Cards. etc). By removing that aspect it is most likely to see the top ten big spenders in the playoffs with small market teams suffering from a mass exodus of fans.
The DH: This has become a huge topic in the majors in the past several years. As I mentioned above with a realignment such as this, interleague play would be extremely commonplace. That means baseball needs one standardized rule of who the ninth hitter is. Otherwise the AL would have a tremendous advantage by having an extra slugger in their lineup instead of the starting pitcher.

Not everyone has so far reacted positively to this proposition because it would considerably shift the playing field for a lot of teams. All of a sudden the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays can be in the playoffs all at once. Teams like Toronto and Atlanta have a much better chance at contention, while teams like Kansas City and Pittsburgh finding themselves in much worse positions. There are, in my opinion, better ways to even the playing field. and they are listed below.

1) Expansion

AL EAST	AL CENTRAL	AL WEST
New York Yankees	Chicago White Sox	Texas Rangers
Boston Red Sox	Cleveland Indians	LA Angels
Tampa Bay Rays	Minnesota Twins	Seattle Mariners
Toronto Blue Jays	Kansas City Royals	Oakland A's
Baltimore Orioles	Detroit Tigers	San Antonio Defenders
		Las Vegas Gamblers

NL EAST	NL CENTRAL	NL WEST
Philadelphia Phillies	St. Louis Cardinals	San Francisco Giants
Atlanta Braves	Milwaukee Brewers	Arizona Diamondbacks
Florida Marlins	Cincinnati Reds	Colorado Rockies
New York Mets	Pittsburgh Pirates	LA Dodgers
Washington Nationals	Chicago Cubs	San Diego Padres
	Houston Astros

Maybe this is just a pipe dream but I can't help but wonder whether or not adding two more teams to the AL would solve everyone's problems. Currently there are very large markets out there without a team to call their own. San Antonio, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Oklahoma City are all ready for a franchise. By adding two teams to, lets say, the AL West, the two leagues would be even and there would be no need to tackle the DH rule or increase inter-league play.

2) Realignment By Salary.

AL MONEY	AL STANDARD	AL BUDGET
New York Yankees	Detroit Tigers	Oakland A's
Boston Red Sox	Texas Rangers	Toronto Blue Jays
LA Angels	Seattle Mariners	Cleveland Indians
Chicago White Sox	Baltimore Orioles	Tampa Bay Rays
Minnesota Twins	Houston Astros	Kansas City Royals
	(Expansion Team)

NL MONEY	NL STANDARD	NL BUDGET
Philidelphia Phillies	Los Angeles Dodgers	Washington Nationals
Chicago Cubs	Colorado Rockies	Florida Marlins
New York Mets	Atlanta Braves	Arizona Diamondbacks
San Francisco Giants	Milwaukee Brewers	Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals	Cincinnati Reds	San Diego Padres
	(Expansion Team)

Because adding more teams wont solve all the problems with balance in baseball, the next approach I propose is to size everyone up by their team salaries. This is an interesting concept because that means the divisions have a chance to be dynamic. Fifteen or sixteen teams in each league would be broken up in six divisions based on how much they spend on talent. This gives smaller markets a taste of playoffs and levels the playing field for extremely swollen markets by making them compete primarily with each other. As an added but improbably bonus, teams would be realigned based on their salaries every year. A more realistic approach would be alignment based on market size, but thats not as fun. Above is the split based on current 2011 salaries. It actually gives you a good idea on which teams are getting their money's worth and which are just slacking. I'm looking at you, Cubs.

Now both of these plans would take a significant amount of tradition, uproot it, and set it on fire, so its unlikely that any actual change will be implemented until there is a legitimate need for expansion. Until then, expect talks of realignment to fizzle and fade away into nothing.

Comic: A Wise Man Once Said...

2011-06-10T18:43:00.000-05:00

This saying works surprisingly well in a lot of situations

The E3 2011 Drinking game.

2011-05-31T14:47:00.000-05:00

Here is what you'll need for the game:

A light alcoholic beverage (Beer, Mike's Hard, Smirnoff Ice, etc..) for sips.
A heavy alcoholic beverage for shots and swigs. I recommend something game related like this.
An Internet connection
A heavy tolerance.

Drink every time you see something on the list. The amount you need to drink is based on the probability of the event. Enjoy
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An Open Letter To Michele Bachmann

2011-05-29T08:51:00.000-05:00

Congresswoman Bachmann,

It has come to my attention in the past couple of months that you are being seriously considered by the US population as a legitimate candidate for next year's presidential election. While the GOP bid race is still hosting gag candidates you seem to be doing pretty well in early polls. This is especially alarming because of the staggering amount of political bloopers surrounding your name. In my opinion it is high time that you are held accountable for the things you say to crowds of your supporters. I'm not talking about miscalculating the location of the opening shots of the American Revolution. Granted it's unprofessional, but hey, not everyone paid attention in high school history. I'm not even talking about the fact that you can't quite grasp what the judicial branch does. That's a little unnerving coming from a member of congress but I'll let that slide as well on the count of some of your older congressional colleagues doing more in their careers while knowing less. I'm talking about the rhetoric you spread to your supporters. The rhetoric that can't be passed off as a minor fib about historical facts. The rhetoric that, if researched properly, is found to be flat out wrong and shamelessly invented. The problem is most Americans won't know about it unless it is brought up by someone that is extremely unqualified to challenge a congress member with a prestigious law degree.

This is where I come in. I, as a nineteen year old college student with no background in political science, history or law, Do hereby challenge you, Michele Bachmann to a public debate regarding you current political stances and the intellectual backing behind them. You need to be able to prove your knowledge on the issues you vote on on behalf of your constituents. In order to support this challenge I have gathered a series of quotes you've been credited with, with my rebuttal to each one. All sources are shown in the links provided.

"In 5,000 years of recorded human history... neither in the east or in the west... has any society ever defined marriage as anything other than between men and women. Not one in 5000 years of recorded human history. That's an astounding fact and it isn't until the last 12 years or so that we have seen for the first time in recorded human history marriage defined as anything other than between men and between women" Iowa, 4-15-11

According to Live Science, MSNBC and articles quoted by Wikipedia, Ancient spiritual rituals resembling marriage rituals at the time were performed on same sex couples in both the east and the west. There are also records of medieval contracts from France as well as around the Mediterranean, that show legal bindings of same sex couples.

"The news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would, I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out are they are pro-America or anti-America." MSNBC appearance 10-17-08

This is a very dangerous idea to put into the heads of those easily swayed by the views of those on television. This trend was seen before during the red scares in the late 1940's and 50's. Senator Joseph McCarthy led the charge against anti-American behavior in people holding federal positions. As it was later coined, McCarthyism was responsible for unwarranted accusations, arrest and even violent acts against thousands of innocent people. As someone associated with the Tea Party, an organization whose members have been quotes as advocating a violent removal of government officials, I would expect a more careful wording of your own suggestions

"[Same-sex marriage] is probably the biggest issue that will impact our state and our nation in the last, at least, thirty years." KKMS 980-AM 3-20-04

This is an opinion stated as a fact. This shows an extremely skewed set of priorities driven by a personal agenda. Here's a partial list of events that occurred in the last 30 years (dated from 2004) that most people would consider to be much more important. If you find any of these less significant please explain why.

1975: Fall of Saigon, Helsinki Accords, G6 was formed,
1976: Viking 1 lands on Mars, Gregg v. Georgia
1978: Control of Panama Canal given back to Panama, University of California Regents v. Bakke
1979: US establishes diplomatic ties with China, Three Mile Island incident, Iran Hostage Crisis
1980: Mt. St Helen eruption
1981: Sandra Day O'Connor joins supreme court
1982: 241 U.S. Marines killed by suicide bomb in Lebanon
1986: Iran-Contra Affair, Challenger Accident.
1989: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Fall of the Berlin Wall.
1990: Hubble Space Telescope
1991: End of the Cold War, Gulf War, START treaty.
1993: Waco incident
1994: NAFTA
1995: OKC bombing, Federal Government Shutdown
1998: 224 killed in 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya
1999: Columbine Massacre
2000: USS Cole Bombing
2001: World Trade Center attacks, Enduring Freedom, Patriot Act, Anthrax attacks
2002: Beltway Sniper Attacks, Dot-com Bubble, Euro enters circulation.
2003: SORT treaty, Iraq, Human Genome Project Completed

This list does not include various military operations abroad, breakthroughs in science and technology, economic turmoil such as that caused by Enron, breakouts of illnesses such as AIDS or SARS or massive domestic protests.

"Carbon dioxide, Mister Speaker, is a natural byproduct of nature. Carbon dioxide is natural. It occurs in Earth. It is a part of the regular lifecycle of Earth. In fact, life on planet Earth can’t even exist without carbon dioxide. So necessary is it to human life, to animal life, to plant life, to the oceans, to the vegetation that’s on the Earth, to the, to the fowl that — that flies in the air, we need to have carbon dioxide as part of the fundamental lifecycle of Earth...There isn’t one such study because carbon dioxide is not a harmful gas, it is a harmless gas. Carbon dioxide is natural. It is not harmful. It is part of Earth’s life cycle...And yet we’re being told that we have to reduce this natural substance and reduce the American standard of living to create an arbitrary reduction in something that is naturally occurring in the earth." House Floor 04-22-09

Carbon dioxide is absolutely a naturally occurring chemical but that doesn't mean it's harmless when pumped into the atmosphere at alarming rates. Fire is also a naturally occurring phenomenon but that doesn't mean I want part of my atmosphere occupied by it either. Here are the facts: Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. Its increased presence amplifies the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide is produced by burning anything carbon based such as wood, coal, oil and fuels produced from oil. The increase of CO2 in the atmosphere is directly correlative to the progress of global industrialization. [Source]

"I am not here bashing people who are homosexuals, who are lesbians, who are bisexual, who are transgender. We need to have profound compassion for people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life and sexual identity disorders." Ed Watch National Education Conference, 11-4-04

As anyone who is familiar with psychology can tell you, the classification of homosexuality is extremely inaccurate. The Diagnostics and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) once did list it as a disorder but it was removed in the 1987 edition due to scientific as well as moral reasons. Other, now defunct, disorders once featured in psychology include Female Hysteria, Hospitalism, and Drapetomania.

"I am convinced in my heart and in my mind that if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States . . . [W]e have to show that we are inextricably entwined, that as a nation we have been blessed because of our relationship with Israel, and if we reject Israel, then there is a curse that comes into play. And my husband and I are both Christians, and we believe very strongly the verse from Genesis [Genesis 12:3], we believe very strongly that nations also receive blessings as they bless Israel. It is a strong and beautiful principle." Los Angeles, May 2011

This is where I become scared for the future of the nation. Using scripture to warn the US public of a curse in order to promote a foreign policy doctrine isn't exactly what the founding fathers had in mind. Congresswoman, this is fearmongering in its most basic form. The separation of church and state isn't meant to only protect religion from government but also to safeguard government from religion. This applies to foreign policy as well.

In conclusion Congresswoman, I hope you accept this opportunity for proving your worth to the nation as a candidate for Presidency. I will be awaiting your reply.

To those reading this letter as an observer: Please help spread this around the internet via any social networks you have at your disposal (Reddit, StumbleUpon, Twitter, Facebook, Digg etc.) or contact me If you have advice as to how this letter can receive mainstream attention. I also advise you to write your own letters. My attempt may fall on deaf ears but if we all do it then we may have a chance to expose this candidate for who she is.

Contact me at The.Lost.Message.Blog@gmail.com

Comic: Protesting

2011-05-27T07:19:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I really wonder if this is legit how they come up with their posters.

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Comic: Things to come

2011-05-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

You know you're old when you remember Reddit back before it was filled with these things. Yeah, I made a few but I've seen some really cool stuff buried under that comic strips of that same old face we've all seen a hundred times before. People, you gotta innovate.

The things you see on the EL

2011-05-25T03:57:00.000-05:00

Met this guy on his commute to work this morning on Chicago's blue line subway. Turned out to be really nice dude. Picture after the break.
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Comic: Social Experiment

2011-05-24T00:38:00.000-05:00

Little something I came up with. Feel free to try it out. Its great. Comic after the break.

PS: Yeah I know its two white guys playing basketball. A pass is an achievement.

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Comic: Preemptive Strike

2011-05-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

I freaking hate when i get sneezeblocked. Seriously. Fuck that. Comic after the break.

Guide to Playing Monopoly [FLOWCHART]

2011-05-22T00:14:00.000-05:00

From my years of experience this is how Monopoly games tend to pan out. Definitely the reason I prefer to play Scrabble. Sidebar: Fuck the Luxury Tax. Seriously. Click on it to see it in its original massive size. This thing took me quite a few hours to make. sharing through StumbleUpon is highly recommended. Comic after the Break

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The Top Five Wii 2 Rumors (and why they're bogus)

2011-05-21T04:11:00.000-05:00

Over the past few weeks sources from various dark corners of the internet have claimed to "know" new information on the successor to the Nintendo's current "Bigger-than-Jesus" console, the Wii. While it has been confirmed by Nintendo through a press release that the console is set for reveal at next month's E3 there is absolutely nothing else about it that is set in stone. Having that much room for speculation is a cue for anyone with too much free time to start circulating their own take on what the Wii 2 has in store for us. Unfortunately, because the Nintendo fanbase is unbelievably loyal, the rumors that would normally be dismissed as ludicrous are now represented as hard fact. This is a rundown of the top ten Wii 2 rumors and whether and their likelihood. List after break.

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Comic: Um... Now what?

2011-05-20T18:23:00.000-05:00

I came up with this after seeing one of those doomsday vans in my neighborhood. As our friends in Oceania, Asia and Europe can already tell us, fuck all happens on may 21st. By the way did they just rent a bunch of uHauls and paint over them or something? I bet they aren't getting their deposits back. comic after the break.

Comic: The Art of Seduction.

2011-05-20T06:49:00.000-05:00

I've never quite understood why people took advice on love from frat guys over a game of Halo. Comic after the break. Fun fact: the font used in the comic is called "Hobo STD". Not even joking.

P.S. I'm gonna have an editorial on this topic up by Friday, Stay Tuned.

The Original Cozy Blanket. Like Seen on TV

2011-05-19T17:40:00.000-05:00

I came across this jem a few months ago in a store in Chicago's chinatown. Pics after the break

Guide to Choosing a College Major

2011-05-19T03:29:00.000-05:00

I thought that i would post something a bit more offbeat before posting another long serious article. See flowchart after break.

PS: I know that I couldn't include every major, but i damn well tried. Let me know what you think.

Message 1: The Stigma

2011-05-18T10:59:00.000-05:00

A few years ago I went to a college get-together with surprisingly intellectual company. Most people attending were majoring in sciences and engineering. Late in the evening when the attendance numbers thinned to high single digits we sat around discussing various stupid topics. Somehow we ended up on the question of afterlife. After some mention of mythology and a few jokes involving seventy two virgins came a surprise. One of the girls sitting to my left (Lets call her B) smiled and said "I know exactly what will happen to me after I die". She went on to describe her first day in heaven. There was something about reuniting with her deceased sister. There was the lunch that she planned to have with the great Renaissance artists of the seventeenth century. There was traveling through space and time to the very beginning of life and then to its very end, all in one afternoon. It was all very elegant and philosophical. Very impressive for two in the morning on the roof of a dorm building. I remember thinking that it was the most unique description of the afterlife I have ever heard. After it was all over i noted the reaction of the faces of every person in the room. half of them were filled with a calm appreciation as if they were pondering that scenario. The other half didn't bother listening to it as their mind was made up the moment B said she knew. Their face was filled with disgust as if they just pictured an obese Nazi pass gas. After a moment of silence someone from the latter group said "You're one of those?" And there it was, none of us saw B as the same person as a few minutes ago.

There are very few things that traverse American culture quite like religious stigma. There exist distinct associations with the words "religious" or "atheist". Unlike the stigmas associated with, lets say hipsters, these stigmas vary by context and location. Not only that but these differences are polar opposites. Here's an example: Suppose I'm talking about a person named Ted.

"Ted volunteers at a soup kitchen on the weekends. Once a year on Christmas he stops by the local orphanage and reads to the kids.When people hear this they unanimously say, "He's a model Christian"

What do you picture Ted to look like? Most picture a clean cut, moral and quiet person. For some reason I also picture a sweater-vest being involved. This is the sort of old fashioned religious stereotype that movies and television have portrayed since the days of Leave It to Beaver. Now here is a counterexample still involving the same name.

"One day Ted was reading through his son's literature syllabus and noticed Dante's Inferno on the required reading list. Ted approached the middle school board with a strong demand to ban the book because it conflicts with the bible and promotes satanism. After having his request denied he organized a picket line outside his sons middle school accusing the school board members of being satanists and blasphemers. When people hear this they unanimously say "He's a model christian"

How did your image of Ted change? Do you now picture a more radical, arrogant overly opinionated person? Does the fact that Dante's Inferno really has nothing to do with satanism or blasphemy make you question Ted's intelligence? The fact is both scenarios can describe the same person, but never from the same perspective. This same effect can be applied to atheists. In some circles they are treated as the intellectuals, the levelheaded individuals that only look to facts and figures for guidance. In others they are treated as pretentious dicks that aim to strike down others peoples' core beliefs just for sport.

You may ask "Why in the name of John Paul Jones am I bringing this up?". Well its simple: I don't like the double standard involved. Think about this: How would an atheist presidential candidate do in the 2012 election? By the looks of the track record, every candidate that received a major party nomination in modern history has been christian. On the flip side if you wanna get something published in a scientific journal, any mention of spiritualism will draw instant criticism and ridicule. The rivalry between the two reminds me of a drunk feud between a White Sox fan and a Cubs fan. Fundamentally they are one and the same person, they were just born under different flags. Never the less you can expect the die hard fans scream nonsense at each other that doesn't take too long to get personal.

I'll explain my analogy a bit further if you aren't familiar with Chicago sports. There is not a Cubs fan alive that has seen them win a World Series. Most years they come in at a disappointing middle of the pack and almost never see playoffs. Regardless they sell almost every seat to almost every game, year after year. Cubs fans remain amazingly loyal, saying against reason that this year is their year. White Sox fans are much less forgiving. Their team finds a way to compete every single season, but fans refuse to show up to see them play unless they are on a record streak. If the team hits a slump even their die hard fans lose hope. You can guess which one is analogous to which.

The truth is neither side can claim to be completely right. There is as much evidence of a divine force as there is of no divine force. The Atheist can claim science hasn't found proof of a guiding force. As the Devils Advocate, i say look deeper into science. The guiding laws of the universe work in a symphony way too beautiful to not have been orchestrated even if it wasn't by a man in the clouds. The drunken fan stigma that clouds this debate only reflects poorly on those involved. Being open to the opposing perspective is a much more enlightening approach.