tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-140048712012-01-24T09:56:57.366-08:00A secular, atheist, libertarian blogThe Rational Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06573904887494797998noreply@blogger.comBlogger372125http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.giftag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-77992158046647411922012-01-24T09:19:00.000-08:002012-01-24T09:19:26.676-08:002012-01-24T09:19:26.676-08:00<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ufecipPbUMo8Da3w6T3OIljLuWU/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ufecipPbUMo8Da3w6T3OIljLuWU/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ufecipPbUMo8Da3w6T3OIljLuWU/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ufecipPbUMo8Da3w6T3OIljLuWU/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/zQkBSeiOsTs" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2012/01/indian-winter.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-70063520541198330342012-01-23T18:48:00.000-08:002012-01-24T09:56:57.383-08:002012-01-24T09:56:57.383-08:00Ever heard of Gajnipur? No? Nor had I, until a month ago. That's when I received an invitation from the organizers of Gajnipur Film Festival. Gajnipur, apparently, is the capital of Gajnistan, a newly carved out state, named after its popular film actor, Gajnikant, endearingly referred to as Thalaivar (Chief) by his ardent fans. Although I am a movie buff, I had no idea why the organizers would choose me from the millions of movie buffs from around the world. Damn you, Google! As I sat in my...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0DYQsDY9HPy1PC2S6ajg2LUQxbY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0DYQsDY9HPy1PC2S6ajg2LUQxbY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0DYQsDY9HPy1PC2S6ajg2LUQxbY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0DYQsDY9HPy1PC2S6ajg2LUQxbY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/UL9hypj-5nE" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2012/01/sardonic-verses.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-18546614151163504882011-06-09T08:31:00.000-07:002012-01-24T09:27:09.152-08:002012-01-24T09:27:09.152-08:00Ten get death penalty for honour killing - The Times of India: At least 10 members of a family were sentenced to death by a local court for killing an 18-year-old girl, her lover and the lover's brother in 2008. Vijaya, 18, her lover Udai Pal Singh and Singh's brother Satyabhan were killed in Pilkathra village in Etah in November 2008. Vijaya's father Ramesh Pal, along with his other family members and relatives, had killed the three people. The death sentence for Ramesh Pal and his...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9YGETTMrjbxxHJuYqZG3KYHcHL4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9YGETTMrjbxxHJuYqZG3KYHcHL4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9YGETTMrjbxxHJuYqZG3KYHcHL4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9YGETTMrjbxxHJuYqZG3KYHcHL4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/QGClGZd4Ek0" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com2http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/real-honor-killer.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-12224439867329560052011-06-08T07:18:00.000-07:002011-06-08T07:19:38.746-07:002011-06-08T07:19:38.746-07:00Too Much Coffee Can Make You Hear Things That Are Not There: High coffee intake can cause auditory hallucinations - hearing things that are not there - researchers from La Trobe University, Australia report in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, after measuring the effect of caffeine and stress with 92 non-clinical participants. Even five coffees per day can trigger this type of hallucination, they explained. What Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad were having, when they heard their...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3elISOBm_vVNI13J_4SpQvna73c/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3elISOBm_vVNI13J_4SpQvna73c/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3elISOBm_vVNI13J_4SpQvna73c/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3elISOBm_vVNI13J_4SpQvna73c/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/U0XJXcRY2fQ" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-were-they-having.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-53541959578449002082011-06-07T17:55:00.000-07:002011-06-07T17:55:24.692-07:002011-06-07T17:55:24.692-07:00Jailed rape victim seeks to sue Commonwealth of Australia: A Brisbane woman who claims to have been drugged and raped by co-workers in Dubai plans to sue the Commonwealth of Australia after she was jailed for adultery. Alicia Gali, 29, has already been granted leave to sue the Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, alleging her employer breached its workplace obligations by failing to have systems in place to protect workers against assault. But on Tuesday, Ms...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Vyd8RvELB6RFDVL_m_4YJ65-Phc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Vyd8RvELB6RFDVL_m_4YJ65-Phc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Vyd8RvELB6RFDVL_m_4YJ65-Phc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Vyd8RvELB6RFDVL_m_4YJ65-Phc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/O-nf8lrvzqA" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/your-life-under-shariah.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-21759447500651151392011-06-07T08:25:00.000-07:002011-06-07T13:32:08.840-07:002011-06-07T13:32:08.840-07:00The end is always nigh in the human mind &#151; New Scientist: Secular end of days may be found in Karl Marx's end of capitalism and Francis Fukuyama's end of history, along with scientistic doomsdays brought about by global warming, ice ages, solar flares, rogue planets, black holes, cosmic collisions, supervolcanoes, overpopulation, pollution, nuclear winter, genetically engineered viruses, the grey goo of runaway nanotechnology - and let's not forget Y2K, the millennium bug. Not to forget...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wG91GxsUssmNydRL4spMmpB41K4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wG91GxsUssmNydRL4spMmpB41K4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wG91GxsUssmNydRL4spMmpB41K4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wG91GxsUssmNydRL4spMmpB41K4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/uzH_eR0i1Lw" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/camping-is-not-alone.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-82774506028918995492011-06-06T12:10:00.000-07:002011-06-06T12:10:49.053-07:002011-06-06T12:10:49.053-07:00One more reason why "religion" should be excised from the Constitution &#151; Muslim cabbie and Taxi Commission at odds over his hat: Nabeel Langrial was talking to another cabbie near the Lumière Place casino last summer when an enforcement agent for the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission stopped to tell him his hat did not conform to the driver dress code. Langrial, a 23-year-old Muslim, told the officer the reddish-brown cap — called a kufi — had religious meaning... What next, a Hindu...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jqbfTR3b2zKSpgXpcBdTINBIsE8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jqbfTR3b2zKSpgXpcBdTINBIsE8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jqbfTR3b2zKSpgXpcBdTINBIsE8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jqbfTR3b2zKSpgXpcBdTINBIsE8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/rT0hzGjnaH4" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-religion-requires-me-to-be-topless.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-54859932354164149092011-06-06T07:45:00.000-07:002011-06-06T07:58:53.636-07:002011-06-06T07:58:53.636-07:00In his latest post on the Volokh Conspiracy, Professor Eugene Volokh discusses some interesting » Parental Rights / Religious Freedom issues arising from N.J. Div’n of Youth & Family Servs. v. Y.C. (N.J. App. Div. May 27, 2011), a case upholding the conclusion that Y.C. had abused or neglected her daughter, A.C. (which had led to a temporary removal of the child from Y.C.)": As you might gather, this raises some of the same parental rights and religious freedom issues that we had discussed...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0UvepPC8l8JVZ3fqy0etLlPFvcA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0UvepPC8l8JVZ3fqy0etLlPFvcA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0UvepPC8l8JVZ3fqy0etLlPFvcA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0UvepPC8l8JVZ3fqy0etLlPFvcA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/4_uB2r4XkVU" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/first-amendmeent-is-flawed.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-32720810357014029162011-06-04T18:28:00.000-07:002011-06-04T18:31:32.152-07:002011-06-04T18:31:32.152-07:00... I want to emphasize from the outset that I believe that we have far more critical issues... the hungry children I saw in West Virginia, the old people who cannot pay their doctors bills, the families forced to give up their farms -- an America with too many slums, with too few schools, and too late to the ... outer space. These are the real issues ... And they are not religious issues -- for war and hunger and ignorance and despair know no religious barrier. ... it is apparently...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9O8AJv9LKQaUVWSz8AdBq-mUb14/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9O8AJv9LKQaUVWSz8AdBq-mUb14/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9O8AJv9LKQaUVWSz8AdBq-mUb14/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9O8AJv9LKQaUVWSz8AdBq-mUb14/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/3SXIWW3ttME" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/secular-vision.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-84016913329326259722011-06-03T09:23:00.000-07:002011-06-03T11:32:09.472-07:002011-06-03T11:32:09.472-07:00Dr. Jack Kevorkian [May 26, 1928 - June 3, 2011] A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death. &#8212; Albert Einstein, Ideas and Opinions. Dr. Jack Kevorkian at Royce Hall, UCLA, January 15, 2011. In 1999, Kevorkian was convicted and served eight years in prison for defending our natural right...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3yWLu4FsNqTE3DdMCcbglUbgBiI/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3yWLu4FsNqTE3DdMCcbglUbgBiI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3yWLu4FsNqTE3DdMCcbglUbgBiI/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3yWLu4FsNqTE3DdMCcbglUbgBiI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/uXnernbRUwY" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/mind-without-fear.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-69082272995894128452011-06-02T17:21:00.000-07:002011-06-02T22:09:52.400-07:002011-06-02T22:09:52.400-07:00Her name is Latisha Lawson, a 31 year old mother of two, one dead, and the other, scarred for life. Latisha has been found guilty of strangulating her 3 year old son, Jezaih. Here are some excerpts from what Latisha said on the witness stand, explaining to the Jury and the Allen County Superior Court, Indiana, why she did what she did to Jezaih: All of it was either directed by God or an attempt to get closer to God, she said. "I was willing to learn. I was wanting to learn," she said. "I...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/S24_JN-zOPQmoI3PHw3lqjguc6g/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/S24_JN-zOPQmoI3PHw3lqjguc6g/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/S24_JN-zOPQmoI3PHw3lqjguc6g/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/S24_JN-zOPQmoI3PHw3lqjguc6g/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/aOhcde4YC1A" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/latishas-baby.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-85095686424395498722011-06-01T10:10:00.000-07:002011-06-01T10:10:19.190-07:002011-06-01T10:10:19.190-07:00FFRF calls for fraud probe into Rapture campaign: There are media reports of dozens of Camping's followers who liquidated their own assets to contribute tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars to Camping's organization, convinced (by Camping) that they would have no need for the money or material goods after May 21 and that they were needed by Family Stations Inc., in order to advertise for the proclaimed Rapture. Others incurred thousands of dollars in debt through extravagant...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Frk7SIdj8CSp3SZ6WjLbNhGm4r4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Frk7SIdj8CSp3SZ6WjLbNhGm4r4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Frk7SIdj8CSp3SZ6WjLbNhGm4r4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Frk7SIdj8CSp3SZ6WjLbNhGm4r4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/KmUotRfhg30" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/06/pious-fraud.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-17633333181068807912011-05-31T15:38:00.000-07:002011-05-31T15:38:36.763-07:002011-05-31T15:38:36.763-07:00Alright, we have a brick back on the wall &#151; AU Wins Case Challenging Graduation Prayer In Castroville, Texas | Americans United: A federal court today ordered a Texas public school district not to include prayers in its June 4 commencement ceremony, in response to a lawsuit brought by Americans United for Separation of Church and State... "The law here is clear: No school-sponsored prayer during commencement," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United....<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JjQrhLcMM4EL8sZixauCyyUI55E/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JjQrhLcMM4EL8sZixauCyyUI55E/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JjQrhLcMM4EL8sZixauCyyUI55E/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JjQrhLcMM4EL8sZixauCyyUI55E/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/E44aOdDYF8w" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/05/crumbling-wall_31.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-50891265990959641182011-05-31T10:56:00.000-07:002011-05-31T10:56:06.976-07:002011-05-31T10:56:06.976-07:00... in the bedroom, especially when the third party is a nanny state. It's not only that gods hate women, but governments, too. New Indian brides told to cut down on mobile phone use to avoid jealous husbands | Mail Online: Newly-wed Indian brides have been warned to avoid talking on their mobile phones too much to avoid making their husbands jealous. The warning, from the Punjab State Commission for Women, urges newlyweds 'to focus on their domestic life instead of having long conversations...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sUPitdsCYBRbeGOuJ0eTR1Fbbm8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sUPitdsCYBRbeGOuJ0eTR1Fbbm8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sUPitdsCYBRbeGOuJ0eTR1Fbbm8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sUPitdsCYBRbeGOuJ0eTR1Fbbm8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/T7MkDFl8HZk" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/05/three-is-crowd.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-38535896095598520532011-05-31T10:22:00.000-07:002011-05-31T10:22:18.947-07:002011-05-31T10:22:18.947-07:00Religion Should Have No Effect on the Use of Condoms - WorldWide Religious News: Asha says, 'We can't use condoms as a way of preventing AIDS in our community; only abstinence is preached in our mosques. We [Muslims] are so exposed to the AIDS pandemic, especially because we believe in polygamy'. My advice to Asha: "When it's a choice between condom and religion, remember, condom is pro-life, religion is not. Quit religion."<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Mxav05iZMrZuUBh35bKp7svCoVs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Mxav05iZMrZuUBh35bKp7svCoVs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Mxav05iZMrZuUBh35bKp7svCoVs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Mxav05iZMrZuUBh35bKp7svCoVs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/DzsAInyTEaI" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/05/sex-condom-and-religion.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-990679621938145512011-05-31T09:09:00.000-07:002011-05-31T09:09:59.896-07:002011-05-31T09:09:59.896-07:00Another attempt to rebuild the crumbling wall of separation between the church and the state &#151; FFRF sees en banc review over National Day of Prayer: "It is frightening how quickly citizens are losing the right to challenge unconstitutional religious speech and actions by our government. The courthouse doors are being slammed shut," said FFRF [Freedom From Religion Foundation] co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor. "Is the 7th Circuit arguing that unless the government is forcing citizens to...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/RJ742DagmQw5wzFPkK5ZyilhxqY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/RJ742DagmQw5wzFPkK5ZyilhxqY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/RJ742DagmQw5wzFPkK5ZyilhxqY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/RJ742DagmQw5wzFPkK5ZyilhxqY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/27TFw1hq1Dk" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/05/crumbling-wall.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-8834086475738577222011-05-30T10:30:00.000-07:002011-05-30T12:45:33.224-07:002011-05-30T12:45:33.224-07:00Excerpted from the Presidential Proclamation, calling for a Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2011: In honor of our fallen service members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer... NOW,...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/BtHzFtoazIZ3Fg16pgYTxhZUIpA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/BtHzFtoazIZ3Fg16pgYTxhZUIpA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/BtHzFtoazIZ3Fg16pgYTxhZUIpA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/BtHzFtoazIZ3Fg16pgYTxhZUIpA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/PvFiVvg6s7g" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/05/prayer-for-permanent-peace.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-29939629756187169002011-05-25T13:15:00.000-07:002011-05-25T13:15:08.832-07:002011-05-25T13:15:08.832-07:00That's the common refrain whenever a crime against humanity is perpetrated by the religulous. Be it 9/11, George Tiller's murder, or selective abortion of female fetuses. Dig deeper, and you'll find religious motives lurking behind every such act that offends the sensibilities of everyone who is not blinded by god delusion. Take this one, for example: Taliban kill head of Afghan girls&#39; school | World news | The Guardian: Taliban gunmen have killed the headteacher of a girls' school near the...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/x6jRCSgrRP2firsmXqlcyJWURNc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/x6jRCSgrRP2firsmXqlcyJWURNc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/x6jRCSgrRP2firsmXqlcyJWURNc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/x6jRCSgrRP2firsmXqlcyJWURNc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/pI3xaNerhJg" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-religion-has-nothing-to-do-with-it.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-83696095603160034772011-05-18T19:09:00.000-07:002011-05-30T10:42:24.985-07:002011-05-30T10:42:24.985-07:00Top ten reasons why you must believe that the world, and perhaps the universe, will come to an end on December 21, 2012: 10 The 5,125 year long calender of the Mayans will end precisely at 11:11 AM on 21st December 2012, the winter solstice of the year. The timestamps in all the databases will be reset to 0000-00-00 00:00:00.00000, causing Google to crash permanently. 9 When you are in the market for doomsday predictions, remember, it's alignment, alignment, alignment! This time, the earth...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/eqSGc8hWGfu8-b6T7D5_va1EM1Q/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/eqSGc8hWGfu8-b6T7D5_va1EM1Q/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/eqSGc8hWGfu8-b6T7D5_va1EM1Q/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/eqSGc8hWGfu8-b6T7D5_va1EM1Q/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/JARWjgmbMb8" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com4http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/05/doomsday-12-21-12.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-52816896684510272832011-05-15T08:24:00.000-07:002011-05-15T18:55:40.143-07:002011-05-15T18:55:40.143-07:00Heaven for your dog... only $135! Each additional pet &#151; dog, cat, hamster, whatever &#151; for just $20. Hurry, before the imminent Rapture on May 21st! Don't miss out on this fantastic deal of the century! Learn more ... In 2009, he launched Eternal Earth-Bound Pets USA. Bart guarantees that if or when the Rapture comes he or one of his 44 contractors in 26 states will drive to your home within 24 hours, collect your dog, cat, bird, rabbit or small caged mammal, and adopt it. (Rapture...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/p6tgwz0t_kDePnbsn2dMv6AP6HM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/p6tgwz0t_kDePnbsn2dMv6AP6HM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/p6tgwz0t_kDePnbsn2dMv6AP6HM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/p6tgwz0t_kDePnbsn2dMv6AP6HM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/Ksvs6C5Xdt0" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com1http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/05/sinday-levitycus.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-7138909524699342372011-04-30T08:29:00.000-07:002011-04-30T08:29:11.887-07:002011-04-30T08:29:11.887-07:00Sam Harris has an excellent article in his blog, "Why I’d Rather Not Speak About Torture", that includes an excerpt from his response to criticism of his idea of an ethical basis for torture under certain circumstances. Here is an excerpt from the excerpt: My argument for the limited use of coercive interrogation (“torture” by another name) is essentially this: if you think it is ever justifiable to drop bombs in an attempt to kill a man like Osama bin Laden (and thereby risk killing and...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hMfGCdRk1jd_xqAwjIpTWOGCrRA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hMfGCdRk1jd_xqAwjIpTWOGCrRA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hMfGCdRk1jd_xqAwjIpTWOGCrRA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hMfGCdRk1jd_xqAwjIpTWOGCrRA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/Q0Yhz0ymLfQ" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/04/ethics-of-torture.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-42786571131487408322011-04-25T11:51:00.000-07:002011-05-19T07:47:04.297-07:002011-05-19T07:47:04.297-07:00Sathyanarayana Raju [23 November 1926 &#151; 24 April 2011]. LIE [Lie In Ease]! The day before Mr. Raju died, Martin Rees, a British astronomer and latest recipient of the Templeton Prize, wrote in an article that was published by the New Statesman, ... [But] we shouldn't set up this debate as "religion v science"; instead, we should strive for peaceful coexistence with at least the less dogmatic strands of mainstream religions, which number many excellent scientists among their...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/dd8dhjTKstNjnt-Qsze7QOMs4Gc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/dd8dhjTKstNjnt-Qsze7QOMs4Gc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/dd8dhjTKstNjnt-Qsze7QOMs4Gc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/dd8dhjTKstNjnt-Qsze7QOMs4Gc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/QfCv_9dsJfQ" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com2http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-after.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-42916617654790370622011-04-20T10:30:00.000-07:002011-04-20T10:30:25.417-07:002011-04-20T10:30:25.417-07:00... bearing gifts of "Freedom and Justice"! Muslim Brotherhood leader talks of applying Sharia law - The Irish Times - Tue, Apr 19, 2011: "Al-Masry al-Youm, an independent daily, reported that Sheikh Ezzat also said the movement wanted to apply Muslim canon law (Sharia), but said “enforcement of Sharia punishments will need time and will only come after Islam is planted in every heart and masters the life of the people ..."<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/aw46ym20C-z6Jy0_Yy5bcrTlzAA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/aw46ym20C-z6Jy0_Yy5bcrTlzAA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/aw46ym20C-z6Jy0_Yy5bcrTlzAA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/aw46ym20C-z6Jy0_Yy5bcrTlzAA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/BlWx1qv02Oo" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/04/beware-of-religulous.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-43684219794640050302011-02-22T10:02:00.000-08:002011-02-22T10:11:15.610-08:002011-02-22T10:11:15.610-08:00Religion shouldn’t undermine education &#151; Macleans OnCampus: Of course, this type of religious accommodation in secular schools is not new. Religious students have long been able to request exemption from sexual education programs, for example. Catholic school boards in Ontario (which are publicly funded) don’t even have to teach the same sexual health curriculum that is mandated for other boards. And at this point, the concept seems nothing but silly and tired. How can educators and...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/S_fa-1vEWC_gEzjPPuk_QL2GB8Y/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/S_fa-1vEWC_gEzjPPuk_QL2GB8Y/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/S_fa-1vEWC_gEzjPPuk_QL2GB8Y/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/S_fa-1vEWC_gEzjPPuk_QL2GB8Y/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/-9L_RbvACso" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com1http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/02/camel-and-sheikh.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14004871.post-33207967576182395862011-02-21T11:19:00.000-08:002011-02-21T11:19:11.639-08:002011-02-21T11:19:11.639-08:00Egypt protest hero Wael Ghonim barred from stage | Al-Masry Al-Youm: Today&#39;s News from Egypt: Google executive Wael Ghonim, who emerged as a leading voice in Egypt's uprising, was barred from the stage in Tahrir Square on Friday by security guards, an AFP photographer said. Ghonim tried to take the stage in Tahrir, the epicenter of anti-regime protests that toppled President Hosni Mubarak, but men who appeared to be guarding influential Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi barred him from...<br/> <br/> Read more... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/a-kQYz2TLJDm6AzXoEyeAPTHV8c/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/a-kQYz2TLJDm6AzXoEyeAPTHV8c/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/a-kQYz2TLJDm6AzXoEyeAPTHV8c/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/a-kQYz2TLJDm6AzXoEyeAPTHV8c/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/therationalfool/~4/lE06-PemHiw" height="1" width="1"/>Shaker Srinivasannoreply@blogger.com0http://therationalfool.blogspot.com/2011/02/portents-of-theocracy.html