Quickies

Skepchick Quickies 8.20

  • The women’s crusade – “In the 19th century, the paramount moral challenge was slavery. In the 20th century, it was totalitarianism. In this century, it is the brutality inflicted on so many women and girls around the globe: sex trafficking, acid attacks, bride burnings and mass rape.” From Vanessa.
  • Because nothing’s worse than a friendly atheist – Why the Illinois Family Institute is pissed off with Hemant Mehta.
  • Pterosaur tracks show it touched down like a bird – Thus disproving the much more popular theory that they touched down like Brett Favre.  From Steve.
  • Making music hacks your hearing – “New research reveals that musicians can pick out relevant speech sounds from a noisy environment better than non-musicians, suggesting that musical training helps people hear better under “speech-in-noise” conditions like a restaurant or crowded room.”
  • Yet another “Just add pink for instant girl toy!” example.

Amanda

Amanda works in healthcare, is a loudmouthed feminist, and proud supporter of the Oxford comma.

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39 Comments

  1. Re: Friendly Athiest

    That woman is insane. “He hasn’t done anything [i]yet[/i], but he’s still an atheist! And he’s gunna getchyer kids!”

  2. If the women’s crusade is true, why are women’s organizations like NOW so hysterical here in the US about minor or imagined infractions and not raising hell about these REAL violations? I’m no Bushie but after Bush invaded Afghanistan, it was the first opportunity for women to go to school & see a doctor since the Taliban took over. No celebration there.

    Hmm…

  3. FTA: “After years of Mom telling you to turn off the music to protect your ears, there’s finally scientific evidence that music can be good for your hearing.”

    I know this is Wired we’re talking about here, but this preface has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the article. The claim in the article was that playing music helped hear sounds amidst background noise. This has nothing to do with listening to music, but rather playing music, and listening to loud music IS still damaging to your hearing.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise-induced_hearing_loss

    The rest of the article was interesting, however :P

  4. The Women’s Crusade article is fantastic.

    Even in developed countries, there is still a widespread belief that female empowerment comes at the expense of men when in fact, it is to the benefit of everyone, including men.

  5. @sporefrog: Glad you saw that as well. I have musically gifted friends who amaze me with how well they pick out notes and other sounds. However, the older they get, the more they go, “What? What did you say?”

    Also, am I terrible for thinking that the pink skull would make a great baby toy?

  6. I definitely vomited a little in my mouth when I read this line:
    “The world is awakening to a powerful truth: Women and girls aren’t the problem; they’re the solution.”‘
    Aside from the cliche…are we really just awakening to this? Seriously? Personally, I think “problem” is such the wrong word to use—though I’m sure it was thrown in there just so the cliche could be completed. The only thing people are awakening to is the issue of the mistreatment of women itself or that women are more useful/strong than previously thought. The people who actually think women are a problem will, for the majority, still be dead asleep.

  7. I can’t imagine why girls didn’t snap those trains right up. I mean, after all, they’re so…pink!

  8. All of this makes me wonder why women’s groups aren’t pushing for legalized prostitution around the globe.

    The black market exists solely because certain things have an inelastic demand whether they’re legal or not. Drugs also come to mind.

  9. @andyinsdca:

    Simply because worse conditions exist elsewhere does not mean that we shouldn’t care about real problems within our own country. Have you also considered that because you haven’t personally experienced these “infractions”, that does not necessarily mean that they are imagined? Remember, it’s very easy to consider something “minor” when it’s happening to someone else.

  10. The Women’s Crusade article was absolutely amazing and fills me with the urge to throw money at any worthwhile charity that they mention. The article talks about Heifer International as being one of the ones that is really helping out in these impoverished areas. I was really intrigued by them about a year ago but got disillusioned because I saw several bad critiques of them, because they provide cows and pigs whatnot to areas that can barely grow enough food for themselves, much less for large livestock. Basically they say it’s a good idea but not at all practical in those areas.

    Is there any truth to those criticisms or is it just thinly veiled attacks by PETA members and the like?

  11. Charter Arms and Walther, and a couple of other gun manufacturers sell pink guns. “You know for girls!”

  12. Now I want an anatomically correct pink skeleton.

    So I can claim that some dumbass mixed the bones in with Red Skeleton’s when they were being washed.

  13. Agree with Outsider. To use a religulous metaphor, she’s preaching to the converted. She’s talking to the other religulous folks to try to stir up trouble, not to atheists or the unconvinced.

    I also question whether her e-mailed attack to Mr. Mehta’s employer is legal.

  14. @FFFearlesss: I’ve read some criticism of Heifer but can not find the article.

    From what I recall, Heifer finds a small area, perhaps a few villages, and donates animals to different groups within that area. This way all groups can share information, and there is a better chance that a vet will come by more frequently.

    If one of the groups is not producing, or if they have trouple caring for the animals, the other groups will take the animals from them. This is to insure that there are no failures so that Heifer will continue to enrich the area.

    This has also happened in areas where many women have taken micro-loans. If a woman can’t pay, other women will take all of her goods to pay the loan so that the reputation of the group will be strong. It makes sense but the result can be devastating to a woman or group that suffered a set-back.

  15. @FFFearlesss: You and me both. I’ve been looking into Kiva.org and trying to decide if I think it’s an effective way to help people or not.

    I love the idea of being able to point at something solid and saying “*that’s* the difference I was able to make.” Instead of just giving money to a really large organization like the Red Cross, where I don’t get… feedback? … on how I’m helping.

  16. Speaking of atheist professors, my niece just posted this absolutely ridiculous piece of dreck on her facebook page.

    This Should Keep Us All Thinking

    Quick background. She’s 13 and her bullshit detector is set on stun. Unfortunately, she attends a young earth creationist Christian school. Without revealing my personal views, I try to offer a broader perspective.

    I will not be commenting on her public page but will be sending her an email to open discussion. If anyone would like to suggest an age appropriate response video, I would be most grateful.

  17. The Gander Mountain store in the Salmon Run Mall in Watertown, New York sells little .22 rifles with pink stocks. For little girls.

    Now isn’t that cute?

  18. @teambanzai: Curse you! Your comment instantly reminded me of Bill O’Reilly’s extraordinarily stupid interview with Rod Wheeler on the subject of lesbian gangs. In that particular interview, Wheeler claimed that lesbian gangs are going around committing all sorts of crimes (attacking straight men, recruiting 10 year girls on school property, etc…) while packing pink guns. Unsuprisingly, in typical “No Spin Zone” fashion, everything Wheeler said was a damned lie. [link]

  19. @MiddleMan: Thank you, that worked quite well. Got this back in her latest email:
    Because, Exactly, the guy is clumsy how does that make it God’s work? He sounds like the kind of guy who would argue even if someone said God did that.

    The kids are alright.

  20. “touched down like Brett Favre”

    Took my brain a few seconds, it not beeing steeped in American culture, but then I chuckled. :D

  21. @Bjornar: It took me a few seconds of staring at the ceiling before I could even think of a football player’s name. I’m glad somebody liked my awkward sports joke, though. :)

  22. Thanks for posting the women’s crusade article, it was an excellent, albeit sad, horrifying, and, thankfully somewhat hopeful read.

  23. @Bookitty: Applause for your niece, and your nice reference to “The Who” .

    That was my “good deed at lunchtime” for the day, the store is now closed… Well, maybe… Wait! Someone’s misquoting Darwin, again! MiddleMan, away!

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