Quickies
Skepchick Quickies, 3.24
- Happy Ada Lovelace Day! You can keep up with new ALD posts at their site on Twitter with the hashtag #ald10.
- Indian military to weaponize world’s hottest chili. (From Kaylia.)
- It’s a Nightline Face-Off atheist smackdown! (From Billy Clyde Tuggle.)
- And here’s another skeptical xkcd: the Flake Equation. (From a few of you.)
Warning: Viewing the Nightline face-off atheist smackdown may result in severe, acute Choprawoo syndrome. You may experience extreme frustration, have feelings of overwhelming pretentiousness-induced nausea and have the overwhelming urge to throttle your computer screen. If feelings of quantum-flapdoodle-effected dizziness, or meaningless, postmodern vapidity-instigated vomiting lasts longer than 20 minutes, consult a Dr. Harris immediately and watch this awesome TED presentation by him on rational moral landscapes.
Jesus & Mo has a skeptical bent today as well:
http://www.jesusandmo.net/
It’s interesting to me that the Nightline article lists 92% believing in God OR universal spirit- makes me wonder how the question was asked. And since they don’t link to the survey, I can’t tell. I’m also curious as to the “vast majority” who believe in an afterlife. Seems like a more telling number for traditional religious beliefs (although I know the opinion on the after life is varied in Judaism).
Are they including agnostics in the 92%? I’m really curious.
From the chili article, “…grown and eaten in India’s northeast for its taste, as a cure for stomach troubles…”. Yes, it’s used to cure stomach troubles. How, may you ask? Wikipedia tells me the answer: homeopathically.
I poked around their site, but does anyone know why March 24th was chosen for Ada Lovelace day? I didn’t see anything particular in her bio that made the date significant.
@Mark Hall: I remember when this started last year, and I don’t believe there is any particular reason for the date. I think it was just chosen at random.
@Jen: Ok. Well enough.
Aaaaannnd…
How long for Linda Lovelace Day? Can’t wait to break the news to my wife!
@Displaced Northerner:
I like that the article actually had a typo that said most people believed in “Godor [sic] a universal spirit.”
I’m going to spend the rest of the day saying, “I am Godor! Bow before me!”
Hahahahaha…. I’m in that nightline video! I forgot about that “deny the existence of the Holy Spirit” video.
Man, my hair was weird back then.