Quickies
Quickies: Font Nerdery, Creationists Fight a Child Over a Fossil, and Hobby Lobby’s Investments in Contraception
It’s April 2! Which means that it’s officially not April Fools’ Day anymore! Honestly, I don’t like April 1 because I’m too easily pranked. (It took me a second to realize that “Rotisserie Chicken” movie on Netflix was a prank.) Did you get through the day unscathed?
- Why Garamond Won’t Save The Government $467 Million A Year – “A 14-year-old’s plan to save the U.S. Government almost half a billion a year is too good to be true. Font Nerdery ahoy!” From Sarah.
- Creationist lawmaker wants to give god credit for a fossil – “This seemingly innocuous piece of legislation — originally proposed at the behest of eight-year-old girl — has hit a bit of a speed bump in the form of an amendment from Republican Senator Kevin Bryant. The amendment, which would add two lines from Genesis to the bill, was originally ruled out of order. The language has now been changed to claim that the mammoth was ‘created on the sixth day along with the beasts of the field.’ ” SERIOUSLY.
- Meet the Anti-Vaccination Pediatrician Catering to California’s Rich, New Age-y Parents – I wish the whole “delayed vaccination” thing wasn’t being validated by an actual doctor, but I guess at least the kids are being vaccinated eventually. My standards are low, I guess.
- Hobby Lobby retirement plan invests heavily in contraception manufacturers – I’m sure once the Good Christians making money from this find out, they’ll immediately pull out their investments! Orrr maybe they’ll just continue to make money and fight women’s access to reliable contraception.
- Can A Television Network Be A Church? The IRS Says Yes – NPR investigates the shady dealings behind the Daystar network.
- Books – Episode 4 // The Drowning Child – A funny and short sketch about an interesting thought problem. Thanks for sending it in, Steve!
Mary
I heard about that issue with Mammoth fossil. Hand it to a creationist to turn something that should have been really simple into a controversy, because they don’t the reality of what science has to say. Creationists, destroying education in America, one state at a time.
I find this an excellent opportunity to make you envy Norway’s political climate. Norway’s tiny Christian People’s party just announced a new proposal for reducing abortion numbers. They currently have a bit of influence by being a necessary support party for our new conservative coalition government, and with just 6% of the parliamentary seats got some annoyances into the government platform, like an increased focus on Christianity in our elementary school subject Religion, Life stance and Ethics (and a renaming to Christianity, Religion, Life stance and Ethics), and the right of primary physicians to not sign referrals for abortion (that women don’t strictly need, but …). Their plan for reducing abortions though includes the following:
* Free contraceptives for women under 25. This includes IUDs and hormonal subdermal implants.
* Sex ed from age 13
They want to include more information and guidance along with the contraceptives, but it still seems a lot more rational than what appears to be the mainstream opinion among American conservatives.
Bjornar, that’s awesome, could you guys send a couple of longships and invade Australia – please? We will surrender straight away and become a model colony, I promise!
Seriously though, that minor party may not remain so rational once its power grows.