age of reason

Holy Water

Sat, 29 Oct 2005 18:09:04 -0500

It is stories like the following that make me worried about Bush's funding of "faith-based" organizations. Religious organizations are inherently biased and discriminate in times of need. Scroll down to read the story of the tsunami victims who were denied food and water unless they converted to christianity. Here, the Southern Baptists in Florida refused to distribute water to hurricane Wilma victims because it was supplied by a beer company .

Obesity Epidemic

Fri, 26 Aug 2005 09:36:31 -0500

North Dakota is the 5th fattest state in the country with 62.4% of people overweight with 23.9% in the obese or morbidly obese categories. Not surprising as this is a trend that has been going on across the country for the last 20 years.

Watch this movie showing the increase of obesity in America from 1985-2003.

Who wears the pants in the family?

Thu, 02 Jun 2005 10:04:00 -0500

I knew we had some conservative people here in North Dakota, but I never realized there were some still living in the 18th century. I was taken aback when I read the following letter to the editor in this morning's Fargo Forum from a Reverend in Hannaford, North Dakota . For a town who's motto is "A Community of Progress & Proud Heritage", they sure have some pretty backwards looking folks. Here's the text of his crazy letter.

Rev. Dennis Anundson letter: Women in men's clothes is an evil
The Forum - 06/02/2005
There is one evil so prevalent that few, if any, preachers have mentioned, and that is: women dressed in men's apparel. It is an evil that is evident in women of all ages, shapes and sizes. Very seldom do you see a woman or a girl wearing a dress.

The word of God says in Deuteronomy 22:5, "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment. For all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God."

Being an abomination to God carries the penalty of eternal hell fire. For we read in Revelation 21:8, "But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominal and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolators and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone."

Now I think all women should be told this, so they can give up this abominable practice so they will not lose their souls over it.

Rev. Dennis Anundson
Hannaford, N.D.

What Energy Policy?

Thu, 28 Apr 2005 19:36:52 -0500

Recently, George gave a speech about his energy policy to the Small Business Association. I found his comments to be very confusing. Judge for yourself. In the speech, George says . . .

"We need to get on a path away from the fossil fuel economy."

And in response, then goes on to say . . .

"I've asked congress for more than $2 billion over ten years for my coal research initiative"

Huh?

Read on for more . . .

Alabama seeks Gay-Free Utopia

Thu, 28 Apr 2005 07:27:37 -0500

"I don't look at it as censorship," says State Representative Gerald Allen. "I look at it as protecting the hearts and souls and minds of our children."

Alabama republican representative Allen is referring to a bill he has sponsored that would outlaw all public libraries and schools from purchasing plays and books by gay authors or that contain gay characters.

Article from CBS News

Don't like the truth? Bury it!

Sun, 24 Apr 2005 07:04:09 -0500

Bush & Co. are at it again.
Since 1985, the federal government has published an annual terrorism report with the year's statistics on terrorist activities. This year, the State Department has cancelled the publication when it was learned that there were more terrorist acts in 2004 than ever since 1985. Indeed, last year there were 624 "significant" terrorist attacks, compared with 175 the year before, which was a record high at that time. These statistics do not include attacks against our troops in Iraq. I guess this report would not have agreed with George W's assessment of how great our war on terror is proceeding.

Update: Grants.gov Mac Discrimination

Tue, 19 Apr 2005 11:42:06 -0500

I received a letter from Senator Kent Conrad today with, hopefully, some good news regarding the federal government's discrimination of mac users in the submission of grant applications. According to Senator Conrad, "grants.gov is aware of the problem and is working to fix the issue". Continue on to read the entire letter. I have also heard back from an employee from the Research Computing Higher Education group at Apple who assures me that senior execs at Apple have now become "acutely aware of this issue" in response to my inquiry. Please spread the word and let's make some changes! WRITE TO YOUR LEGISLATORS. Thanks.

What are we waiting for?

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 11:45:46 -0500

Republicans and Democrats alike are calling for change, but all we get are more DeLay tactics! Yes, Senator DeLay has been in the news a lot lately. Now, he's urging his colleagues to point the finger at Democrats when questions about his ethics are raised. How low can one slime-ball go?

DeLay Urges GOP to Blame Dems over Ethics - Associated Press

Continue for more DeLay tactics . . .

As the stomach turns

Tue, 22 Mar 2005 20:41:44 -0600

I have not met Terri Schiavo, nor Michael, nor Terri's parents. I am not qualified to make the decision of persistant vegetative state. Nor can anyone do so from a few videos. This is politics through and through and everyone should leave this poor family alone. Experts from the husband's team and the parent's team have all agreed Terri is in a persistent vegetative state. Terri has expressed her wishes not to live like this to her husband, her uncle and to friends. That is what the judge ruled on. Are all these people who love Terri really lying murderers? Please. We don't belong in the middle of this.

Federal Government Discriminates against Mac Users

Sat, 19 Mar 2005 15:33:21 -0600

I have come to learn that all grant applications to the federal government will soon be required to use a new electronic submission system. I applaud this move. However, the system that has been developed at grants.gov prohibits anyone from applying who is not using Microsoft Windows. This means all research proposals to the National Institutes of Health, DOE, DOD, etc. etc. must utilize a Windows-only forms viewing software in order to be submitted. In this age of multiple cross-platform options (web-forms, PDF) this restriction against Mac or Linux users is completely unacceptable. I have taken the time to compose a letter with my views on this matter and I have forwarded it to my legislators. I hope you will do the same. Here is a PDF copy of my open letter to anyone who can add a voice to this discrimination. openletter.pdf Continue on for the full text in HTML.

UPDATE HERE

Tired of the Propaganda?

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 07:44:05 -0600

You can buy a Fox Blocker for your TV. This nifty little device will purge your cable or satellite system of the fox news channel. Are you tired of your parental settings still allowing in the lies of Bill O'Reilly and the rants of Ann Coulter to reach your kids? Fox Blocker is just what you need.

Bush declares war on Americans

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 07:37:17 -0600

I have a real hard time trying to understand the President's agenda. He campaigned on protecting America and building a stronger, more unified country. But in his first few months of the second term, it looks like he is assaulting the American People. He set the tone on the first day during his inaugural address where he committed to "reach out to all who share our beliefs", and the rest of America be damned. He proposes a budget that benefits corporate interests and deeply cuts programs that middle America relies on to continue producing the nations food and goods. Medicare is in sad shape, yet he has taken on an agenda to somehow save social security, something that rarely came up during the campaign. The public opinion polls about the President's social security reform plans are tanking. What does Bush do? With public support waning, and even republican leaders waffling on the issue, Bush won't change his tune. Instead, the man who can never make a mistake sets up a "War Room" in the treasury department to churn out his propaganda bombs to be dropped all over America. He is now on a 60 city tour to tout his unpopular plans. And how much does this cost the American taxpayer? I'd like to know. What a waste of our hard earned money to fly Bush around the country with his entourage of secret service for this stink bomb. The costs of this blitz on America would be better spent trying to make real lasting change for all people. I guess all we Americans can do now, is DUCK AND COVER.

AP News article from ABC news

Quit yer whining

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 06:50:37 -0600

And start Wining! Today our local paper had a nice article about the local wine scene in frozen North Dakota and yours truly was featured in the photo. What an honor.

White House Propaganda Scandal Grows

Thu, 10 Feb 2005 08:34:49 -0600

Jeff Gannon, aka James Guckert seems to have been given access to the white house press corps under an assumed name. Is he really a journalist? The white house must have known about him or he wouldn't have been given security clearance. Was his assumed name a cover to hide his interest in running gay sex web pages? You decide . . . .

Fargo List Update

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 11:23:12 -0600

Well, the "List" has certainly made some waves, and the white house is blaming it on a "local volunteer" who is "impossible" to identify. (PDF) Linda Coates seems to think otherwise. As she was entering the speech yesterday, the security apologized for the overzealous "staffer" (PDF) which implies someone not necessarily from Fargo. Anyway, Linda is very eloquent in her response and I have copied the text of her letter to the editor here.