Here’s an interesting hypothesis about the legislature in tough economic times:
I have this theory about the Florida Legislature: When money gets tighter, legislating gets stranger and bad ideas get respectful hearings.
Reversing a dumbed-down America:
Then there’s this embarrassing fact about the United States in the 21st century: Americans are as likely to believe in flying saucers as in evolution. Depending on how the questions are asked, roughly 30 percent to 40 percent of Americans believe in each.
An international team of astronomers has found 10 new “extra solar” planets, planets that orbit stars other than our sun.
The team used a system of robotic cameras that yield a great deal of information about these other worlds, some of which are quite exotic. The system is expected to revolutionize scientific understanding of how planets form.
Marine biologists studying wild octopuses have found a kinky and violent society of jealous murders, gender subterfuge and once-in-a-lifetime sex.
Some details would be nice.
A teacher at Chain of Lakes Middle School in Orlando for 23 years, [David] Brackin said: “As a young teacher many years ago I was brought into the office and told not to teach religion. I wasn’t teaching religion. I showed some weaknesses in evolution. I compared the strengths of evolution and the weaknesses of evolution.â€
What weaknesses were you teaching, Brackin? Why did someone in the administration say you were teaching religion? Maybe because there is a reeeeeaaaal thin line there, one that can’t even be seen by the naked eye. This example points out one troubling aspect of the creationism …. errr … “academic freedom” bills. The hoops school administrators would have to jump through to make sure religion isn’t being slipped into the classroom while also toeing the line on this so-called “academic freedom” would be daunting.
Brackin said he now teaches at a school where the principal “believes in academic freedom.” He said although he did not think it was relevant, he is an Evangelical Christian. He also said he thinks intelligent design is as scientifically valid as evolution. “Neither one can be proven,” he said. “Nobody was there.”
“Nobody was there” ROTFLMAO!! This man has been a science teacher for 23 years,well I feel so sorry for his students.
Where is Bracken’s article in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and where was this was published, exactly?
Yes. The Florida Baptist Witness. It is better than coffee in the morning. Reading their propaganda articles instantly reminds me of the frightening mentality of a very vocal minority of Floridians. It’s like a jolt to the cerebellum. Here’s a paper that supports legislation for proselytizing, for bringing about more “biblical” laws, with editorials asking for theocracies (we all know how well these turn out…), and chock full of thinly veiled hate for people who do not subscribe to their narrow world view.
And elsewhere in the news today …
http://strips.bitstrips.com/644e6ceacd3f62e18e50ec4fb2349a4c.png
🙂
Oops – I forgot the HT to pharyngula.
Given the proclivity of the evangelical right toward obsfucation (or even just flat out lying) and their WATB persecution complexes, I’d bet Brackin was teaching creationism and got busted.
And his “neither can be proven” and “no one was there” comments immediately disqualify him as a science teacher. He doesn’t know jack about what qualifies as scientific investigation and evidence, let alone what it “proves”.
FYI
Hitchens vs. Hitchens: On God, War, Politics, and Culture
Brothers Christopher and Peter Hitchens are set for their first public debate, this Thursday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They plan to debate on numerous topics, from religion to Iraq.
There will be a live Webcast of Hitchens vs Hitchens available at:
http://www.allpresidents.org and http://www.cfimichigan.org on April 3, 2008, 7:30pm
This event is sponsored by Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University with additional support from CFI Michigan.
Oooh, S.Scott, you got me started on this! My first cartoon, yuk, yuk, yuk.
http://strips.bitstrips.com/0a84f9d1b5b57cb08aba318bce2c0caa.png
http://www.bitstrips.com/read.php?comic_id=25350&feed=h_biology+101
😆
Good job! 😉
See, we have nothing to fear when it comes to Flor-e-DUH leading the nation in backwards thinking, we’re in 1st place!