All Americans Should Be Proud

As I listened to the rants of the ignorant last week, I was appalled at how many people people were ready to stand up and say Obama didn't deserve his Nobel Peace Prize. To those haters and detractors, I ask: When was the last time you had any interest in any of the Nobel prizes? Do you know any history about why the Peace Prize is awarded or whom it has been given? No? I didn't think so. So why don't you show just a modicum of decency and patriotism and shut your ignorant pie hole. Rachel Maddow sums it up perfectly in the video below, "The American President just won the Nobel Peace Prize. By any reasonable measure, all Americans should be proud". However Rachel didn't even touch on any of the humanitarian & civil service work Obama has been part of before he was even a Presidential contender. Educate yourself. Enjoy.

Proselytize this!

So after Keith Olbermann's fantastic and touching full hour Special Comment last night regarding Health Care Reform & his father's diminishing health, I decided that since I cannot afford to donate any money to the National Association of Free Clinics, that maybe I could volunteer and donate some time instead. On the NAFC website, I found one local free clinic: Haller Lake Christian Health Center. There site has a volunteer page outlining the varied types of volunteer help they could use and an application form. I opened the application form to find that, not only is the entire document written annoyingly in Comic Sans font, but it is laced with Christian "ideals" and propaganda. Here are a few nuggets:

"Mission Statement: To show Christ, the Great Physician, to the community of North Seattle, Washington through a church-
based health clinic for the medically underserved"
"...providing them with quality compassionate health care and asking the Holy Spirit for opportunities to share the Good News of the Great Physician
with them."
"HLCHC’s foundation for establishing an ethics policy is based on our understanding of the Bible."
"HLCHC Statement of faith: I. The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is inspired by God. It is the only infallible authori-
tative Word of God. There is only one God. He is infinitely perfect..."
"VIII.The second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth is imminent.—Hebrews 10:37"

And Then my favorite:

"Have you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Yes or No?" & "Describe your relationship with Jesus Christ (continue on back if more space is needed)."

All I want to do is volunteer some time in hope that my effort in some small way may help the Health Care Reform deciders come closer to universal care. You can name your center "Sacred Heart" or "St. Mary's", or whatever you want and I won't care, but the moment you start asking about how my life is or isn't affected by Christ on a application form...I get the feeling you may turn me down if you find out that I think you are ridiculous for believing in said god.

Am I off base here? I think it's really inappropriate.

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A Samurai Western To Rule Them All

Just got done watching this for the third time; it just looks too awesome for words. The trailer Warriors Way has my mind swimming with fond memories of Six String Samurai, Kung Fu Hustle and even Ghost Dog.
Watch. Drool. Enjoy!

IG-88: The Dancing Robot [video]

This music video by Mixmaster Lobot was winner of Best Animated Movie in the Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge 2007. Enjoy!

**Extra credit if you can name the non Star Wars film that a certain sound effect in this video is from. Hint: the sound only occurs once in the video during the fight sequence.

Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | More Video Clips

Richard Dawkins - Frontline Soldier In The War Vs. Religion

Went on a Richard Dawkins binge the last couple days an decided to post a few things for anyone interested to watch/listen. I'd like to highlight the Christian organized debate between Dawkins and Dr. John Lennox; moderated by former federal judge William H. Pryor Jr. It was extremely interesting to me and I'm sure that many believers would enjoy it simply because Dr. Lennox teaches on Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. He is one of the very few celebrities of faith you will ever hear carrying on a (semi) rational and educated discussion about the coexistence of religion, science and reason. I mean he's still suffering the delusion of Christianity, but at least he isn't just proselytizing. Anyway, enjoy.

The God Delusion Debate [audio only, via Dawkins' website]

Root Of All Evil - The God Delusion










The Root Of All Evil - The Virus Of Faith










Enemies of Reason - Slaves to Superstition


Part 2 [embedding disabled]
Part 3 [embedding disabled]





An Atheist Call To Arms


Royal Institution Christmas Lecture for Children - Growing Up in the Universe (one for the kids)

What You Wish You Could Say; Introducing the Comic Genius of Tim Minchin

Tim Minchin is my new favorite comic find; his work all seems to be in songs (mostly on piano) and he is Aussie. He's basically the thinking-man's Weird Al Yankovich (and that is a very poor comparison mind you). The first video below is a 9 minute beat poem by Minchin called Storm (which I thoroghly intend to memorize), followed by several other funny songs of his that I stumbled accross.  Enjoy!

Storm


If I Didn't Have You


Inflatable You


If You Really Loved Me


Taboo


Some People Have It Worse Then Me


There are tons more on YouTube, go check 'em out.

Honoring The Fallen

It has been 18 years since we as a nation (via the media) have been allowed to view the homecoming of fallen servicemen. The following is a video of the short transfer ceremony of Air Force Staff Sergeant Phillip Myers at Dover Air Force Base. Myers, now a recipient of two Bronze Stars, was killed while dismantling a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. The family was asked if they would like to allow media and they agreed. I found this video extremely moving.

I highly recommend muting the volume of the commentators and just watching the procession:


This clip is from an episode of Countdown, which can be viewed in it's entirety here.

For a more complete story on the original ban on media at Dover, check out this clip from NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams:

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I hope I am not the only one who would like to see more public displays of respect like Canada has done with it's Highway of Heroes: