Friday Night Guitar To Rule Your Face

Paul Gilbert gives us tonight's shredding lesson, tasty and technical.

Common ancestry, my opposable toed foot!

The PBS television series, NOVA, has a great series titled, Becoming Human. Part 1 of 3 aired last Tuesday, Part 2 is this Tuesday, and I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Part 1, "First Steps," examines the factors that caused us to split from the other great apes. The program explores the fossil of "Selam," also known as "Lucy's Child." Paleoanthropologist Zeray Alemseged spent five years carefully excavating the sandstone-embedded fossil. NOVA's cameras are there to capture the unveiling of the face, spine, and shoulder blades of this 3.3 million-year-old fossil child. And NOVA takes viewers "inside the skull" to show how our ancestors' brains had begun to change from those of the apes.

Why did leaps in human evolution take place? "First Steps" explores a provocative "big idea" that sharp swings of climate were a key factor.

The other programs in the "Becoming Human" series are Part 2: "Birth of Humanity," which profiles the earliest species of humans, and Part 3: "Last Human Standing," which examines why, of various human species that once shared the planet, only our kind remains.

I was thinking about human migration the other week, and the thought came to me that my own blood line has circled the globe to meet on this little rock in the North Atlantic. Most of my ancestry is Western European, Scotch and English in particular, but on my Father's side, his Great Great Grandmother was Naskapi Innu.



Roy Zimmerman has a great song about it all entitled, "Rift Valley Drifters" and I highly recommend you check out some of his other songs.

Flavor Flave In Da Woofhouse

My friend, Kathy just adopted an American Hairless Terrier. His name is Norman. Isn't he a cutie? When I saw the little shirt, and the way that the collar and leash were hanging, I got inspired for a quick photoshop.

Master! Master of Noodles I'm Pulling Your Strings

Impressed the heck out of me.

Possible Ancient Crater?

So, I'm watching a televison show on Outdoor Life Network Canada last night, called Mantracker. It's a campy show, but last night's episode featured a couple of local boys trying to outwit the Mantracker through an area of Gros Morne National Park. Gros Morne is known to have some of the oldest exposed rock on the planet, and offers some brillant scenery.

Anyhoo, I pull up google maps of this area, and as the human brain is wont to do, I notice a pattern. Do you see it?



Highlighted satelite and terrain images here.

I'm not a geologist, and there may be a perfectly logical explaination for the pattern, but if it is an impact crater, I'm thinking that it would be one of the oldest on Earth. I think that I'll send a note to the geology dept at the local university and see what they have to say.

The Twisted Logic of Believers

Yes, we realize that you can't understand us atheists. We're just mad at God. We are mad at something(s) which we know doesn't exist. Funny that if we don't believe in Zeus, Odin, Krishna, Buddha, Vishnu, The Flying Spaghetti Monster, or pink unicorns... we're completely fine. But if we don't believe in your version of a deity, we're mad at God.

We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further. - Richard Dawkins


The Friendly Atheist gives us a nice reference list too.

Edit Bonus:

Friday Night Guitar To Rule Your Face

Les and Chet pickin'.. if you play electric guitar, raise a drink to these two heroes.

Friday Night Guitar To Rule Your Face

a little virtuosity on a scalloped necked stratocaster

Friday Night Guitar To Rule Your Face

I'm in a mellow mood tonight, enjoy Canada's Fist Lady of Guitar, Liona Boyd.

A Liberal, Progressive Church in America? Logic Fail

Reuters again.

The U.S. Episcopal Church gave its clergy the go-ahead on Friday to bless some same-sex unions, such as civil partnerships in states that legally recognize them, setting the stage for further conflict with the wider Anglican world.

I was raised Anglican, and can vouch that the Church of England is pretty tame compared to some other religions.

The drama is unfolding against the backdrop of America's wider debate over sexual orientation issues, such as gay marriage, child adoption by same-sex parents and the status of homosexuals in the military.

According to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, the United Church of Christ is alone among major U.S. Christian denominations in officially recognizing gay marriage. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America may decide in August to sanction same-sex marriage as well.

Polls consistently show gays and lesbians enjoying growing acceptance in American society. But fast-growing faiths in the United States such as many evangelical Protestant churches and the Mormon church regard homosexual relations as sinful and proscribed by scripture.

Yay, for progress. But something in the back of my brain tells me that this is a business decision by the Episcopal Church.

I'm also reminded of this quote: "Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine."

In related news, our first local Gay Pride Parade is taking place on August 1st. I have a couple of friends attending, and I'm thinking about showing my support and take it in.. maybe take a few photos and blog about it.

Columbus may have know of the New World in advance

Reuters reported yesterday, that the 15th century Vinland Map, is the real McCoy and has been radio carbon dated to 1440.

Controversy has swirled around the map since it came to light in the 1950s, many scholars suspecting it was a hoax meant to prove that Vikings were the first Europeans to land in North America -- a claim confirmed by a 1960 archaeological find.

That would be the find at L'Anse aux Meadows, on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula.

The Vinland Map is not a "Viking map" and does not alter the historical understanding of who first sailed to North America. But if it is genuine, it shows that the New World was known not only to Norsemen but also to other Europeans at least half a century before Columbus's voyage.

Photo of the Norse settlement replica, a few hundred feet from the actual archaeological site.
L'Anse aux Meadows photo taken by my good friend Lionel, during his visit two years ago.


Lionel getting his "viking" on.

Old Testament - Torah - Short Version

In the beginning of this story, a man named Adam and his wife Eve are kicked out, or leave on their own, a town named Eden.. for being atheists. They saw the tricks of the town leaders and their stories about god(s), for the lies that they were, and how those lies controlled the public to the leaders' advantage. They founded a new town elsewhere which gave in to superstitions a generation or two later.

Elsewhere, a man named Noah raised livestock near a river. Noah was a bit odd, for, as others had small boats in the river, he also built a raft near his barn. One day the river flooded its banks, and all the villagers lost their livestock. Except for Noah, who was able to save enough goats, sheep, and chickens to repopulate his flocks in a few years.

Sometime later, an illusionist named Moses travels between Egypt and the Dead Sea, performing his tricks and acquiring these and many other stories from all over the lands, including stories from the silk and spice roads. He writes these down, edits, embellishes, and makes sure to add some wonderful stories about himself for good measure. He's likely an opium user, as he has a penchant for talking to shrubbery.

Others add to these stories over the years, and intertwine some allegory, some local history, some moralistic messages, and some bat-shit crazy fiction.

Then a strange thing happens... people start believing these stories, despite all the crazy fiction, and then somebody decided to take advantage of those fools and their easily parted money.

The End.

Friday Night Guitar To Rule Your Face

One of my favourite guitarists



studio version here for those not into improvisation and expansion on theme.

The Parable of the Pawnbroker

This story comes via a poster named wiploc over at talkrational.

I was a pawnbroker. This is a true story. This guy came into my store, drew a chain out of his right-side pocket, and said, "How much will you give me for this fine gold necklace?" I figured, because he said it that way, that he was lying, that it was a fake necklace. I don't like being lied to, and this guy had already given me enough, by my standards, to justify my disbelief.

But I didn't tell him so. I politely looked at his necklace. It was fake. I pointed out to him the chintzy clasp, totally unlike what would be on a necklace of value. But he still insisted that it was real; so I cut the chain with a file, ready to test it with acid. But I didn't need the acid: the inside was brown, not even gold in color.

The guy dropped the chain in his left pocket. He drew another chain out of his right pocket, and said, "This one's the real thing." This one's the real thing? That was like admitting he'd known all along that the first one was fake.

I showed him that this one didn't say, "14K," like real gold would. It said, "14KEP," meaning it was electroplate. It wasn't even pretending to be real. But the guy still insisted it was real. So I cut it with my file, and showed him it was another fake.

Can you guess what he did then? He dropped it into his left pocket, pulled a third chain from his right, and told me that this one was real. I was happy to file this one too, ruin it, so he couldn't try to fool anyone else.

He pulled out a fourth chain. He said it was real. I showed him that it wasn't.

He pulled out a fifth chain. He said it was real. I showed him that it wasn't.

He pulled out a sixth chain. He said it was real. I showed him that it wasn't.

He pulled out a seventh chain. He said it was real. I showed him that it wasn't.

He pulled out an eighth chain. He told me that this one was real. Here's the thing: I had I detected a pattern. Two patterns.

First pattern: When this guy said a chain was real, that didn't carry any weight. His apparent sincerity was an act or a pathology, not an indication of actual truthfulness. His saying something was legitimate didn't make it legitimate, didn't even increase the likelihood that it was legitimate.

Second pattern: This guy's chains were fake. I had yet to examine his eighth chain, but I already believed it was fake.

I was willing to be surprised; if the chain turned out to be real, I would have accepted that. But I believed it was fake. And that was a justified belief, reasonable in the circumstances.


This story is analogous with my experience with Christianity. Somebody will tell me that the ontological argument is solid gold proof of the existence of Jehovah. I point out that it is patently absurd, and he pulls out another argument.

He doesn't blush or backpedal. He makes no apology for having indiscriminately swallowed a lie and repeated it as a truth. He doesn't tell his friends, "Hey, don't be using thiss argument anymore." No, he just tells me that the modal argument for necessary greatness is absolute proof of god's existence. When I point out that this argument is no stronger than its opposite, the modal argument for the nonexistence of necessary greatness, what does he do? Is he taken aback? Does he say he'd better rethink whether his god really exists? Of course not. He pulls out another argument, and says, with all the sincerity of a seller of fake chains, "This one's the real thing."

For decades I have examined these arguments, tested them, found them to be not merely false but transparently false. They say "14KEP" right on them. They are not such as would fool anyone but those desperate to believe.

I see the pattern. I believe that the next theist argument will also be false. And my belief is justified. It is just as well founded as my belief about that eighth chain.


Now it's certainly possible that I haven't heard all the arguments. And it is theoretically possible that one of those that I've never been exposed to is legitimate. But I don't think that's the case. Here's why: If the theists had a good argument, they would present it. The only reason they use bad arguments is that they don't have any good ones.

They not only want to believe, they want to win other people to their beliefs. For those purposes, good arguments would work well---but bad arguments work only poorly. So I feel justified in believing that, if they had good arguments, they would use them.

But they don't use them. They use only bad arguments. The arguments of Christians then, are good justification for believing that Christianity is indefensible. The arguments of Christians justify atheism.

Using nothing but the books themselves for evidence, if we were to assert that Tolkien's great work, The Lord of The Rings, was an actual account of historical events, somebody would believe it to be truth. And the apologists would explain that Balrogs, Dwarves, Elves and Hobbits once roamed the earth, and an enchanted ring made its wearer invisible to all.

Stories, myths, fables, legends, lore, song, dance, poetry..
These are some of the ways humanity learned and passed down information through the millenia. Then humanity became literate, and able to read for themselves, and not rely on somebody else's interpretation of texts. They could reference other sources and discern what was true, what was false, and what was allegory.

Big claims demand big evidence. A book written by man about a god is no more evidence for a god, than another other book written by man, is evidence for Hobbits. Plus, the book about Hobbits is a much better work of fiction, with plenty of moralistic messages, and nobody demanding that it is an historical account of anything.

$2.00 Deluxe Hugs, Tax Included

Time Lapse Tilt Shift

Scenes from a rooftop from Paul Johannessen on Vimeo.

I like the tilt shift effect in photography. It fools the eye with focus and makes it seem like you're looking at miniature. Paul Johannessen does a great job here.

Betty Bowers Explains Traditional Marriage to Everyone Else

America's Best Christian takes time to explain to less informed Christians the curious details of the Lord's concept of marriage.

Tip of the hat to Lionel.

Darwin Award Candidates

Heck, why not? I love pointing out the inanity of humanity ...especially, Sean Hannity.
And to prove that I'm not going to show favouritism, I'm gonna start with a story close to home.
The two candidates decided that it was a good idea to jump aboard a small, 11 foot/3 metre, plywood boat, with a 2 H.P. outboard motor, no life jackets, one oar, and venture out into the North Atlantic, in late May...... at NIGHT! AT THE FOGGIEST PLACE ON THE PLANET!1!

Alex Day, who fishes for crab from Portugal Cove, found the overturned boat on Monday. He said it was only 11 feet long and five feet wide (3.35 by 1.5 metres).

"It was only a little pond boat," Day told CBC News on Tuesday.

"Not what you'd call a fishing boat. Just plywood. [It] was just built with staples, with a staple gun or something," he said. "It didn't seem like a hardy, strong outfit at all."

If only we lived in an age where people could easily learn some boating information.

Stay Classy Bill

Bill Donohue, President of the American Catholic League, and World Class Asshole. He doesn't like that people are upset by the report that lists the systematic abuses that took place in Irish Orphanages.


Update:
Bill takes on comedian Louis C.K. and fails at reason. Who elects this guy?

Saturday Night in the Oldest City in North America

The thing that I miss most about living in St. John's, was the local music scene. If I had my twenties to live again, I'd be on George Street again tonight.

Friday Night Guitar To Rule Your Face

Steve Vai paints his face silver and reprises a theme from the "Head Cuttin' Duel" scene from the movie, Crossroads. It wasn't a horsie theme in the movie though, it was "making the train talk".. as in, choo-choo jumpin' hobo bluesmen.
Vai played both his, "Jack Butler", and Macchio's, "Lightenin' Boy" parts for the soundtrack, and Ralph faked it pretty good. I still enjoy watching it. Ry Cooder's acoustic guitar work on the soundtrack made the movie enjoyable also.

And he's still as stunned as me arse!

You might have to google that headline if you don't get the reference.

Bill Clinton visits Newfoundland

A former president of the United States spoke to an almost full Mile One Centre in St. John’s this afternoon. Bill Clinton told the crowd he wanted to come to Newfoundland and Labrador as it and Prince Edward Island were the only Canadian provinces he hadn’t visited to date.

Premier Danny Williams made some opening remarks and welcomed Clinton to the province. Former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna introduced Clinton.

Mile One Stadium holds 7000 people, and ticket prices ranged from $100 to $1000. Not too shabby for an hour's work... rock bands should be jealous. No word on whether or not he was "Screeched In".

Story and photo via The Telegram.

When's the next Spider Man movie?

I think that a director could get some good shots of this guy in a Spidey outfit.

Meet Michaelle Jean, the Sarah Palin of Canada

I screeched with laughter at Gawker's take on the Michaelle Jean story. The Governor General of Canada gutting and eating raw seal heart at a celebration in Nunavut, is making news around the world.

Kicking off a weeklong visit to Nunavut on Monday as part of the territory's 10th anniversary celebrations, Jean gutted and ate some fresh seal at a community festival in the central Nunavut community of Rankin Inlet.

The move, to show support for the beleaguered seal hunters, comes as the European Union voted earlier this month to impose a ban on seal products after years of intense lobbying by animal rights groups.

Asked Tuesday whether her actions were a message to Europe, Jean replied, "Take from that what you will."

Steve Harvey - Super Genius

Yes, Steve... us atheists have no morals whatsoever.



If only atheists could be more moralistic, like good God fearing Christians, the world would be a much better place. Look how nice they treat people.

One Law For All - Against Sharia Law in the UK

The UK needs your help, and all you have to do is sign their global petition.

The movement is starting with a global effort to support the UK national petition called One Law for All. The UK is in a similar position to that in which Canada found itself before 2005. In the UK, though, Sharia has already crept in and is being integrated into normal everyday legal systems under the initial guise of a viable arbitration mechanism. However, it must be stopped dead in its tracks right now. And be reassured, it is possible. It is not too late. Because of a similar petition and campaign supported globally by people all around the world, in 2005 Canada was able to remove this biased and unjust system of law and uphold equal and citizenship rights for all. A massive campaign is being organised in the UK to support this petition and drive this loathsome form of legalised inequality and prejudice from Britain too.



Visit the One Law For All website, and sign the petition.

High Pitch Screeching - Fungus Killing Bat Population

Break out the DEET this summer, as there is likely to be a rise in mosquito populations. Brown bat populations in the North East are plummeting because of a fungus referred to as, White Nose Syndrome.

White-nose syndrome was discovered in 2006 in caves in upstate New York and has spread rapidly throughout all populations of bats which hibernate over winter in caves. It is estimated that 1 million bats may have already died from the fungus, which causes bats to wake up early from hibernation when there is no food. They then sicken and die. The fungus does not affect people and white-nose syndrome can likely only survive in cold climates, scientists studying the bats said.

They may not be people's favourite animal, but bats serve their role in the environment. Eating moths, beetles, gnats, mosquitoes, mayflies and other insects. Their preferred meals are insects with an aquatic life stage, like mosquitoes. And thus, the tend to roost near sources of water.

Your Inner Fish - worth Screeching about

I just finished reading Neil Shubin's, Your Inner Fish. I really enjoyed this book. From the discovery of a 375 million year old transitional fossil named Tiktaalik, in 2004 on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, Canada, to the history of early life on earth to the present, and how it all fits together.
Your Inner Fish is a well written book with easlily understandable examples and diagrams and is written for a wide audience. I highly recommend it.

The little critter even has his own song:

Cito Gaston, A Good Screeching Blue Jay

I've been a Toronto Blue Jays fan since their inception. And I've been impressed with their energy and play this year. Even though they've just lost five games in a row, they are still leading the American League East Division and this is a good thing. A lot of the credit goes to returning manager, Cito Gaston.

This time around, the Toronto manager says he has the perspective that comes with age, with having been here before. He understands this second chance is a gift, Stephen Brunt says.

Win or lose, they've been playing great entertaining baseball, and as a fan of the game.. that's all that I can hope for.

Must not name the criminals, they did it in the name of Jesus

Testing... check... check... sibilance...
Welcome to Newfie's Screech.
I will screech about things good and bad.

My first blog entry is about bad things, and the bad people who do them. It's about the bad people who hide the bad things and the bad people from you, and then proclaim that they are the good people.

They most certainly are not. They are the evil that inhabit this planet. They tell you lies, tell you that you are broken, tell you they have the cure, and will sell it to you for a price. What price has humanity paid for the Roman Catholic Church? How much more will we pay?


I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
-Mohandas Gandhi