BBC's Science Coverage Policy

Oh my gosh, that title sounds so boring! I know, I'll do what I can to sex it up with lolcats!

Last month the BBC came out with a report regarding accuracy and impartiality in the coverage of science. The research done to see how the BBC was doing was conducted by Steve Jones, Professor Emeritus of Genetics at University College London and other content analysis by the Science Communication Group at Imperial College London.

Wait a sec. Why do we care, especially if we're not in Britain? The first reason is that news gets spread around and we all have access to BBC programming and content. I, for one, watch a lot of BBC America because I've found it to be better than a lot of the basic stations here in the US (especially the comedy). Also when I hear something going on in the world, the BBC is one news source I turn to when I want the facts without a lot of noticeable spin.

It seems that I'm not alone. From the findings in the report:

"For the purposes of this project science was defined to include not just natural sciences but also coverage of technology, medicine and the environment relating to the work of scientists."

The UK produces a tenth of the world’s scientific research (though it makes up just 1% of the global population) and is the largest research contributor after the US and Japan. A third of the UK’s GDP is produced by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. There is a demonstrable
public appetite for more information about science, and its policy, social and ethical implications, and most people glean this information from the media. In Professor Jones’ view, the importance of science to the UK, the public’s interest in it, and the role of the BBC in “fostering a scientifically literate society” all underline the huge importance of the organisation’s science coverage.

...Professor Jones makes it clear that, overall, BBC science content is of a very high calibre, has improved over the past decade and outstrips that of other broadcasters both in the UK and internationally. It is commended by a number of external scientific bodies for its accuracy, diverse appeal and inclusion in a wide variety of programmes...

... the researchers found no significant factual inaccuracies in the coverage that they analysed. They also found science coverage spread across a wide range of BBC content, in both news and non-news and specialist and non-specialist output.

So the report found that generally the BBC is doing a good job and is better than most with science coverage. They found a few weaknesses, one of which is very interesting, mainly that they have been "over-rigid" on their impartiality and have given "undue attention to marginal opinion."

And isn't this a huge issue!? The BBC might be guilty of being over-rigid, but America excels at this. Usually the platform is full of fringe believers in one form of nonsense or another. Then there will be a lone scientist, doctor or skeptic who will get one brief moment to express some sense, after which he is usually dismissed, attacked and shouted down. The report usually ends on the True Believer and his touching anecdotal story, which is all anyone remembers.

The Bible Should Be Banned

So many worthwhile books have been banned over the years. The Grapes of Wrath was banned especially in California because it was partially set there and made the residents look bad. Thomas Paine's Rights of Man was banned in the UK and Paine was charged with treason for supporting the French Revolution. It was also banned in Tsarist Russia. Uncle Tom's Cabin was banned in the southern US during the Civil War, then in Russia. (full list here)

The following list of great books have all been challenged somewhere in the US in the 1990's: Nineteen-Eighty-Four (1984), the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Catcher in the Rye, Brave New World, Cat's Cradle, Catch-22, The Handmaid's Tale, Harry Potter (series), James and the Giant Peach, Lord of the Flies, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Slaughterhouse-Five. (see full list here)

Different books are banned for different reasons. Many due to their political nature or implications that threaten the current government, many others for obscenity or for being objectionable in one way or another.

Well, I have a couple of books that should be banned. How about the bible and the quran for inciting violence against homosexuals, women, and anyone who doesn't believe the given book, for inciting hate, for glorifying murder, rape and incest. You get the point. It's immoral, unjust, violent and hateful.

Recently, a man stoned another man who he thought might be gay because the bible told him to.

It was at the hospital where Seidman met and befriended Thomas, according to neighbors. The young man and Seidman were often seen together grocery shopping and going to church.

Seidman was 70 and he made Thomas, 28, the executor and sole beneficiary of his will.

"I killed a man," Thomas allegedly told the witness. He then described how he placed batteries and rocks in a sock, and hit Seidman in the head at least 10 times. Thomas then returned to Seidman's apartment several days later and called police, saying he had discovered the body, according to court documents.

When police interviewed Thomas on Wednesday he said Seidman had been making advances toward him over a period of time. Thomas said he read in the Old Testament that homosexuals should be stoned in certain situations.

The bible really does say to kill homosexuals in Leviticus 20:13:

• New International Version: “‘If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.


• New Living Translation: “If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.


• English Standard Version: If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.


• New American Standard Bible: If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act;they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.


• GOD’S WORD® Translation: When a man has sexual intercourse with another man as with a woman, both men are doing something disgusting and must be put to death. They deserve to die.


• King James Bible: If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.


• American King James Version: If a man also lie with mankind, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be on them.


• American Standard Version: And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.


• Douay-​Rheims Bible: If any one lie with a man as with a woman, both have committed an abomination, let them be put to death: their blood be upon them.


• English Revised Version: And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.


• Webster’s Bible Translation: If a man also shall lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination:they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.


• World English Bible: “‘If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.


• Young’s Literal Translation: And a man who lieth with a male as one lieth with a woman; abomination both of them have done; they are certainly put to death; their blood is on them.

See also Romans 1:26-32.

There's so much more in the bible that is murderous and despicable. If any book should be banned, it should be this one. And the quran should be banned as well, which I admit I haven't read as much as I have the bible, but what I have read is pretty hateful.

Of course, I don't really believe in banning books. I don't think information should be censored. Maybe the bible and the quran should just have warning labels on them. And they should definitely be in the fiction section!

Church and Mosque Collapses

A Facebook friend of mine wrote the following: "Google 'church collapse' and check out the number of results of people killed while in the act of praising their deity." So of course I did!

Church collapse: 10,400,000 results!

I am guessing that probably a third of those results are about how the church (as an institution) is collapsing. Which I think is great, if it's true. Also you have to figure that several stories all report on one collapse, so divide by 4 (as a really rough estimate). The number of recent church collapses (say the last couple of years) is about 1,730,000? Math is not my strong suit though, so let me know if I'm way off.

People dying is never something to praise, but it's amazing that so many churches collapse around the world and people still pray to those gods. If God can't even take care of his own buildings, what can he do for me?

And what about mosques?

Mosque collapse: 1,680,000 results!

With these results, I'd say divide by 4 to account for duplicate reports. I got 420,000 relatively recent mosque collapses. I guess Allah doesn't like the way people are bowing and scraping to him.

Touchdown Jesus Struck By Lightning

And Jesus said, "WTF, Dad!? Goddammit!"

The pose of the huge statue looked like a ref calling a touchdown, hence the name.

Here is the AP story:

MONROE, Ohio — Police say a six-story-tall statue of Jesus Christ with his arms raised along a southwest Ohio highway has been struck by lightning in a thunderstorm and has burned to the ground.

The "King of Kings" statue had stood since 2004 at the evangelical Solid Rock Church along Interstate 75 in Monroe, just north of Cincinnati.

Monroe police dispatchers say the lightning strike set the statue ablaze late Monday night.

The sculpture showed Jesus from the torso up and was nicknamed Touchdown Jesus because of the way his arms were raised. It was made of plastic foam and fiberglass over a steel frame, which is all that remains.

Police Chief Mark Neu (noo) says the fire spread to an amphitheater next to the statue but was confined to the attic area. He says no one was injured.

So is this  proof of a god that didn't like the statue because it was hideous? Or is it proof there is no god at all? Nah, it's just a hilarious coincidence, of course. :P

Here's a video:

Justice Late Is Better Than None At All

The AP has an article titled Britain bans doctor who linked autism to vaccine.

This is great news! My first question is why it took Britain so long to make such a move. My second concern is that he will just come back over here where he is worshiped by idiots like McCarthy and her ilk. And my third concern is people will still worship him and continue to avoid getting their children properly vaccinated, causing suffering and even death for innocent kids everywhere.

LONDON — The doctor whose research linking autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella influenced millions of parents to refuse the shot for their children was banned Monday from practicing medicine in his native Britain.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield's 1998 study was discredited — but vaccination rates have never fully recovered and he continues to enjoy a vocal following, helped in the U.S. by endorsements from celebrities like Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy.

"That is Andrew Wakefield's legacy," said Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "The hospitalizations and deaths of children from measles who could have easily avoided the disease."

Wakefield's discredited theories had a tremendous impact in the U.S., Offit said, adding: "He gave heft to the notion that vaccines in general cause autism."

In Britain, Wakefield's research led to a huge decline in the number of children receiving the MMR vaccine: from 95 percent in 1995 — enough to prevent measles outbreaks — to 50 percent in parts of London in the early 2000s. Rates have begun to recover, though not enough to prevent outbreaks. In 2006, a 13-year-old boy became the first person to die from measles in Britain in 14 years.

"The false suggestion of a link between autism and the MMR vaccine has done untold damage to the UK vaccination program," said Terence Stephenson, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. "Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that it is safe."

Dan Barker on Faux News Explains the National Day of Prayer

Dan Barker from the Freedom From Religion Foundation explains the unconstitutionality of the National Day of Prayer and how we are not a christian nation. And for once, Faux News has an intelligent conversation instead of trying to have a pissing match. (~ 5 minutes)



Obama still proclaimed the National Day of Prayer this year, even though the ruling said it was unconstitutional. The government is wasting good tax dollars appealing. Of course. Power hungry sycophants!

I guess we'll still keep holding the National Day of Reason until reason and the constitution prevail.

Cross-posted from Morgantown Atheists

No More AA For Nonbelievers!

In California a Sacramento federal court judge ruled that an atheist parolee should not be forced to participate in a religious drug program, due to his constitutional rights. Hopefully this will spread throughout the country!

Here is what American Atheists said:

ATHEISTS HAIL DECISION -- NONBELIEVERS CANNOT BE SENTENCED TO FAITH-BASED REHAB PROGRAMS AS PAROLE CONDITION

An Atheist public policy group praised a U.S. District Court Judge in California for defending the constitutional rights of a prison inmate who was compelled to attend religion-based drug and alcohol rehab sessions in order to qualify for parole.

Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. ruled that California officials erred when they forced 41-year-old Barry A. Hazel Jr. to enroll in Alcoholics Anonymous after serving a one-year sentence for drug possession. Hazel, a computer programmer, demanded that he be given access to an alternative secular program instead, and was mistakenly informed that one was not available. After refusing to participate in the faith-based 12-step regimen, Mr. Hazel was re-arrested and had to serve another three months in jail.

Dr. Ed Buckner, President of American Atheists, praised the court for its finding in this case. "It is outrageous that any citizen be coerced into attending religious services or programs that 'push' religion in any form."

Buckner noted that just weeks after Mr. Hazel protested the violation of his rights, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation issued an order to all parole agents pointing out that they "cannot compel" a parolee to participate in any religion-themed program.

Dave Silverman, Vice President and Communications Director for American Atheists said that "While Atheists and other non-believers make up a very small percentage of prison populations -- by some studies far less than one percent -- violating someone's religious liberty and freedom from religion is not some kind of a numbers game."

"There are secular programs for drug and alcohol rehabilitation that are available, and the government has an obligation to respect the rights of any incarcerated individual to refuse religious 'treatment'."

Atheists in Prison - 1997 Statistics:

Car Crashed Into Church Roof - god Asleep at the Wheel?

From the Telegraph: Emergency forces rescued a man from his car which he crashed into a church roof in Limbach-Oberfrohna, Germany. The 23 year-old was severely injured. According to the police the driver missed a turn at high speed, continued straight ahead on a slightly rising field and then finally 'took off' to land in the church roof seven metres above the ground.

Of course, we all hope the kid is ok. But sobriety aside, this is too funny. I guess god wasn't paying attention? Or maybe Zeus wanted to up the ante in the card game they were all playing in heaven? I wonder if the poor kid said 'Oh god' as he saw the church looming in his vision? At any rate, this is proof once again that physics is both amazing and awesome. I'd say it might also reinforce the fact that there's no god, but you can't prove a negative, as we all know. :)