Blogs
A year in review...
Submitted by Renee Obsidianwords on December 28, 2008 - 6:28pm.Another year! I am sure I am not alone when I say; time goes by way too fast. It reminds me of how quickly a plate of cookies will disappear when placed near a group of 3 year olds 
As for reflecting on 2008 I am not one to dwell on the past but I had an eventful year, one that helped to shape where I am right now and how I will plan the next few years of my life.
-I quit my job of 3 years to pursue a new career * for 2009 this opens up quite a bit of time for me to go back to school. I will be attending a community college for my Associates and if I like school the plan will be to continue on for my bachelors.
-I voted for the first time ever this year * having voted for Obama it is exciting to think about what 2009 will hold for the US (and the world)
-My husband and I paid off all of our debt with the exception of our mortgage * This puts us in a great position financially which will provide me the chance to get back to school.
-I had my gallbladder removed * This doesn't influence 2009 much at all...I really don't miss it
-My sister "moved in" with us and spent a total of 4 days in our home over those 2 months. She promptly "moved out" * 2009 will continue to prove to be a year of me trying to keep up with where she is, what she is doing and if she is okay. For those of you that know me, you know the story. I will not enable!
My Beef When It Comes to Anonymous vs Scientology
Submitted by Kevin R Brown on December 18, 2008 - 3:19am.Scientology is awful! Why not help Anonymous in their current mission to dissolve the church?
It's a matter of mutually exclusive goals and perspectives. My problem with the 'church' of Scientology is an ethical one; Scientology is not a religion of any sort, it's an organized criminal syndicate intent of accumulating vast sums of wealth & power through the subversion of freedom of speech via information control & intelligence gathering. Anonymous's problem with Scientology is that it's a competitive body.
How dare you say that! The only thing most of the protestors at Anonymous rallies want is to protect freedom of speech!
And the only thing most members of the church of Scientology want is to rid the world of pain and achieve a utopian state. In both cases, the motives and desires of the flock are irrelevant, as it is the aims of the core membership/leadership that will direct their behavior.
And, no - the motives of those behind the 'chanology' movement is not to protect your freedom of speech.
What do you know about Project Chanology, anyway?
Tree of Knowledge video
Submitted by Sapient on December 16, 2008 - 11:28am.More Tree of Knowledge coverage:
THE BOOKS ON THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE
Christ out of Christmas article featuring Margaret Downey
Information from the creator of this video:
Filmed as part of my forthcoming documentary on atheism. See more interviews and additional footage on his youtube channel or at http://www.gregorywalsh.net
five minutes to support free speech
Submitted by shelley on December 6, 2008 - 4:30pm.In the past few weeks, the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s billboard ("Imagine No Religion" ) in the city of Rancho Cucamonga, CA was taken down... and... the Atheist Foundation of Australia was denied ad space on buses. Regardless of our beliefs or lack thereof, we should all be completely appalled.
Here in the DC area, however, the American Humanist Association (AHA) has purchased ad space ("Why believe in a god? Do good for goodness' sake." ) on Metro buses. The buses are operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Apparently Metro has currently received 70 some compliments and 200 and some complains. A few days ago Metro had only received 1 compliment.
I'd like to encourage everyone to pick up the phone and compliment Metro on selling ad space to everyone. You can make a comment to Metro here: http://www.wmata.com/riding/ridercomment.cfm or by calling their media relations number - 202-962-1051. I posted this idea on the Beltway Atheists mailing list a few days ago and one of our members mentioned that they were told by Metro to call the following number - 202-637-1328.
Cross posted from my Facebook.
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A break
Submitted by Renee Obsidianwords on December 6, 2008 - 8:19am.I am going to be away for a bit...planning to be back in the new year
Any PM's not answered I apologize ahead of time, I will get back to you when I return.
Feed the fish and let the dogs out, okay?
Voices of Disbelief (the book)
Submitted by kellym78 on November 30, 2008 - 1:44pm.Voices of Disbelief will likely be available around August of 2009.
The contributors are as follows:
1. Peter Adegoke
2. Athena Andreadis
3. Julian Baggini
4. Gregory Benford
5. Ophelia Benson
6. Russell Blackford
7. Susan Blackmore
8. Damien Broderick
9. Lori Lipman Brown
10. Sean M. Carroll
11. Thomas W. Clark
12. Austin Dacey
13. Edgar Dahl
14. Jack Dann
15. Margaret Downey
16. Taner Edis
17. Greg Egan
18. Nick Everitt
19. Prabir Ghosh
20. A.C. Grayling
21. Joe Haldeman
22. John Harris
23. Marc Hauser
24. Philip Kitcher
25. Miguel Kottow
26. Stephen Law
27. Dale McGowan
28. Sheila A.M. McLean
29. Adèle Mercier
30. Maryam Namazie
31. Kelly O’Connor (yours truly)
32. Graham Oppy
33. Christine Overall
34. Sumitra Padmanabhan
35. Tamas Pataki
36. John P. Phelan
37. Laura Purdy
38. James Randi
39. Michael R. Rose
40. Julian Savulescu
41. J.L. Schellenberg
42. Udo Schuklenk
43. Michael Shermer
44. Peter Singer
45. J.J.C. Smart
46. Victor J. Stenger
47. Peter Tatchell
48. Emma Tom
49. Michael Tooley
50. Ross Upshur
51. Sean Williams
52. Frieder Otto Wolf
Cloud smiles
Submitted by Renee Obsidianwords on November 29, 2008 - 9:45am.
It goes without saying; with clouds comes shade from the sun
Does the sun get frustrated?
The cloud smiles
As the tree or plant sits and basks in the yellow warmth soon to be shadowed
Does the foliage cry?
The cloud smiles
Children play tag and jump-rope as a storm rolls in
Do the children cry?
The cloud smiles
As the pressures twists and turns the clouds into life sustaining liquid
The clouds cry as they smile
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To relax...
Submitted by Renee Obsidianwords on November 29, 2008 - 9:44am.To relax is to rid the mind of all trapped thoughts and memories.
To relax is to take a deep breath and know the days end is fast approaching.
To relax is to be gentle to mind and body, to approach each passing moment with a sense of well-being not found in the everyday hustle and bustle of the day.
To relax is to become one with your true self, to have a conversation with the inner you and make peace with I.
To relax is to wipe clean the chalkboard of your mind to make room for the next lesson life has to teach.
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New Blog Direction
Submitted by Renee Obsidianwords on November 29, 2008 - 9:38am.I am going a different direction with my blog.
It will be a dumping ground for my thoughts - poetic or not!
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Can you feel?
Submitted by Renee Obsidianwords on November 29, 2008 - 9:38am.Do you feel? I mean really feel! Have you ever stopped, taken a deep breath, looked around at your surroundings and really FELT what was going on?
How about sitting on a bench outside watching the day go by? Closing your eyes taking in the sounds of the wind the birds, breathing in and out and feeling the day slip away.
Everything that surrounds us creates how we feel. Good or bad our environment plays a part in our mood and how we create our day.
So I guess the real question isn't Do you feel but rather 'CAN you feel ?' since our lives are so hectic and our environments so chaotic.
