This week was rather a jumble of things. We had news, discussion of Blasphemy Day, and a fun argument. In honor of Blasphemy Day, Jamie tried (unsuccessfully I think, though Jamie disagrees) to provoke me with ideas she thought I would find blasphemous.

News Items:

Neil Armstrong to be removed from Texas schoolbooks?

Texas is in the news again. And if I’m bringing that up here, you know that they are on the verge of taking a giant, steaming um, swipe at science. A review team, made up of scientists and teachers, has suggested removing Neil Armstrong from the science strand in 5th grade textbooks. The reason? He’s not a scientist. Lets put aside, for a moment that he has an engineering degree and a Master of Science degree. What could be more scientific than strapping yourself to the top of a rocket, and then piloting and landing a friggin’ spaceship which will land on, and allow you to be the first to walk on, the Moon?

Ok, but what about the experiments he and Buzz Aldrin did while they were there? They did more than just stroll around collecting rocks. They also deployed a passive seismometer and a what was essentially a large mirror for the purpose of accurately gauging the distance of the Moon from the Earth.  Remember, they were on the Moon. And don’t forget the huge contributions to the science of flight. They went to a new world with knowledge that came only from math and simulation. Maybe if he’d been teleported to the Moon by God, Texas would like him more.

End Of The World?

In the most disappointing news of the week, the rapture, which would have teleported all of the Christians to Heaven and started the seven year cycle of tribulation on Earth did not occur on Sept. 21st. According to a website I will link to in the show notes, but who’s URL is too awkward to read on the air, the 21st was to be the day all of my Christian neighbors gave up their parking spaces. Sure, this means that Satan would be walking the Earth, enslaving and torturing those of us “left behind” that’s gotta be better than accidentally catching even a second of the 700 club.