Happy 60th Birthday, Human Rights
60 years ago the United Nations inked the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Take a minute today, review them, and remind yourself that they are as pertinent as ever.
As a coalition of Islamic states leads a movement to restrict freedom of expression that “defames” religion, the Center for Inquiry is speaking at the Ninth Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva to defend liberty to doubt, dissent, and blaspheme. At a September 17 briefing at the Council, CFI released a new position paper, which critiques an effort led by the Organization of the Islamic Conference to undermine the universality of human rights.
Canada’s media has lost its integrity
If there's one thing I've taken from this past week of political foofaraw, it's that Canada's media fails at being non-partisan and often is pretty weak on its journalistic standards in a rush to get a story out.
Those words may be a bit harsh, but this is a blog, where I'm expected to be partisan and have little to no standards.
Future shop gives 53,000 sq. ft. middle finger to recession
This past Wednesday evening Alan and I got the opportunity to get a tour of the new Future Shop in South Edmonton Common. They gave us food, a tour, and a free bluetooth headset in the interests of biasing our opinions.
This store is massive. It's more than double the size of an average Future Shop. Imagine a Costco-sized warehouse dedicated to electronics.
But they weren't going to settle with being the largest store, this is also a special pilot store where they plan on introducing new product lines and feeling out new markets.
My rally is bigger than your rally, Edmonton edition
Daveberta did photo posts of the two main rallies this week both for and against the coalition.
He quotes the Pro-Coalition rally as being around 400 and the anti rally around 300. Judge from the pictures yourself at his posts.
Overview of the Crisis
I've written a 2200 word essay for Edger, updating and outlining the entirety of what's happening in Ottawa. Check it out here.
Secular convocation news, again
It's been a few weeks since the secular convocation at the UofA issue was in the news, but now we've got some more recent hits.
- U of A committee recommends change to convocation ceremony - Edmonton
- God keeps spot in U of A grad address - Edmonton
- God may get smaller role in U of A ceremony - National
- God may get smaller role in U of A ceremony - Saskatoon
- God may get smaller role in U of A ceremony - Regina
- University may have found a divine solution - Edmonton
- Atheist students want God out of speech - International
- Atheist students want God out of speech - Internet
- Atheist students want God out of speech - International/Internet?
- The Getaway - Campus, joke issue of the Gateway, we have inspired satirical numerous articles
- Atheist Students Want God Out Of Speech - Internet
- University may have found a divine solution - Lloydminster
- Proposed change would keep God in university's convocation address - Waterloo
- God good bet to remain in University of Alberta convocations - St. Catherine's
- Group loses bid to oust God from convocation - Sault St. Marie, ON
Divide the right
A small footnote in the big news today.
Some of Harpers cronies didn't stand for his first speech of the day.
This includes: Stockwell Day, Rob Nicholson and Michael Chong (all cabinet ministers). CBC reports eight backbenchers also didn't stand.
On the opposition side, the NDP reportedly stood for a Dion speech. Are the NDP and Liberals really more supportive of one another right now than Harper's own party?
Also, as bonus reading, the NDP have released the full details of the coalition at the bottom of their latest press release (also, note their front page, with the "Coalition for Change" reminiscent of someone else who fought for change).
Attempted non-partisan advice to all the parties
We all know I'm biased, but here I'm going to try to be fair and tell everyone what they need to do to be the best off:
We’ve been slacking off.
Everyone knows that all us whiny militant atheists do is sit around and make fun of the religious and we've been a little slow in that, talking politics and other such serious crap.My sincerest apologies. maybe this'll help:
Recent Posts
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- Per Smith on The Atheist Census–obnoxious and obscure marketing?
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