Category: Site

Canadian Blog Awards Round 2

I placed fourth in Round 1 of the Religion and Philosophy section of the 2009 Canadian Blog Awards. Thanks to everyone who voted but the work is not done yet, as now begins Round 2.

I came in fourth of five qualifiers, and have taken a look at the competition.

I’m the only atheist on the list (Armchair Antichrist didn’t make it through), but Benedicton Blogs On and Pulpit and Politics are both liberal Christians who I likely have a reasonable amount of shared ground with. Benedicton writes exposés at Religious Right Alert and has frequently criticized Stephen Harper’s theocons. Meanwhile, P&P is written by former NDP MP Dennis Gruending.

However, leading the pack is the newer (his archives only go back to October) “Bible Journey” which is an anti-homosexual and anti-choice Christian website:

Another controversial passage of the Bible is the above — the passage where the Lord condemns homosexuality (lying with a man as you would lie with a woman). Sex being for marriage, it would be inappropriate to assume that God wants churches to support the marriage of same-sex couples of some of those more "progressive" "Christian" demoninations have done.

Despite the controversy of Leviticus 18, it’s still quite clear what we are to make of it…take it at face value. [Source]

Finally, we have Anglican Samizdat filling the fifth spot in the finalists. AS seems to have taken a shining to the denialist wave surround the manufactured Climategate controversy, and attacks a progressive Christian charity run by the Anglican and United Churches of Canada. He even takes to putting attack quotes as “Fanmail” on his sidebar. My favourite is the irony of a regressive Evangelical Christian making Douglas Adams references, considering Adams was both a “radical atheist” and an environmentalist.

Round 2 voting is open, and for the Religion and Philosophy section, I recommend myself (I do need my ego stroked), Benedicton Blogs On and Pulpit & Politics. Let’s keep the anti-science/human rights blogs out of the medals.

As for the political category of the Awards, I was eliminated in round 29 of 49. Of the top 10 Political Blogs, my picks are Daveberta, CalgaryGrit, and Buckdog (in no particular order).

Thanks for the nominations

I was browsing twitter, came across a link to someone plugging their blog in the 2009 Canadian Blog Awards, and wouldn’t you know it but I’ve been nominated in the Politics and Religion & Philosophy categories.

So thanks to whoever appreciates my writing. It keeps me from doing school work and being a “productive” member of society.

Get over there, check out some great Canadian Blogs and vote for those you like.

Double blog duty time

I’ve created myself a new wesbite at http://ian.bushfield.ca which I’m going to use to publish more personal and creative posts. This site will remain for now, with a focus on science, politics, and atheism.

I’m also posting some of the better pictures I take at that site and it will continue to grow into the future.

So check out the blog over there and keep following this one too.

The buttons come down

Since the NDP voted with Harper yesterday and the Liberals didn’t, we can no longer count the number of confidence votes that the Liberals have propped up the Conservatives. While we can debate the merits of this, or even if the IgGrits are showing any more effective of an opposition by switching from auto-support to auto-oppose.

The real issue for the NDP though was months and months of bragging about how ineffective the Liberals were being. It guaranteed that eventually this situation would happen.

On Linda Duncan’s campaign we never “went negative.” While her supporters may have said nasty things about Jaffer, the official campaign was always focussed on why Linda Duncan should be the MP for Edmonton-Strathcona, and not about why the others shouldn’t. Of course it also through in a bunch of strategic voting hints to win over the Liberals, but it never attacked the Liberals either.

Positive campaigning, while harder, I think is the way all of the parties need to continue (and I have to commend Ignatieff for keeping on at least this message).

New comment rule: Think first

People are stupid.

And not just everyday, “where’d I leave my keys” stupid, but going to get themselves into real trouble stupid. Especially when they get behind the fake anonymity of a computer.

Or should I spell it Annonymous:

I ripped one down Faggets.

I ripped one down, and i will rip more. Get ready to have no more posters, waste your money F A G G O T S

You are not anonymous when you post online. Your IP address is logged dipshit.

So I know you posted from a University of Alberta computer. This means you logged on, and even luckier for me your bigoted comment is timestamped.

When you are given a CCID on campus, it doesn’t give you unlimited rights on campus computers like you can do at home. There is a Campus Computing Conditions of Use which specifically states:

5. Within the broad context of free academic discussion and debate, all forms of electronic communication are expected to reflect high ethical standards and mutual respect and civility. Users will be sensitive to the public nature of shared facilities and take care not to display in such public locations images, sounds or messages which could create an atmosphere of discomfort or harassment for others. Users will refrain from transmitting to others in any location inappropriate images, sounds or messages which might reasonably be considered harassing, offensive, or defamatory.

And further as an example of unacceptable use:

H) Objectionable content: The use of obscene, racist or sexist language, public display of pornography, and similar actions clearly violate the ethical standards of the University community and is as inappropriate for electronic communications as it is for other forms of University discourse. Such use contravenes section 5) and often section 1) of this policy. [emphasis added]

Now, I’m all for free speech, and I’ll typically leave obscene comments up (mainly because it makes the commenter look stupid), but if you are stupid, I’m going to call you on it.

Annonymous has been reported to [email protected] and as will most cowards who act the same. If you’re behind your home computer, I’m not going to send the thought police after you, because as far as I’m concerned you can be as obnoxious as you want from home.

But if you’re using public computers (or public wireless), you are required to follow their terms of service because you are using their equipment. You don’t own the University’s computers or internet connection, everyone does.

So here’s my simple rule for comments, and I’m ripping this off Bad Astronomy, Don’t be a jerk and don’t be stupid.

The internet isn’t as “annonymous” as you cowards would like to believe.

Finally, if you ever have that moment of regret and want a stupid, angry, whatever comment removed, I have that power and will do it provided you email me.

I’m Tweeting

I’m on Twitter now. That’s right I caved to see what all the fuss was about.

Also to get a free point on The 2009 Gateway Purity Test. This year’s score: 180 (about the average of my last 4 years).

If you’re not on Twitter but for some reason care what I say there, the updates should appear on the column to the right.

Update: My recounted score (when I actually took the paper version and wasn’t rushed) was 235.

Site updates and Blogger Followings

Two quick notes:

First, if you’re not reading this in RSS, you’ll notice a new Theme in place. Just one of those things I’ve been meaning to do lately.

I also moved some of the blogrolls and sidebars around. Changes are ongoing, and I may make a new banner at some point (consider this all as homework procrastination).

Second, if you are using Blogger I will not “Follow” your blog. I am already (likely) subscribed through Google Reader and am annoyed at the fact it doubly imports your posts into my reader (no offence to your writing).

Bear with me as changes occur (likely also to the About page and a few other spots).

Holidays break

I’m going to be in Calgary, then Pine Lake, then Vancouver for the next two weeks. I can’t promise to publish often, or at all, but something may go up eventually.

I’ll be back on Jan. 2 though and try to get into a regular groove then.

Tagged!

My first blog-meme hit. Here’s the jist:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

My random things:

  • My dad owned his own hovercraft
  • I am going to Vancouver for New Years with my girlfriend
  • The factors of the number of friends I have on facebook are 7 and 26
  • When I was young I had a pet turtle
  • I never gave my turtle a name
  • A cashier at Save-On-Foods once recognized me as “The Atheist Society” president when I was there with my mom. This was also before the recent media exposure.

My tags are: Daveberta, Idealistic Pragmatist, Heuristicism, In Vivo, Ten Percent, and Dr. Jim’s.