Irreducibly Awesome

  As part of its Expelled Exposed project, the National Center for Science Education tackles that tired creationist argument, irreducible complexity. If you're not familiar with this line of reasoning, it basically goes like this:

"I can't imagine how [COMPLEX ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE] could possibly have evolved from simpler structures, without any deliberate guidance. Therefore, relying only on my own ignorance as evidence, I conclude that [COMPLEX ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE] must have been conjured up fully formed by a benevolent sky-grandpa."

  Luckily for the poor, misguided creationist, there are plenty of scientists who can imagine, and describe in great detail, the intermediate stages and slow development that led to the current version of [COMPLEX ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE]. In the video below, they demystify the development of perhaps the favorite target of the irreducible complexity argument, the eye. Enjoy.

Inelegant, Inefficient, Intelligent?

  If you've ever suspected that the complexity and perfection of the human body are evidence that it must have been deliberately sculpted by an intelligent hand, I'd like to introduce you to the epiglottis. It's a small flap of cartilage in the back of your throat, that hangs out just behind your tongue. When you swallow, it lays down to block off the opening to your larynx, directing food and liquids into your esophagus, and away from the "gas only" zone that is your lungs.

  If something did deliberately design human anatomy, it made the choice to channel all the normal states of matter through a single space, with only a small flap of mucous-covered cartilage to play traffic cop between the lungs and the stomach. It's both needlessly complex and downright dangerous. Building separate, dedicated pathways for breathing and swallowing would have been simpler, and far less prone to catastrophic failure.

  If the human body were intelligently designed, Dr. Heimlich would have died in obscurity.

Seven Year Bitch

  Despite millennia of being consistently mistaken, charlatans and true believers alike continue to predict that the end of the world is just around the corner. The latest entry in the Book Of Inevitable Failure comes from pastor Mark Biltz, of El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Wash. Pastor Biltz has determined that a series of lunar eclipses that will appear in 2015 are a likely herald of the long awaited second coming. Why? Because they happen to fall on the same days as his religious festivals.(video)

  This prediction has all the classic elements. Regular, predictable astronomical phenomena, reference to vague bible verses, coincidental timing with arbitrarily dated church holidays, current political unrest and enough wishful thinking to kill a yak at 20 paces.

  My favorite part of this whole scenario is that Hal Lindsey, crackpot and lifetime member of the failed prophets club, dismisses Biltz's theory as "pure speculation." Talk about the 100% non-reflective surface calling the kettle black.

  Someone remind me to send Mr. Biltz a postcard in 2016. I'm sure I'll be way too busy not burning in hell to remember by myself.

Question #126: National Day Of Wasted Breath

Dear Little Bald Bastard,
  How are you going to celebrate the national day of Prayer?
- Belief/relief

Dear Belief/relief,
  In the classic Christian tradition of co-opting other people's holidays (and crotch-punching the First Amendment's Establishment Clause), U.S. evangelicals have managed to shove poor, neglected May Day 2008 aside in favor of a federally sponsored day for people of faith to beseech their favorite deity. This putatively ecumenical event has been entirely hijacked by evangelical Christians, led by Focus on The Family's Shirley Dobson. Dobson heads the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and requires all of her coordinators to sign a statement explicitly stating belief that Jesus was both a ghost AND a zombie.

  I'm going to spend my day like I spend any other. I'll be angry that the rights of those who opt out of the supernatural aren't as important as those of believers. I'll be appalled at how tolerance of diverse faiths doesn't apply to people who place their faith in the natural rather than the fantastic. I'll be aghast at this country's sad, greasy slide toward outright theocracy. Most of all, I'll wish I was surprised by any of it.

I Was Not Aware Of That

  Three things I did not know:

1.  Dr. Henry Heimlich, purported inventor of the famed and (I shit you not) registered trademark "maneuver" for rescuing choking victims is still alive.

  I don't know why, but I always assumed that such a simple procedure must have been invented in the 19th century. Based on the last name, I pictured a humble Bavarian physician, decked out in lederhosen and suspenders. While knocking back a pint at a rural ale house, he rushed to the aid of one of the town volk who was choking on a bit of bratwurst. Thanks to his quick thinking, his technique became the namesake maneuver, and his improvised flailings (and maybe the bit of horked-up sausage) were preserved for posterity.

  As it turns out, the maneuver was first described in the mid-70s. Although it is still taught as a remedy for choking, it isn't the recommended first treatment. Dr. Heimlich was born in Delaware in 1920, and doesn't seem to be particularly humble. Or Bavarian.

2.  Dr. Heimlich has been dogged by allegations of fraud.

  One of Dr. Heimlich's most persistent critics is his son, Peter Heimlich. Among the allegations he levels against his father is the charge that the famous technique was appropriated from Dr. Heimlich's long time colleague, Dr. Edward Patrick.

3.  Dr. Heimlich may be completely, dangerously, batshit insane.

  Dr. Heimlich advocates the use of his system of abdominal thrusts to treat drowning victims, despite much evidence that such use is dangerous and potentially fatal. Most obviously crazy, though, is his insistence that he can cure HIV/AIDS with an injection. Of malaria.

  Dr. Heimlich, who has no training as an immunologist, seriously believes that he can cure AIDS, as well as cancer and Lyme disease, by injecting patients with malaria. In support of this hypothesis, he's conducted ethically suspect trials with HIV patients in China and Africa. One of the conditions of those trials was that participants couldn't receive any other treatment, either for their HIV or the symptoms of their malaria infections.

  This is what I get for relying on Eddie Izzard for information about a public figure.



I'm not about to say that my hour of casual reading amounts to a definitive case, but there is a good bit of evidence of a disconnect between Dr. Heimlich's self-promoted legacy and the details of his actual career in public health. If you think I'm wrong, feel free to argue.

The Sleazy Side of The E-niverse

  Interviews and artwork in the new book Colorful Illustrations 93°C were ripped off wholesale from Darren Di Lieto's Little Chimp Society. Dozens of original illustrations and interviews with the artists who created them have been copied and repackaged as a $100 book.

  It's the modern nightmare of electronic distribution. On the one hand, it's an inexpensive way to get your work in front of a worldwide audience. On the other hand, a fake publisher in Hong Kong can copy it all and publish it under a fake ISBN with very little fear of legal retribution.

  If you or someone you know/love/share fluids with is a big fan of overpriced art books, please make sure they know that purchasing this particular tome is a kick to the soft bits of all hard working artists who share their work online.

Question #125: Bad Breathiquette

Dear Little Bald Bastard,
  Have you ever given somebody a piece of gum because they had nasty breath? What do you do if they say no?
- Mjr. Halitosis

Dear Mjr. Halitosis,
  Wow, awkward city. I've only ever been in that situation once. The unfortunate stank dragon didn't take the hint, but he wasn't in my space for very long, so my discomfort was short lived. If you're stuck in close proximity to the freshness-challenged individual, you could be in for a long, gross day/evening/sexual encounter.

  If the breath offender is someone you're close to, breath shallowly and tell the truth. If you say it nicely, you'll likely get a better smelling environment without suffering through too much indignation.

  If you're not comfortable saying it straight, it's time for some passive-aggressive escalation. Repeat the offer of gum, then offer mints, mouthwash and (for good measure) gum again.

  If all of these hints fail to bring the message home, just announce loudly that you're going to brush your teeth. You'll either get your point across, or create an opportunity to wriggle out the bathroom window. Either way, your poor, offended nose will thank you.

Alt Text Tackles Logical Fallacies

EDIT: Welcome Skepchicks and readers! If you feel like looking around, you might want to start here. Or here. Thanks for stopping by.

GO PHILLY GO!

  Look at my city, doing something awesome.

With the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, originator of the modern theory of evolution, just months away, the University of Pennsylvania, in conjunction with Penn Museum and joined by major Philadelphia cultural organizations, launches an ambitious YEAR OF EVOLUTION of public programs and events.

  I can't get over how great this is, and I'm especially pleased that it kicks off the day after the release of Expelled. There's a huge schedule of events already on the agenda, and it's a WHOLE YEAR, so you can't say you didn't have a chance to attend at least part of it.


via Pharyngula

New Look (Mostly)

  If you're reading Ask LBB in a feed, today is a good day to wander off of your electronic front porch and take a gander at the stuff in another neighborhood. I've made some changes to littlebaldbastard.com, including a new banner and an updated list of links to interesting stuff.

  Because I'm nobody's design professional, I'm just using a slightly tweaked Blogger theme. The banner is all me, though, and I think it turned out pretty well. I hope you'll stop by and check it out.

AmURLsing

Nominee for Best Unintentionally Funny Law Firm URL:

Marks, O’Neill, O’Brien & Courtney, P.C. - mooclaw.com

Expelled Exposed Live and in Color

  For those of you keeping track, the National Center for Science Education's Expelled Exposed up and running. It digs into the lies and misrepresentations of the upcoming creationist propaganda film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

  Expelled Exposed thoroughly explores the film's junk science, and the mendacity (and laughable incompetence) of its producers. It refutes the conflation of Darwin with the Holocaust, and presents the laughable truth about the scientists who claim they've been punished for believing in "Intelligent" Design.

  If you're curious just how hard the believers are willing to lie as they try to prop their fairy tales up against real science, check out Expelled Exposed. Then, keep a close eye on your local school board.


via Pharyngula

Question #124: Is Our Children Learning? Not For Long!

Dear Little Bald Bastard,
  Hey LBB, did you hear that Bush's 2009 budget kills the funding for the RIF [Reading Is Fundamental] program? Doesn't that suck?
- Wonk-a Wonk

Dear Wonk-a Wonk,
  Thank you, President Bush. Every time I think it's impossible to despise you and your disastrous presidency any harder, you find some way to become even more loathsome and horrible. It's as if you sense outrage fatigue setting in, and you make up your mind to prevent us from giving up on hating you.

  The latest salvo in the arms race of unconscionableness that is the Bush executive is an item in the President's 2009 budget. More accurately, it's something that's not included in the $3.1 trillion plan. The Bush Administraitor's proposal eliminates federal funding for the Reading Is Fundamental program, which has been part of every budget since 1975. From their website:

RIF is the oldest and largest children's and family nonprofit literacy organization in the United States. RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. Through community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory, RIF provides 4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books and literacy resources each year.

  I applaud you, sir. It's as if you scoured federal spending for the cutest, cuddliest puppy you could find, and then clubbed it to death on the south lawn as a sacrifice to the Gods of War (Iraq Regional Office).

  Here's an idea, loosely adapted from a lame bumper sticker. RIF is asking for $26 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2009. Each F-22 fighter costs in the neighborhood of $177 million. Maybe the Air Force could get by with one less this year, so some poor kids could get some free books? If you want, you can even use the leftover $151 million to fund some ridiculous and ineffective social program, like abstinence-only sex education.

  Fortunately, the curtain hasn't quite closed on this farce. There's still time to contact your legislators and urge them to restore RIF's funding. President Bush has been at the helm for the ruin of our economy, the trashing of our civil liberties, and the deaths of thousands of American soldiers. Don't let him threaten millions of American children with illiteracy.

I Draw Pictures

  I recently had to do an in-class presentation on a federal public service tuition forgiveness program. In order to spice up a Sahara-dry topic, I tossed some illustrations in to break up the monotony of my Powerpoint slides. I'm gonna toot my own horn a bit, and say they turned out pretty well.

  The set of 10 is available as a slideshow on Flickr. If you want to humor me, take a look and let me know what you think.

I Have Seen The Future

It isn't pretty.