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New Site Layout (Plus Brain-Stealing Radiation)

No doubt you’ve noticed the different appearance here, and on Freethought Blogs generally. The Hidden Masters of FTB are upgrading the design, as well as making changes such as a hypnotic opinion generator that will steal your mind and turn you into a willing minion of the World Atheist Conspiracy.

I’m not totally convinced I like the new typeface. Certain other bloggers are tweaking their CSS to render posts in other fonts, and I might do the same after things shake out. Some bugs are being worked out behind the scenes, and I don’t want to fiddle until that all settles down.

Meanwhile, you are getting very sleepy. After today, you will think and do only what I tell you. Continue reading “New Site Layout (Plus Brain-Stealing Radiation)”

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Offensive on Soooo Many Levels

Read this representative paragraph from an Elevate GF ad:

SPECIAL REPORT: How To Grow 3+ Inches Taller in Just a Matter of Weeks Using This 1 Simple Trick That Celebrities Use.

You may have heard of the enormously popular Elevate GF in the news. It’s a completely organic supplement that celebrities & body builders use around the world that they don’t want you knowing about. But today we are leaking the secret. Elevate GF offers many benefits primarily due to its high anti-oxidant content. It’a all natural HGH hormones make is a “Stud “Building” machine. If you’re skeptical, you’re not alone. When we first learned about this ‘grow taller’ miracle, our fad radar went off right away.

My Inner Editor is disturbed. All the typos — for instance “It’a” and “make is” and the extra quotes in “Stud Building” — are original. This guy is in such a hurry to screw money out of his victims he can’t be bothered to get somebody to proofread his ad copy. Continue reading “Offensive on Soooo Many Levels”

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Pics from Eschaton 2012

I had my big mongo camera with me at Eschaton 2012, but I kept reminding myself I was there to learn, to speak, to mingle and meet. Which means there were plenty of people I didn’t get pictures of.

To my immense embarrassment, that means I have pics of almost none of the volunteers. Such as Seanna and Evan, who were the public face of the event for me. Seanna extended the invitation, Evan did the travel arrangements. Throughout the event, every time Seanna mentioned Evan and Far Horizons Travel, she repeatedly, comically, reminded us it was “the only atheist-run travel agency in Ottawa.”

But here are a FEW of the speakers and attendees: Continue reading “Pics from Eschaton 2012”

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Eschaton 2012 Open Thread and Beta Culture Post List

First: Wow. I had a fantastic time at Eschaton 2012 in Ottawa. Gushy thank-yous to the organizers and volunteers, especially Seanna, Evan and Ania. Kevin Smith, President and Chair of Center For Inquiry Canada, you and your entire organization totally rock. All of you give me hope. (Give me a shout for your next event, and I’ll be there before the echoes die away.)

Also, to my FTB co-bloggers PZ, Crommunist, Natalie and Ophelia, it was especially nice to meet you or see you again. Ian, you are absolutely outrageous in all the best ways and it was very cool to spend time with you. PZ, thank you for existing; everything else is gravy. Eugenie Scott, I know I made no impression at all on you in the minute or so we had together, but I was awed to meet you. Larry Moran, ditto, and thank you for your interesting thoughts. Chris DiCarlo and Mrs. DiCarlo (I’m ashamed to say I didn’t catch your name), I really enjoyed talking to you at the museum, and  wish we’d had more time. Lady DiCarlo, you gave me some things to think about, and those are the best kind of conversations. Continue reading “Eschaton 2012 Open Thread and Beta Culture Post List”