http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress Question. Think. Decide. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:36:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 2007-2011 john@americanfreethought.com (American Freethought) john@americanfreethought.com (American Freethought) atheism 1440 http://www.americanfreethought.com/images/podcastlogo144x144.jpg http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress 144 144 Question. Think. Decide. An atheist podcast. freethought, atheism, skepticism, religion, secularism, philosophy, atheist, skeptic American Freethought American Freethought john@americanfreethought.com yes no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/12/10/podcast-139-war-on-christmas-continued/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/12/10/podcast-139-war-on-christmas-continued/#comments Sat, 10 Dec 2011 20:18:40 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3129 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/12/10/podcast-139-war-on-christmas-continued/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/11/06/science-and-faith-friends-or-foes-part-3-of-3/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/11/06/science-and-faith-friends-or-foes-part-3-of-3/#comments Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:50:26 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3092 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/11/06/science-and-faith-friends-or-foes-part-3-of-3/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/10/17/podcast-134-alex-rosenberg-the-atheists-guide-to-reality/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/10/17/podcast-134-alex-rosenberg-the-atheists-guide-to-reality/#comments Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:23:01 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3048 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/10/17/podcast-134-alex-rosenberg-the-atheists-guide-to-reality/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/23/podcast-112-bluegrass-edition/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/23/podcast-112-bluegrass-edition/#comments Thu, 23 Dec 2010 21:58:48 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2491 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/23/podcast-112-bluegrass-edition/feed/ 1 1:13:57 The great Commonwealth of Kentucky has gotten itself in the news on several counts–none of them good. 1. It’s bad enough that Answers in Genesis’ Creation “Museum” in northern Kentucky is prospering.  It’s worse t[...] The great Commonwealth of Kentucky has gotten itself in the news on several counts–none of them good. 1. It’s bad enough that Answers in Genesis’ Creation “Museum” in northern Kentucky is prospering.  It’s worse that AIG plans to expand, building an “Ark Encounter” amusement park.  The worst part is the state government is offering millions of dollars of tax incentives to what amounts to a religious indoctrination center that peddles anti-scientific folderol.  But wait–there’s more!  Turns out that state officials never even saw the alleged feasibility study, and AIG isn’t sharing so much as the executive summary with the media.  Science academics in Kentucky are none too happy with the state’s implicit support of bad science for the sake of a few dozen low-paying jobs.  And AIG’s Ken Ham’s none too happy with the intellectual ass-whoopin’ he’s been getting. 2. Astronomer Martin Gaskell has gone to court with the University of Kentucky, claiming he was denied a position at the new observatory because of his religious views.  Given that Dr. Gaskell has been giving public presentations like this, in which he condemns the atheistic worldview as a path to destruction, and given that this new job has a very public face, it’s no wonder UK turned him down. 3. A judge recently ruled unconstitutional a Kentucky statute requiring the state’s Director of Homeland Security to recognize “Almighty God” in the department’s annual report.  The state is appealing, and nearly all the state legislators have signed on to amicus briefs in support of the law! 4. Finally, drivers in the Commonwealth will soon have the option to sport the national motto “In God We Trust” on their license plates.  Joy. Plus:  The Holey Scripture!  We continue our exploration of the psychedelic creepiness that is the Book of Revelation. Announcements: Send us email!  For John Snider use john@americanfreethought.com; for David Driscoll use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded December 21, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, evolution, history, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/31/bad-universe-is-good-tv/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/31/bad-universe-is-good-tv/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:00:06 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2213 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/31/bad-universe-is-good-tv/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/28/podcast-99-mary-roach-packing-for-mars/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/28/podcast-99-mary-roach-packing-for-mars/#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:18:50 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2209 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/28/podcast-99-mary-roach-packing-for-mars/feed/ 2 0:38:23 We interview Mary Roach, author of the bestselling science-humor book Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void.  She’s also the author of Stiff (about human cadavers), Spook (the scientific inquest on life after death), and Bo[...] We interview Mary Roach, author of the bestselling science-humor book Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void.  She’s also the author of Stiff (about human cadavers), Spook (the scientific inquest on life after death), and Bonk (the science of human sexuality).    Packing for Mars is both educational and laugh-out-loud funny.  It’s available in hardcover, audiobook, and for Kindle. If you can’t get enough of Mary Roach (and let’s face it, who can?), John interviewed her back in 2005 at SciFiDimensions.com, and reviewed both Stiff and Spook. Dragon*Con (which includes SkepTrack) is just around the corner, September 3-6, right here in Atlanta.  And if you can join us a day early, the second annual Star Party will be hosted by Emory University’s Science and Math Center. Send us email!  For John Snider use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded August 26, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, humor, interviews, podcast, science American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/03/nasa-flies-religious-artifact-aboard-shuttle-discovery/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/03/nasa-flies-religious-artifact-aboard-shuttle-discovery/#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:13:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1323 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/03/nasa-flies-religious-artifact-aboard-shuttle-discovery/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/04/intelligence-without-design-a-third-way/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/04/intelligence-without-design-a-third-way/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:43:36 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1142 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/04/intelligence-without-design-a-third-way/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/podcast-61-adventures-in-cobb-county/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/podcast-61-adventures-in-cobb-county/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:01:22 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1090 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/podcast-61-adventures-in-cobb-county/feed/ 6 1:08:27 “Ufologist” and Young Earth Creationist Gary Bates of Creation Ministries International presented “Aliens, UFOs and the Bible” on July 18th at the Sewell Mill Baptist Church in Marietta, GA.  We (John and Allison) were there[...] “Ufologist” and Young Earth Creationist Gary Bates of Creation Ministries International presented “Aliens, UFOs and the Bible” on July 18th at the Sewell Mill Baptist Church in Marietta, GA.  We (John and Allison) were there, but the building did not spontaneously burst into flame, nor were there any clear-skies lightning strikes to manifest the ire of YHWH at the presence of infidels.  As for Bates…thanks a LOT, Australia!  For general creationist debunkage visit TalkOrigins.org.  [Late-breaking Bonus:  If you can stomach it, you can listen to Bates's entire baloneython in podcast format at the church's website--including the very session we sat in on!] American Atheists president Ed Buckner delivers the invocation before a meeting of the Cobb County (Georgia) Board of Commissioners in Marietta.  Yes, we know that “atheist invocation” is an oxymoron, but Ed used the opportunity to go meta, delivering a four-minute invocation on the idiocy of invocations.  Go get ‘em, Ed! More Cobb Craziness: Pelphry v Cobb – The ACLU (with Ed Buckner among the plaintiffs) sued the county over sectarian invocations before meetings of the BOC.  The ACLU lost, but the BOC has loosened up on who may deliver the invocation. Evolution Stickers – The county was sued–and lost–over stickers placed in school biology texts that read “Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things.  The material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered.” Olympic Scandal – In the mid-1990s the BOC passed a resolution declaring that homosexuality was “incompatible with the standards to which this community subscribes.”  After gay rights activists threatened to disrupt the Olympic Torch Relay (which was scheduled to go through Cobb on its way to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta), the Olympic organizers rerouted the torch.  Cobb rescinded the anti-gay resolution in 1997. Annette Kesting – Cobb’s first black Commissioner got in hot water for stating, while speaking at a black church, “I love my enemies.  I pray every day with my enemies because I have to go up on the third floor and work with white women,” and “You would be amazed seeing the people I work with at the county.  They are not Christian people.”  Kesting lost the next election to Woody Thompson; to exact revenge, Kesting hired a South Carolina voodoo priestess to put a curse on Thompson that would kill him.  The curse failed; actually, it was never cast, since both of Kesting’s checks bounced.  In July 2009 Kesting and her husband were arrested for allegedly stealing a truck they had borrowed from a friend and failed to return. ANNOUNCEMENTS Dragon*Con is only a month away!  Four day memberships are $90 (plus Ticketmaster charges) through August 15th.  After that, you’ll have to buy tickets at the door ($100 for four days, less for other packages).   American Freethought will record a live podcast at 11:30AM, Saturday, September 5th with the Skeptics Track. We (meaning John and David and respective redheads) will also be attending the Star Party at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA on Thursday, September 3rd.  The Star Party is organized by the Atlanta Skeptics, will feature dinner, drinks, an opportunity to chat with Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy) and Pamela Gay (Astronomy Cast podcast), and stargazing through the Bradley Observatory telescope.  Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society in honor of the late Jeff Medkeff (Blue Collar Scientist). Participation and Feedback: Email contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. American Freethought on Twitter.  We’re new on Twitter!  Get auto-tweets every time we post something to the website, plus the occasional random news item. American Freethought on Atheist Nexus – What’s Atheist Nexus?  Well, [...] atheism, christianity, evolution, history, news, paranormal, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/21/a-total-eclipseof-reason/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/21/a-total-eclipseof-reason/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:01:09 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1061 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/21/a-total-eclipseof-reason/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/podcast-60-40th-anniv-of-apollo-11-with-seth-shostak/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/podcast-60-40th-anniv-of-apollo-11-with-seth-shostak/#comments Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:01:47 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1028 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/podcast-60-40th-anniv-of-apollo-11-with-seth-shostak/feed/ 3 0:56:14 We celebrate the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11!  On July 20, 1969 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to set foot on another world.  Our special guest this time is Seth Shostak, senior astronomer with the SETI Ins[...] We celebrate the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11!  On July 20, 1969 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to set foot on another world.  Our special guest this time is Seth Shostak, senior astronomer with the SETI Institute, co-host of the Are We Alone? radio show, and author of the book Confessions of an Alien Hunter (available at Amazon.com and/or Amazon.co.uk). ANNOUNCEMENTS Participation and Feedback: Email contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. American Freethought on Twitter.  We’re new on Twitter!  Get auto-tweets every time we post something to the website, plus the occasional random news item. American Freethought on Atheist Nexus – What’s Atheist Nexus?  Well, it’s like Facebook for nonbelievers.  Join up! American Freethought on Facebook American Freethought Yahoo Group – Chat with fellow freethinkers. iTunes – If you listen to us via iTunes, take a moment and leave feedback. Shop or Donate: CafePress – Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. Amazon.com – Click-through and buy whatever you want. PayPal – Drop some change in our virtual tip-jar.  You’ll help offset the cost of maintaining the website and producing the podcast. Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.com.  We post new content (nearly) every day! David will podcast new episodes of Secular Nation soon.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded July 16, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. history, interviews, paranormal, podcast, science, skepticism American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/17/lro-images-apollo-sites/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/17/lro-images-apollo-sites/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:56:49 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1045 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/17/lro-images-apollo-sites/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/14/boy-hit-by-meteorite-maybe/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/14/boy-hit-by-meteorite-maybe/#comments Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:01:02 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=869 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/14/boy-hit-by-meteorite-maybe/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/21/hawking-expected-to-recover/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/21/hawking-expected-to-recover/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:26:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=644 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/21/hawking-expected-to-recover/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/24/podcast-44-urotherapy/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/24/podcast-44-urotherapy/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:01:22 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=255 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/24/podcast-44-urotherapy/feed/ 5 1:04:46 It’s our TMI edition!  First, we respond to recent listener feedback, and revisit our analysis of Joshua 10:12-13.  What would really happen if God made the sun “stand still” in the sky for a whole day?  Next, we tell you more than[...] It’s our TMI edition!  First, we respond to recent listener feedback, and revisit our analysis of Joshua 10:12-13.  What would really happen if God made the sun “stand still” in the sky for a whole day?  Next, we tell you more than you ever wanted to know about urotherapy.  What is it?  What benefits do its advocates claim?  And what does medical science have to say about it?  [Caution: While we don't go into graphic detail, some listeners may nonetheless find this discussion distasteful (no pun intended).] ANNOUNCEMENTS Visit our CafePress store!  Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. We also have an Amazon.com store–click through and buy whatever you want.  You get the same great Amazon prices, and we get a small commission.  Everybody wins! …And if you’re so-inclined, you can plop some change into our virtual tip jar via PayPal. A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) virtually every day at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group.  And don’t forget our Facebook page. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 23, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. podcast, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/23/phil-the-pundit-plait-on-bloggingheadstv/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/23/phil-the-pundit-plait-on-bloggingheadstv/#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:01:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=272 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/23/phil-the-pundit-plait-on-bloggingheadstv/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/21/wrap-the-bacon-of-your-mind-around-the-fig/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/21/wrap-the-bacon-of-your-mind-around-the-fig/#comments Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:11:11 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=261 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/21/wrap-the-bacon-of-your-mind-around-the-fig/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/20/237/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/20/237/#comments Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:01:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=237 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/20/237/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/17/podcast-43-phil-plait/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/17/podcast-43-phil-plait/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2009 05:01:57 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=230 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/17/podcast-43-phil-plait/feed/ 3 1:08:55 We interview Phil Plait, Bad Astronomy blogger, new president of the James Randi Educational Foundation, booster for the International Year of Astronomy, and author of the pop-science book Death from the Skies. Yes, he is busy.  [Late-breaking news:[...] We interview Phil Plait, Bad Astronomy blogger, new president of the James Randi Educational Foundation, booster for the International Year of Astronomy, and author of the pop-science book Death from the Skies. Yes, he is busy.  [Late-breaking news: Bad Astronomy was just named as one of the Top 25 blogs in the world by Time magazine!] You can read our review of Death from the Skies here.  You can buy your very own copy at Amazon.com or (if you live in the United Kingdom) at Amazon.co.uk. Also discussed: DARWIN DAY 2009 - Metro Atlanta’s DD celebration at Decatur’s Thinking Man Tavern saw a much larger than expected turn-out, with as many as 60 science buffs turning out to wish Charles Darwin a Happy 200th Birthday. EVOLUTION WEEKEND 2009 – Believe it or not, a number of churches and synagogues nationwide contributed to the discussion of the relationship between science and faith.  It’s an encouraging development, but… good luck on that one. HAPPY (BELATED) VALENTINE’S DAY – Except in India, where Hindu hardliners called the Sri Rama Sena do battle with the Consortium of Pubgoing, Loose and Forward Women.  We kid you not. For astronomy lovers, David recommends the podcast lectures by Ohio State University’s Professor Richard Pogge, as well as George Hrab’s new video for the song “Far,” which is the theme song for the International Year of Astronomy’s 365 Days of Astronomy podcast. ANNOUNCEMENTS Visit our CafePress store!  Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) several times a week at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group.  And don’t forget our Facebook page. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 16, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, interviews, podcast, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/05/righteous-stuff-2-of-2/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/05/righteous-stuff-2-of-2/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:01:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=219 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/05/righteous-stuff-2-of-2/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/04/righteous-stuff-1-of-2/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/04/righteous-stuff-1-of-2/#comments Wed, 04 Feb 2009 05:01:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=218 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/04/righteous-stuff-1-of-2/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/03/podcast-41-neil-degrasse-tyson/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/03/podcast-41-neil-degrasse-tyson/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 05:01:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=214 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/03/podcast-41-neil-degrasse-tyson/feed/ 3 1:05:05 We interview Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, science advocate, and author of The Pluto Files, a look at the cosmic dust-up that resulted from the demotion of the planet Pluto to “dwarf planet” by the International Astronomical U[...] We interview Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, science advocate, and author of The Pluto Files, a look at the cosmic dust-up that resulted from the demotion of the planet Pluto to “dwarf planet” by the International Astronomical Union.  Dr. Tyson occupies the Frederick P. Rose Directorship of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of National History in NYC.  For more on Dr. Tyson visit HaydenPlanetarium.org/Tyson. The Pluto Files is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. If you haven’t already, you can read our review of The Pluto Files here. GET WELL SOON!  Father Reginald Foster, the Discalced Carmelite who is the Vatican’s chief Latinist (best known for his brief appearance in Bill Maher’s documentary Religulous, in which he openly scoffed at concepts like the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, etc. – and this is a guy who resides in the Vatican!) has been having health problems since taking a bad fall last summer.  While Catholics are encouraged to pray for him (preferrably in Latin), freethinkers are encouraged to send their best wishes to Father Foster for a speedy recovery. DARWIN DONATIONS - Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday is coming up.  To celebrate, mark your calendars for February 12th; on that day, contact the charity of your choice and tell them you’re making the donation “in honor of Charles Darwin.” ANNOUNCEMENTS We’re giving away 2 free tix to the upcoming conference “The Religious-Secular Divide,” organized by the New School in NYC.  Just email us by February 7th at contact@americanfreethought.com or post your request on our Facebook Wall and you’ll be eligible to win. Speaking of February 7th, if you’ll be in metro Atlanta, join John and David at the first-ever Atlanta SkeptiCamp!  SkeptiCamp is a special kind of conference in which the content is provided by the attendees.  For fast-changing details visit BarCamp.org/AtlantaSkeptiCampFeb2009. We now have a CafePress store!  Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) several times a week at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group.  And don’t forget our Facebook page. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 2, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, commentary, interviews, news, podcast, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/28/neil-degrasse-tyson-on-the-daily-show/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/28/neil-degrasse-tyson-on-the-daily-show/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:01:09 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=212 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/28/neil-degrasse-tyson-on-the-daily-show/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/27/podcast-40-the-galapagos-mountain-boys/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/27/podcast-40-the-galapagos-mountain-boys/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:01:36 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=209 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/27/podcast-40-the-galapagos-mountain-boys/feed/ 0 1:04:28 We interview Dr. Stephen Baird, frontman for the Galapagos Mountain Boys, a (mostly) bluegrass band based in the San Diego area.  Dr. Baird talks about the term “scientific gospel,” the GMBs’ new album Darwin, Darn It!, and their u[...] We interview Dr. Stephen Baird, frontman for the Galapagos Mountain Boys, a (mostly) bluegrass band based in the San Diego area.  Dr. Baird talks about the term “scientific gospel,” the GMBs’ new album Darwin, Darn It!, and their upcoming gigs celebrating Darwin Day 2009.  For details visit ScientificGospel.com. Plus: The fallout from President Obama’s nod to “non-believers” in his inaugural address, and lots of listener feedback. DARWIN DONATIONS - Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday is coming up.  To celebrate, mark your calendars for February 12th; on that day, contact the charity of your choice and tell them you’re making the donation “in honor of Charles Darwin.” ANNOUNCEMENTS Listen to this episode to find out how you can win a package of cool freethought tchoch including Phil Zuckerman’s book Society without God; Stephen Uhl’s audiobook No Gods, No Guilt; the 2009 Skepchick and Skepdude calendars; and the CD “Darwin, Darn It!” by the Galapagos Mountain Boys.  The deadline for entries is January 31st. We’re also giving away 2 free tix to the upcoming conference “The Religious-Secular Divide,” organized by the New School in NYC.  Just email us by February 7th at contact@americanfreethought.com or post your request on our Facebook Wall and you’ll be eligible to win. We now have a CafePress store!  Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) several times a week at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link].  And don’t forget our Facebook page. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded January 25, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, commentary, evolution, humor, interviews, music, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/20/podcast-39-tellus-museum/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/20/podcast-39-tellus-museum/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:53:06 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=205 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/20/podcast-39-tellus-museum/feed/ 1 1:00:15 We discuss our recent visit to the brand new Tellus Northwest Georgia Science Museum with Tellus marketeer Joe Schulman.  Tellus is just 45 miles north of Atlanta, with an extensive mineral collection, impressive dino-displays, a planetarium, a 20-i[...] We discuss our recent visit to the brand new Tellus Northwest Georgia Science Museum with Tellus marketeer Joe Schulman.  Tellus is just 45 miles north of Atlanta, with an extensive mineral collection, impressive dino-displays, a planetarium, a 20-inch telescope, and more.  For details visit TellusMuseum.org. Plus: How many preachers does it take to inaugurate a president?  US Airways Flight 1549: “Miracle” or Expertise + Good Luck? DARWIN DONATIONS - Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday is coming up.  To celebrate, mark your calendars for February 12th; on that day, contact the charity of your choice and tell them you’re making the donation “in honor of Charles Darwin.” ANNOUNCEMENTS Listen to this episode to find out how you can win a package of cool freethought tchoch including Phil Zuckerman’s book Society without God; Stephen Uhl’s audiobook No Gods, No Guilt; the 2009 Skepchick and Skepdude calendars; and the CD “Darwin, Darn It!” by the Galapagos Mountain Boys.  The deadline for entries is January 31st. We’re also giving away 2 free tix to the upcoming conference “The Religious-Secular Divide,” organized by the New School in NYC.  Just email us by February 7th at contact@americanfreethought.com or post your request on our Facebook Wall and you’ll be eligible to win. We now have a CafePress store!  Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) several times a week at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link].  And don’t forget our Facebook page. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded January 19, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, evolution, interviews, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/19/the-pluto-files/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/19/the-pluto-files/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:01:34 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=183 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/19/the-pluto-files/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/18/photos-from-the-new-tellus-museum/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/18/photos-from-the-new-tellus-museum/#comments Sun, 18 Jan 2009 05:01:16 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=204 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/18/photos-from-the-new-tellus-museum/feed/ 6 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/09/the-death-of-inadequate-myths/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/09/the-death-of-inadequate-myths/#comments Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:01:14 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=194 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/09/the-death-of-inadequate-myths/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/05/365-days-of-astronomy-podcast/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/05/365-days-of-astronomy-podcast/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:01:19 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=189 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/05/365-days-of-astronomy-podcast/feed/ 0