Daily Blend: Saturday, May 22, 2010

Last night, I went to see Iron Man 2 (overall a solid film with strong acting, intriguing story elements and brilliant effects, though fell just short of attaining the first’s greatness), and the highlight for me had to be the short but LOL-inducing Bill O’Reilly inclusion where he went after Pepper Potts (who – spoiler! – had just been named CEO of Stark Industries) with his usual anti-lefty schtick. I wonder what pushed Bill-O to accept to do the piece? Or how he takes the fact that his portrayal really isn’t at all out-of-character with the crazy things he routinely says?

• Introducing the League of Extraordinary Atheists. (Hey, my name’s better than the original. And cleverer. Admit it.)

• Feminist activist Julie Bindel at the Guardian argues that, to quote the title of her piece, “Anonymity for rape defendants would be a disgrace”. Right – why bother shielding the identity of possibly innocent people facing horribly damaging accusations? The way accusations of rape (or child molestation, or anything else, really) are flung around like playing cards these days, I think giving the accused the chance to actually be proven guilty before destroying their social standing is pretty damned reasonable.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Constance McMillen has transferred to another high school, leaving her township of abominable bigots behind. About time.
  (via Diaphanitas)

• Comes to show how males lying for more sex isn’t just a human issue: antelopes do it, too.
  (via Blag Hag)

• Why is it that as soon as I heard that “religious hate group plans to picket Dio’s funeral”, the only name that immediately popped up in my mind was “Westboro”? It’s like they’re predictable or something.
  (via @religionnews)

• Two Florida high school teachers are under investigation for reportedly bullying an atheist colleague. By sprinkling Holy Water on her once. … Somehow, my initial interest just fizzled out into wondering, “… really? That’s it? This made the news because two childish teachers sprinkled another with water?” Jeez, just tell the two twits to shove off – or empty the Holy Water receptacle over their heads – and move on. Complete with stupid Christian “she-shouldn’t-talk-about-her-atheism” quotes.
  (via @religionnews)

As always, if you have any story suggestions, feel free to send them in.