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• Evolution Bad: Ben Stein’s Intelligent Design

  We interrupt your regularly scheduled animosity toward Scientology with this Religious News Break. Did you know there is a conspiracy to squelch the teachings of Intelligent Design from our schools? Once again those fat cats at Big Science are choking us with their “truths” when what our children really clamor for is the rebel yell that is Intelligent Design.    At least, that’s what Ben Stein wants you to think. Stein stars in a new documentary called Expelled which asserts that creationism must be taken seriously by scientists. Among Mr. Stein and the filmmakers’ persuasive points: the theory of evolution paved the way for the holocaust…        Woo Boy. Read More... Posted Apr 22 2008, 01:31 PM by Cole Gamble with | with 7 comment(s) Filed under: politics, religion, scientology, bush administration, movie, jimmy kimmel, public schools, intelligent design, controversy, Darwin, evolution, faith, ferris bueller, religious right, religious fanatacism, separation of church and state, expelled, the man show, ben stein

• Your Older Sister Actually Is Smarter Than You

  According to a recent Dutch study—which echoes earlier findings—older children are more likely to have higher IQs than their younger siblings, and those with the fewest siblings are likely to have the highest IQs. Oh, plus first-borns are more likely to do better in school, make more money, win Nobel prizes, and NOT die prematurely. As the baby of my family, I conclude that this study, like, totally, majorly blows. And you know what, smarty-pants Big Sis? I don’t care that majorly is not a word. My life is apparently too short to worry about details like that. It’s believed that these differences in IQ and achievement are at least partly explained by the disproportionate amount of attention older children receive Read More... Posted Apr 12 2008, 03:40 PM by Hannah Tennant-Moore with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: IQ, Darwin, nature versus nurture, first born, intelligence quotient, order of birth, older siblings

• The Country Goes To Hell In a Handbasket: Devil or Darwin?

  Sometimes I read the news and just get, well, depressed. The story about the teacher who was arrested in Sudan for allowing her class to name a teddy bear Mohammed was one of those stories that got me all irate and blue. I mean, what is the world coming to? Why, it's like religious fundamentalism has completely swept away the reason and intelligence of a sizeable group of people. And then I had to see this one. Yeah, a poll found that more Americans believe in literal hell and the devil than "believe" in Darwin's theory of evolution. In fact, while 82 percent believe in God and 62 percent believe in the devil, only 42 percent go along with Darwin's theory. Which kind of makes me think the U.S. has evolved into a nation of idiots. Or failed to evolve out of idiocy. Whatever. Don't think this news matters much? Well, the poll... Read More... Posted Dec 02 2007, 12:31 PM by Kelly Mills with | with 12 comment(s) Filed under: education, school, religion, Darwin, fundamentalism, teddy bear, God, devil

• Women With Curves Have Smarter Kids

  Damn. I've always liked the fact that I'm built pretty much slim all over, except when shopping for jeans. Many don't fit because they're made for women with actual hips, but I've consoled myself with the fact that I can actually fit into a smaller size that way now that jeans don't all come with a 12-inch mom-jean rise. But it looks like there's a whole lot more for women with hips to celebrate than just great-fitting off-the-rack jeans: kids who have curvier moms seem to be smarter. Read More... Posted Nov 11 2007, 10:19 AM by Karen Murphy with | with 12 comment(s) Filed under: kids, mothers, fat, moms, studies, Darwin, waist-hip ratio