tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85680342011-09-11T16:33:08.360-04:00This is where I share my thoughts and insights about ex-christian life and atheism. This is my outlet for ideas that are, well, controversial around most of the people I know. I also throw in discussion of whatever else is going on in my life, if I feel like writing about it.Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.comBlogger2951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-55960537829369639002009-01-17T12:27:00.003-05:002009-01-17T12:30:35.193-05:00

I now have a new blog!Come check it out if you are interested.The Atheist Yogi

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-17416263628330033892008-12-19T21:19:00.008-05:002008-12-19T22:03:33.451-05:00

Here is an interview with Edwin Kagin of American Atheists on a show called "The American View." To give you a foretaste of the tone of this program, here is a snippet from their mission statement (the whole thing can be found on their website, linked at the bottom of the post):To those who will accuse of us of desiring and trying to bring about “a Christian America,” we unashamedly plead guilty

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-40143015109828045322008-12-18T08:35:00.003-05:002008-12-18T08:39:29.136-05:00

I wish I'd put these ideas together in my head. I've been a long time fan of both Christmas and Narnia--and both are strange conglomerates of Christian and pagan mythology. In fact, I learned a whole lot of pagan mythology from reading the Chronicals of Narnia. And from learning the origins of Christmas traditions as well. I think this author has a very good point to make.Op-Ed ContributorIt’s a

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-35415291376892074262008-12-16T12:16:00.004-05:002008-12-16T12:34:45.484-05:00

This is a list I copied from The Friendly Atheist (at his invitation) to see if I really qualify as a hard-core atheist. According to him, if I highlight at least 35 of these, then PZ Myers will soon be taking lessons from me. LOL Whatever :)Anyway, here goes:Participated in the Blasphemy Challenge.Met at least one of the “Four Horsemen” (Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, Sam

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-49159182248736160362008-12-11T10:57:00.002-05:002008-12-11T11:04:38.883-05:00

After having read the Brief, I was curious as to exactly why AA was asking for damages. This part of the suit has been critisisized by some who otherwise support the suit such as The Friendly Atheist. I have just now found the explaination from AA as to why they are asking for damages, and I think it sounds reasonable enough.Why are we asking for Damages?Frankly, because we have to. The US

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-6395056331568609482008-12-10T12:01:00.001-05:002008-12-10T12:01:52.789-05:00

You know the Bible 98%!  Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic! Ultimate Bible QuizTake More Quizzes

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-44862695028314678132008-12-10T08:57:00.002-05:002008-12-10T09:01:41.345-05:00

As we are approching the Winter Solstice and Christmas, I think the words of Robert G. Ingersoll are most appropriate. I pulled this text from an agnostic christmas. If you appreciate the sentiments of Robert Ingersoll, I encourage you to check out more at An Ingersoll Christmas.The Agnostic Christmas by Robert G. Ingersoll The Journal, New York, December 25, 1892 AGAIN we celebrate the victory

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-59117392915652922522008-12-01T19:23:00.005-05:002008-12-01T19:40:32.225-05:00

American Atheists and a group of 10 plaintiffs from Kentucky (including a couple people I know) are suing to get this silly law repealed:39G.010 Kentucky Office of Homeland Security executive director -- Duties -- Delegation of duties -- Notification of disaster or emergency. (1) The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security shall be attached to the Office of the Governor and shall be headed by an

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-75693145073496258872008-12-01T14:09:00.008-05:002008-12-01T14:31:41.772-05:00

I just found this on Pharyngula: Langford's Praying Even Harder Now. Maybe his repentance last April wasn't all that sincere? Right--somehow I overlooked this story earlier in the year. It's just wierd . . .Forget improving the police force to help a city's crime problem: Try sackcloth and ashes and prayer!Birmingham Weekly reported two weeks ago that the mayor purchased 2,000 burlap sacks for

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-67379965311910234912008-12-01T13:55:00.003-05:002008-12-01T14:00:18.542-05:00

Note: This article is not my original work, but I think it is useful. And the site gives permissions for bloggers to repost the article, so here it is. Enjoy, and let me know what you think. :)Understand the Difference Between Theism and Atheism - wikiHowHow to Understand the Difference Between Theism and Atheismfrom wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can EditThroughout human history, there

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-77032425996426283352008-11-28T19:46:00.003-05:002008-11-28T20:02:30.216-05:00

I worked at a Wal-Mart for about a year while I was in college. I heard enough stories of mad and crazy shoppers to make me sincerely want to NOT be on the job the morning of Black Friday. Fortunately, I never had to.This time a Wal-Mart temp employee was actually trampled to death opening the doors to the store. I wonder at what point should Wal-Mart be held liable for this sort of thing? What

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-50467417568493162732008-11-27T08:06:00.003-05:002008-11-27T08:26:45.317-05:00

This is a particular exciting Thanksgiving for me, as it will be my first "two family" holiday season. First my boyfriend, his kids and I will be going to my parents house to eat (along with my sister who is here all the way from Oregon!) and then we will be going to the kids grandparents. One of the things I absolutely love about my new family is that we are all atheists who share the same

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-73621260219131529182008-11-25T21:09:00.002-05:002008-11-25T21:15:07.204-05:00

Here are more things I am thankful for:I am in good health.I don't have a headache.I was informed today to expect a job offer next week (due the offices being closed over Thanksgiving) for a good direct-hire job for which I have been interviewing. My period of unemployment is coming to an end :)I have had a good education, and all the benefits that brings.I like the city where I live.

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-21362130839493825812008-11-23T20:32:00.002-05:002008-11-23T20:41:50.517-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, this week I am going to list some of the things for which I am thankful. If I'm diligent, I'll post something every day up until Thanksgiving...but no guarantees. :pThese are in no order except that in which they occur to me.I am thankful for:my family, and the fact that we can all get together and have a good timemy good friends at the Louisville Atheists and

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-61291498620112690372008-11-23T08:20:00.001-05:002008-11-23T08:20:12.517-05:00

I found this fascinating quote today:Note to Pastor Willard: when you denounce atheists speaking their minds and reaching out to others like them, don't say you do it with love. It has been the slander of the church that has isolated atheists, that has made it nearly impossible for us to be represented by one of our own in public office, that has forced many of us to hide our true thoughts from

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-10038154655245870222008-11-21T13:54:00.003-05:002008-11-21T14:02:18.236-05:00

The Wall Street Journal has gone mad. Via Pharyngula, I found this article:Mad Max and the Meltdown: How we went from Christmas to crisis.Here is a quote:This year we celebrate the desacralized "holidays" amid what is for many unprecedented economic ruin -- fortunes halved, jobs lost, homes foreclosed. People wonder, What happened? One man's theory: A nation whose people can't say "Merry

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-20820756377496438692008-11-18T10:04:00.009-05:002008-12-12T08:55:29.763-05:00

Religion feeds on a broken spirit, and that is why it tries to break your spirit the moment you come into contact with it. Submit! Obey! Do not question! These words should be chissled above the entrance of every church and every mosque. -Pat CondellYou don't say? I remember the church revivals, youth summer camps, and worship services at Trevecca Nazarene University where everyone gushed over

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-59859741848612647752008-11-15T15:54:00.004-05:002008-11-15T16:00:37.442-05:00

At least, according to what I heard, a large portion of the Catholic laity did vote for Obama. The priests, fortunately, seem to be dwindling in power and influence.Catholic Churches and Barack Obama

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-2931523103440149362008-11-14T18:01:00.002-05:002008-11-14T18:05:06.770-05:00

As if we needed another reason... Priest Calls Vote for Obama a Mortal SinA Catholic priest in South Carolina has decided that the democratic act of casting a vote is, in some cases, a mortal sin. Therefore, he has decided that parishioners who voted for Barack Obama are not entitled to the grace of Jesus Christ through communion until they've done penance."Voting for a pro-abortion politician

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-23727443689895322072008-11-12T08:28:00.003-05:002008-11-12T08:32:29.226-05:00

Still such ignorance in the world. Is this what Palin's paster from Kenya believes in?From The Observer:The rainy season is over and the Niger Delta is lush and humid. This southern edge of West Africa, where Nigeria's wealth pumps out of oil and gas fields to bypass millions of its poorest people, is a restless place. In the small delta state of Akwa Ibom, the tension and the poverty has

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-2784286443689282772008-11-10T11:09:00.002-05:002008-11-10T11:14:08.987-05:00

I just found this on CNN's website. It would not be the first time the religous have lied to push an agenda. Not only about gays--atheists and the Theory of Evolution also immediately come to mind. Church told 'obvious lies,' gay activists allege

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-43070278963439471762008-11-07T12:45:00.001-05:002008-11-07T12:46:25.485-05:00

Wow. This is our newly elected president? This is AWESOME!

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-11111737265893956452008-11-05T08:17:00.006-05:002008-11-05T08:44:31.066-05:00

I'll have to admit it, I've been a bit down on the US for a while. You see, I was raised believing that my country is the beacon of democracy, liberty, and security in the world. The land of the free, and the home of the brave! The last eight years have left me totally disillusioned. The events of 9/11/2001 woke me up to the fact that if our government ever fell, if it was ever taken over (and in

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-21514260814363595322008-11-04T23:51:00.002-05:002008-11-04T23:52:33.765-05:00

It's been a good day. I got contacted about a new potential job prospect. And, of course, Obama won :)

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-63142969154103243692008-11-04T14:51:00.001-05:002008-11-04T14:51:44.592-05:00

I voted. Go Obama!

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-16936215689331722372008-10-31T20:04:00.005-04:002008-10-31T20:42:44.214-04:00

I do mostly Internet based programming for a living. Some Windows console stuff, but mostly web pages and Internet based programming. At least, I was until about a month ago--when I got laid off from my last job. Or had the contract terminated (it was a contractor job). Or however you want to put it. Probably since the economy is a bit slow, new opportunities for employment have been few and far

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-34843280452125682922008-10-19T11:13:00.007-04:002008-10-19T11:52:23.448-04:00

I'm currently reading Robert's Price "The Reason-Driven Life". It is intended as a point by point response to Rick Warren's "The Purpose-Driven Life", which is a huge hit in the evangelical community and a book I have seen on the coffee tables of some of my relatives. If it had been written several years earlier, it would likely have been on my own coffee table. Anyway, I haven't read Warren's

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-82172272801104108762008-10-17T15:03:00.005-04:002008-10-17T15:11:54.104-04:00

Well, that last job didn't work out really well. I was there 2 months then got a call after hours on October 1st and found out they were terminating my contract. Well, that's life as a contractor... These are always emotionally and financially trying times. But at least I do have an interview in the works for early next week. Life goes on.While I have the extra time, I'm working on creating a PHP

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-1090313223784498162008-10-06T14:27:00.002-04:002008-10-06T14:30:38.822-04:00

There was a story in the Louisville Courier-Journal about my atheist group! And I was interviewed for it too :)More atheists are sharing their viewsWhen she first logged onto an atheist Web site five years ago, Mikel Childers' hands were shaking.Since she was a teen, she had harbored growing doubts about the conservative Christian faith, "but I was so programmed against the word atheist," she

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-57488273166768249952008-10-06T14:07:00.004-04:002008-10-06T14:23:53.694-04:00

I went to see Religulous in last night's matinee. I saw it with a group of about 20 other freethinkers in the Louisville Atheists and Freethinkers meetup group.Generally, I loved it. I think Bill Maher did a GREAT job in pointing out all the absurdities in the major western religions. There were Bible-thumping fundamentalists who clearly didn't understand the Bible all that well, nor many of the

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-10307949297598607522008-07-24T08:44:00.002-04:002008-07-24T08:45:01.626-04:00

I have gotten a job offer and I'm starting on Monday. Yay :)

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-33706499910763749682008-07-14T10:26:00.005-04:002008-07-14T10:44:39.926-04:00

I've got a lot going on lately, and have not recently had the time or the motivation to write for my blog at all. I've have bought a house, fallen in love, and I am yet again in search of a new job. Ironically, the reason I'm looking for a new job is because the person I am in love with is working at the same place--when my bosses (or someone up the chain of authority) found out, I was given 1

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-38927314170194269492008-05-21T19:36:00.001-04:002008-05-21T19:36:50.588-04:00

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-30839209370088412302008-05-19T14:17:00.001-04:002008-05-19T14:21:33.001-04:00

New England's darkest day (literally). Feared as a sign of God's wrath in it's day--but now finally explained over 200 years later. This is something to keep in mind whenever the 'unexplainable' happens. May 19, 1780: Darkness at Noon Enshrouds New England

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-12964674046098466982008-05-16T20:51:00.000-04:002008-05-16T20:52:04.240-04:00

*Not my work, btw.

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-65947111626407978272008-05-11T21:12:00.002-04:002008-05-11T21:13:28.696-04:00

Questions for Christians who accept the Theory of EvolutionDo you believe in a literal fall of man? According to the Biblical narrative as a whole, as I was taught, Christ came to reverse the curse that was brought on the world by the sin of Adam. (See Romans 5:12-21) The whole idea that god himself needed to offer himself as a sacrifice for our sins was based on this idea. So, if there was

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-28680546288454865922008-05-11T09:36:00.000-04:002008-05-11T09:37:13.512-04:00

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-62413204762946987172008-05-10T19:10:00.001-04:002008-05-10T19:13:43.162-04:00

I went and saw Expelled today, and I can tell you I am sickened and fired up. I’ve known all along that the Creationists, and that is what they are, are shameless, but they have really undercut my lowest expectations with this one. Well, not really, because my expectations were really that low.The premise of this film is that within the scientific community there has been such a crackdown on

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-44522496973778189482008-05-02T19:36:00.002-04:002008-05-02T19:39:05.887-04:00

I found this vid on YouTube and I want to pass it on. I love Gothic architecture myself. Beautiful testimony to human creativity and engineering. Nothing supernatural though.

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-14107356978072042122008-04-22T20:58:00.001-04:002008-04-22T20:58:40.889-04:00

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-83715247588242864982008-04-21T21:12:00.002-04:002008-04-21T21:19:29.860-04:00

"A lie can travel half-way around the world while the truth is still putting on it's shoes."

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-82468176596945976522008-04-21T06:44:00.001-04:002008-04-21T06:47:09.238-04:00

*Just to give credit where credit is due, I found this image at ExChristian.NET Art Gallery

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-86391980261659296132008-04-18T06:25:00.004-04:002008-04-18T06:28:20.895-04:00

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-46642300379892489072008-04-07T19:42:00.001-04:002008-04-07T19:43:25.786-04:00

Interesting take. Just thought I'd share the link.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6632129

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-60341611721324054752008-03-30T02:00:00.008-04:002008-03-30T02:48:33.701-04:00

I got to go and hear a presentation by Jane Goodall last Thursday evening. Quite an experience :) The opportunity just fell in my lap when a friend of mine got ahold of a couple of tickets and invited me along (tickets were free, but there was a very limited number of seats and it was PACKED.)Dr. Goodall spoke on a variety of topics. She started out with giving up the chimp versing of "hello"

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-13600879491366336782008-03-27T06:49:00.003-04:002008-03-27T06:55:14.369-04:00

If only some religion somewhere out there has shown its god to actually know thousands of years ago what we only have found out very recently. Just something, SOMETHING!, that the human authors could not have known on their own that would have turned out to be amazingly and accurately in line with modern scientific discovery. This video displays the absurdity of all the existing religious

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-34010606355830064042008-03-22T15:30:00.004-04:002008-03-22T15:44:13.934-04:00

This is not a comprehensive list. I just had a bit of time on my hands last night and was thinking about a time when someone, pretty much out of the blue, asked me why I was an atheist. I replied that it was because I didn't believe in God. (How much simpler could it get?) But I was thinking that next time someone asked me that I'd rather be a bit more prepared.Feel free to add more reasons in

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-90913629096264072792008-03-22T14:35:00.001-04:002008-03-22T14:39:12.737-04:00

Good stuff. I found this on Google videos and thought I'd do my part to pass it on.

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-29648187428973024032008-03-21T06:35:00.004-04:002008-03-21T06:55:31.671-04:00

This is too funny. PZ Myers tried to go see the new creationist propoganda film, and they wouldn't let him. Oh, the irony...EXPELLED

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-11758688975554319672008-03-20T21:51:00.006-04:002008-03-20T22:03:58.320-04:00

I have more cute cat video :) She really gets into the acrobatics when going after the door hanger toy, so I had to get some of that on video.Besides attacking her toys, and my washcloth (I'll have to get a vid of that later) her next favorite pastime is fish watching.I could title the pictures below "temptation". :-)

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-47762418949153242322008-03-15T08:31:00.007-04:002008-03-15T09:25:19.932-04:00

Obama denounces pastor's 9/11 commentshttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080315/ap_on_el_pr/obama_pastorApparently, Obama's long time pastor, the one who converted him to Christianity and the one that inspired the title of one of his books, has made a statement that Obama very clearly does not want to be associated with.In a sermon on the Sunday after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Wright

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-58643505525901655772008-03-05T06:25:00.002-05:002008-03-05T06:30:26.413-05:00

These thoughts have been rolling around in my head lately, though I haven't really given voice to them. I found the article below which describes very well how I've been thinking lately. While still being absolutly conviced that practicing Buddhist meditation and mindfulness, etc, is very beneficial in everyday life, I'm not sure if it is really honest for me to call myself a Buddhist. But maybe

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-3648553189049405642008-02-24T14:35:00.002-05:002008-02-24T14:41:15.971-05:00

This is a very interesting article about odd reproductive methods found in nature. I knew that some species could reproduce without the assistance of a male when the males are not accessible. I've even heard of one type of fish (though I don't remember the species right off the bat) where their is no male at all--though the females mimic heterosexual sex in order to conceive. I think what makes

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-73317466459842230092008-02-21T20:02:00.001-05:002008-02-21T20:03:17.163-05:00

In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are consequences. Robert Green Ingersoll

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-71392030143947599232008-02-21T16:55:00.002-05:002008-02-21T16:58:30.176-05:00

I was just browsing the web, and found this link for a quiz to help you determine how the presidential canditates line up with your own political views. You have to skip a bunch of adds right after the quiz before you get to your results, but otherwise it is a pretty good quiz. Here are my results:http://www.selectsmart.com/president/2008.html1.Theoretical Ideal Candidate (100%)2.Barack Obama

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-66888856179854078502008-02-18T19:46:00.001-05:002008-02-18T19:47:35.243-05:00

LOL Some people may see a bit of irony here... But I have read the book before though, and liked it.You're The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!by C.S. LewisYou were just looking for some decent clothes when everything changedquite dramatically. For the better or for the worse, it is still hard to tell. Now itseems like winter will never end and you feel cursed. Soon there will be an

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-61688400978991723462008-02-06T18:17:00.000-05:002008-02-06T18:20:58.754-05:00

Padme is doing much better now, finally. When I took her into the vet Monday, the doc said she was looking much better, and her fever was gone. She is also being a lot more playful and mischevious...I need to keep an eye on her. lolI'm also working as a consultant programmer at UPS now. Started on Monday. So far, so good :)Since I don't really feel like writing now, I'll leave it at that.

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-71413016341008003762008-01-17T14:50:00.000-05:002008-01-17T14:59:11.784-05:00

I have renamed my kitty Padme. It sanskrit for lotus, and she is my little lotus. (It's not a Star Wars reference, at least that's not what I had in mind. Take it however you want though. :-p) This lotus is still a bit in the muck though, as she has been sick for as long as I've had her. Without divulging all the fun details, I can just say I can now better understand the new mother who gets

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-88924337467447316752008-01-14T06:24:00.000-05:002008-01-14T09:47:11.141-05:00

I found Sue at a Feeder's Supply over the weekend, and brought her home yesterday. Been thinking about getting a furry roommate for a couple months now, and now I've gone and done it. Fearlessly exploring every bit of the apartment, Sue leaves no laundry basket unturned.More cutesy video.

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-36948943866324692402008-01-08T18:20:00.000-05:002008-01-08T18:21:40.716-05:00

Yep, just what I thought. What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta.The Midland The South Boston North

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-54333552542890852472008-01-07T14:00:00.000-05:002008-01-07T14:01:38.918-05:00

I'm a Balanced Yogi! A Balanced YogiYou love your friends unconditionally and accept them for who they are nomatter what their yoga style preference, religious beliefs, or spending habits.You focus on the good in people and would never try to change them. Almosteveryone feels comfortable in your presence. You live your yoga. You are aninspiration to yoga students everywhere! Take the Yoga

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-32771346089778705932008-01-01T19:12:00.000-05:002008-01-01T19:35:49.917-05:00

A thought arisesJust a ripple in my mind.Who dropped the pebble?-A haiku that came to me during a sitting meditation at the retreat.About a month ago, a regular member of my Sangha that meets on Sunday mornings announced that there was going to be a Vipassana retreat over New Year's weekend. It sounded interesting to me, so I took one of the registration forms he had, and looked up the website

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-86620590438321364662007-12-26T09:12:00.000-05:002007-12-26T09:13:55.794-05:00

Can a person not make a nuanced statement about the complexity of human behavior and motivation without having their words twisted by someone? Funny how even the mention of Hitler still causes people to lose all sense of reason.In a story published Saturday in the Daily Record, Smith was quoted saying: "Even Hitler didn't wake up going, 'let me do the most evil thing I can do today.' I think he

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-80620551130547663712007-12-24T09:16:00.000-05:002007-12-24T09:47:53.071-05:00

I think this is an interesting thing to make note of today, as this is Christmas Eve. Although I am now a practicing Buddhist, I will fully participating in Christmas celebrations with my family this evening and tomorrow morning. What brings this to mind is a bit of conversation about religion I had with a guy I've been seeing and a friend of his over dinner on Saturday evening. Both he and his

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-65617149349077830192007-12-21T10:54:00.000-05:002007-12-21T11:12:27.038-05:00

And best wishes for the new year!

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-75468043833202253092007-12-18T12:47:00.000-05:002007-12-19T09:55:42.171-05:00

I now live close enough to my workplace to drive home for lunch. So I decided to do that today.Anyway, on the way home I saw a car parked in the street. I was sitting at a light so I had time to get a good look. First I noticed the bumper sticker: "Topless mountains are obscene." Very true, I thought. It was only then that I noticed the license plate."AHIMSA"Humm...I knew I knew the word, but

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-80594541178565128312007-12-14T11:23:00.001-05:002007-12-14T11:46:58.708-05:00

PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Council for Secular Humanism Chides Congress for Disrespecting Religions(December 14, 2007) -- Experts from the Council for Secular Humanism noted with alarm the passage of H. Res. 847 in the House of Representatives. This unnecessary, unwarranted, and bigoted law, under the misleading title "Recognizing the Importance of Christmas and the Christian Faith"

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-41898916413907320512007-12-11T07:55:00.000-05:002007-12-11T08:00:50.931-05:00

I just can't help commenting on this...He said Murray was told in December 2002 he would not be allowed to join a mission trip to Bosnia. That was five days after Murray performed a pair of dark rock songs at a concert at the mission that made fellow workers "pretty scared," according to Werner.The performance -- which included a song by rock band Linkin Park and another that had been recorded by

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-31211090812506178722007-12-08T08:48:00.000-05:002007-12-08T08:50:27.454-05:00

Have an enlightened day :)http://www.budtempchi.org/bodhiwriteup.htmlhttp://familydharma.pulelehuadesign.com/bodhi.htm

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-10968113551493316702007-12-07T22:03:00.000-05:002007-12-07T22:47:22.602-05:00

*****Big SPOILER Alert! If you have not either read the book or seen the movie, you may not want to read this just yet!!!****That being said...After months of waiting, I finally got to see The Golden Compass movie today. I'd heard about it a few months ago, and heard that it was written by an atheist and that it had gotten the church, the Catholic Church in particular, all up in arms and warning

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-41517584189096027722007-11-30T23:11:00.000-05:002007-12-01T00:02:57.489-05:00

I've been rethinking the whole idea of faith. A while back I made a YouTube video asking the question 'What is Faith'. I got a couple of decent responses, but it didn't really start up the discussion that I'd hoped. Anyway, I've never stopped thinking about it. And since then I've thought of an idea of faith that I'd not considered before. What about a faith that doesn't require you to believe in

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-65961503903163453812007-11-21T13:09:00.000-05:002007-11-21T13:09:01.517-05:00

Can we really think we are so different from all other species?YouTube - Buddhist Prayer for Those Suffering in Labs

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-40871279653708369862007-11-18T19:43:00.000-05:002007-11-18T19:43:09.162-05:00

Find out how the power company for your area rates in carbon emmisions: CARMA - Carbon Monitoring for Action

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-88597086592206337662007-11-17T11:04:00.000-05:002007-11-17T11:04:03.633-05:00

Never underestimate the power of satire.Religious scholars mull Flying Spaghetti Monster - CNN.com

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-88558593215243261132007-11-14T18:10:00.000-05:002007-11-14T18:12:43.537-05:00

What 'War on Christmas'?As I was considering the so-called 'war on Christmas', I thought I'd do a google search and see what is out there on the internet about it. I found this article from a couple of years ago that really hits the mark for any recent year, including this one. Let's have no war on Christmas, but please, no war on pluralism either.What 'War on Christmas'?By Ruth MarcusSaturday,

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-90809641254162047772007-11-13T12:38:00.000-05:002007-11-13T12:40:43.239-05:00

I think there is no war on Christmas. If there is a war on a winter holiday, it's on Kwanza and Channukah and Human Light and Yule. And it's being waged by these people. Unfortunatly, there is a particular brand of Christian out there that can't stand that their winter traditions are not the only ones. Have a look at this, and let them know what you think of it. YouTube - Christmas With a Capital

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-25385716755854089962007-11-12T14:05:00.000-05:002007-11-12T14:07:00.110-05:00

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-80753342243650143822007-11-01T10:57:00.000-04:002007-11-01T10:57:08.985-04:00

It's about time. I hope Westboro Baptist Church goes as bankrupt financially as they are morally.Anti-gay church to pay $11m for crashing funeral Herald Sun

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-66125194757633304952007-10-24T12:46:00.000-04:002007-10-24T12:58:11.508-04:00

Life has now settled back down to a semi-normal state. At least I am back in the usual routine of getting up and going to work for about eight hours a day. I started at my new job exactly a week ago, and it is going well. It's good to be employed again.I have also signed a lease on a new apartment. Now rather than commuting about 40 minutes on a congested interstate highway, I will have an easy

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-78976784842875824562007-10-11T16:04:00.000-04:002007-10-11T16:26:06.638-04:00

This job search has been crazy. I've interviewed with five different companies--mainly contacts I gained though a couple different consulting companies I'm working with. It is the first time I've every interviewed at several places as once, and then had to juggle multiple offers...it has been quite the experience.I interviewed with one company that I was really excited about since the interview

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-20230212744584294512007-10-02T14:20:00.000-04:002007-10-02T14:57:41.677-04:00

Wow, I've had so much time on my hands and I spent so little on this blog. So, here is an update on what is going on in my life.Picking up from my last post on September 10th, here is the update on the job search. I am still currently unemployed. However, I have a phone interview and two face-to-face interviews scheduled for the next couple of days regarding positions that look very promising.

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-74651471253642762392007-10-01T14:38:00.000-04:002007-10-01T14:38:35.326-04:00

This site is not the Eloquent Atheist for no reason. This poem is just wonderful and I couldn't help but spread it around.Cosmic Connection The Eloquent AtheistFar out on a country hill I place my blanket on the grass and lie flat.Above my head to the north is steady Polaris.Off my left arm the gas giant Jupiter rises silently. Off my right, Mercury Is settling into the deep blue twilight.As

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-83206866553454799392007-09-19T20:31:00.000-04:002007-09-19T20:31:55.981-04:00

More from the Rally for Reason!YouTube - Hemant Mehta Speaks at Creation Museum Protest

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-129522956020167052007-09-10T20:47:00.000-04:002007-09-10T21:15:33.341-04:00

I've liked to reflect on the fact that none of us has even one more breath guaranteed to us. In fact, there is absolutely no way of knowing how your life might change even one one second in the future either for better or worse. And the events of the past couple of weeks have really reminded me of this...For one thing, I found something special with a guy that I've known now for about a year and

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-37491629810088480392007-08-26T20:29:00.000-04:002007-08-26T20:30:13.821-04:00

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-35344911098279083242007-08-20T20:29:00.000-04:002007-08-20T20:33:14.272-04:00

I'm liking Christopher Hitchens more all the time. This article is about his unexpected experiences on his tour of the United States. This account is my favorite.June 5, Los Angeles: A three-hour debate with the Reverend Mark Roberts, senior pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church, in Orange County, on Hugh Hewitt's conservative Christian chat show. Very nice of Mr. Hewitt. The Rev doesn't accuse me

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-69366420993362397282007-08-19T07:54:00.000-04:002007-08-19T08:17:29.313-04:00

Yesterday, I had a very brief exchange about the Pledge of Allegiance in the schools. The person with whom I was speaking still doesn't understand what the fuss is about, and still thinks its just the awful secularists trying to take God out of American life. And it got me thinking again about the pledge--how come so many people can't see how divisive it is to have the school systems not only

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-46921267786774773892007-08-13T20:05:00.000-04:002007-08-13T20:05:06.698-04:00

Just in case you wondered (if anyone has even read it yet) my last questioning bit on faith was inspired by this UU sermon.A devout atheist would say, take your attention out of the unknown, out of the heavens. Turn it instead with full concentration on your own life, your own experience. The faith of an atheist, is the remarkable notion that this is enough. What we see with our eyes, and touch

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-74345178451789082012007-08-12T20:15:00.000-04:002007-08-12T20:45:38.890-04:00

I haven't gotten much response to my video question "What is Faith?". I've been giving it a bit more thought, and have come to what I consider a surprising conclusion. I think this is a Unitarian Universalist side coming out...I've decided to give the word "faith" a bit of reconsideration. Now, don't get me wrong, I still hold the idea of faith as absolute belief regardless of and even in spite

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-72395595780868236412007-08-10T13:40:00.000-04:002007-08-10T13:40:03.755-04:00

I think he's right.

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-30595830694512732732007-08-08T18:46:00.000-04:002007-08-08T18:46:53.068-04:00

Just when I thought I'd already found all the good atheist themed sites on the Internet I stumbled upon this one when actually looking for something else...have a look, it's a good one.Assertive Atheism

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-18727524839783929102007-08-07T07:42:00.000-04:002007-08-07T07:42:50.834-04:00

An interesting article, and a come-back for anyone who has a religious person bandy about the 'god particle' as evidence that science has found god.Particle Physics - Higgs Boson - What’s in a Name? Parsing the ‘God Particle,’ the Ultimate Metaphor - New York TimesWhat’s in a Name? Parsing the ‘God Particle,’ the Ultimate MetaphorByDENNIS OVERBYEPublished: August 7, 2007The biggest name-dropper

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-78882117196072975162007-08-02T20:41:00.000-04:002007-08-02T20:46:58.424-04:00

I just got this newsletter from Edwin Kagin, who is the director of American Atheists in KY. I wanted to post this since I think it's both very interesting and troubling. And because he gave clear permission and encouragement to post in blogs :)KENTUCKY ATHEISTS NEWS & NOTES Date: August 02, 2007 Kentucky Atheists, P.O. Box 48, Union, KY 41091; Email: ekagin@atheists.org Phone: (859) 384-

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-36287512817942754932007-08-02T20:20:00.000-04:002007-08-02T20:25:48.499-04:00

I'm sure there are plenty of good, even saintly selfless people out in the world, but I don't think Mother Theresa should be our example...

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-50734032058038915792007-07-27T16:40:00.000-04:002007-07-27T16:40:00.584-04:00

YouTube - What is faith?

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-25852395061658901532007-07-25T20:55:00.000-04:002007-07-25T20:55:11.587-04:00

I find this amusing. Thanks to the Friendly Atheist for finding this :)YouTube - The Atheist's Nightmare - 6 Proofs God Created Everything!!

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-42795391938647302622007-07-14T19:41:00.000-04:002007-07-14T19:54:22.365-04:00

I went to Bernhiem Forest today to enjoy some of the nice weather and get some ideas for the 'Dragonflies and Damselflies' theme for the exhibit I'm putting together. While I was there I meet up with a couple friends who are also in the Naturalist-In-Training program and we went on an impromptu hike and were going around identifying trees and that sort of thing. When we were done we hung

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-22945590848360842472007-07-11T21:19:00.000-04:002007-07-11T21:45:28.956-04:00

I've had an epiphany about something. I just got my copy of God is not Great in the mail yesterday and started reading it that night. And I've noticed that in all the latest books on atheism (The End of Faith, The God Delusion, Letter to a Christian Nation, Breaking the Spell) the authors come to their topics with their own styles, their own attitudes, and their own vast diversity of knowledge

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-61649225638654228672007-07-04T09:09:00.000-04:002007-07-04T10:00:27.957-04:00

Happy Forth of July! I was inspired this morning to go online and find the Declaration of Independence. I've lived and been educated in this country for a whole 27 years now, and just realized that I don't think I've ever actually read this foundational document. I've just heard the main two quotes from it.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8568034.post-11516702011989742532007-07-01T14:49:00.000-04:002007-07-01T14:50:44.399-04:00

Faith is a word Seldom understood but often heardIs it to hold fantastic beliefs dearIn an attempt to stave off fearOf the dark?Is it the markOf an non-rational mindWith hopes of a supernatural powerIn which to take refuge as in a strong tower?Or is it a compulsionTo bring strong towers to the level of the oceanTo bring judgment on those who show distasteFor the dogmas of your own dictatorial

Mikayla Starstuffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12511426810563234113noreply@blogger.com0