Cretin of the moment

Tennessee state Senator Bo Watson, for joining House member Bill Dunn in sponsoring another attempt to reproduce Scopes in the 21st century. And lo and behold, look at the similarities - no, exactly identical wording at times - in language between this bill and another one from Oklahoma (emphasis mine):

Tennessee Senate Bill 893:

The bill would, if enacted, would require state and local educational authorities to "assist teachers to find effective ways to present the science curriculum as it addresses scientific controversies" and permit teachers to "help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught." The only examples provided of "controversial" theories are "biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning."

Oklahoma Senate Bill 320 (similar to House Bill 1554):

SB 320 would, if enacted, require state and local educational authorities to "assist teachers to find more effective ways to present the science curriculum where it addresses scientific controversies" and permit teachers to "help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories pertinent to the course being taught." The only topics specifically mentioned as controversial are "biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning."

They're not even bothering to rewrite the script to this tiresome movie, for crying out loud.

Where woo and military "intelligence" intersect

James Randi details how an Iraqi general managed to both duck the JREF Challenge and land on the "Go to Jail" square in his own personal game of Monopoly. Tres amusing.

Stark's Darwin Day idea

Granted, this has next to no chance passing in a House dominated by soi-disant "Christians" like Bachmann or Shimkus, but it's a nice way of tweaking anti-science zealots in Congress and recognizing the importance of a central figure in the history of biology at the same time:

 Stark told the San Jose Mercury (February 11, 2011) that he was "just trying to get people to understand that we're trying to get our kids to be scientists, were pushing for green jobs and green development, and you can't stick your head in the sand and not recognize that we're in a modern age. To get there, it seems to me, we have to understand that science is all part of what we're doing."

Cretin of the moment

Tennessee state representative Bill Dunn (R-16th), who seems to be under the impression that it's still 1925 down there. Given that this is the sixth anti-evolution bill introduced in state legislatures since the beginning of the year, there are a lot of people who are just as confused about the date as he is.