It's (Probably Not) the End of the World as we Know it (and I Feel Fine)

According to this article, "This is not the end of the world, according to Christians who study the end of the world". What a relief!

(Tip of the cap to the Improbable Research blog.)

Civ VI: Conducting Holy Wars for Fun and Profit

In Civ VI, if certain apostles die in holy battle, a relic is created.

But how can there not be an Achievement Unlocked for the way I did it? I took over a different Civ's apostle, following a different religion from mine, and then I got it killed by attacking a third Civ's apostle (from yet another religion).

Well, at least I get to keep the relic and earn some tourism points.

Headline: "God Banned By Facebook For Wanting Healthcare and Education"

I am highly amused by this article, and especially by this online conversation. That is hilarious!

(Tip of the cap to George Takei.)

Do Yoga Pants Lead to Eternal Damnation?

All you people who wear yoga pants are fucked.

RT if you see yourself on the sign pic.twitter.com/gD7i6L5EsW

— mohamad ali (@moesdeph) November 5, 2016

(And I'm an atheist, so I'll see you at the party!)

Religion and Backwards Compatibility

Yup, backwards compatibility is definitely an issue. (Make sure to read the scroll-over text as well.)

A New Low for PLOS ONE

Well, this paper in PLOS ONE demonstrates in epic fashion that this journal is a predatory journal.

Quoting the paper's abstract: The explicit functional link indicates that the biomechanical characteristic of tendinous connective architecture between muscles and articulations is the proper design by the Creator to perform a multitude of daily tasks in a comfortable way.

This kind of statement should not be allowed in a scientific paper.

(Tip of the cap to Sang Hoon Lee.)

Update: This paper has also been discussed in Easter Eggs in Scientific Papers.

Update (3/05/16): Oh look, PLOS ONE continues to be careful about how they go about doing things.

Update (3/07/16): Here is Aaron Clauset's take on more general situations in publishing, with the recent PLOS ONE debacle as the backdrop for these larger issues. (My view of the journal is considerably less generous than his, perhaps because they have been failing epically with mathematics ever since their inception.)

Cleanliness or Dirtiness?

This post at the Improbable Research blog offers an interesting perspective. Let me quote an author of the studies that the post discusses:

In two studies we investigated the association between physical cleansing and moral and immoral behavior in real- life situations. In Study 1, after a workout at the gym, participants cheated more after taking a shower than before taking one. In the second study participants donated more money to charity before rather than after they bathed for religious purification.

Hmmmm....

Urban Bacon Network: Can I Publish my Study in an OUP Journal?

Really, Oxford University Press? What a horrifying and depressing type of censorship. (Tip of the cap to Katy Remy.) Then again, it seems that pigs are not actually banned from OUP publications, though they might not make the cut in, for example, the choice of what animals to put in a background picture sometimes. (I am bothered by that statement in the explanation in the Guardian article, though I'm glad to hear that the reported censorship was exaggerated rather than factual.)

OK, now my collaborators and I really need to analyze the shopping data set (the "Stanford Basket Data") with the urban bacon network (and also a suburban bacon network) so that we can find something scientifically interesting enough to publish. And clearly we need to submit this paper to an Oxford University Press journal.

Also, you might not want to work on topics like Graham Higman's PORC conjecture. (Thanks to Ursula Martin for passing that link along.)

Meanwhile, for your viewing pleasure, here is a visualization of the "Urban Bacon Network" from the Stanford Basket Data.

Well Done, Onion: Infernal Edition

I somehow missed this article that The Onion published last year as a satire of homosexual people being condemned to eternity in Hell. This has apparently done wonders for the lifestyle down there.

Who Goofed? I've Got to Know!

I love this poster, as ham is being advertised as "delicious for Chanukah". I don't think that this was one of the more successful advertising strategies of recent vintage.

"On the Perception of Religious Group Membership from Faces"

I think that this article stands a good chance to net its authors an Ig Nobel prize.

Title: On the Perception of Religious Group Membership from Faces

Authors: Nicholas O. Rule, James V. Garrett, Nalini Ambady

Abstract:

Background

The study of social categorization has largely been confined to examining groups distinguished by perceptually obvious cues. Yet many ecologically important group distinctions are less clear, permitting insights into the general processes involved in person perception. Although religious group membership is thought to be perceptually ambiguous, folk beliefs suggest that Mormons and non-Mormons can be categorized from their appearance. We tested whether Mormons could be distinguished from non-Mormons and investigated the basis for this effect to gain insight to how subtle perceptual cues can support complex social categorizations.

Methodology

[[Look at the link if you want to see this part of the abstract.]]

Conclusions

Subtle markers of group membership can influence how others are perceived and categorized. Perceptions of health from non-obvious and minimal cues distinguished individuals according to their religious group membership. These data illustrate how the non-conscious detection of very subtle differences in others' appearances supports cognitively complex judgments such as social categorization.



(Tip of the cap to Mariano Beguerisse Díaz.)

"Second Coming Sale"

From the department of things I couldn't possibly make up, here comes the "Second Coming Sale" on jewelry. What a world we live in...

(Tip of the cap to Rob Neyer.)

Does Judaism Get Wile E. Coyote?

Here is the straight line (you provide the joke): The Vatican has apparently declared that Homer Simpson is Catholic.

Meanwhile, back on Earth...

But can they cast entangle?

Britain has, for the first time, recognized Druidry as an official religion, giving it various tax benefits and other benefits.

For more information, dial 1-800-DRUIDIA.

Why can't I own a Canadian?

Greg Fricke passed along this beauty that somebody recently posted on Facebook.

In fact, it's rather old.

A Holy War is Brewing

Apparently, another holy war is brewing.

(Tip of the cap to Zifnab.)

Quote of the Day

I found a fabulous quote in an article on cnn.com about attempts to defy Ireland's new blasphemy law:

The 25 "blasphemous" quotations include the words of Jesus, Mohammed, Mark Twain, Salman Rushdie and Bjork.

I simply love the fact that Bjork is being included in this company.

Update: Tom Lehrer is on the list, too! Hell yes!

LOLCat Bible

There is something seriously wrong with this.

It's not as wrong as The Brick Testament, but the LOLCat bible to which I link above is wrong nonetheless.

Hug a Jew Day

Apparently, today is Hug a Jew Day.

I think that I count even though that is my background without being my belief. :) [This is like the whole superfrosh thing. It's just a matter of when it's convenient and when it isn't.]

I'll let you know how many hugs I get today.

The Force is apparently strong in Scotland

According to BBC News, The Force is apparently strong among police officers in Strathclyde, Scotland.

As reported in the article's tagline, Eight police officers serving with Scotland's largest force listed their official religion as Jedi in voluntary diversity forms, it has emerged. (Apparently, Jedi are officially classified as atheists, but I hope I see the day when Jedi is officially considered to be its own religious designation. I also hope to see pastafarianism given such official standing.)

My favorite line in the article comes from Jane's Police Review editor Chris Herbert, who said: "The Force appears to be strong in Strathclyde Police with their Jedi police officers and staff.

I approve!

(Tip of the cap to Jaideep Singh.)