Rationalists of East
Tennessee Newsletter - October, 2009
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Fun at the 2nd Annual
Regional Atheist Picnic last month Donna Maxwell gives this report: It was very
rainy and chilly, yet about 40 people showed up. We had representatives from
RET, Greenville Non-theists, and the West North Carolina Atheists. A couple
people showed who were not part of any group and didn't know anyone which I
thought was neat. There was much lively discussion on timely topics like the
healthcare debate, the consequences of free speech for children, and if and how
our groups should reach out more to minority communities. Lots of amazing food
and adventures on the way back to Knoxville. We picked up an Italian guy whose
BMW ran out of gas.
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In the News:
I was watching the
Chattanooga local news after the EmmyÕs because I saw they were going to run a
story about teen birth rates in religious states. As I already knew (because
IÕve used similar data to teach correlation in my statistics courses), states
with higher conservative religious beliefs have higher rates of teen births.
This study was more comprehensive than a simple correlation. It measured a
couple other factors beyond teen births and religiosity so we can be much more
confident of the robustness of this correlation.
To the very religious folks
I ask (tongue in cheek of course) ÒWhy oh why could this be?Ó They canÕt blame
it on all the sex in the media.
Maxim magazine and Cinamax
are available in the less religious states too! Could it be income? Nope.
Researchers took that into account and the correlation still exists.
The researchers offered up
the possibility that communities with conservative religious beliefs are
somehow Ômore successful at discouraging the use of contraception among their
teenagers than they are in discouraging sexual intercourse itselfÕ. IÕm hoping
that helps put a nail in the coffin of abstinence only sex ed.
What upset me, though, was
the way our local newscaster ended the report. She started out impartial but
then she ended by saying, Òone possible factor is that more religious states
might have lower abortion rates.Ó A quick web search led me to an MSNBC article
on the study, which clearly stated that the correlation existed even when they
accounted for abortion rates. So, with one little quip, the press erased any
need for conservative religious parents to feel the need to change course in
how they educate their kids. Instead, they may now believe they simply need to
beef up their anti-abortion activism and their teen birth problem will be
solved. Responsibility lifted and shifted. Sigh.
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Children's Program
The Children's program
started again- Bring your kids to the roundtable events at Pellissippi. A few
volunteers will tend to them just outside the meeting area in the cafeteria.
They've got stories with various concepts to discuss, plus crafts. See below.
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Newest RET members.
A big welcome to our newest
RET Members as of September: Anne M.
Fontaine and Mary Ann Barnhart.
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RET OCTOBER CALENDAR:
Sunday, October 4th -
Roundtable
Topic: The End of the
Universe
Time/location: 10:30 -
12:30, Pellissippi State, Goins Bldg., Cafeteria Annex
Discussant: Soren P.
Sorensen, Department of Physics at UT
"Today we have a fairly
detailed picture of the childhood of the universe in the form of the Big Bang
theory. But what will happen with the universe once it reaches a more mature
age and what will be the ultimate end of it? In this talk, I will discuss some
of the possible scenarios for the end of the universe based on our current
scientific knowledge.Ó
ChildrenÕs program: Belinda
the Ballerina, by Amy Young (Concept: Resilience) Amazon Reviewer: Belinda has
a gift, and she works hard at it too. But she doesn't fit a few gatekeeping
critics' ideas of what a ballerina should look like. Rejection makes her very
sad...
lie-in-the-bathtub-for-a-long-time
sad. But she picks herself up, and goes to work in a restaurant, where dance
finds her again ~ and she herself is discovered. Belinda of the huge feet
pirouettes, prances, leaps, and soars across the page. Her friends and
supporters are charming and diverse, her judges are appropriately and
entertainingly unpleasant.
Sunday, October 11 - Skeptic
Book Club
Book: ÒThe DrunkardÕs WalkÓ
by Leonard Mlodinow, 2008 Discussion Leader: Joan Omarzo Time and location:
4:00 to 6:00pm, Barnes and Noble Booksellers, 8029 Kingston Pike.
ÒIn The DrunkardÕs Walk
Leonard Mlodinow provides readers with a wonderfully readable guide to how the
mathematical laws of randomness affect our lives. With insight he shows how the
hallmarks of chance are apparent in the course of events all around us. The
understanding of randomness has brought about profound changes in the way we
view our surroundings, and our universe. I am pleased that Leonard has
skillfully explained this important branch of mathematics.Ó --Stephen Hawking
By showing us the true
nature of chance and revealing the psychological illusions that cause us to
misjudge the world around us, Mlodinow gives us the tools we need to make more
informed decisions.
From the classroom to the
courtroom and from financial markets to supermarkets, Mlodinow's intriguing and
illuminating look at how randomness, chance, and probability affect our daily
lives will intrigue, awe, and inspire.
REMEMBER: If youÕre
interested in buying the book, go to rationalists.org and click on the book
link. From there you can order it from Amazon. RET gets part of the profit of
any purchases that are made by going through our site. Consider doing this for
any of your Amazon purchases, even if you donÕt buy the book!
October 18th - Philosophy
Sunday
Topic: Education in the
Obama age: Where do we go from
here?
Time/location: 10:30 -
12:30, Pellissippi State, Goins Bldg., Cafeteria Annex
Discussant: Lorrie Lance
What advice would you give
to the Obama administration regarding education? The No Child Left Behind
Legislation has been widely criticized, but what would be a better alternative?
Lorrie Lance will lead a roundtable discussion about best practices in
education and how they inform the legislative process.
ChildrenÕs program: The
Aminal, by Lorna and Lecia Balian. (Concept:
being an empiricist)
Patrick finds an
"aminal" and decides to take it home. He describes it to Molly, who
tells Calvin, who tells Freddie, and the "aminal"
becomes more frightening
with each new description. Soon, Patrick's friends think they must save him
from the giant green "aminal"
monster!