RTBS Excerpts, Atheists Talk Links, and Sundry Announcements

My first ever Atheists Talk radio appearance didn’t end in disaster! In fact, it seems to have gone pretty well. Hello and welcome to anyone visiting ETEV for the first time due to hearing my dulcet tones and enjoying my winning radio personality. I’ve got helpful links for ye!

I’ve updated the Really Terrible Bible Stories page. You can find all the excerpts for all three books, and links to where you can purchase, all in one handy location.

For those who didn’t want to get their asses out of bed at the asscrack of dawn on a Sunday morning, I’ve got links to Atheists Talk #365, where you can hear me and Brianne discuss geology, blogging, and one of the worst books in the Bible.

Soundcloud (autoplay at link)

iTunes

Give us a listen!

New to ETEV? Here are some handy links to get you caught up on happenings: Continue reading “RTBS Excerpts, Atheists Talk Links, and Sundry Announcements”

RTBS Excerpts, Atheists Talk Links, and Sundry Announcements
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A (Not Actually Very) Brief Introduction to ETEV, With Icebreakers

I imagine we have a few new folk now that we’re in shiny new digs, so before we get back to our usual routine, let’s have a few introductions. Then I’ll bring you up to speed on what’s ongoing round the cantina. And then you’ll have the floor.

So, a semi-brief history of Dana, then. I grew up in Arizona, which had lots of rocks and not enough plants to cover them up. This probably explains why I’m inordinately fond of rocks of all kinds. I mean, this is aside from the fact that rocks are a lot more fascinating than many people think. You may be dubious right now, but my long-time readers can tell you: geology rocks. Continue reading “A (Not Actually Very) Brief Introduction to ETEV, With Icebreakers”

A (Not Actually Very) Brief Introduction to ETEV, With Icebreakers

Welcome to En Tequila Es Verdad at The Orbit!

¡Bienvenidos a mi cantina!* Let me first extend a hearty hola to my regulars from our old digs, Freethought Blogs. It’s so good to see you here! It’s a bit dusty right now and there’s still lots of construction going on, but I think you’re going to adore the new place. I wouldn’t have uprooted us if I thought otherwise!

Welcome to our new folks! I’m Dana Hunter, currently the sole cantinera of this establishment, although there will guests behind the bar serving up the finest verdad from time to time. I’ve got geology, social justice, atheism, feminism, and plenty of fun on tap, and a wide selection of other topics on the shelves, ready to be served up by the shot. Feel free to rummage round the blog for some free samples, and do avail yourselves of the links to the pages up top, where you’ll find various series collected. I do love writing a good series! (Pardon the issues with images – I tend to write posts with lots and lots of luscious photos, and we’re still getting issues with uploading those ironed out. Other things like making sure the site works take priority over the decor in my cantina, but everything should be wonderful very soon.) You can find plenty more geology at my Scientific American Blog Network home, Rosetta Stones. And if you want to hear some Really Terrible Bible Stories, I’m your woman. Also, it’s always important to note: Continue reading “Welcome to En Tequila Es Verdad at The Orbit!”

Welcome to En Tequila Es Verdad at The Orbit!

The Level of Awesome Just Increased by a Factor of 11

Jamila Bey just joined FtB, people. She’s one of my idols, one of the most talented people in atheism, so I’ve basically been non-stop squeeing since I found out. I already thought this place was one of the best blogging collectives on the entire internet. Now it feels like it was only quasi-awesome before she got here and made it uber-awesome.

Image is Jamila Bey's blog header, which is a black bar with a drawing of Jamila raising a victorious fist on the right and the words "Sex, Politics & Religion" inside a brain on the left.

You can read her first post here, in which she reminds us that Black History Month includes atheists and freethinkers, and was actually started by one. While you do that, I’m gonna go have a lozenge and then go squee some more.

Welcome to FtB, Jamila!

The Level of Awesome Just Increased by a Factor of 11

Bienvenido a FreethoughtBlogs! Say Hello to Our Sniny New Bloggers

You know how we’ve been going on for ages about adding new bloggers? You know how we said we’d do it after the big transition to the new site design was complete? WE DID IT!!!

Image is a lot of pastel-hued fireworks exploding over a bay. Caption says, WE DID IT!
Fireworks photo by Booyah Kasha on Flickr. Werdz by moi.

And the network just got that much cooler. See who we’ve got (in alphabetical order because you can’t rank ’em by coolness):

Between a Veil and a Dark Place

Now I’m a queer, kinky, polyamorous heathen who ‘can’t just leave religion alone’. I’m vocal, feminist, and vocal about being feminist. I’ve had a very difficult life to date, growing up with a lot of violence and control (neither my family nor Hezbollah took kindly to the whole attempting-to-escape-and-have-my-own-life thing) and I think it’s all worth talking about extensively.

Consider the Tea Cozy

I’m Aoife (think Eva with an F, but only if you’re pronouncing Eva to rhyme with TREE-vah). If you’re looking for descriptors, I’m a queer Irish feminist with a social science background and a bucketload of opinions. This year I founded the Bi+ Ireland Network, and I ain’t kidding when I say it’s the thing that I’m proudest of. I’ll write about all of those things, but- being honest, since we’re friends here- I’ll mostly be thinking about roller derby. Sometimes you’ve just gotta strap on a pair of skates and hit some people, y’know?

Heinous Dealings:

After all, when it comes to promoting a community currently as small and as besieged as the ex-Muslim community, or viewpoints as oddly controversial as being in favor of social justice, every little bit of attention counts. I’m proud to join a blog network doing more than most others in ensuring representation.

So you should go read them instantly, and I hope you enjoy them immensely (as I do!), and above all, give them lots of ohais.

Image shows a chick hatching from an egg. Caption reads, Ohai!

Bienvenido a FreethoughtBlogs! Say Hello to Our Sniny New Bloggers

Brand-New Blogger, Y’all

You may have noticed the list of blogs got one longer. We were lucky enough to snag Kaveh Mousavi, and his blog On the Margin of Error is absolutely fascinating. You know an atheist in Iran has got stories to tell. He’s got insights only a person living under a theocracy can have. Head on over, say howdy, and help me encourage him to post lots.

On the Margin of Error blog header.

Brand-New Blogger, Y’all

An Outstanding New Addition to the FtB Family

I love it when we get new people here. I love it even more when they’re as awesome as Yemisi. I’ve only just started reading her and got sucked in the first night, ending up spending far more time with her words than I’d intended. She’s one of those bloggers who grabs my mind with both hands and stretches it out beyond its well-worn little ruts. So having her here on FtB where she’s nice and easy to see every day is awesome, and I hope you’ll all drop by and say hello and welcome and enjoy her as much as I have been.

Her intro post leaves me no doubt we have a superbly strong blogger joining us:

My tagline is Proudly Feminist, Proudly Bisexual and Proudly Atheist. These tags are not things I do part time or caps I take off when things get hot, as they often do, it is simply my life.  I live it every day, every minute, actually every second with no apology.

Hopefully her archives will be live soon, and I look forward to her new material. Welcome to the network, Yemisi!

oh hai kitten

 

An Outstanding New Addition to the FtB Family

No, Patheos, You Can’t Have These New Bloggers Either!

Huzzah, Miriam and Paul are here! And they are awesome. You should go read them if you haven’t already.

Brute Reason
Brute Reason banner, image courtesy Miriam.

Miriam does a lot of social justice, psychology, and other interesting bits. I’ll confess I’ve been spelunking her archives while I should have been doing Very Serious Work. I’m enjoying her a lot, and she’s another reason why I’m proud to be a part of FtB.

Near-Earth Object banner, courtesy Paul
Near-Earth Object banner, courtesy Paul

Paul’s blog is lovely – lots of fascinating tidbits and quotes and science. And his banner has Galileo’s stars in it. I <3 his blog!

Between the main bloggers and the co-bloggers and guest bloggers on this network, we’ve got an incredible lineup. Some days, I have no idea why I’m a part of it. Other days, I know it’s because FtB is smart enough to know it needs a resident geologist. Doesn’t every network?

And every network should have a Miriam and a Paul, but they can’t have them because they joined us. Ha ha ha suck it, Patheos! Hands off our new bloggers.

Everyone else, please give Miriam and Paul a very warm welcome, and enjoy!

No, Patheos, You Can’t Have These New Bloggers Either!

No, Patheos, You Can't Have These New Bloggers Either!

Huzzah, Miriam and Paul are here! And they are awesome. You should go read them if you haven’t already.

Brute Reason
Brute Reason banner, image courtesy Miriam.

Miriam does a lot of social justice, psychology, and other interesting bits. I’ll confess I’ve been spelunking her archives while I should have been doing Very Serious Work. I’m enjoying her a lot, and she’s another reason why I’m proud to be a part of FtB.

Near-Earth Object banner, courtesy Paul
Near-Earth Object banner, courtesy Paul

Paul’s blog is lovely – lots of fascinating tidbits and quotes and science. And his banner has Galileo’s stars in it. I <3 his blog!

Between the main bloggers and the co-bloggers and guest bloggers on this network, we’ve got an incredible lineup. Some days, I have no idea why I’m a part of it. Other days, I know it’s because FtB is smart enough to know it needs a resident geologist. Doesn’t every network?

And every network should have a Miriam and a Paul, but they can’t have them because they joined us. Ha ha ha suck it, Patheos! Hands off our new bloggers.

Everyone else, please give Miriam and Paul a very warm welcome, and enjoy!

No, Patheos, You Can't Have These New Bloggers Either!

To Patheos, Re: Our New Bloggers

Dear Patheos,

After having seen our ranks decimated* by your network, we here at Freethought Blogs have finally recovered enough to add two excellent new bloggers: Avicenna and NonStampCollector. You probably noticed them the instant they appeared, but for the edification of others, I shall proceed to say a bit about them anyway.

Avicenna is a British medical student of Indian descent who is completing his clinical training in India. He’s genius. We folks who live and work in countries dominated by the three “great” monotheistic religions don’t know how good we’ve got it. Yes, these religions can be nasty, brutish and theocratic, but there is at least only one god** to contend with. Avicenna has to deal with a million (numeric 1,000,000 or French “holy fuck that’s a shitload of gods!”). And he does it brilliantly, while also taking on a plethora of other issues. I think he may even have sparked the beginnings of the logical evolution of Rickrolling, which in this case would be Psyrolling, or some clever word I’ve not come up with. Despite that, I’ve been enjoying his work immensely.

NonStampCollector is a superbly talented Australian living in Japan whose YouTube videos helped preserve my sanity during costume-sewing madness. He made me laugh hard enough to stab myself with a needle more than once. I now have an arsenal of videos for lobbing at literalists. Here is one:

His blog often takes ridiculous comments from his YouTube channel and skewers them mercilessly.

These are our new bloggers. They are awesome. We’re excited they’re here. And no, you can’t have them. Don’t even try.

Sincerely,

Dana Hunter

 

*For the pedants: yes, it was a decimation. We have ~30 blogs, and they took 3: Libby Anne, JT, and Dan. That’s a tenth. So shh before you start.

**Or, if you count a certain way, three. Or one god plus thousands of saints. Or 3 gods + 1,000s of saints. Still: not a million.

To Patheos, Re: Our New Bloggers