GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
tags: Religion is Bullshit, George Carlin, humor, comedy, streaming video
As usual these days, I was awake until the sun came up. So in the wee hours of the morning, I learned that one of my favorite people, George Carlin, died. I've always loved George Carlin even though I've never had the privilege to see him perform live. I especially enjoyed George's comments about religion, but he is so brilliant that I "especially enjoy" many things that he had to say. I know that he lived a long and wonderful life, with little mental or physical deterioration to rob him of his dignity and integrity, but I still think it is tragic that he is gone -- tragic for America, which is lacking in both dignity and integrity. Here's a wonderful streaming video showing the brilliant George Carlin talking about religion .. "If there is a god, may he strike me dead!" [10:13]
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Comments
They're replaying interviews with him on NPR at the moment. They replayed his his "seven dirty words" sketch, which is hilarious because, being NPR, they have to bleep out the words.
Posted by: Bob O'H | June 23, 2008 12:26 PM
i've been listening to NPR all day (i am an NPR junkie on a bad day) and yes, i thought it was funnier that they had to bleep the words out. especially when Carlin suggests that the words follow a theme, or have some sort of poetry. snert.
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | June 23, 2008 12:31 PM
Thanks for this post. I'm a Christian and a life-long Carlin fan as well, and I did my own little tribute to the man, from a similar-but-different perspective. Thought you might be interested.
Grace and Peace,
Parables of a Prodigal World
Posted by: Raffi Shahinian | June 23, 2008 3:43 PM