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If the liberties of the American people are ever destroyed, they will fall by the hands of the clergy.
[General Marquis De Lafayette (1789)]
« Mr B and Miz B savor their success | Main | Another review of Miller's recent talk »
Category: Pointless polls
Posted on: April 14, 2009 1:56 PM, by PZ Myers
Look at this NASA photo of Pulsar B1509. Yes, it looks like a hand.
It's beautiful and fascinating.
Now look at the incredibly stupid poll the NY Daily News attached to it.
What do you think is captured on the recently released NASA photograph?
The hand of God 40%
A natural stellar formation 60%
My respect for humanity can only be restored if that 40% is reduced.
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Comments
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
|
April 14, 2009 2:00 PM
Englebert Humperdink?
Posted by: Deiloh
|
April 14, 2009 2:02 PM
...is god trying to slit his/her wrist?
Posted by: Cotton Nero
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April 14, 2009 2:02 PM
Maradona?
Posted by: JustaTech
|
April 14, 2009 2:02 PM
Ach, it's still 35%, 65%! Must click more! (And why doesn't anyone ask these inane questions about the Horsehead nebula?)
Posted by: nigelTheBold
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April 14, 2009 2:03 PM
God has one serious-assed tumor on his forearm. He'd better have that looked at.
Posted by: Brian
|
April 14, 2009 2:05 PM
Hand of God? Please. The photo is upside-down. Turn it upright, and it's clearly Cthulhu.
Posted by: Ritchie Annand
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April 14, 2009 2:09 PM
Besides, there's already a phenomenon called Fingers of God, so the digits are already spoken for.
Maybe there's just some interstellar mafioso thing going on where all these celestial beings are having bits cut off of them.
I wonder who did what to deserve the severed Horsehead Nebula on their starry bedspread.
Posted by: Prince of Dorkness
|
April 14, 2009 2:09 PM
27%/73% - still a way to go.
Posted by: Jonathan Lubin
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April 14, 2009 2:09 PM
Funny, looks like a squid to me.
Posted by: Lynna
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April 14, 2009 2:10 PM
Oh, for heaven's sake! God lives on Kolob. That can't be his hand. Voted, now at 70% for "natural stellar formation."
Posted by: Victor
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April 14, 2009 2:11 PM
Stupid? It's actually the most intelligent poll ever on religion. See, this object, unlike many other object of religious veneration, actually exists. So, they're stepping up their game. Good show! Plus, it really defines this God character. Apparently he's a hand without a body. Who knew?
Posted by: The Atheist Missionary
|
April 14, 2009 2:11 PM
Currently at 26%!
Posted by: Chuck Lunney
|
April 14, 2009 2:12 PM
Wouldn't that be a case of corporeal tunnel syndrome?
(inflammation, pain and suffering due to extended use of divine powers into the natural world)
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
|
April 14, 2009 2:12 PM
Now up to 80% natural. And we are only just started.
Posted by: zigackly
|
April 14, 2009 2:12 PM
I just voted, and it's now
Getting there...
Posted by: The Atheist Missionary
|
April 14, 2009 2:13 PM
Now at 18%. We'll pound it into the dust.
Posted by: Jonathan Lubin
|
April 14, 2009 2:13 PM
Funny, looks like a squid to me.
Posted by: Didac Lopez-Martinez
|
April 14, 2009 2:13 PM
Some calculation. If the so-called spans 150 ly and is 17,000 ly far away, it is like having a 10 cm-hand at 11.33 m of distance. When I have a hand at such distance, I cannot fear being slapped. Moreover, the hand is only 1,700 years old. Even YECs accept Christ being born 2,000 years ago!
Posted by: Evie
|
April 14, 2009 2:14 PM
ummm...I count 1 "thumb" and 3 "fingers" on that "hand"
so.....if we're supposed to be created "in God's image" he seriously needs to learn how to count....he gave us too many fingers!!!
Posted by: Rodger T NZ
|
April 14, 2009 2:15 PM
Can`t help but think ,photoshop.
But really,wow.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
|
April 14, 2009 2:15 PM
No it means that we have unequivocal proof that Homer Simpson is god.
Posted by: Victor
|
April 14, 2009 2:16 PM
#7 "I wonder who did what to deserve the severed Horsehead Nebula on their starry bedspread."
Horsehead Nebula = God's Polyp
Posted by: cicely
|
April 14, 2009 2:16 PM
The Hand of Snail, possibly. Seriously, when I look at the picture, my first impression is of a snail head, next the glowy red bug, and only then, fingers.
Posted by: Drew
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April 14, 2009 2:17 PM
I prefer http://asymptotia.com/wp-images/2006/11/carina_hst.jpg that hand of god
Posted by: Tark
|
April 14, 2009 2:17 PM
Where did this hand crap come from? It's obviously a leg, and foot with weird, red, misshapen toes. Bunions of the Lord be praised! Quite a nasty bone spur there below the ankle bone too.
Methinks attending to this stupidity at all brings down our collectives IQ anyway ... so lets get back to the bacon and lesbians, shall we?
Tax Religion. Next up, poloroids of Gods spring break in Cancun...
Tark
Posted by: Victor
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April 14, 2009 2:18 PM
OMG, is the hand of God fingering the _ of the Goddess?
I think we caught them in a private moment.
Posted by: smellyoldgit
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April 14, 2009 2:19 PM
Down to 16%
The hand of god has shot it's load.
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
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April 14, 2009 2:20 PM
D'oh! We're all d'oomed!
Posted by: jasper
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April 14, 2009 2:20 PM
Interesting....god appears to have only three fingers? Matt Groening is god?
Posted by: Tyche
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April 14, 2009 2:20 PM
Gosh, you're good. It's 15%/85% now.
Posted by: Dr.Woody
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April 14, 2009 2:21 PM
I hate to help restore any faith you might have had in humanity, but when I voted about a minute ago, it was HOG = 14%; Nat = 86%
By the way, I thought it was an angel, but what do I know...
Posted by: raven
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April 14, 2009 2:22 PM
If that is the hand of god, he is either sleeping or dead.
It's been there for 1700 years, and will be there for thousands or tens of thousands of years more, very slowly...evolving. It is also thousands of light years away from us.
I guess eveyone can sleep in on sundays and enjoy their life now.
Posted by: blf
|
April 14, 2009 2:22 PM
Whilst it's certainly not dog's paw, it also not a natural stellar formation. It's really a new New Galactic Builders housing development for up-and-starfaring families. The "fingers" are various stages of development ranging from the completed Phase I to the not-yet-started Phase VI. The "wrist" is the communal area, with numerous leisure, dining, and shopping facilities, and an underplanet starshippark.
Posted by: Kendo
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April 14, 2009 2:23 PM
It is a hand. The hand has only three fingers. Homer Simpson is God. QED
Posted by: jasper
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April 14, 2009 2:23 PM
Per #19 & #21
DOH! you beat me to it. :)
Posted by: Ray S.
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April 14, 2009 2:24 PM
It just looks like a hand, and a malformed one at that.
How is it that whenever one of these godbots sees an image they think looks like Jesus or Mary or whatever, they know what the original person looked like? I'm not aware of any images of any of the foundational characters of the Christian bible that date from the time of their purported existence.
Posted by: jagannath
|
April 14, 2009 2:25 PM
Cool, space porn.
Posted by: kennedy
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April 14, 2009 2:28 PM
This is not the hand of god, its the hand of a Greek God. It's Apollo, this can be confirmed by viewing the TOS Star Trek doucumentary of the future episode Who Mourns for Adonis. Kirk and crew run in to this hand on Stardate 3468.1
Posted by: skyotter
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April 14, 2009 2:28 PM
i remember that episode of Star Trek. "Who Mourns for Adonis?", i believe. thus, it's obviously Apollo
Posted by: Naked Bunny with a Whip
|
April 14, 2009 2:30 PM
It's God's hand? Why does God have four fingers, and -- more to the point -- who lopped that sucker off? Xians should be worshipping that badass.
Posted by: Inky
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April 14, 2009 2:31 PM
Methinks it looks like a supplicating hand reaching towards a giant cosmic bowl of spaghetti. All hail the FSM.
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
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April 14, 2009 2:31 PM
Wait a second. If Homer is god, would that make Bart our savior? And where does Ned Flanders fit in? And what special powers does Marge possess, being the spouse of a deity?
Do we pray facing in the direction of Springfield?
Posted by: Mike V
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April 14, 2009 2:31 PM
Clearly, that is the hand of the Guardians of the Universe.
(maybe I've been reading too many comic books...)
Posted by: skyotter
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April 14, 2009 2:31 PM
heh, i type too slow =)
Posted by: Gregory Kusnick
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April 14, 2009 2:31 PM
I see two thumbs and three fingers, with the thumb on the left pointing straight out of the frame at us.
Posted by: Indus The Science Kitten
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April 14, 2009 2:31 PM
The hand is in the eye of the beholder.
Posted by: Glen Davidson
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April 14, 2009 2:32 PM
That's stupid, it's the hand of Zeus, not Yahweh.
We know that, because we saw it on Star Trek. OK, the finger count isn't the same, but it's a reduction, not an increase--we know God doesn't cure amputees--so clearly he stuck his finger somewhere he shouldn't. Maybe Zeus is teaching shop, now that he's no longer believed.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/6mb592
Posted by: Epikt
|
April 14, 2009 2:35 PM
It's the downward-looking head of a dingo, wearing a lovely spring flower-bonnet.
Which is on fire.
Posted by: Glen Davidson
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April 14, 2009 2:35 PM
Oops, you beat me (damn Typekey), and yes, I'm sure you're right that it's Apollo. I don't have a great knowledge of Star Trek.
So ok, Apollo lost a finger since Kirk encountered him.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/6mb592
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 2:36 PM
Bart is our Saviour, Ned is the devil and Marge can turn water in to bacon with her hair.
And yes you must pray in the direction of Springfield, if you can figure out what state it is in.
Posted by: Kendo
|
April 14, 2009 2:36 PM
Now you're talking!http://www.narrabri.atnf.csiro.au/public/images/e0102-723/e0102-723.jpg
Posted by: Amesthe149
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April 14, 2009 2:39 PM
This natural stellar formation looks like a female hand slipping into some fiery brass knuckles.
Posted by: Citizen of the Cosmos
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April 14, 2009 2:42 PM
Wow that was fast. I'm always late to these polls, natural stellar phenomenon was at 90% when I voted just now.
Hand of god? Really? I suspect most people who voted like that simply don't think it really is the hand of god, instead they probably mean it shows the beauty of god's creation or something equally silly. But still. We don't know, it's entirely possible that most of them really do think it's the actual hand of an actual god. But that would just be dumb.
Posted by: Clare
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April 14, 2009 2:44 PM
Sez god... "Where's the rest of me??????!!"
Posted by: Holbach
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April 14, 2009 2:45 PM
Good grief, step out for a while, and stellar formations take on all sort of delusions, the biggest being the moron who posed the question just to incite the retards among the afflicted. What responses would emit if that same image had been in a large pizza just fresh from the oven? Or perhaps a large cow turd that has cooled and formed?
Posted by: Watchman
|
April 14, 2009 2:45 PM
Actually, it looks a bit like the hand of Dr. Manhattan.
Posted by: SEF
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April 14, 2009 2:45 PM
That poll should have included the hand of Star Trek (there was actually more than one episode like that!) and the hand of Harry Potter / Voldemort / ??? (for the youngsters).
Posted by: The pelagic argosy sights land
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April 14, 2009 2:46 PM
Yikes, what is that? God's plughole? It even has bits of spinach stuck in it. You'd think he'd have a waste disposal fitted.
Posted by: Richard Harris
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April 14, 2009 2:46 PM
Astronomers believe B1509 is roughly 1,700 years old and is located 17,000 light years from Earth.
So if it's the hand of god, & it's over 18 000 years old by the time the light reaches here, what the heck was this god screwing around at for 12 000 years before creating the Earth? Maybe a Young Earth Creationist could explain?
Posted by: Josh
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April 14, 2009 2:49 PM
When I first look at this, it was before I saw PZ's annotation; it looked like a cephalopod to me. Now I see it as a hand and I can't get the damn cephalopod to come back!
Posted by: TimB
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April 14, 2009 2:49 PM
Sorry, but I have to go with hand of god on this one. That is definitely the hand of Dr. Manhattan. It's big, it's blue, what more proof do you need?
Posted by: speedwell
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April 14, 2009 2:50 PM
Could someone smarter than me please explain how it happens that we can see something 1,700 years old that is more than 1,700 light years away?
Posted by: sublunary
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April 14, 2009 2:51 PM
I saw this the other day on BA. I like his explanation - it's clearly the hand of Dr. Manhattan.
I'm also glad to see the poll's now over 90% for common sense. Seriously, even if "hand of god" were a reasonable alternative, why the hell is it moving so slowly? Is that why he can't heal the amputees? Too busy chasing gas clouds thousands of light years away from Earth?
Posted by: CJO
|
April 14, 2009 2:52 PM
It was 1700 years old 17,000 years ago.
Posted by: Starbix
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April 14, 2009 2:52 PM
It's The Presence!!!
Starbix
"DON'T PANIC." -Douglas Adams
Posted by: bunnycatch3r
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April 14, 2009 2:53 PM
So, what are we really looking at? A nursery of five baby stars?
Posted by: cervantes
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April 14, 2009 2:53 PM
Man, that may just take stupid to a whole new level. Didn't think it was even possible . . .
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
|
April 14, 2009 2:53 PM
The anthropomorphized stupidity, it burns!
Current poll percentages:
gud'z fiddlin' mano 8%
natural nebulosity 92%
Posted by: greg laden
|
April 14, 2009 2:55 PM
They never give you the right choice.
c. The beheading of a rooster. In outer space.
Speedwell: That is easy. With the expansion of the universe, the light had less distance to travel earlier on in its journey. In a sense, the light cheated because as it ran its course, the 'track' got longer. So it starts running a 50 yard dash but at the end it is a 100 yard long track, but it was only that long during the last several yards.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 2:55 PM
At the time the light we are seeing now left the Pulsar, the formation was 1700 years old. But it was 17,000 light years away. SO the light we are seeing was of the 1,700 year old formation but it took 17,000 light years to get to us.
Assuming someone didn't make a mistake in recounting the facts.
Posted by: Varlo
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April 14, 2009 2:55 PM
Sanity is now prevailing at a 92 to 8 clip.
Posted by: bastion of sass
|
April 14, 2009 2:56 PM
God apparently thinks he's going to impress us with his [ahem} awesome plate spinning skills.
But...really...only one plate, and a relatively small one at that?
And he needs to use all three of his fingers for his act...?
Methinks God needs more practice.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 2:57 PM
So by now the formation is 18,700 years old but we won't see what that looks like for 17,000 years.
Posted by: greg laden
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April 14, 2009 2:57 PM
No, wait. My explanation, while correct for certain things, does not apply here. I think the real answer is that the comma moved.
Posted by: blueelm
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April 14, 2009 2:59 PM
Cosmic DJ has awesome scratch skillz.
Posted by: blf
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April 14, 2009 3:01 PM
Is a fecking BIG cephalopod. You don't want it come back!
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 3:03 PM
Or that someone writing that article had no clue about what they were talking about.
Trying to find more reputable sources for those numbers.
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
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April 14, 2009 3:03 PM
O maybe just the hand of kindness.
Posted by: Allytude
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April 14, 2009 3:04 PM
92% on the interstellar choice
Posted by: Andrés Diplotti
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April 14, 2009 3:05 PM
They forgot to say "mere". As in, "is it the Hand of God or a mere natural stellar formation?" Geez, don't they know how to use loaded language?
Posted by: deep
|
April 14, 2009 3:09 PM
Where is this in relation to the giant horse head of god?
Posted by: cthulhu waters
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April 14, 2009 3:09 PM
Now that the pesky hand of god option is down to 8%, but there's 92% of voters failed to have the intelligence and strength of character required to write in and tell them to add a "face of Cthulhu" option.
Posted by: Jason R
|
April 14, 2009 3:10 PM
hmm...
What's he doing with his other hand? He's a shifty little devil isn't he.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
|
April 14, 2009 3:10 PM
Phil confirms the 17,000 light year distance and I'm pretty sure he verifies the 1700ish age. Though I'm not sure if I am interpreting him correctly.
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
|
April 14, 2009 3:12 PM
They all went to heaven in a little row boat.
Clap hands.
Posted by: SASnSA
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April 14, 2009 3:13 PM
I hate to tell them, but their god has a case of crabs
Posted by: FiveAcres
|
April 14, 2009 3:14 PM
93% when I just voted 4/14 13:45 MDT
Posted by: vitamine73
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April 14, 2009 3:17 PM
7% is still too much!!! agh!
Posted by: anthonzi
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April 14, 2009 3:18 PM
The hand of God 7%
A natural stellar formation 93%
Posted by: Qwerty
|
April 14, 2009 3:19 PM
If only one finger was pointing out, would anyone think it was the hand of you-know-who?
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 3:21 PM
Johnny Cash?
Posted by: Jim
|
April 14, 2009 3:22 PM
I want to smack the creator of that poll with my hand of god.
Posted by: Prince of Dorkness
|
April 14, 2009 3:22 PM
#80 - of course, to be more correct it should be something like, "is it an awesome natural phenomenon, or merely the hand of god?"
Posted by: Otto
|
April 14, 2009 3:23 PM
Evie@19: "ummm...I count 1 "thumb" and 3 "fingers" on that "hand" "
Could catch: DOG is Goofy and has been created by Walt Disney!
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
|
April 14, 2009 3:23 PM
I have these evil hand issues.
Posted by: Josh
|
April 14, 2009 3:23 PM
Oh dear, I hadn't thought of that*. That's a good point.
*nod to Douglas Adams.
Posted by: CCW
|
April 14, 2009 3:23 PM
Over at Phill Plait's Bad Astronomy blog, he has a great explanation of how this structure most probably formed. He does also keep the option open that it is Dr Manhattan's hand though.
Posted by: Gregory Kusnick
|
April 14, 2009 3:27 PM
#53:
Yes, it would. But bear in mind that many Christians think of Heaven and Hell as actual physical places at opposite ends of the cosmic elevator shaft, with Outer Space (if they think of it at all) as a sort of junk-filled attic tucked in somewhere between Stratosphere and Purgatory. So an actual god poking his actual hand in there to rummage around (and getting caught in the act by NASA) may not seem all that far-fetched to them.
Posted by: bungoton
|
April 14, 2009 3:27 PM
Anyone notice that the 'hand' has only 3 fingers? I guess it must be the hand of Mickey Mouse or some other cartoon character.
Gotta go, time to pray to Mickey and ask for everlasting life or maybe to win a lottery.
Posted by: Mariana Lynch
|
April 14, 2009 3:27 PM
Sorry to interrupt the flow here, but I found a suitable YouTube video for PZ.
I'm a major otaku (anime nerd) and I'm terribly obsessed with the whole Vocaloid deal. They're speech synthesizers designed for making JPop-- you type in lyrics and melody and they sing. Each voice is given an anime-style mascot.
Anyhow, this is the original vegetable juice dance (Po Pi Po) by Hatsune Miku:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0-2lzA7_Cg
Weird, yeah, I know-- but it's sooooo addictive. Anyway, here is the same song as sung by another Vocaloid, Megurine Luka. Only she's a cephalopod (in the video, not all the time). Yes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Ve-_4Xz5M
And there's my "contribution" for today. Hehehe.
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
|
April 14, 2009 3:35 PM
Who's laughing now!
Posted by: Heaventree
|
April 14, 2009 3:35 PM
I've done my duty. It's obviously the Time Cube getting the shit squeezed out of it by God's three-fingered hand. What could be clearer?
Posted by: Alexis
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April 14, 2009 3:36 PM
Bloody fingers, must wash again, of what foul crime dost this blood bespeak? Out, out damn spot!
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
|
April 14, 2009 3:38 PM
Should Ash have sang this song to the hand? Groovy!
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
|
April 14, 2009 3:38 PM
Humm, could it be?
Posted by: Archaeopteryx
|
April 14, 2009 3:44 PM
Clearly, the Good Lord has fallen off his Cosmic Bicycle and dislocated His mighty Wrist. Ouch!
Posted by: Geral
|
April 14, 2009 3:45 PM
So is this God pissed off?
http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2000-000880.jpg
Posted by: PaulBurnett
|
April 14, 2009 3:47 PM
If that's the hand of God, God is made of 99.999999+% hard vacuum.
Posted by: gwyllion
|
April 14, 2009 3:48 PM
i think it is the hand of that big ol' apollo dude that gabbed the enterprise all those years ago - go look - see for yourself!
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews40/star%2520trek%2520season%2520two%2520shatner/old%2520star%2520trek%25201PDVD_011%2520.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews40/star_trek_season_two.htm&usg=__HPzeVrSpSjB5sakXiokHkVQsgig=&h=540&w=720&sz=55&hl=en&start=16&um=1&tbnid=FLVgEMYSHCyvmM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=140&prev=/images%3Fq%3DStar%2BTrek:%2BWho%2BMourns%2Bfor%2BAdonais%253F%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
|
April 14, 2009 3:49 PM
Chimpy, that is Madness!
Posted by: The pelagic argosy sights land
|
April 14, 2009 3:50 PM
Wait a minute... it just dawned on me it's blue. Surely, it's the Hand of Papa Smurf, trying to catch hold of his red hat before it's sucked into a black hole. Yep, that's what it is, the number of fingers is about right, too.
Posted by: Silver Fox
|
April 14, 2009 3:52 PM
Let's transpose this into a counterfactual and say: If it is the hand of God, then what does that mean? Could we say that it is a mirror representation of Him having the "whole world in his hand? But all of that is speculative philosophy. How do any of us know what went on 10,000 years ago?
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
|
April 14, 2009 3:55 PM
Silver Fox did you finish your homework assignment?
Posted by: drworm01
|
April 14, 2009 3:56 PM
Following #26 and 37, I'm glad I'm not the only one who immediately saw a hand doing a little fingering.
On the point of three fingers though, two possibilities. From my initial thought, all four fingers are there, but look at the spacing. God's giving the shocker.
Alternately, ring finger's missing. It's Jerry Garcia. The situation's worse than we thought--the xtians aren't right, the Deadheads are. We're all facing an eternity in a crappy bar high on low-grade weed sitting next to someone relentlessly repeating, "but have you heard 'New Minglewood Blues?' I mean the lyrics, it's so brilliant. Let me go through them with you again."
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
|
April 14, 2009 3:58 PM
Silver Fox, more inanities from you. PZ has plonked Pete Rooke and Facilis for stupidity, and I see you in his cybergunsights. Do yourself a favor and buzz off for a week or two, or you will likely meet the same fate. Now, it is up to you to show how intelligent you really are.
Posted by: Dr.Woody
|
April 14, 2009 3:59 PM
Posted by: Naked Bunny with a Whip Author Profile Page | April 14, 2009 2:30 PM
It's God's hand? Why does God have four fingers, and -- more to the point -- who lopped that sucker off? Xians should be worshipping that badass.
There's only one possible explanation.
God's a Yakuza...
Posted by: Desert Son
|
April 14, 2009 3:59 PM
I was never able to see "The Man in the Moon." I'm also lousy at those things where you have to squint and "see past" the image surface to figure out the sail boat in the otherwise dot matrix print. I like anthropomorphisation as much as the next person, but to make the leap to hand of god is pretty funny.
1700 light years away at a different angle, and what would this thing look like? Probably not a hand. Probably not a Roman helmet, as I first thought.
"I'm a centurion, toothbrush on the head." -Eddie Izzard
No kings,
Robert
Posted by: Dr.Woody
|
April 14, 2009 4:02 PM
The current count is 19-1 in favor of "natural cosmic thingee"
Posted by: Doo Shabag
|
April 14, 2009 4:07 PM
My first thought was "cool, it looks like a jellyfish!"
A hand that looks like that probably requires some surgery.
Posted by: daveau
|
April 14, 2009 4:07 PM
"It looks like a hand of God reaching out into the cosmos, but scientists say it's something just as incredible: electromagnetic energy pumped out by a neutron star."
I don't think those 2 things are equally (in)credible.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
|
April 14, 2009 4:07 PM
@gwyllion [#109],
tinyurl is your friend. Embrace it!
Posted by: Electric Monk's Horse
|
April 14, 2009 4:07 PM
The poll was incomplete. The correct choice was: Answer 5.
Posted by: Daniel de Rauglaudre
|
April 14, 2009 4:13 PM
The hand of God 5%
A natural stellar formation 95%
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler
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April 14, 2009 4:14 PM
Oh no - He's throwing a grenade at us! RUN!
In the meanwhile, consider the intricate lines within this cosmic Hand. Since it's generally agreed to be poor science to speculate outside of one's specialty, shouldn't NASA (or the Daily News, or Pharyngula) call in a Doctor of Palmistry?
My respect for humanity can only be restored if that 40% is reduced.
I hope never again to see on this blog criticisms of True Believers™ for contriving evidence to support their illusions.
*scurries off to nearest foxhole*
Posted by: Raiko
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April 14, 2009 4:17 PM
Oh no, sinfest.net is real!
Posted by: Menyambal
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April 14, 2009 4:23 PM
It's the hand of a giant four-dimensional being, projecting into our three-dimensional space. It is ripping a hole in the very fabric of our space-time. Run awayyy!
I object to the word "believe" in there. Also, the "17"s get confusing. The distance of 17,000 light years is easy enough to understand. The 1,700 years old bit refers to the fact that anybody looking at it in 300AD would have seen it forming as a dot or spot or something.
We can't add the two, and say that it is "really" 18,700 years old, or anything like that. Albert Einstein could explain it better, but I understood him to say that distance equals time. There is no shortcut, there is no absolute "now". That object is 17,000 light years away, AND it is only 1,700 years old. The "now" of it travels at the speed of light.
Confused? Go ask Phil Plait.
Posted by: jagannath
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April 14, 2009 4:26 PM
Dang, buddhists got it right, that is the sound of one hand clapping.
Posted by: Ahcuah
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April 14, 2009 4:35 PM
I don't like the choices in the poll. That's not the hand of God. That's the hand of my uncle Ernie--I recognized it immediately. Ever since he died he's been pulling all these sorts of tricks, appearing on pieces of toast and turds in toilets.
Posted by: fatherdaddy
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April 14, 2009 4:40 PM
One comment said it looked like god going for a hot dog. I can't get my mind off the porn idea, though. It looks like god is grabbing his divine member to me. Even god has to get in a little release every now and then. Does he even have a girlfriend since Mary?
Posted by: NewEnglandBob
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April 14, 2009 4:40 PM
The NY Daily News is not even good for using as toilet paper.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 4:44 PM
If he did we'd see a New New Testament as the existing new Testament was a direct result of him getting laid.
Posted by: Eileen
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April 14, 2009 4:50 PM
You can always tell when Pharyngualites strike a poll site. People probably create stupid poles just so we can crash them.
Posted by: cogno
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April 14, 2009 4:55 PM
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3421/respectrestored.png
And there we go...
Posted by: ScienceBear
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April 14, 2009 5:01 PM
Successfully reduced brain mush answer = 5%; actual use of neurons = 95%
@ #132
Couldn't agree more :-)
Posted by: Corgihound
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April 14, 2009 5:01 PM
Pulsar B1509??? 1509? 1509, as in the Year of the Great Istanbul EARTHQUAKE, referred to by contemporaries as "The Lesser Judgment Day?" Coincidence? I think NOT!
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 5:06 PM
Just sent phil an email to explain in hhis best astronomer-fu.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
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April 14, 2009 5:09 PM
@SASnSA [#86],
That does look like a god-crab. So, maybe it actually is god's amputated, yet broken, arm reaching to scratch at his fiery loin-lice with his hexadactylous hand.
Posted by: Olorin
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April 14, 2009 5:09 PM
Look, the hand of God has pnly three fingers, juast like Homer Simpson.
Posted by: 'Tis Himself
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April 14, 2009 5:21 PM
Pretty picture.
Posted by: Lofcutus
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April 14, 2009 5:22 PM
Doesn't anyone read intelligent literature? ...that is obviously the hand of Alexander Luthor smashing realities together in order to create a perfect universe...How ever will Superman save us from this?
Posted by: 'Tis Himself
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April 14, 2009 5:24 PM
Looking more carefully, I see that's the hand of god letting go of the burrito that's been microwaved so hot that god can't eat it.
Posted by: Michael Hawkins
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April 14, 2009 5:29 PM
That 40% is now 4%, but I still don't respect humanity.
Posted by: Pascalle
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April 14, 2009 5:29 PM
I always found it interesting how they got such pretty pictures of outer space stuff.
My simple mind thought they were real pictures taken through a telescope.
Last week i saw a documentary about it, and about the Hubble telescope and how it works. That sure was an eye opener :)
Turns out the thing doesn't see color at all. What happends is that it sees different materials it's made off and temperatures.
Than an artist gets a color pallet, and colors all the different stuff like metals, carbon, different gasses.
And _than_ you get those pretty pictures :)
So hand of god.. my ass!
Posted by: Russell
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April 14, 2009 5:30 PM
If this is the Hand Of God, I wouldn't want to run into the guy He was arm wrestling.
Posted by: Jason
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April 14, 2009 5:31 PM
If that is the hand of god creating a new universe does that mean he has given up on this one? END OF DAYS IS COMING! He will send his second son to save that galaxy as this one is swallowed up by evil!
I'm glad I'm an atheist, I can't wait for the rapture and all the loonies to be taken away.
Posted by: JD
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April 14, 2009 5:31 PM
Looks like he's making some cranberry scones.
Posted by: JD
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April 14, 2009 5:35 PM
Oh, wait, it's Tengri! Eternal Blue Heaven. Ghengis Khan was right!
Posted by: fatherdaddy
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April 14, 2009 5:36 PM
Rev. @ 131,
Would that be the Book of Moron, I mean Mormon?
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 5:38 PM
Humm... good point. It could very well be. maybe he did get laid recently.
Posted by: Menyambal
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April 14, 2009 5:43 PM
Thanks, Rev. I have a severe cold right now, and probably shouldn't be posting anything.
Posted by: fatherdaddy
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April 14, 2009 5:44 PM
Of course, that meant he got laid by Joseph Smith. I saw a t-shirt design that says "Every time you see a rainbow, God is having gay sex". Is that why we've been seeing more rainbows around here?
Posted by: ExitB
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April 14, 2009 5:46 PM
I voted per your command, PZ, but I would have been happy to help vote it the other way just for fun.
Posted by: Wallace Turner
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April 14, 2009 5:50 PM
Assuming* it is indeed the hand of God, then God must be left handed because without any shadow of a doubt this is a left hand (try making a claw and getting your fingers coordinated the same way).
Though naturally left handed myself, I am now ambidextrous. More than that, these days, I hold a pen exclusively in my right hand. This is because the nuns at the school I attended as a very young child pretty much brainwashed me into this; in their eyes left-handedness was seen as a sign of the devil. I was forced to write the right way.
I think the nuns were wrong.
It's just a cool picure.
* and also assuming this picture has neither been doctored or rotated 180 degrees.
Posted by: Kitty'sBitch
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April 14, 2009 5:52 PM
The birth of Christianity (God is a bragging frat boy)
GOD: Y'know, what I did last night?
ANGEL: I don't know, created another beetle or something?
GOD: I got laid.
ANGEL: Oh, fuck right off...
GOD: No, I'm serious.
ANGEL: No fooling?
GOD: No fooling. I just strolled down to Earth and picked up this chick.
ANGEL: What was she like?
God: Loud. She kept shouting my name at the top of her lungs. Oh God, yes God,set your feet and put some ass into it God. Smack it, God damn it, I said smack it.
ANGEL: Sounds like she was pretty hot. Are you going to see her again?
GOD: Naw, she's married.
ANGEL: Ah, that sucks... So uh...how...I mean, do you think you did well? I mean, do you feel like you performed well for a first timer?
GOD: Are you kidding? I was so good that I redeemed humanity.
ANGEL: Jesus Christ!
GOD: Exactly.
Posted by: fatherdaddy
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April 14, 2009 5:52 PM
Revelation! It's Satan's unholy member that God is about to stroke.
Posted by: frog
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April 14, 2009 6:01 PM
Which god?
Posted by: Wallace Turner
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April 14, 2009 6:03 PM
Of course, if it is the hand of God, then then it's the definition of handball ...
Posted by: Sauceress
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April 14, 2009 6:11 PM
#112 Silver Fox
Let's transpose THIS... "into a counterfactual and say: If it is the hand of God, then what does that mean?"
Life's Ingredients Detected In Far Off Galaxy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080114110715.htm
Please note the obvious Noodley Appendages/ Meatballs formation and read the accompanying information on ARP 220's prodigious star birth activity, as well as the production of life forming chemicals!
Could we say ARP 220 is evidence that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is responsible for creating Life, The Universe and Everything?
RAmen
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 6:12 PM
Very nice Kitty's bitch, very nice.
Posted by: Tony Sidaway
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April 14, 2009 6:12 PM
Reminds me of the loony who used to show up on Usenet and insist that a certain Hubble photo showed some biblical scene.
I really find it difficult to believe that there are so many very, very stupid people around. Perhaps most people saying "The hand of God" have their tongue in their cheek.
Posted by: Alex
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April 14, 2009 6:17 PM
"Astronomers believe B1509 is roughly 1,700 years old and is located 17,000 light years from Earth."
If it's 17,000 light years away and 1,700 years old, how are we seeing it? Shouldn't it take 17,000 years for the light from B1509 to reach us?
Posted by: Gregory Kusnick
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April 14, 2009 6:17 PM
#153:
Only if you see the hand reaching away from you. If you Necker-cube invert it so it's reaching toward you, then it's a right hand (or as I said earlier, a symmetrical mutant hand with thumbs on both sides).
Posted by: frog
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April 14, 2009 6:19 PM
Does he even have a girlfriend since Mary?
According to Family Guy he hooked up with "Janet" after Jesus was born, and often goes to bars to hook up with chicks. It appears that Janet requires him to use a condom -- even on his birthday.
Posted by: amphiox
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April 14, 2009 6:23 PM
Alex #161:
The structure as we see it is 1,700 years old. Since it is 17,000 light years away, that means were are seeing it as it was 17,000 years ago. Which simply means that the structure as we see it formed 18,700 years ago.
Posted by: Bobwama
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April 14, 2009 6:28 PM
Lookin good- 4% to 96%
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
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April 14, 2009 6:31 PM
@Olorin [#138],
I counted six fingers on it. One of the thumbs could be a broken bone, though. The ring finger (or middle finger, depending on thumbage) is obscure, but a case could be made that it was possibly chopped off Sauron-style.
Posted by: DrClown
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April 14, 2009 6:35 PM
You know, to me... it actually looks like goatse from an odd angle. You can even sort of see the other ghostly hand on the opposite side.
Posted by: KemaTheAtheist
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April 14, 2009 6:37 PM
If that's god's hand, then he must be from the Simpson's universe... it only has three fingers!
Posted by: Aquaria
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April 14, 2009 6:39 PM
Silver Fox, if you value your posting privileges here, shut the fuck up. I would have tossed your ass before Pete Rooke, who was at least so creepy with his crazy that he was amusing. You, on the other hand are just a bore. A great big, oozing pus sac of a bore.
Posted by: scrabcake
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April 14, 2009 6:40 PM
It's totally the hand of God. I mean seriously, how could that be a coincidence? You bunch are the types who deny the miracle of Grilled Cheese Virgin Mary.
He's even zapping some stuff into existence.
It looks like a foetal hand, too with the skeleton thin fingers which are too short for the hand.
I think that by allowing NASA to take this picture, God is telling us to protect the unborn from all those women who are queuing up to kill their babies so they can go sin.
Posted by: senecasam
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April 14, 2009 6:49 PM
Ray Comfort is asking, "Where's the banana?"
Posted by: Tully
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April 14, 2009 7:03 PM
4% to 96%.
The poll has been pharyngulated, oh master. What else would you have us do?
Posted by: Holbach
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April 14, 2009 7:04 PM
Despite the stupid crap associated with the photo of Pulsar B1509, it does not detract from the incredible feast for the eyes, and more mesmerising, the physics of which we will probably never discern. As I have said, Astronomy is a frustrating science. And one that harbors no celestial nonsense.
Posted by: ckitching
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April 14, 2009 7:14 PM
You mean, "Yes, it looks like a hand from this angle."
Posted by: Somerville
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April 14, 2009 7:14 PM
I have obviously been reading Pharyngula too long - my first thought - it looked like a Portuguese Man o'War (Physalia physalis)
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
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April 14, 2009 7:23 PM
Re: the 1700 y.o. vs 17,000 y.d. thing
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2009/b1509/how_old.html
I think that explains it better than BA did the last time he discussed time/distance stuff.
(sorry, Phil; Chandra's explanation is easier to understand)
Posted by: Kimbo Jones
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April 14, 2009 7:32 PM
How come there's no 3rd option for pareidolia? That's what it looks like to me.
Posted by: Abdul Alhazred
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April 14, 2009 7:58 PM
God is now down to 4%.
For face-like apparitions identification is easy:
Beard -- Jesus
No beard -- His mom.
Posted by: gwyllion
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April 14, 2009 8:05 PM
i still say it's apollo
Posted by: jsoutofbiblepgs
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April 14, 2009 8:08 PM
My prediction when I first saw this picture was that a bunch of douchebag IDiots are going to exploit it for selfish religious purposes. Oh hey I was right (would anyone have doubted it?)
If this is proof of God then God is a like a cartoon character - he lacks a finger. I guess God is so powerful he doesn't need all the fingers.
But isn't it gorgeous and amazing? I set it as my desktop at work.
Posted by: AgnosticNews
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April 14, 2009 8:25 PM
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no great blue hand in the sky...
Unrelated: Nice to meet you all.
Posted by: Darren Garrison
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April 14, 2009 8:39 PM
#167: "You know, to me... it actually looks like goatse from an odd angle."
That's what I thought of, too-- before making this:
http://s313.photobucket.com/albums/ll394/darrengarrison/various/?action=view¤t=space_goatse.jpg
Posted by: johnhill
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April 14, 2009 9:09 PM
PZ has become so feared by dispatching us, his evil minions, to freep these polls that half the time they've been shut down before I get there. Curses! (though this one was still up.)
Command me, Master.
Posted by: DrClown
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April 14, 2009 9:31 PM
haha well done #182
Posted by: Steven Dunlap
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April 14, 2009 9:37 PM
Well, I have a poster in my apartment called "The butterfly alphabet." There exists so many species of butterfly that someone was able to find specimens that had in their coloration the shapes of the letters of the roman alphabet. In terms of probability, given millions of species, it happened. Now had it been the Chinese alphabet, that would have been a little more miraculous.
In an infinite (or at least very very huge) universe, you're going to see some shapes that coincidentally look like others. It's a bit like the infinite improbability drive. It works on the basis that certain events are not impossible, per se, just highly improbable. But this was replace by a better inter-stellar drive running on "Bistro-math" a form of mathematics based on the existence of numbers on a waiter's pad that exist no where else in the universe, for some reason this proves especially true when 5 diners attempt to sort out the check. Or is it 6? I can't remember the details. Whatever.
Also, don't forget, you can understand the meaning of life, the universe and everything by studying the number 42.
And BTW, as of 6:30 p.m. PDT the poll is running 94% sane to 6% people who believe nearly anything.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
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April 14, 2009 10:13 PM
@Darren Garrison [#182],
Good stuff!
Posted by: tmaxPA
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April 14, 2009 10:36 PM
Still only 4% - it appears to be at equilibrium.
Posted by: Fiziker
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April 14, 2009 10:48 PM
Of course this is the hand of God! Yes, it's the hand of God masturbating his large red nebula (if you know what I mean), but even He has His needs. The hand of God is the hand of God, regardless of the activity It's doing.
Posted by: Scooter
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April 14, 2009 11:12 PM
Some atheists feel awe for the sublime beauty and wonder of nature. In comparison, they feel tiny and inconsequential.
Some theists feel awe for the sublime beauty and wonder of God. In comparison, they feel tiny and inconsequential.
Discuss.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 14, 2009 11:14 PM
Bacon.
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
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April 14, 2009 11:18 PM
Beer and bourbon. Hic.Posted by: Kel
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April 14, 2009 11:19 PM
So God is not immaterial, rather God is a cloud of stellar gas... or at least his hand is.
Posted by: Hank Roberts
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April 14, 2009 11:50 PM
" ... and God said 'Ouch! Dammit, that's HOT' and created Hell"
The hand of God 4%
A natural stellar formation 96%
Posted by: articulett
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April 15, 2009 12:00 AM
When oh when is NASA going to photograph the "penis of god"?
Posted by: MadScientist
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April 15, 2009 12:03 AM
What a stupid poll - they left out the One True Choice - His Noodliness, the Flying Spaghetti Monstern at work.
It's certainly not a hand unless you consider 'The Simpsons' (and many other cartoons with human-like charcters) to be fact rather than fiction.
Posted by: Lynn David
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April 15, 2009 12:03 AM
My first impression was that it was a medusa.
Posted by: Mary
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April 15, 2009 12:09 AM
Just voted and had to repost this comment from the comments thread under the article:
"That's the hand of the SPACE OBGYN checking space herself during her time of the month..."
I don't know if any of you wrote that, but it made me laugh so hard that the mouthful of tea I had is now splattered all over my computer screen.
Posted by: Aquaria
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April 15, 2009 12:11 AM
Matsumoto Jun and a Margarita from La Fogata.
And bacon, of course. But not Kevin Bacon. Ew.
Posted by: Mary
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April 15, 2009 12:11 AM
Just voted and had to repost this comment from the comments thread under the article:
"That's the hand of the SPACE OBGYN checking space herself during her time of the month..."
I don't know if any of you wrote that, but it made me laugh so hard that the mouthful of tea I had is now splattered all over my computer screen.
Posted by: vinraith
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April 15, 2009 1:27 AM
Speaking as someone who studies photoionized gas, if this is the hand of god I have some other parts of god I can show you. Disturbing parts...
Posted by: Headbhang
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April 15, 2009 2:52 AM
If that's the Hand of God, what is it s/he is trying to reach for anyway? A fiery sky sausage? A smoldering cosmic turd? Or is that her Heavenly Vulva with her burning hot Divine Clit shining through?
Posted by: Jeff S
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April 15, 2009 3:16 AM
If god really existed I don't think people would need to pretend that objects that vaguely resemble parts of the human anatomy (and not even accurately) were a part of their god.
Posted by: shamar
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April 15, 2009 3:28 AM
LoL, it's no different than seeing jebus in a piece of toast, ha ha ha.
You know, when I was a little kid, I saw something in the dark once in a while....I grew out of that though.......
Posted by: Jake
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April 15, 2009 3:30 AM
Forgive my stupid, I'm no scientician but how can
be accurate? Now... I have a fever and I'm pretty high on pain killers right now, but that still doesn't make much logical sense. If it's 1,700 years old, wouldn't we be needing to wait a further 15,300 years to be able to see it? My only other theory is that it formed 1,700 years ago, and it moved away really fast, which is complete rubbish.Help me out oh ye learned individuals, I'm totally confused.
Posted by: John Morales
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April 15, 2009 3:46 AM
Jake, that question is answered more than once upthread, first by RevBDC @70:
Posted by: Jake
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April 15, 2009 4:09 AM
Sorry John, thanks, I did a quick skim and should have refined my search before posting, thanks!
Posted by: astrounit
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April 15, 2009 4:31 AM
Methinks it looks like a weasel.
Posted by: MadScientist
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April 15, 2009 6:47 AM
@Mary: Space obgyn? Now why didn't I see that in the introduction to Monty Python's Meaning of Life?
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 15, 2009 7:28 AM
Phil Plait emailed me back and told me that that is not necessarily correct but that explaining it would take way more time than an email would allow (or more likely he had to spare). The whole spacetime thing "distorts" our perceptions.
Here is his brief answer to me.
Posted by: Dancaban
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April 15, 2009 7:38 AM
God is playing coits!
Posted by: RobertDW
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April 15, 2009 7:50 AM
Mmm... I think I see what he's getting at. As a layman, this is the image I'm getting:
One of the consequences of relativity is that there is no absolute time reference. The "speed" of time depends on the velocity of the object; as you approach the speed of light, time "slows" down. At the speed of light, time "stops". So, this image of an event that took place 1700 years before (from it's point of view) did take 17000 years (from our point of view) to get to us - but it's still an image of event 1700 years ago.
What I get as a mental picture is bubbles of time expanding. An event occurs - the "now" represented by that event in spacetime expands outwards, but at this "event horizon" (so to speak), it's always "now". I have this vision kind of like a pool of water in the rain - bubbles are constantly being created and intersecting with each other; each bubble is a new event in spacetime, and as it merges with other bubbles, the consensus "now" builds up, in an analogous way to how "solid" matter builds up out of the quantum foam of particles...
(This is imagery, not physics, of course... and I'm probably way of base. But it's still an interesting thought)
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 15, 2009 7:55 AM
Yeah I think that's pretty much what he is getting at. Plus there are all other kinds of things to take into account such as the speed of "us" and the speed of B1509. Now I'm not sure what that does to the calculation but I have to think it does something.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 15, 2009 8:00 AM
Physics is not something I've spent too much time on but somethign I've been interested in learning more about (along with about a billion other topics). It's pretty fascinating stuff obviously. Here is a link that looks to address the issue. I'm only a few paragraphs in but I think it will help answer a few questions on this.
Posted by: Cosmic Teapot
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April 15, 2009 8:48 AM
A bourbon depth charge! Nice.
For you 'Murkin readers, you'll know this as a boiler maker.
Posted by: Steve_C
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April 15, 2009 9:51 AM
I call it a waste of good bourbon.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 15, 2009 9:59 AM
Seconded
Posted by: Heaventree
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April 15, 2009 10:26 AM
Poor bourbon!
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 15, 2009 10:34 AM
Pour Bourbon!
Posted by: Steve_C
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April 15, 2009 10:56 AM
Yes please.
Posted by: Marcm2k
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April 15, 2009 12:18 PM
It's obvious that God is indeed right handed.
Posted by: cicely
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April 15, 2009 12:57 PM
Bacon. Wrapped around pork loin and grilled.
But seriously..okay, I'm serious about the pork loin, but seriously about the topic you intend to be under discussion, IMO, they (specifically Christians, and probably the Abrahamic religions in general, here) are feeling awe and inconsequentiallity for the exact same things that athiests are, since their God may be everywhere and anywhere, but isn't incarnate in a physical form; therefore they must be in awe etc. of the symptoms and side-effects of Godness/Creation, i.e., the world of matter and energy we all live in. "Wow, look at all this really awesome stuff! How much more awesome must the Manufacturer be!".
Posted by: Scooter
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April 15, 2009 1:26 PM
therefore they must be in awe etc. of the symptoms and side-effects of Godness/CreationI just think both expressions of awe come from the same impulse; namely, the desire to feel something bigger than yourself.
Of course, atheists are simply confronted with a natural world that dwarfs them. Theists have to create something that make them feel small.
Posted by: ???
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April 15, 2009 2:07 PM
Besides, there's already a phenomenon called Fingers of God, so the digits are already spoken for.
What? God gave people the finger? Who knew?
Posted by: Bryn
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April 15, 2009 2:19 PM
There it is, you bunch o' heretics--proof positive! J.D. Frazer is God! All of his "User Friendly" characters only have three fingers, this "celestial hand" has only three fingers. Q.E.D.
Posted by: NeilD
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April 15, 2009 2:24 PM
If you turn you head 33 deg to the left .... it looks like a cheese sandwitch.....
Posted by: Pieter B
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April 15, 2009 7:27 PM
Looks like the hand of Gawd coming to slap the shit out of people who do wack things in Her name.
Posted by: Rachel Wells
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April 15, 2009 8:47 PM
This silly story is also being reported in australia.
Some douche wrote:
'How very arrogant of man kind to think that God has a form similar to his own. Mans simple mind cannot fathom the essence of God. Surely God's form is greater than some petty biped humanoid. Attributing these images is doing a grave injustice to The Almighty."
I replied:
''Attributing these images to god is doing a grave injustice to the Pulsar B1509"
Posted by: Peter B.
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April 15, 2009 8:48 PM
I'm starting to think Prof. Myers might Himself be the earthly manifestation of God, or at least a minor deity. Have ye noticed how if He commandeth the results of a pollus stupidus to change, then yea verily, it will justly obey Him?
Posted by: Kel
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April 15, 2009 8:53 PM
Nice to see what he thinks of Jesus... from this I'm assuming that he's a fan of the Christ-Raptor.Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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April 15, 2009 8:59 PM
Gen. 1:27.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Posted by: 'Tis Himself
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April 15, 2009 9:02 PM
A boilermaker and a depth charge are not the same drink. A boilermaker is a shot usually of whiskey but sometimes vodka or tequila and a glass of beer. If you're
weirdso inclined, you can pour the shot into the beer, butnormalmost people don't. In New England a boilermaker is often called a shot and a beer.To make a depth charge, fill a collins glass about two-thirds full of beer, then carefully drop a shooter glass full of whiskey or vodka into the glass. This video shows how it's done.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
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April 16, 2009 12:37 AM
Hey, check this. MSNBC mentioned the Pharyngulation of this poll!
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/15/1894075.aspx
"At one point, 40 percent of the votes in the New York Daily News' poll supported the idea the picture captured the hand of God, with 60 percent going with the view that it was a natural stellar formation. We all know that these polls are pretty unscientific to begin with, but over on the Pharyngula blog, "godless" evolutionary biologist P.Z. Myers crowned the Daily News' effort as 'the dumbest poll yet.'
"'My respect for humanity can only be restored if that 40 percent is reduced,' Myers wrote.
"Sure enough, the tally has now shifted to 96 percent for the natural stellar formation, and just 4 percent for the literal hand of God."
Posted by: UrsusSapien
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April 16, 2009 1:29 AM
Now that we know how large God's hand is and assuming he created man in his image, we can get a pretty good idea of his size. Assuming that God created Adam 6' tall (God hates short people) just how tall is God? What size sling shot would we need to take Him out?
Posted by: RobertDW
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April 16, 2009 1:36 AM
I just stumbled across this youtube clip, and just had to share: Cutting steel with bacon! Is there nothing that bacon can not do?
Posted by: cicely
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April 16, 2009 1:23 PM
Scooter @ 222:
I think that any human being who is not totally self-absorbed is, sooner or later, going to become aware of the overwhelming "bigness" of the world, whether they want to or not. The difference is that, while we are all looking out at the world, theists want to convince themselves that it is also looking back at them, that they matter, that the awesome totality of reality is aware of them. Anthropomorphize it, label it, attach attributes to it, and start hanging your personal desires and cultural baggage on in, and off we go.
Posted by: cicely
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April 16, 2009 1:41 PM
And, one of the more persuasive features of Christianity is that, not only is The Bigness aware of you, and watching you, it is watching over you, watching out for you. The Bigness is, in fact on your side. Therefore, how can you possibly lose!
Posted by: tolkien/
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April 16, 2009 2:48 PM
dovestar:
Riiiiiiiiiiiight.
TRiG.
Posted by: Peter B.
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April 17, 2009 5:50 AM
Celestial Messages:
What the gods really think of us!
Posted by: Ethan Siegel | April 20, 2009 1:54 PM
I, for one, am glad to see that God is a righty! (j/k)