Scientists said today they have “found proof” of water ice on Mars away from the polar ice caps, a discovery made by NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander.The finding is a crucial first step toward learning whether the ground on Mars is hospitable, because all life as we know it requires water. Now scientists can get on with the business of studying the chemistry of Mars dirt in more detail.When the probe took photos of a ditch it had dug four days before, scientists noticed that about eight small crumbs of a bright material had disappeared. They concluded those crumbs had been water ice buried under a thin layer of dirt that vaporized when Phoenix exposed them to the air.”It’s with great pride and a lot of joy I announce today we have found proof that this hard material really is water ice and not some other substance,” Phoenix principal investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson said at a briefing Friday.

See how that works? They have a theory, which is provable, disprovable, and repeatable, and then they test and retest to PROVE something is REAL! Now, if only I had some situation to which I could relate this story. Something that has something to do with Atheism, or the existence of a deity. Nah. I got nuthin.

AMERICAN ATHEISTShttp://www.atheists.orgUPDATE… FIRST ATHEIST “COMING OUT” &DE-BAPTISM BASH THIS SATURDAY!August 2, 2008 — Westerville, Ohio — 12:00 noonhttp://healthyaddict.googlepages.com/home The nation’s first Atheist “Coming Out” Party and De-Baptism bash will take place this coming Saturday (August 2, 2008) in Westerville, Ohio beginning at 12:00 noon. All Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists and other nonbelievers — especially those “in the closet” — are invited! The event will feature talks, information booths, social events and a “De-Baptism” ceremony (complete with a Certificate of De-Baptism). “This will be a day of celebration and education for anyone who doesn’t believe in a God,” said event organizer Ashley Paramore. “We’re sending the message that it is OK to not believe in a Jehovah or Allah or some other deity, and live a secular lifestyle as an alternative to organized religion.” Featured on the program will be Edwin Kagin (Legal Director, American Atheists); Frank Zindler (President, AA); and Hemant Mehta (Secular Student Alliance). The venue is the Everal Barn, 60 N. Cleveland Avenue in Westerville, Ohio. For more information, visit http://healthyaddict.googlepages.com/home or contact Ashley Paramore through ashley@secularstudents.org). WHAT: The first official ATHEIST COMING OUT AND DE-BAPTISM PARTY. WHEN: This Saturday, August 2, 2008 from 12:00 noon to 5:00 PM WHO: Ashley Paramore, Frank Zindler, Edwin Kagin, Hemant Mehta WHERE: Everal Barn, 60 N. Cleveland Avenue in Westerville, Ohio. MORE INFO: http://healthyaddict.googlepages.com/home or contact Ashley Paramore through ashley@secularstudents.org). (AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for nonbelievers; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.)

Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, unveiled plans on Wednesday for their first comedy tour in more than 25 years since their acrimonious split.”Cheech & Chong: Light Up America …” will hit 22 cities in the United States starting with Philadelphia on September 12 and ending in Denver, Colorado, on December 20. In between they will play Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, D.C. and other places.”This is a moment that I’ve been looking forward to for many, many years because we have such a legacy and history together that we couldn’t escape it, even if we tried,” Chong told reporters at a news conference to announce the tour.

OK So it’s juvenile, promotes marijuana use, and has no relevance whatsoever to Atheism or American Atheists. Granted. I love it anyway. Dave’s not here, man.

This is where they come from!http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=37989593

American Atheists Legal Director has filed suit on behalf of his client to appeal a recent ruling allowing his client’s born-again Catholic wife to place his child in a Catholic School instead of public school against his will. Here is the text. http://www.edwinkagin.com/Appellant_Brief_of_David_Ryan.pdfThe Catholic Judge ruled that the child can be forced to go to a school where they indoctrinate the child into believing the father is damned to Hell. The opposite would not be true in a converse situation. If the parent sent the kid to public school, the child would not be taught anything bad about Catholics.