How the heck am I supposed to feel on Labor Day? It’s the end of the summer, yet the weather is perfect. Good or bad? Happy or bummed? I can’t decide how to feel!Happy Labor day. Here’s a politics-free thread to talk about the last long-weekend until Thanksgiving (Columbus Day for some).

American Atheists supports the separation of church and state and does not endorse candidates or parties.This is the official thread for the Republican National Convention of Christian Conservatives.Dave’s opinion (again)

Anyone who thinks “god did it” is science is either too ignorant to be President, or too dishonest (and is lying to get votes). We’ve had 8 years with a stupid President. When Bush was elected, he was a good-looking, Christian Conservative with far too little experience, and everyone knew he wasn’t too bright. See how well it worked out? Ms. Palin seems to be a female Bush.

‘Creation science’ enters the race’GOVERNOR: Palin is only candidate to suggest it should be discussed in schools.By TOM KIZZIAAnchorage Daily News(Published: October 27, 2006)The volatile issue of teaching creation science in public schools popped up in the Alaska governor’s race this week when Republican Sarah Palin said she thinks creationism should be taught alongside evolution in the state’s public classrooms.Palin was answering a question from the moderator near the conclusion of Wednesday night’s televised debate on KAKM Channel 7 when she said, “Teach both. You know, don’t be afraid of information. Healthy debate is so important, and it’s so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both.”… The Republican Party of Alaska platform says, in its section on education: “

We support giving Creation Science equal representation with other theories of the origin of life. If evolution is taught, it should be presented as only a theory.

“

(CNN) — Sen. John McCain has picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, a senior McCain campaign official told CNN on Friday.Palin, 44,who’s in her first term as governor, is a pioneering figure in Alaska, the first woman and the youngest person to hold the state’s top political job.She catapulted to the post with a strong reputation as a political outsider, forged during her stint in local politics. She was mayor and a council member of the small town of Wasilla and was chairman of the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates Alaska’s oil and gas resources, in 2003 and 2004.The conservative Palin defeated two so-called political insiders to win the governor’s job — incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski in the GOP primary and former two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles in the 2006 general election. Palin made her name in part by backing tough ethical standards for politicians. During the first legislative session after her election, her administration passed a state ethics law overhaul.Palin’s term has not been without controversy. A legislative investigation is looking into allegations that Palin fired Alaska’s public safety commissioner because he refused to fire the governor’s former brother-in-law, a state trooper.Palin acknowledged that a member of her staff made a call to a trooper in which the staffer suggested he was speaking for the governor.Palin has admitted that the call could be interpreted as pressure to fire state trooper Mike Wooten, who was locked in a child-custody battle with Palin’s sister.”I am truly disappointed and disturbed to learn that a member of this administration contacted the Department of Public Safety regarding Trooper Wooten,” Palin said. “At no time did I authorize any member of my staff to do so.”Palin suspended the staffer who made the call.

McBush has just thrown the election — a VP in her first-term as governor of Alaska, one heartbeat away from the presidency. No real experience, no clout, no knowledge, and no fame.OH, and she’s ALREADY INVOLVED IN A CORRUPTION SCANDALAlso, McBush can no longer challenge Obama’s qualifications to be president, and indeed Obama can rip apart his judgement (as he began to do last night) for placing someone so woefully inexperienced in such a position of potential power. Palin is conservative, but unlikely to woo the Christian conservatives because she is a woman, and social liberals will still never vote for this ticket over the Obama camp.I look forward to the VP debate.

American Atheists does not endorse political candidates or parties. This post is Dave’s opinion.But that speech was very very good. The Senator spoke several times about education and science, and if I recall only mentioned religion in his closing sentence and the obligatory GBA (can we really fault him for that?)What I DID notice is that he mentioned several issues, including abortion, gay marriage, guns, etc, speaking about finding common ground, but never religion. I guess since that issue has dogged him, he figured there was no place to go with it.Anyway, good speech. I personally feel better about him.

Lori Lipman Brown, director of the Secular Coalition for America, will be featured in The Colbert Report’s “Better Know a Lobby” series during the broadcast tomorrow night, Thursday, August 28 at 11:30pm EST, 10:30 central on the Comedy Central cable channel.Of course, even in the fake news business, events can overtake programming schedules, but barring breaking news, the segment will run on Thursday.Lori spent two hours being grilled by Stephen Colbert in his New York City Studio on Wednesday, August 13th for the fifth in Colbert’s 35,000 part series, “Better Know a Lobby”.Representing “The Fightin’ Heathens,” Brown gamely explained secular values, endured Mr. Colbert’s withering (and hilarious) interrogation and played along with some outrageous antics, all the while sporting her prized WRISTSTRONG bracelet.The Secular Coalition expects the final product, a roughly 5-minute segment, to be entertaining – perhaps even enlightening – and is eager to see how big a “Colbert Bump” the segment produces for the organization.Previously, the series has profiled the Brady Campaign (Fightin’ Pacifists), Sierra Club (Fightin’ Treehuggers), Human Rights Campaign (Fightin’ Gays) and the Drug Policy Alliance (Fightin’ Stoners).We will post a link to the interview on our home page as soon as it is available. In the meantime, please feel free to post and share this exciting news.Thanks very much!AnneAnne Singer, Communications DirectorSecular Coalition for Americae-mail: anne@secular.orgwww.secular.org