This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The Humanist Network News (HNN) is published every Wednesday via e-mail and the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email, posted every Thursday.
August 18, 2005
Humanist Network News
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- Change at the top: Hileman moves to Ethical Union, Speckhardt takes over at AHA
- Center for Inquiry gains representation at UN
- IHS in the News: Romney & Mormon religion
- Secular student conference a success
- Silverman strips, dons tux, gets award
- Church tries to censor tourist attraction
- Editor’s Note: Thanks to volunteers
- Shermer on: God & Evolution
- The Klingon Assumption
- I just hope she can paddle a canoe
- Sweet Reason, I don’t like my family
- Film Review: Saving Face
- Letters to the Editor
- Media Roundup
- Strange Times
- Cathartic Comics
- Humanist Humor
- Poll of the Week
Summaries and links across the jump. As always, if one of these stories captures your interest, feel free to write a more in depth diary.
I haven’t made any comments on this week’s HNN… I’m on vacation for a couple of days.
1. Change at the top: Hileman moves to Ethical Union, Speckhardt takes over at AHA
Tony Hileman is leaving his position as executive director of the American Humanist Association (AHA) to join the New York Society for Ethical Culture as senior leader. Roy Speckhardt, currently AHA deputy director, will succeed Hileman in the top job. The moves were announced by AHA President Mel Lipman on Aug. 11. The AHA’s statement said that the changeover would take place in a few weeks. MORE
2. Center for Inquiry gains representation at UN
The Center for Inquiry-Transnational, the parent organization of the Council for Secular Humanism, has announced that it has been granted “special consultative status” as a non-governmental organization (NGO) under the United Nations Economic and Social Council. MORE
3. IHS in the News: Romney & Mormon religion
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is considering a run for president, but some political scientists believe his Mormon religion may be a wild card. While investigating this topic, Bloomberg News reporter Heidi Przybyla contacted Tim Gordinier, public policy director at the Institute for Humanist Studies. MORE
4. Secular student conference a success
The Secular Student Alliance hosted its fifth annual conference over this weekend at Ohio State University in Columbus. From what HNN has heard, the event was a success. MORE
5. Silverman strips, dons tux, gets award
The annual conference of the Secular Student Alliance can be an exciting event. So HNN wasn’t surprised to hear that one seasoned humanist could barely keep his shirt on. MORE
6. Church tries to censor tourist attraction
Censorious Christians in Edinburgh, Scotland are trying to have a tourist attraction closed down because they say it offends them and “spreads Satanism.” The National Secular Society Newsline reports on this issue. MORE
7. Editor’s Note: Thanks to volunteers
Thank you to all the volunteers last week who offered to transcribe Joel Pelletier’s talk at the Institute for Humanist Studies. MORE
8. Shermer on: God & Evolution
Intelligent Design supporters as well as the media may have over exaggerated President George W. Bush’s recent comments about ID. Michael Shermer of the Skeptics Society looks into this in his column. MORE
9. The Klingon Assumption
In his recent “God would be an atheist…” column, Martin Foreman sees a lot of similarities between those who are obsessed with Star Trek Klingons and those who are obsessed with theology. MORE
10. I just hope she can paddle a canoe
Canadian writer Doug Thomas takes a look at a recent controversy regarding the next designated governor general. MORE
11. Sweet Reason, I don’t like my family
A reader asks: “What should I do if I don’t like my family?” Sweet Reason has the answer. MORE
12. Film Review: Saving Face
Saving Face follows the struggles of Wil, a promising young surgeon as she comes to terms with her Chinese culture and her homosexuality. MORE
13. Letters to the Editor
Is it true that religious leaders are not good allies in war against terrorism? An HNN reader strongly disagrees with a recent guest column that appeared in last weeks edition suggesting that point. Regarding Warren Allen Smith’s Who’s Who in Hell compilation, another HNN reader wonders if there is any privacy in Hell. That and much MORE
14. Media Roundup
A roundup of news articles of interest to humanists and freethinkers. MORE
15. Strange Times
Did you know that some researchers believe that Medieval peasants had better teeth than people today because they spent longer chewing their food? Well you can find that story and other odd tidbits in this week’s installment of Strange Times. MORE
16. Cathartic Comics
…an assortment of cartoons and comic strips about humanism, atheism, religion, science and freethought. MORE
17. Humanist Humor
Why can’t Unitarian Universalists sing very well in choirs? GET THE JOKE
18. Poll of the Week
If you’re reading HNN the odds are that you’re a skeptic. But, just for curiosity’s sake: “Do your character traits resemble those associated with your astrological sign?” CAST YOUR VOTE
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About the IHS:
The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.
If anything here interests you, you may also be interested in my diary on what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.
