The new movie about Charles Darwin, starring (former neighbors!) Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly, is having trouble finding a US distributor because it’s “controversial.”

I don’t even have words for how stupid this is. I mean, I guess there’s the old, “If you don’t want to see it, don’t go to the movie.” I don’t like Megan Fox or horror movies, so Jennifer’s Body will not be getting my $12.50. See how easy that was, Science Haters? But we could even dial it down a bit and say it’s just a story about a man who had a crisis of faith when his daughter died.

Or, you know, we could point out that saying “Evolution is just a theory” is the same as saying George W. Bush was just a government official.

But whatever. We’re apparently willing to accept giant fighting robots in movie theaters but not a movie based on a story about one of the most important scientific discoveries ever. Fine, Middle America. Deprive me of seeing this movie. Only makes me want to see it more.

Here’s the trailer:

Let’s just get to it, shall we:

+ HBO has a new show called The Black List about prominent African Americans. Jezebel has clips. What Toni Morrison says is particularly poignant. She says both that she writes for herself: “It’s the only place where I’m not doing what somebody else wants or asks or needs. Writing is mine.” She also says that, once you take white men off of the menu, there’s a lot you’re free to write about.

+ Smarter than lolcats: the Catorialist.

+ The Times has an article about a Florida teacher teaching evolution in evangelical classrooms.

+ I only just saw Michelle Obama’s speech at the Convention. It was pretty great, am I right?

+ The real issues being addressed at the Convention.

+ Marketing New Jersey.

+ We know now that Joe Biden is our veep candidate. Will this bring him fame and fortune? Historic veep candidates as predictors.

*sigh* I’ve been out of town without my computer. Here’s what’s come up since last we met:

+ Studying E. coli is demonstrating interesting things about evolution.

+ Is the New York Magazine cover with the girls from SATC with duct tape over their mouths telling the movie to shut up or telling women to shut up?

+ Polygamist Watch! Kids allowed to go back to their parents, but there were a few proven cases of sexual abuse. The church won’t accept marriages of underage girls anymore, allegedly.

+ Cool random historical thing: Construction in my neighborhood is unearthing some old trolley tracks.

+ And speaking of odd historical things: pneumatic tubes in New York.

+ And also from historical New York, the 1840s equivalent of a skin mag.

+ And also bad driving in 1928. Look out for the cameo by a constipated-looking Babe Ruth!

+ Blogging is good for you! I should do it more!

+ Props to the MBTA! The Boston transit authority is running ads targeting harassers.

+ You might be going to hell if you’re a sports fan.

Humans are evolving rapidly. Environmental change and population growth are mostly responsible for spurring on human change.