Taking Atheism for a Ride Around Town

"No, I don't find it hellish," he said, taking issue with my use of the H-word. (No God equals no Satan, see.) "I find it challenging sometimes. I would say that these things are caused by humans alone, without referring to 'evil,' which I think is never a noun but sometimes an adjective."

The ad campaign cost $40,000. That's 40,000 of those green paper rectangles that have the words "In God We Trust" on the back. It's an uphill battle for the atheists, but they're keeping the faith.

Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Etc.

Speaking of Metro, my recent gripe that the stations are too dark prompted a reader to point out that the dimness serves a purpose: It reduces crime. Supposedly people are made more violence-prone by brighter lights. I'm not sure I buy it. Surely the lights could be a little brighter without it getting all "Clockwork Orange"-y down there.

Signage is another problem, said reader Arthur Higbee of Washington. "The station signs are too widely spaced," he wrote. "They occur every six wall panels; that's too much distance between panels. Every three panels would be better. Often, very often, on unfamiliar lines, between the conductor's mumbled announcement and the nearest wall panel blocked by a stairway, I feel that I'm really on a magical mystery tour."

See for yourself. Next time you're in a Metro station, pretend you have no idea where you are. Stand in one place and swivel your head in search of the name of the station, a pylon naming all the stations of that line, or a full Metro system map. Five times out of 10, none will be close by.

The lights are always on in my new blog, "John Kelly's Commons." Go to http://voices.washingtonpost.com/commons. My e-mail: kellyj@washpost.com.