Political Venom: 2014

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/2014/11/conservative-nonsense-political-history

"Basically, whenever someone says they’re wrong, conservatives too often fall back on claims that those who disagree with them are biased and thus worthy of being ignored, a convenient position that allows them to avoid debating uncomfortable criticisms."

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

How Democrats Blew It

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-schweitzer/the-price-of-failure-and_b_6099752.html

Yeah, I don't know why Democrats ran from Obama's record. Sure he's made some mistakes--even a few big ones--but the very things the Republicans complained about the most have been shown to be completely wrong (Obamacare, the bailouts, alternate energy funding, economic growth, unemployment, etc.). You can't win by just dodging and hiding.

At least most people seem to get that the Republicans suck. If they continue to act like assclowns, they should lose a lot in two years.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Half of New York's Catholic churches are shutting down

Nice to see religion fading:

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/03/nyregion/new-york-catholics-are-set-to-learn-fate-of-their-parishes.html?emc=edit_th_20141103&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=42167497&ref=nyregion&_r=1&referrer=

Friday, October 31, 2014

Creationists freak out over the pope's stance on evolution

http://io9.com/the-creationist-freak-out-over-the-popes-evolution-spee-1652786126?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

The amusing thing is, popes have declared evolution compatible with theology since 1950, so Francis' position is nothing new. The political writer in the article implies Pope John Paul II said differently...but John Paul in fact reaffirmed evolution is compatible with theology.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

More climate change denial from conservatives

http://www.nationofchange.org/2014/10/29/video-quotes-climate-denial-candidates/

Top Ten Conservative Myths

A long, comprehensive list of all things wrong with conservatism:

http://www.conservativemyths.com/10myths.html

Keep it handy for the next time you have to deal with teabagger or other conservative nutbag.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Science Of Fox News: Why Its Viewers Are The Most Misinformed

This should drive a few conservatives nuts:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/23/1338538/--The-Science-Of-Fox-News-Why-Its-Viewers-Are-The-Most-Misinformed?detail=email#

Monday, October 20, 2014

The easiest and hardest places to live in the US

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z83EgFcLcW4

Atheist Wins Nearly $2 Million In Settlement Over Faith-Based Rehab Program

That's a pretty harsh sentence, but at least it should make theists think twice:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/15/barry-a-hazle-jr-atheist-settlement_n_5987630.html

Monday, October 6, 2014

60 Percent Of Americans Soon Will Live In States With Marriage Equality

It's happening faster than I'd predicted in 2007...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/06/gay-marriage-states_n_5939440.html

Friday, October 3, 2014

Germany offers free university education to everyone, even non-German citizens

This REALLY should be a basic right in the US:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/03/1334013/-Germany-just-eliminated-tuition-while-Americans-are-drowning-in-1-2-trillion-student-loan-debt?detail=email

and

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/02/1331943/-Attention-American-Students-Tired-of-Prohibitive-Debt-Germany-Has-Now-Abolished-ALL-Tuition-Fees?detail=email

The Rise of Suburban Poverty

http://www.nationofchange.org/2014/10/03/rise-suburban-poverty/

Antonin Scalia Says Constitution Permits Court To 'Favor Religion Over Non-Religion'

This dickweed has to go:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/02/antonin-scalia-religion-government_n_5922944.html

Freedom OF religion can't exist without freedom FROM religion. Otherwise you would have the right to preach any religion you want in anyone's church. Have a crowd of Muslims go into your average Baptist church and preach during the sermons, and you'll see how quickly things get parsed.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

The down side of wind power

A bummer, but bound to happen:

http://news.yahoo.com/decade-welcoming-wind-states-reconsider-170411568.html?soc_src=mediacontentsharebuttons

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

A party in disarray: the California GOP can't find its ass with both hands

At least California is solidly non-conservative:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/28/1331416/-A-party-in-disarray-the-California-GOP-can-t-find-its-ass-with-both-hands?detail=email

Monday, September 29, 2014

The (Al) Gorification of Neil deGrasse Tyson

Another reason to despise conservatives:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/28/1332921/-The-Al-Gorification-of-Neil-deGrasse-Tyson?detail=email

Friday, September 26, 2014

Personal pathways to atheism

Personal pathways to atheism
About 172 million people worldwide consider themselves atheists, adding those who call themselves "unaffiliated" or "nonreligious" brings the number to around 1 billion. Atheism represents a variety of people with equally varied journeys. Some "found" atheism, others have been atheists since childhood. Many people easily transitioned into non-belief but many others found the journey difficult and heartbreaking. Some atheists are vocal activists while others aren't safe to live openly as nonbelievers. Let's celebrate our diversity! The labels don't matter, but our stories do.

1. The Lifelong Atheist
Lifelong atheists grew up in atheist, or otherwise nonreligious families. They were born atheists (as are we all) and for the most part, have never been interested in
religion beyond the academic. Most lifelong atheists find religious people perplexing. Having never been exposed to religious communities, they may find it difficult to understand religious people.
> When Corey Evans was young, his parents allowed him to make up his own mind about religion.
When invited to church, he was curious and went. He continued to go, but not as a believer. He asked a lot of questions and marveled when the people didn't have answers or gave him answers that were trite. Corey was told that it wasn't his place to ask questions. Once he asked the pastor why they would not accept gays and why they always condemned others for being wrong even though they couldn't prove that other religions weren't right. The pastor basically told him that he's not the one who is
allowed to make those choices, it was God who was the judge. It didn't take Corey long to realize church wasn't where he belonged. When he was nine or ten he left and never returned. "I've always felt that religion is holding us back from accomplishing something greater. It's time for God to die, the universe is too big to be concerned with the mythological standards of religion."

2. The Atheist-at-Heart
The atheist-at-heart is very similar to the lifelong atheist but they didn't have the benefit of a supportive atheist community.
Even though they might have been forced to participate in religion as a child, deep down, they never fully bought into it.
> Jessika Yamily Pardio started off her young life in Mexico in a very eclectic family with no strict religious beliefs. After moving to America when she was six,
Jessika's mother (then divorced from her father) remarried. Her stepfather was a fundamentalist Christian so her family began attending a Baptist church. She was reluctant at first to accept her stepfather's religion - after all, her grandfather was an atheist and told her "don't believe everything anyone tells you, especially if they are trying to get you to think the way they do." But over time, the influence of the church youth group wooed her into the fold, and at 12, she became a devoted
Christian. When she was 14, Jessika began to feel the oppression of Christianity. She had always felt fluid in her sexuality and her first crush in fifth grade was on a female classmate. At the same time, she was hearing the church condemn homosexuality while demonstrating blatant hypocrisy by hiding the indiscretions of church leaders. At 15, it became clear to her that Christian ideology was a failure and she left the religion. Jessika's atheist grandfather recently passed away and she is
forever thankful that he planted the seeds of critical thinking.

3. The Waffler
The waffler has shifted between religion and non-belief in a variety of forms and for a variety of reasons - sometimes multiple times. Some people started out secular then sought out religion in times of crisis or (re)turned to religion because of marriage or children and later find their way to atheism.
> Raised in a secular family, Armin Navabi was surrounded by religion in the Islamic Republic. Even though the ruling clerics were generally despised at the time, most people still would never think to question god or the prophet Muhammad. Around 9 or 10, he became very worried about hell, especially for his parents since they did not pray or fast, a requirement in Islam, for one to go to heaven. In his school, children were taught that boys
couldn't sin before age 15 (for girls, it was 9); no matter what they did, they would go to heaven if they died before 15. So he reasoned that he had a solution to his worry about hell - he would kill himself before he turned 15. When he was 12 years old, Armin jumped from a school window. He broke his left ankle in nine places, his right leg, his left hand and his back without cutting the spinal cord. He was in a wheelchair for seven months.
After his failed suicide attempt, Armin determined to live as a perfect Muslim. He became very zealous, even trying to get his parents to pray, which only served to annoy them. He developed a fascination in god, and a curiosity about all things related to god, including other religious views. While studying the history of religion, the more he
thought about it, the more god seemed to be fabricated by man. Armin prayed many times, asking for a sign or direction to a logical proof of god's existence, but to no avail. By 16, Armin was an agnostic searching for proof. But the fact that it was so hard to find evidence of god, turned him into an atheist by 18. His experience has given him an understanding of religious people as well as a conviction about the dangers of superstitious belief.

4. The Seeker
Seekers are often deep thinkers, hungry for answers. Some seekers
explore and experience many different spiritual paths as they journey through life. Others have never considered themselves spiritual, but have always asked the hard questions, demanding to know "why?". As atheists, seekers often make great skeptics.
> Fiona Owens was born to a single mom
who is a Wiccan. Early on, Fiona was the one always asking "why?", never just accepting what she was told by anyone. When she was curious about the Christianity of her neighbor, her mom allowed her to visit a Sunday School class. After asking one too many difficult questions, Fiona was told she was no longer welcome. At 14, the concerns she had about her mother's coven and the lack of answer from the church led her to reject religion for good. As an adult, she confronted her alcoholism and was
told that without a higher power, she would fail, which made her think,"if I get the blame for drinking why should a higher power get the credit for my hard work while getting sober?" Facebook opened up the atheist community to her and she is glad she is no longer alone.

5. The Rogue
The rogue most likely grew up in a religious family (or came to religion at some point), conforming to the religious community and experiencing and expressing religion with sincere conviction. A combination of compelling atheist arguments and internal self-doubt led the rogue to abandon his/her religious convictions, often with a lot of hurt feelings and
resentment. Rogues tend to become the most outspoken activists after having seen first-hand how much damage religion can cause.
> April White Ward grew up in a fanatical Christian home. As a sensitive, creative child, the details of hell and sin forged deep-rooted fears that have followed her into adulthood. Convinced she could never make a right decision, that she was a horrible
person and that she would be punished if she stepped out of line, April descended into a dark sea of self-loathing and self-punishing behavior. On the edge of a mental break, she decided to start reading the Bible at Genesis and write down all her questions. When her father got frustrated with her questions, telling her she couldn't understand because she was a woman, her eyes were opened to the flaws and contradictions. She began to see how she had been manipulated and controlled, leaving her
helpless, trapped and scared. She became furious. It was out of this fury that a desire to prove her worth took hold. Her mind kept trying to return to her old beliefs but the more she read the Bible, the clearer it became that it was all a lie.
April now considers herself an atheist. There is
nothing left of Christianity in her. She is a strong, capable woman. Even though her family thinks she is demon-possessed and is pushing her away to the point of asking her to remove her maiden name from her Facebook account, she stands strong. "The scared little girl is still there, but she is a little less afraid. I will have to work on the esteem, but at least now I am searching for a way to feel whole. I'm certain that I will grow up and find my place in this world. I will fight for all the
other scared little girls, and if I can help one to feel loved and whole, then I will deem my life a success."

6. The Conscientious Objector
Like the rogue, this
person chooses to leave religion as an adult, often to the chagrin of family and friends. The Conscientious Objector might actually desire to stay in religious community because they don't want to hurt their family, but they cannot, in good conscience, continue to participate in things they don't believe. They understand the religious impulse and are sympathetic to their religious friends and family.
> When the Jehovah's Witness missionaries would come to Natalia Sali's door, her mother would respond, "We're born Catholics, we will die Catholics," right after offering them drinks and biscuits. Her father didn't care about religion much until a few months before he died. Like many Catholics, they were regular churchgoers with very little knowledge of the Bible, not reading it
much themselves. In college, she was focused on her studies and local activism to oust corrupt Philippine presidents, dismantle American military bases, getting health bills and welfare legislation passed, etc. When she was 24, she married a man from a Muslim family but because her family wanted to see her married in a Catholic church, her fiancé underwent baptism and confirmation.
After college, she worked for a Christian organization that helped the poor. During that time, she became a feminist and found it difficult to reconcile Christianity with feminism. After moving to England, Natalia joined a Filipino Evangelical Church. There were many elements of the religion she found absurd but she still believed in a God who was good and wanted to answer prayers. After being in England
for two years which included much soul-searching, finding discrepancies in the Bible, reading books like In God We Doubt, by John Humphrys, and
using common sense, Natalia became a closet atheist. Coming out in England was easy but back in the Philippines, her family was heartbroken. Natalia is very understanding of the impulse to turn to religion when people don't have hope and works with many religious people in charity organizations. She is not keen to debate and really would like to be seen as a nice person. She wants people to see that that "atheists can be good, happy, decent, helpful, and successful without a
god."

7. The Reluctant Nonbeliever
While most atheists are content in their non-belief, some come by it kicking and screaming and may continue to pine for the days of certainty and religious community. Reluctant Nonbelievers may continue to consider themselves "spiritual" while maintaining a disbelief in any kind of higher power or mystical element to the world, or they may just wish
they could believe for whatever reason - often thinking it would be "easier". Some reluctant nonbelievers are atheists who live in very religious communities, finding atheism to be a very lonely path or think they "should" be religious.
> Susi Bocks did not grow up in a religious home, but
she still thought she was "supposed"; to have religious conviction, or at least believe in god. When she was younger, Susi's thoughts revolved around a feeling that there had to be a creator. She tried for years to find the creator. She went from church to church hoping for answers. One day, she stopped going to church for answers and just asked people questions. She experienced an epiphany after watching a movie called "The Rapture", realizing that she could never follow this egomaniacal god
that so many people wanted her to believe was real. She realized if there was a god, he was a dick. From that time on, having no evidence for a god, she called herself an atheist and feels free to experience the love of a husband, children and friends, not worrying about belief in the supernatural or the guilt and shame it can bring.
Whatever your path, finding your voice and telling your story can be a liberating experience, even if all you can do is start by telling it to yourself. Is now the time to share your personal pathway to atheism? We would be honored to create a platform for you. Reply to this email to tell us your story and we might publish it on the Atheist
Republic website. Please be clear about how you want your name to appear. You also have the option of using a pseudonym or remaining anonymous.
You can now join the awesome Atheist Republic team! The people responsible for creating, maintaining and growing Atheist Republic are passionate atheists from all over the globe, using their skills and enthusiasm to make the world a better place in their own personal and unique way. If that sounds exciting, then join us!

Monday, September 22, 2014

People Can Literally Smell Ideology

So conservative politics really DO stink...

http://www.livescience.com/47935-people-can-smell-political-ideology.html?cmpid=558288

Saturday, September 20, 2014

The Koch Brothers’ Three-Step Plan to Conquer the Next Generation

http://www.nationofchange.org/koch-brothers-three-step-plan-conquer-next-generation-1411226121

Friday, September 19, 2014

The children of Satan now have their own coloring book

This is the way to fight those who would blur the lines between church and state:

http://www.dailydot.com/politics/satanic-temple-releases-childrens-coloring-book/?fbdd

Thursday, September 18, 2014

The Middle Class and Working Poor's Lifelong Losing Game

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/the-middle-class-and-work_b_5826810.html

Monday, September 15, 2014

Study shows that the non-religious and liberal are just as moral as the religious and conservative

http://www.livescience.com/47799-morality-religion-political-beliefs.html?cmpid=558285

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Failing red states are the best evidence that conservatism is a failure

http://www.dentonrc.com/opinion/columns-headlines/20140906-leonard-pitts-if-gop-is-right-why-are-red-states-so-far-behind.ece

Saturday, September 6, 2014

As usual, conservatives get wrong what Reagan would have done, this time about terrorism

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/05/1327450/-Sorry-Republicans-We-know-exactly-what-Reagan-would-do-about-ISIS?detail=email

Thursday, September 4, 2014

The new face of war: mini-armies

http://www.nationofchange.org/us-invades-iraqagain-and-secretly-1409836215

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

If those who had received the most votes had won...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/03/1326729/-The-Republicans-Freeloading-off-the-political-system-for-twenty-years?detail=email

Friday, August 29, 2014

Fundamentalist Christian "love" on display when gay son comes out

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/28/1324875/-Fundamentalist-Christian-love-on-display-when-gay-son-comes-out?detail=email

Pretty horrifying. This is one of the reasons I fight against fundies....

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

California Jobs Rise with Green Energy

For those who say California's taxes and green regulation kill jobs:

http://www.livescience.com/47570-california-jobs-boost-from-green-energy.html?cmpid=558145

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Eliminate the corporate tax and increase the capital gains tax

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/25/1324505/-Eliminate-corporate-tax-seriously?detail=email

Sounds like a very effective plan....

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Inequality and Web Search Trends

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/upshot/inequality-and-web-search-trends.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1

Monday, August 11, 2014

Three Charts to Email to Your Right-Wing Brother-In-Law -- Updated

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/08/1320193/-Three-Charts-to-Email-to-Your-Right-Wing-Brother-In-Law-Updated?detail=email#

Saturday, August 9, 2014

How rich are the top 1% really?

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/08/1319980/-The-1-are-wealthy-beyond-measure?detail=email

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Neil deGrasse Tyson tells GMO haters to chill out

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/04/1319176/-Neil-deGrasse-Tyson-tells-GMO-haters-to-chill-out-people-get-angry?detail=email

It's nice to see the left calling out the left for their version of climate change denialism. One big point to keep in mind...anti-GMO positions aren't a significant political platform, unlike climate change denialism.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Suing Obama in federal court is likely to fail miserably

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/31/1318130/-Turns-out-that-lawsuits-have-rules?detail=email

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Kentucky Tourism Board OKs $18 Million In Tax Incentives for Ark Encounter

Yeah, 'cause the Creation Museum is doing so damn well!

http://wfpl.org/post/kentucky-tourism-board-oks-18-million-tax-incentives-ark-encounter#.U9kz5k8nLKg.facebook

Healthcare.gov massive cost overruns

Not good news. Fodder for conservatives, even if the overall program is a success:

http://time.com/3060276/obamacare-affordable-care-act-cost/?xid=newsletter-brief

Climate change denialist update

Here's the most massively ignorant candidate for Congress:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/07/30/the-most-frightening-candidate-ive-met-in-seven-years-interviewing-congressional-hopefuls/

And here's another member of Congress schooling climate change denier Inhofe:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/30/sheldon-whitehouse-climate-change_n_5633705.html

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

The Creation Museum is going bankrupt

Another heartwarming story:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/26/1316969/-Want-to-Know-Why-Ken-Ham-Is-Being-So-Obnoxious-Lately?detail=email#

Satanists Demand Religious Exemption From Abortion Restrictions, Cite Hobby Lobby Ruling

Nice! More fallout from the Hobby Lobby decision:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/28/1317272/-Well-well-Satanists-to-use-Hobby-Lobby-to-block-pro-life-propaganda?detail=email

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/07/28/3464769/satanists-hobby-lobby-abortion/

I really hope this starts a royal mess causes the Supreme Court to scramble to undo their ruling. :-)

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Heritage Foundation economist can only defend Kansas tax cuts by fabricating data

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/25/1316618/-Busted-Heritage-Foundation-economist-can-only-defend-Kansas-tax-cuts-by-fabricating-data?detail=email

Why do Republicans think government jobs aren't "real" jobs? In the private sector, businesses take money from customers for goods and services and use it to pay employees who then spend that money on goods and services, thus boosting the economy. In the public sector, governments take money from taxpayers for goods and services and use it to pay employees who then spend that money on goods and services, thus boosting the economy. Almost the same damn thing.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Creationist Ken Ham: End the space program or go to Hell

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/22/1315850/-Creationist-Ken-Ham-End-the-space-program-or-go-to-Hell?detail=email

Children Exposed To Religion Have Difficulty Distinguishing Fact From Fiction

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/children-religion-fact-fiction_n_5607009.html

The failed Republican economy in Kansas

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/19/1315203/-I-know-bupkis-about-economics-but-I-know-what-happened-to-Kansas?detail=email

Thursday, July 17, 2014

How Americans feel about different religious groups

Atheists aren't at the very bottom for once. Yay.

http://www.pewforum.org/2014/07/16/how-americans-feel-about-religious-groups/

But how do people feel about the large number of Jewish atheists?

Evidence austerity measures don't work

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/16/austerity-cost-633-billion_n_5592026.html

Friday, July 11, 2014

Ignorant politicians inhibiting scientific research in the US

I truly hate this...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/11/sequestration-cuts-science_n_5577677.html

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

So much for Bush's '52 months of job growth' GOP talking point

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/07/1312400/-Say-goodbye-to-Bush-s-52-months-of-job-growth-GOP-talking-point?detail=email

Monday, July 7, 2014

Addressing the conservative talking points over Hobby Lobby

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/06/1312019/-Deconstructing-the-Washington-Examiners-Derp-Filled-response-to-White-House-on-HobbyLobby

Saturday, July 5, 2014

4th of July facts conservatives would like you to forget

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/04/1311570/-Independence-Day-Special-A-Dozen-Facts-About-America-Conservatives-Would-Like-You-to-Forget?detail=email

Clergy hand out condoms at Hobby Lobby

http://www.nationofchange.org/clergy-protest-supreme-court-handing-out-condoms-hobby-lobby-1404482931

More potential consequences of the Hobby Lobby ruling

http://www.nationofchange.org/10-mind-bending-questions-about-hobby-lobby-decision-1404569145

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/03/1311419/-George-Takei-s-blistering-response-to-HobbyLobby-Could-a-Muslim-Corp-impose-Sharia-Law?detail=email#

Friday, July 4, 2014

Could the Declaration of Independence have implications for government that disturb libertarians?

http://news.yahoo.com/reading-declaration-independence-wrong-144302368.html?soc_src=mediacontentstorycontextual

More mess from the SCOTUS decisions

http://time.com/2955242/supreme-court-rules-on-religious-colleges-birth-control-plea/?xid=newsletter-brief

Christian Right's Mission To Control Americans' Sex Lives

http://www.alternet.org/belief/what-does-jesus-want-your-vagina-christian-rights-mission-control-americans-sex-lives?paging=off&current_page=1

Hobby Lobby Fallout: Catholic Soy Milk Mogul Won't Cover Drugs That "Prevent Procreation"

And so it begins....

http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2014/07/03/hobby-lobby-fallout-catholic-soy-milk-mogul-wont-cover-drugs-that-prevent-procreation/?utm_source=followingimmediate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20140703

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

What if a Muslim Company Used the 'Hobby Lobby' Decision to Impose Its Values on White Christians?

I honestly don't know what the SCOTUS was thinking. Now that the precedent is set, anyone can make up any religion they want and have a legal basis for defending virtually any position one wants to hold:

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/30/1310729/-What-if-a-Muslim-Company-Used-the-Hobby-Lobby-Decision-to-Impose-Its-Values-on-White-Christians?detail=email

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/30/religious-companies-opt-out-of-laws_n_5544582.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

http://www.nationofchange.org/why-today-s-hobby-lobby-decision-actually-hurts-people-faith-1404224830

How about if we make a religion that requires discrimination against Christians?

Life Does Not Begin at Conception and I Can Prove It

The gametes being alive is an argument I use all the time, but the "tubal pregnancy" point is new to me:

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/29/1310323/-Life-Does-Not-Begin-at-Conception-and-I-Can-Prove-It?detail=email

Monday, June 30, 2014

Republicans are the Party of Death

This could be a good label to attach to them:

http://www.nationofchange.org/gopthe-pro-death-party-1404140037

Right-Wing Christian Group Tried to Convert This City's Kids — But They're Fighting Back

http://www.alternet.org/belief/right-wing-christian-group-tried-convert-citys-kids-theyre-fighting-back?paging=off%C2%A4t_page=1#bookmark

Friday, June 27, 2014

Robert Reich on standing up to the Koch brothers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJip9qX-Qy8#t=168

Where Do You Fit in the Political Typology?

"Are you a Steadfast Conservative? A Solid Liberal? Or somewhere in between? Take
our quiz, selecting answers that come closest to your political views. Then find
out which one of our Political Typology groups is your best match compared with
a national survey of 10,000 U.S. adults conducted by the Pew Research Center."

http://www.people-press.org/quiz/political-typology/?wpisrc=nl_rdin

Turns out I'm a "Solid Liberal." Not enough questions on finances, though, which I think would have swung me more progressive, but...

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Jesus Is the Worst Thing to Happen to Christianity in Awhile

Hah!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-penwell/jesus-is-the-worst-thing-_b_5531297.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Monday, June 23, 2014

Neil deGrasse Tyson v. the Right: Cosmos, Christians and the Battle for American Science

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sean-mcelwee/neil-degrasse-tyson-vs-the-right_b_5469180.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592#

Friday, June 20, 2014

UK bans teaching of creationism in any school that receives public funding

As it should be...

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/06/20/uk-bans-teaching-of-creationism-in-any-school-that-receives-public-funding/

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Glenn Beck: 'Liberals, You Were Right' About Iraq War

I love this one:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/17/glenn-beck-iraq-war_n_5505424.html

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

U.S. Health Care Ranked Worst in the Developed World

http://time.com/2888403/u-s-health-care-ranked-worst-in-the-developed-world/

We're number one! In worst medical care....

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Krugman on the death of movement conservatism

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/13/opinion/paul-krugman-eric-cantor-and-the-death-of-a-movement.html?_r=1

Friday, June 13, 2014

Fox News is killing the GOP :-)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/12/1306571/-Is-Fox-News-Trying-To-Kill-The-Republican-Party-Or-Is-It-Just-A-Happy-Accident?detail=email

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Prominent pastor's advice on dealing with gay people

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/11/1306246/-Prominent-pastor-radio-host-offers-chilling-advice-to-parents-with-adult-kids-who-are-gay?detail=email#

So if the gay person is a non-believer, then draw him to Christ, but if he's a Christian, push him away to Satan? What a fucked up religion....

Cantor being shit-canned may not be for the reasons the media is claiming

If so, that may actually change things for the better:

http://www.nationofchange.org/eric-cantor-s-opponent-beat-him-calling-out-gop-corruption-1402587193

Except that the rest of his views are pretty stupid:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/11/1306155/-Where-does-David-Brat-the-man-who-defeated-Eric-Cantor-stand-on-the-issues?detail=email

America's Polarization Reaches New Peak

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/polarization-poll_n_5486035.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The coal industry is suing the EPA for "lying" about climate change

Maybe a court case could do for climate change what the Dover case did for evolution.

http://www.nationofchange.org/coal-company-ceo-threatens-sue-epa-lying-about-climate-change-1402496989

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Use the First Amendment to Highlight the Foolish Abuse of the Second

http://www.nationofchange.org/second-amendment-so-first-1402417753

Sunday, June 8, 2014

A veteran rants at the Republican treatment of Bergdahl

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/06/1304819/-One-Veteran-s-Epic-Rant-to-the-Repuli-Tea-Party-on-their-disgraceful-treatment-of-Bergdahl?detail=email#

Friday, June 6, 2014

How Many Born-Again Christians Use Ashley Madison

Hah!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/04/infidelity-and-religion_n_5447526.html

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Over 40 Percent Of Americans Believe In Creationism, Survey Says

This is why I make my videos and argue against these nutbags:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/creationism-america-survey_n_5434107.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Americans Would Rather Vote For A Philandering, Pot-Smoking President Than An Atheist One

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/19/presidential-poll-atheists_n_5353524.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

10-30 million supposed to show up to overthrow the government...falls a bit short

http://www.nationofchange.org/tens-people-descend-upon-capitol-drive-obama-administration-out-office-1400337565

Learn to speak Benghazi!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/16/1299492/-Cartoon-Learn-to-Speak-Benghazi?detail=email#

Robert Reich on the myth of European socialism failing

http://www.nationofchange.org/practical-choice-not-american-capitalism-or-welfare-state-socialism-economy-s-working-few-or-many-14

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Voters voting against their own self-interest

By harping on social issues, Republicans dupe those who need government most into voting for smaller government:

http://news.yahoo.com/poor-kentucky-no-stomach-obama-153854246.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Republicans want to politically control science

This will be a truly terrible thing if it ever happens:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/06/war-on-science_n_5269527.html?ir=Politics&utm_campaign=051114&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-politics&utm_content=Title

Saturday, May 10, 2014

More fallout from the SCOTUS weakening of separation of church and state

When the decision first came out, I said Satanists should demand their own invocations at public events...and it appears that's exactly what has happened:

http://aattp.org/florida-town-must-open-meeting-with-satanic-prayer-or-violate-supreme-court-ruling/

That's what happens when you don't think about the consequences of decisions!

Gay marriage ban defeated...in Arkansas?!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-27354014

I may have been too conservative in my 2007 video estimating how quickly gay marriage would become the norm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFM3LYsND50

WTF Is Wrong Is Wrong With Americans?

http://m.tickld.com/x/wtf-is-wrong-is-wrong-with-americans-this-guy-nails-it

Friday, May 9, 2014

Wyoming First State To Reject Science Standards Over Climate Change Denial

The idiots are at it again:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/08/wyoming-science-standards_n_5290558.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Separation of church and state weakened by SCOTUS

http://www.nationofchange.org/supreme-court-just-blew-gaping-hole-wall-separation-between-church-and-state-1399380550

...and the start of reaping what they sew:

http://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-ra-abcarian-scotus-20140505-column.html#axzz30skbS9Do

Four biggest lies about income inequality - Robert Reich

http://www.nationofchange.org/four-biggest-right-wing-lies-about-inequality-1399385084

Sunday, May 4, 2014

The problem with Republican claims that Obamacare enrollees haven't paid their dues

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/30/1296004/-ACA-Signups-SHOCKER-GOP-Committee-Report-is-a-Big-Pile-of-Crap?detail=email

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Scalia screws up royally

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/30/1295830/-Uh-Oh-Scalia-Screws-Up-Royally-Time-To-Retire?detail=email

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Christians vs. Sarah Palin

I love it when the hateful eat their own:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/29/1295557/-Christian-Organization-Starts-Petition-Against-Sarah-Palin?detail=email#

Monday, April 21, 2014

Poll: Big Bang a big question for most Americans

This is just depressing:

http://news.yahoo.com/poll-big-bang-big-most-americans-074034813.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory

Friday, April 18, 2014

Charges: Minister raped 'Maidens' in Minn. camp for years

More "comfort" provided by religion:

http://www.startribune.com/local/255322011.html

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Is it Wrong to Talk People Out of Their Faith?

http://www.richarddawkins.net/foundation_articles/2014/4/12/is-it-wrong-to-talk-people-out-of-their-faith

Monday, April 14, 2014

What the Ryan budget reveals about what Republicans would do if they were back in power

http://www.nationofchange.org/ryan-budget-shows-what-republicans-want-do-america-1397486070

Saturday, April 12, 2014

South Carolina grade school test revealing why creationism is evil

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/26/1205102/-South-Carolina-Christian-School-Fourth-Grade-Science-Test?detail=email

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Is the Internet killing religion?

http://www.alternet.org/belief/internet-killing-religion?paging=off%C2%A4t_page=1#bookmark

Having had so many religious people influenced by my videos, I'd say this is a resounding yes.

I love this quote ascribed to a youth pastor:

"There is simply nothing we can do about the rise of atheism but accept the inevitable and hope they do not treat Christians the way Christians have treated them."

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Plot Idea

From a tweet:

Plot idea: 97% of the world's scientists contrive an environmental crisis, but are exposed by a plucky band of billionaires & oil companies.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Creationists Hate This Catholic

http://news.yahoo.com/creationists-hate-catholic-040054152--politics.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory

A good one to point to when you run up against those who believe evolution and Christianity are incompatible.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Thomas Jefferson on the Koch brothers

http://www.nationofchange.org/charles-koch-un-american-let-thomas-jefferson-decide-1396792254

Monday, March 24, 2014

Global climate change continues to be increasingly certain

http://news.yahoo.com/un-scientists-see-grim-future-no-action-035340842.html?soc_src=mediacontentsharebuttons

Friday, March 21, 2014

Free higher education should be a right

Something Mark has touted for decades:

http://www.nationofchange.org/free-higher-education-human-right-1395410113

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Society Is Doomed, Scientists Claim

Resource management and low wealth disparity are the key to avoiding collapse:

http://www.livescience.com/44171-society-civilization-collapse-study.html?cmpid=556800

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

What if the existence of black holes hurt company profits?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/18/1285506/-Cartoon-Corporate-Cosmos?detail=email

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

The profound differences between liberal and conservative brains

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/liberals-and-conservatives-dont-just-vote-differently-they-think-differently/2012/04/12/gIQAzb1kDT_story.html

and

http://2012election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004818

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Paul Ryan generates report to disprove effectiveness of Progressive Poverty Programs and - FAILS!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/04/1281960/-Paul-Ryan-generates-report-to-disprove-effectiveness-of-Progressive-Poverty-Programs-and-FAILS?detail=email

How "eminent domain" may cause the banks to finally pay for their malfeasance

Long and intricate but interesting:

http://www.nationofchange.org/stone-brings-down-goliath-richmond-and-eminent-domain-1394034390

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Apple says climate change-denying shareholders should sell Apple stock

Even if you're not an Apple fan...

http://www.nationofchange.org/apple-ceo-climate-denying-shareholders-get-out-stock-1393948032

and

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/04/1281848/-Apple-Tells-Limbaugh-and-His-Ilk-to-Stick-Their-Money-Where-the-Sun-Don-t-Shine?detail=email

The Brainwashing Of My Dad By Fox, Rush Limbaugh & Hate Media

This could have been my own father's story, pretty much:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/02/1277976/-The-Brainwashing-Of-My-Dad-By-Limbaugh-Fox-Hate-Media-Documentary-Update?detail=email#

Sunday, March 2, 2014

After threats and harassment, NC teen abandons atheist group

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2014/02/after-threats-and-harassment-nc-teen-abandons-atheist-group/

Poor put-upon Christians....

Alabama Legislators Approve Bill Requiring School Prayer Every Morning

http://gawker.com/alabama-legislators-pass-bill-requiring-school-prayer-e-1529495374

There's no way this'll get past the Supreme Court....

Saturday, March 1, 2014

The Long, Sordid History Of Discrimination Against Christians in America

I love this breakdown:

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/27/1280813/-The-Long-Sordid-History-Of-Discrimination-Against-Christians-in-America?detail=email

Climate change more certain than ever

http://www.universetoday.com/109831/climate-change-is-now-more-certain-than-ever-new-report-says/

More ammunition...since maybe through sheer quantity some of the denialists will get some sense knocked into their brains. Maybe.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Religion opposition to gay marriage is a major reason many youth leave their religion

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/millennials-gay-unaffiliated-church-religion_n_4856094.html

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Angry Scientist Finds Uneducated Internet Comment And Delivers Badass Response

About damn time!

http://themetapicture.com/angry-scientist-finds-uneducated-internet-comment-and-delivers-badass-response/

It warms the heart!

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peterfoster/100260301/america-is-turning-secular-much-faster-than-we-realise/

and

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10626076/Is-America-losing-faith-Atheism-on-the-rise-but-still-in-the-shadows.html

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The Conservative Argument for a Minimum Wage Hike

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/18/1278533/-The-Conservative-Argument-for-a-Minimum-Wage-Hike?detail=email

and

http://www.nationofchange.org/what-really-happens-when-you-raise-minimum-wage-1392819628

Monday, February 17, 2014

The one rich guy

Does the sun circle the Earth?

This is fucking depressing:

http://news.yahoo.com/quarter-americans-convinced-sun-revolves-around-earth-survey-062143342--abc-news-topstories.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory

Friday, February 14, 2014

The Truth About Numbers!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

An enjoyable rant against Republicans

http://www.nationofchange.org/has-republican-brand-hit-bottom-yet-1392223189

The Obamacare Disaster

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Humanity forced to put down an aging God

http://www.theonion.com/articles/humanity-forced-to-put-down-aging-god,35230/

So sad....

The sad reason for climate change denial

http://www.universetoday.com/108799/why-people-resist-the-notion-of-climate-change/

Monday, February 10, 2014

Democrats are from cities, Republicans are from exurbs

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/09/1274795/-Democrats-are-from-cities-Republicans-are-from-exurbs?detail=email

An economic school has led to gridlock in Washington

An economic school has led to gridlock in Washington

By E.J. Dionne Jr., Published: February 9

One of my favorite moments during the 2012 Republican presidential contest came 
when Ron Paul, fresh from his strong showing in Iowa, triumphantly told his 
supporters: "We're all Austrians now!"

I imagined many Americans scratching their heads and wondering: Why do we want 
to be Austrians? They live in a nice country with stunning mountains and all 
that, but aren't we perfectly happy to be Americans?

Of course those in the know, particularly Paul's enthusiasts, understood the 
libertarian presidential candidate's reference: that Americans were rejecting 
the economic ideas of John Maynard Keynes that encouraged government 
intervention and provided intellectual ballast for the New Deal. Instead, they 
were coming around to the principles of the anti-government economics of 
Austrians Friedrich A. Hayek and Ludwig von Mises. 

Hayek and Mises perceived little difference between democratic governments that 
used their power to plan against recessions and dictatorships that did the same 
thing. In this view, the policies of Franklin Roosevelt led down what Hayek 
called the "Road to Serfdom" and were thus objectively comparable to those of 
Hitler or Stalin.

At the time, Paul offered some context for his Austrian journey. He was quoting 
a supporter who had noted a line attributed to President Richard Nixon that 
"we're all Keynesians now." Paul observed that back then, even Republicans 
"accepted liberal economics." Those days are gone.

Paul's words are worth remembering not only because they are entertaining but 
also because he has a point. To a remarkable degree, our politics are haunted by 
the principles of Austrian economics and their sweeping hostility to any actions 
by government to keep downturns from becoming catastrophes or to promote greater 
economic fairness.

This is, indeed, an enormous change. When Nixon declared his allegiance to 
Keynesianism, he was reflecting an insight embraced across partisan lines. 
Government's exertions, both during the New Deal and more completely during 
World War II, helped rescue the U.S. economy from depression. 

Postwar Keynesian approaches, including the Marshall Plan, let loose an economic 
juggernaut across the Western world. Secular and Christian parties of the 
moderate right and social democratic parties of the moderate left created free 
societies and regulated market economies that delivered the goods - literally as 
well as figuratively - to tens of millions. (The actual country of Austria, by 
the way, largely ignored the "Austrian" economists and followed a similar path.) 


Those who follow Hayek and Mises would have us forget this history or rewrite it 
beyond comprehension. They would also have us overlook that Hayek's "own 
historical justification for apolitical market economics was entirely wrong," as 
the late Tony Judt put it in "Thinking the Twentieth Century," his extraordinary 
dialogue with his fellow historian Timothy Snyder, published in 2012, after 
Judt's death.

Hayek believed, Judt said, that "if you begin with welfare policies of any sort 
- directing individuals, taxing for social ends, engineering the outcomes of 
market relationships - you will end up with Hitler."

But to the contrary, postwar initiatives along Keynesian lines are precisely 
what prevented both the resurgence of fascism and the collapse of Western Europe 
into communist hands. For that matter, Keynesian steps also kept the whole world 
from going into a much deeper and more disastrous slide after the financial 
crisis of 2008.

Yet today's conservatives are in thrall to Austrian thinking, and this explains 
a lot of what is going on in Washington. Broadly popular measures such as 
raising the minimum wage and extending unemployment insurance - normal, 
bipartisan legislation during the Keynesian heyday - are blocked on the 
assumption that people are better off if the government simply keeps its mitts 
off the market. 

It is now difficult for Congress to pass even the kind of spending that all 
sides once saw as necessary public investment in transportation, research and 
education. It's that "road to serfdom" again: Anything government does beyond 
enforcing contracts and stopping violence is denounced as the first step of a 
fox trot toward dictatorship. 

So let's give Ron Paul credit for unmasking the true source of gridlock in 
Washington: Too many conservatives are operating on the basis of theories that 
history and practice have discredited. And liberals have been more reluctant 
than they should be to call the ideological right on this, partly because they 
never fully got over the shell shock of the Reagan years and also because they 
have a strange aversion to arguing about theory. When it comes to government 
policy, the Austrian economists paved the road to paralysis.