The Perceived Conflicts between science and religious faith by Peter W. Johnson Many consider the gap between religious faith and Scientific knowledge, not able to be mended and impossible to reconcile. However, I believe that both ways of thinking deal with discovering aspects of the unknown. And while one is more involved with philosophy and ideology and another with … [Read more...] about The perceived conflicts between science and religious faith (Reader Guest Voice)
Rand Paul Gets It (Guest Voice)
Rand Paul Gets It by Michael Reagan I disagree with some of Rand Paul's more libertarian positions, especially on social issues. And I'm certainly not endorsing him or anyone else to be the Republican nominee for president at this time. But Sen. Paul of Kentucky did two things recently that won my favor. He showed the 2,500 conservative activists at the CPAC conference … [Read more...] about Rand Paul Gets It (Guest Voice)
McUnhappy: Workers sue McDonald’s for stealing wages
Workers sue McDonald's for stealing wages (via AFP) US workers accused fast-food giant McDonald's Thursday of systematically stealing wages through illicit practices like forcing them to work off-the-clock and failing to pay overtime. Seven class-action lawsuits were filed Wednesday and Thursday in California… … [Read more...] about McUnhappy: Workers sue McDonald’s for stealing wages
Obama signs order expanding overtime pay for workers
In yet another use of an executive order to take action and bypass a stalemated Congress, President Barack Obama has signed an order asking the Labor Department to come up with new rules that'll expand the number of workers that can get overtime pay. The expected partisan reactions are now coming in: Saying it’s “just fair” for more Americans to earn overtime pay, … [Read more...] about Obama signs order expanding overtime pay for workers
Merkel’s tough stance toward Russia threatens trade war
Merkel’s tough stance toward Russia threatens trade war (via GlobalPost) BERLIN, Germany — Chancellor Angela Merkel has issued an ultimatum to Russia over what she called its annexation of Crimea: Back down or face strong measures from the European Union. Accusing Moscow of acting by the “law of the jungle” in an address… … [Read more...] about Merkel’s tough stance toward Russia threatens trade war
Larison on Foreign Adventurism
Daniel Larison comments on the limits of hard power in foreign policy in The American Conservative. If most Americans are more aware of the limits of power generally and U.S. power in particular, I’d say that is a very sensible reaction to more than a decade of overreach and absurd ideological projects, and a very healthy backlash to the delusions of Bush’s Second Inaugural. … [Read more...] about Larison on Foreign Adventurism
Karl Rove Warns Republicans (Again)
Bush-era GOP political maven Karl Rove is raining on the Republican Party's parade. It wasn't enough (for some Republicans) that Rove criticized over the top verbal Republican missle hurlers for hurting their party's chances at the polls, now he's telling his party to take a deep breath and not assume that a win in Florida means the Democrats are defeated in 2014 and beyond. … [Read more...] about Karl Rove Warns Republicans (Again)
‘Honky Tonk Women’ too dirty for China as song ‘vetoed’
'Honky Tonk Women' too dirty for China as song 'vetoed' (via AFP) The sexual lyrics of "Honky Tonk Women" were apparently too much for China's Communist fathers as the Rolling Stones said the chart-topping song was "vetoed" for their second ever show in the country on Wednesday. "About now we'd usually play something… … [Read more...] about ‘Honky Tonk Women’ too dirty for China as song ‘vetoed’
Rep. Paul Ryan Under Fire for Blaming Poverty on Lazy ‘Inner City’ Men
Rep. Paul Ryan is defending racially charged comments he made about inner city men -- ahem, black men. Ryan claimed that poverty is caused by men in “our inner cities” who are “not even thinking about working.” Ryan said the comments had nothing to do with race. Um, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) begs to differ and read him the riot act: Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), a member of the … [Read more...] about Rep. Paul Ryan Under Fire for Blaming Poverty on Lazy ‘Inner City’ Men
Republicans, White Working Class Voters, And Race
White working class males present a particular frustration for Democratic strategists. Most independent economists agree that Republican economic policies have increasingly led to redistribution of wealth to the ultra-wealthy at the expense of the middle class yet Republicans obtain the majority of votes from low-information white voters who are hurt the most by Republican … [Read more...] about Republicans, White Working Class Voters, And Race
Tragedy strikes SxSW as car plows through crowd, killing 2
The original post of this story contained a typo in the headline, relating that 5 persons were killed. It is two persons who were killed in this tragic accident. The headline has been corrected to reflect those facts. Thank you. Eds. [Update 9: 4:35 am Friday, Pacific] At about 12:30 am Thursday, a stolen car traveling at a high rate of speed killed two people and injured … [Read more...] about Tragedy strikes SxSW as car plows through crowd, killing 2
Francis’ anti-imperial papacy
WASHINGTON -- Religion makes a lot of mistakes. Faith traditions can be so harsh that they drive away everyone but the self-righteous scolds. Or they can so indulge in therapeutic comfort and manufactured joy that they come to seem like a charlatan's game. They can be so otherworldly that they offer no guidance to those living in this one on matters of justice, … [Read more...] about Francis’ anti-imperial papacy
Climate Change Talkathon a Sign of Weakness
Climate Change Talkathon a Sign of Weakness By Dick Polman There's a reason why the U.S. Senate has long been nicknamed the Cave of Winds. Typically, its denizens are all talk, no action. Consider Monday night's 14-hour talkathon about climate change. It's laudable that 28 Democratic senators morphed into night owls in order to spotlight a science-vetted crisis that's … [Read more...] about Climate Change Talkathon a Sign of Weakness
Christie’s handling of Sandy funds takes a big hit
Yet another step in the political deflation of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is underway -- and it's a potentially big one. Christie had shot up in the polls due to his handling of Hurricane Sandy and his willingness to work with President Barack Obama in a bipartisan way. "Bridgegate" has undermined his image of a more bipartisan type of Republican and now his handling of … [Read more...] about Christie’s handling of Sandy funds takes a big hit
Watch: President Obama and Zach Galifianakis Hilariously Trade Insults on ‘Between Two Ferns’
Watch: President Obama and Zach Galifianakis Hilariously Trade Insults on 'Between Two Ferns' (via Fandango Movie Blog) By: Erik Davis on March 11, 2014 at 9:43AM If there's one thing we like most about President Barack Obama, it's his sense of humor and willingness to have fun. Case in point: the president of the United States agreed to appear on an episode of Zach… … [Read more...] about Watch: President Obama and Zach Galifianakis Hilariously Trade Insults on ‘Between Two Ferns’
Putin to Crimeans: ‘Heads I Win, Tails You Lose’
I am sure some readers have at one time or another made such a proposition -- probably in jest. Well, the Russian-controlled Crimean government -- in reality, Vladimir Putin -- is dead serious in offering the Crimean people exactly such a “choice” in the upcoming referendum that is supposed to give the peninsula’s residents a chance to “decide fairly and freely their … [Read more...] about Putin to Crimeans: ‘Heads I Win, Tails You Lose’
Cosmos For Creationists
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmdGFWS0m54 A Fox affiliate in Oklahoma cut the only reference to evolution by cutting out fifteen seconds of the premiere episode of Cosmos. Reportedly this was accidental, just like the eighteen minute gap in the Watergate tapes. The above video shows further editing of Cosmos to appeal to the anti-science right. Cross posted from Liberal … [Read more...] about Cosmos For Creationists
Prokaryote, google it (Cartoon)
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/prokaryote-google-it/ “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey”, Fox's new show goes against conventional wisdom as the target audience is most likely based in faith rather than science. Copyright 2014 David Donar. All rights reserved. Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about Prokaryote, google it (Cartoon)
It’s My Tenth Blogiversary
My Beamish Boy It is the twenty fifth anniversary of the world wide web today. It is also the tenth anniversary of this blog. I place them in order of importance, but, happily, other, more capable fingers can type paeans to the WWW, An online Magna Carta: Berners-Lee calls for bill of rights for web Jemima Kiss / Guardian Exclusive: web's inventor warns neutrality … [Read more...] about It’s My Tenth Blogiversary
BREAKING UPDATE: Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
Breaking Update: According to the Guardian, CNN is broadcasting news that a Chinese satellite may have spotted large pieces of wreckage in the South China Sea not far off the plane’s projected flight path. Chinese officials believe it could be the wreckage from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The images were published by the Chinese State Administration for Science, … [Read more...] about BREAKING UPDATE: Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370