April Fool’s Day. This is a good time to write bout the way American citizens have been hoodwinked into providing funding for the teaching of creationism and pseudoscience in religious and private schools. Nearly $1 billion in public funds in fourteen states will be handed to hundreds of private schools that teach creationism as science this year. These schools promulgate the … [Read more...] about Funding Creationism and Pseudoscience
Conservatives to women: Go get married (Guest Voice)
Conservatives to women: Go get married by Dana Milbank Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- The conservative minds of the Heritage Foundation have found a way for Republicans to shrink the gender gap: They need to persuade more women to get their MRS degrees. The advocacy group held a gathering of women of the right Monday afternoon to mark the … [Read more...] about Conservatives to women: Go get married (Guest Voice)
Right Wing Media: President Obama’s a Failed American Leader, ‘Dissed’ by World
From day one, President Obama has been taking unprecedented heat from his critics in a way I had not seen other presidents, except Bill Clinton. He has been called all manner of names -- Kenyan, Marxist, Socialist, a liar, grown up version of Trayvon Martin, junkie -- and there is no way he could be a natural born American because his birth certificate was fabricated, of course … [Read more...] about Right Wing Media: President Obama’s a Failed American Leader, ‘Dissed’ by World
UN court orders Japan to stop whaling program
UN court orders Japan to stop whaling program (via PBS News Hour) Australia, activists hail UN court verdict on Japan's annual whaling hunt http://t.co/ppddduisAh pic.twitter.com/8a2EpFZzFR — SBS News (@SBSNews) March 31, 2014 Japan has been ordered to immediately halt whaling off Antarctica, after the United Nations… … [Read more...] about UN court orders Japan to stop whaling program
Astronomy (Or Blogging From A to Z)
Today is April 1st and besides being April Fools it is also the start of the A-Z blogging challenge. Over the next 30 days (Sundays excepted) I will be offering a daily post based on a different letter of the alphabet from A to Z. Today is the letter "A" and I have chosen to start with one of my lifelong passions... Astronomy. Perhaps to some degree my choice is … [Read more...] about Astronomy (Or Blogging From A to Z)
Huffington Post Religion Section Angers Thousands!!
Huffington Post Religion section angers thousands of readers with post about normal Christian pastor doing normal Christian stuff by Doug Bursch Well, it’s the first day of April and the internet is already in an uproar concerning the Huffington Post Religion section’s most recent and extremely provocative story concerning a very ordinary Christian pastor doing extremely … [Read more...] about Huffington Post Religion Section Angers Thousands!!
Spielberg Announces E.T. Sequel
(Dateline April 1, 2014) Steven Spielberg shocked the entertainment world today by announcing he is producing a sequel to his 1982 classic, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Spielberg spoke to a room packed full of press and Hollywood insiders, eager to hear about the director’s, up until now, top secret project. Although rumors had run rampant, no one expected today’s surprise … [Read more...] about Spielberg Announces E.T. Sequel
Climate change boosts conflict risk, floods, hunger: UN
Climate change boosts conflict risk, floods, hunger: UN (via AFP) Soaring carbon emissions will amplify the risk of conflict, hunger, floods and mass migration this century, the UN's expert panel said Monday in a landmark report on the impact of climate change. Left unchecked, greenhouse gas emissions may cost trillions… … [Read more...] about Climate change boosts conflict risk, floods, hunger: UN
Chart junk at its finest: Fox on ACA
I rarely give MediaMatters a first look, much less a second one. But today? Today's different. This came across my Facebook news feed from an east coast journo. It is one of the most egregious pieces of chart junk -- in this case, propaganda as well -- that I have seen coming from a "news" organization. I know, I know. The folks here on the left are gonna … [Read more...] about Chart junk at its finest: Fox on ACA
8 reasons why India’s elections really matter to the world
8 reasons why India’s elections really matter to the world (via GlobalPost) Enlarge Right-wing Hindu activists from Shiva Sena burn an effigy of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as they shout anti-China slogans during a protest against an incursion by Chinese troops in May 2013. In elections that begin in April, the right… … [Read more...] about 8 reasons why India’s elections really matter to the world
Sheldon (Adelson) loves Chris (Christie)?
Did New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie just win the primary that REALLY counts? Did he win what some in the media are calling the "Adelson Primary" -- Adelson as in Sherman, the billionaire who can even keep a hopeless candidacy such as former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's afloat? This time Adelson insists his priority is to back someone who can win (Gingrich never seemed … [Read more...] about Sheldon (Adelson) loves Chris (Christie)?
Russia: Becoming the ‘Empire the World Needs’ (Izvestia, Russia)
How should a new and reinvigorated Russia put the United States and the West in their proverbial place? For Russia's Izvestia, columnist Seraphim Melentyev suggests the creation of international tribunals for Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, to bring an end to the doctrine 'humanitarian intervention,' not only to protect the world, but to prevent 'exceptionalist Western … [Read more...] about Russia: Becoming the ‘Empire the World Needs’ (Izvestia, Russia)
Wild Pigs attacking people at stores and tourist attraction (Video) UPDATED
Bacon strikes back? Watch this video of pigs attacking people at stores and a tourist site (location can't be determined by the video): This is not the only example of pigs attacking. American voters may have trouble with the wild boors serving in Congress, but wild boars can attack animals and people. A few newspaper reports in recent months: Sweden: A young woman … [Read more...] about Wild Pigs attacking people at stores and tourist attraction (Video) UPDATED
SciFi Weekend: Hannibal; Sleepy Hollow; Arrow; SHIELD; DC Movie Plans; The Americans; The Blacklist; Scarlett Johansson Gets Superpowers; Groundhog Day;Death of the Rani; How I Met Your Mother Finale
This week's episode of Hannibal, Mukozuke, had Jack Crawford viewing Beverly's sliced body. Bryan Fuller described Hannibal breaking her down as being like how Beverly would break down a crime scene. Her murder had major effects on several characters, especially Will Graham who was driven to have Hannibal killed in revenge. He found a clever way to attempt this despite being … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Hannibal; Sleepy Hollow; Arrow; SHIELD; DC Movie Plans; The Americans; The Blacklist; Scarlett Johansson Gets Superpowers; Groundhog Day;Death of the Rani; How I Met Your Mother Finale
Obamacare insures 9.5 million previously uninsured
Even though it had a hideous roll-out and became -- and is -- a bigtime political football, the Los Angeles Times reports that Obamacare has brought insurance to 9.5 Americans who hadn't had any and has already set a record for the history books: President Obama's healthcare law, despite a rocky rollout and determined opposition from critics, already has spurred the … [Read more...] about Obamacare insures 9.5 million previously uninsured
Juan Williams on ACA
Fox News contributor Juan Williams shares thoughts from health care expert Jonathan Gruber on the Affordable Care Act on The Hill. The danger to ObamaCare, he says, has nothing to do with the final sign-up numbers. The plan has enrolled enough people, including enough young people, to be sustainable, he said. With more than 6 million already signed up, he insisted that the … [Read more...] about Juan Williams on ACA
The Vacuous Evil Of Donald Rumsfeld
Despite his role as the key player in the late, unlamented fool's errand known as the Iraq War, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has remained the most elusive of subjects. A big part of this has to do with him not meeting our expectations, or in any event my own: He remains unapologetic, unrepentant and unconscionably obtuse when it comes to discussing the war, notably … [Read more...] about The Vacuous Evil Of Donald Rumsfeld
The Matrix is 15 years old… damn
I used to have debates on Twitter with @KickArseHD on the subject of what is the most important film of the past 20 or so years. I championed The Dark Knight for various reasons but Mr Arse backed The Matrix – I hate to admit it, but he was right. I’ve recently re-watched this classic – and yes it is a classic film – and I was gobsmacked at how relevant and awe inspiring it … [Read more...] about The Matrix is 15 years old… damn
Washington mudslide death toll at 25; how you can help
The deadly mudslide that brought destruction to the community of Oso, WA, last weekend has now officially claimed 21 lives (15 identified, 6 unidentified). An additional four victims have been found in the slide, but are not yet recovered, according to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s (ME’s) office. Scores remain unaccounted for, but the stories of rescue and … [Read more...] about Washington mudslide death toll at 25; how you can help
Who Cares about the Value of Work?
WASHINGTON -- Finding a way out of our current political impasse requires some agreement on what problems we need to solve. If anything should unite left, center and right, it is the value of work and the idea, in Bill Clinton's signature phrase, that those who "work hard and play by the rules" ought to be rewarded for their efforts. This is why one of last week's most … [Read more...] about Who Cares about the Value of Work?