AUDIO: Supreme Court Oral Arguments On Birth Control Case

The Supreme Court has posted audio of Tuesday's oral arguments on Obamacare's birth control mandate.

Interview:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/supreme-court-audio-hobby-lobby-oral-arguments?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

A beautiful sunset on serene Cannon Beach, Oregon. [1600x1173][OS] photo by John Qu

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Whil Wheaton responds to a Little Girl about being called a Nerd

Wil Wheaton gives a touching speech to a little girl who asks if he was ever called a nerd and how he coped with that.

http://youtu.be/yMrIrYzdybw?t=1m27s

Skip to 1:27 --

TIL: Chinese History: Christian Missionaries, The Opium Wars, and the Boxer Rebellion

Good to know when you want to understand the attitude of the Chinese people about anything going on in today's world, and their engagement with other nations...

Today I learned:

• The First Opium War (1839–42), also known as the Opium War and as the Anglo-Chinese War, was fought between Great Britain and China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice for foreign nationals.^[3]
  Prior to the conflict Chinese officials wished to end the spread of opium, and confiscated around 20,000 chests of opium (approximately 1.21 million kilograms or 2.66 million lb)^[4] from British traders. The British government, although not officially denying China's right to control imports of the drug, objected to this seizure and used its military power to enforce violent redress.^[3]
  In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking—the first of what the Chinese later called the unequal treaties—granted an indemnity to Britain, the opening of five treaty ports, and the cession of Hong Kong Island, thereby ending the trade monopoly of the Canton System. The failure of the treaty to satisfy British goals of improved trade and diplomatic relations led to the Second Opium War (1856–60).^[5] The war is now considered in China as the beginning of modern Chinese history.^[6][7]
  ...
  There was an insatiable demand for tea in Britain. Only silver was accepted in payment by China for tea which resulted in chronic trade deficits.^[8] A trade imbalance came into being that was highly unfavourable to Britain. The Sino-British trade was dominated by high-value luxury items such as tea (from China to Britain) and silver (from Britain to China), to the extent that European gold and silver became widely used in China.<sup>[9]
  
  ...
  
  By 1817, the British decided that counter-trading in a narcotic drug, Indian opium, was a way to reduce the trade deficit and to turn the Indian colony profitable.</sup> 
  ...
  The national crisis was widely seen as being caused by foreign aggression.^[6] Foreign powers had defeated China in several wars, asserted a right to promote Christianity and imposed unequal treaties under which foreigners and foreign companies in China were accorded special privileges, extraterritorial rights and immunities from Chinese law, causing resentment and xenophobic reactions among the Chinese. France, Japan, Russia and Germany carved out spheres of influence, so that by 1900 it appeared that China would likely be dismembered, with foreign powers each ruling a part of the country. Thus, by 1900, the Qing dynasty, which had ruled China for more than two centuries, was crumbling and Chinese culture was under assault by powerful and unfamiliar religions and secular cultures.^[23]
  
  ...
  International tension and domestic unrest fueled the spread of the Boxer movement. First, a drought followed by floods in Shandong province in 1897–1898 forced farmers to flee to cities and seek food. As one observer said, "I am convinced that a few days' heavy rainfall to terminate the long-continued drought... would do more to restore tranquility than any measures which either the Chinese government or foreign governments can take."^[13]
  

  
  

  

  A French political cartoon depicting China as a pie about to be carved up by Queen Victoria (Britain), Kaiser Wilhelm II (Germany), Tsar Nicholas II (Russia), Marianne (France) and a samurai (Japan), while a Chinese mandarin helplessly looks on.
  
  ...

  A major cause of discontent in north China was missionary activity. The Treaty of Tientsin (or Tianjin) and the Convention of Peking, signed in 1860 after the Second Opium War, had granted foreign missionaries the freedom to preach anywhere in China and to buy land on which to build churches.^[14] On 1 November 1897, a band of armed men who were perhaps members of the Big Swords Society stormed the residence of a German missionary from the aggressive Society of the Divine Word and killed two priests. This attack is known as the Juye Incident. When Kaiser Wilhelm II received news of these murders, he dispatched the German East Asia Squadron to occupy Jiaozhou Bay on the southern coast of the Shandong peninsula.^[15] Germany's action triggered a "scramble for concessions" by which Britain, France, Russia, and Japan also secured their own sphere of influence in China.<sup>[16]
  
  Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxer_Rebellion  and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Opium_War</sup>

Mom Accused of Killing Son She Thought Was Gay - Jessica Dutro trial begins

"An Oregon mom is on trial for allegedly beating her son to death, which she did, prosecutors told the court this week, because she believed the 4-year-old was gay. On Wednesday the judge in the case ruled that prosecutors could introduce as evidence a Facebook message in which Jessica Dutro, 25, told her boyfriend Brian Canady, 24, that her son Zachary was "facing the wall" for making her angry, the Oregonian reports. He's going to be gay, Dutro wrote, using a slur. "He walks and talks like it. Ugh." She said the two would have to "work on" the boy..."

http://www.newser.com/story/184458/mom-accused-of-killing-son-she-thought-was-gay.html

Why the World Should Be Worried About Bangladesh - Poor nation will be amongst those hardest hit by climate change

Poor nation will be amongst those hardest hit by climate change.
http://www.newser.com/story/184477/why-the-world-should-be-worried-about-bangladesh.html

Anyone Who Thinks Stocks Will Go Up If The Economy Grows Should Read This Quote From Warren Buffett

"...Yes, stocks could keep going up, especially if the Fed keeps frantically pumping out money. But most valid valuation measures suggest that stocks are radically overvalued. And, in the past, radical overvaluation has led to crappy long-term stock performance..."

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/buffett-stock-market-and-economy-2014-3

RS95 - Gerard O'Brien On the Computational Theory of Mind (Rationally Speaking)

Is the mind a kind of computer? This episode of Rationally Speaking features philosopher Gerard O'Brien from the University of Adelaide, who specializes in the philosophy of mind. Gerard, Julia, and Massimo discuss the computational theory of mind and what it implies about consciousness, intelligence, and the possibility of uploading people onto computers.

Interview: http://rationallyspeakingpodcast.org/show/rs95-gerard-obrien-on-the-computational-theory-of-mind.html

RS96 - Sally Satel and Scott Lilienfeld on the Seductive Appeal of Mindless Neuroscience (Rationally Speaking)

It seems like a week can't go by without a news story about how neuroscience has discovered the neurological basis of love, morality, addiction, you name it. Yet how much explanatory power does neuroscience really have -- and are we putting too much trust in its findings? On this episode of Rationally Speaking, Massimo and Julia explore these questions with psychiatrist Sally Satel and professor of psychology Scott O. Lilienfeld, the authors of "Brainwashed: The Seductive Appeal of Mindless Neuroscience."

Interview:
http://rationallyspeakingpodcast.org/show/rs96-sally-satel-and-scott-lilienfeld-on-the-seductive-appea.html

RS103 - Neil deGrasse Tyson on Why He Doesn't Call Himself an Atheist (Rationally Speaking)

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson returns for this episode of Rationally Speaking, with a particular question to discuss: Should he call himself an atheist? The impetus is a recent dust-up over Neil's appearance on Big Think, in which he explained that he avoids the label "atheist" because it causes people to make all sorts of unflattering (and often untrue) assumptions. Julia and Massimo reply with some counterarguments, and along the way delve into the philosophy of language.

Interview:
http://rationallyspeakingpodcast.org/show/rs103-neil-degrasse-tyson-on-why-he-doesnt-call-himself-an-a.html

Growing Popularity Of Online Brain-Training Games (Diane Rehm Show)

For centuries, scientists believed the human brain was fully formed in childhood and did not change. But in recent years, studies have found the brain continues to make new connections over a person’s lifetime. In 2008, researchers found that older adults who engaged in brain-training drills could improve cognitive abilities. This set off a flurry of new brain-training websites promising users could slow memory loss and other effects of aging. Now, millions of Americans visit these sites every day, playing games and solving puzzles. But critics say the online training doesn’t have real-life benefits. Diane and a panel of experts discuss the surge in brain game applications and whether or not they work.
 

 Interview:

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2014-03-24/growing-popularity-online-brain-training-games

 

 

Week In The News: The West And Russia, Obama Meets The Pope, Hobby Lobby, Mudslide (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Russia and the West front and center this week, as President Obama rallies with Europe and Russian troops shadow Ukraine’s border.  No game-change, and the President moves on to see the pope and the Saudi king.  The Obamacare sign-up deadline gets squishy, but six million signed up, they say.  The Supreme Court looks at whether corporations have religion.  A wall of mud takes out the tiny town of Oso.  We’ve got a ruling that college athletes can unionize.  A death sentence for 500 in Egypt.  Chris Christie, “conscious uncoupling”, and still no plane.  This hour On Point:  Our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines. / Tom Ashbrook

Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/03/28/russia-obama-putin-francis-hobby-lobby

Friday News Roundup - Domestic (Diane Rehm Show)

President Barack Obama extends the health care enrollment deadline for some applicants. The Senate votes on an aid package for Ukraine. And five of Bernie Madoff’s former employees are convicted of conspiracy. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.
 

Interview: http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2014-03-28/friday-news-roundup-domestic

 

Friday News Roundup - International (Diane Rehm Show)

In Europe, President Barack Obama urges strengthening NATO. An Egyptian court sentences to death hundreds of people tied to the Muslim Brotherhood. And Venezuela's government arrests three generals on charges of plotting a coup. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.
 

Interview: http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2014-03-28/friday-news-roundup-international

 

 

An Honest Facebook Movie

Warning: Breaking Bad S4 spoiler from 0:48 to 0:52.

http://youtu.be/CDmVF_ku7vE

A Response to the Koch Brothers Claim of Entitlement to Anonymous Political Giving

 An online column by Tom Edsall on the New York Times website (March 18), entitled "In Defense of Anonymous Political Giving," presents the arguments m... Read more

Four Reasons To Raise The Minimum Wage For Tipped Workers To More Than $4

The tipped minimum wage is $2.13 and hasn't been raised in two decades. President Obama wants to change that.The post Four ... Read more

Streaming Now on Netflix: The Hunt (Jagten)

A 2014 Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, this story centers on a teacher who faces unfounded pedophilia accusations from a student.

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Hunt/70242565?trkid=13641790

3 Days: "I'm a Republican, and you should get covered"

Good afternoon,

I am a staunch Republican, a self-proclaimed Fox News addict, and I didn't vote for the President. And I'm here to tell you that Obamacare works. I'm living proof.

I'm a chemotherapy patient, and was previously paying $428 a month for my health coverage. I was not thrilled when it was cancelled.

Then I submitted an application at HealthCare.gov. I looked at my options. And I signed up for a plan for $62 a month.
It's the best health care I have ever had.

So right now, here's what I want to tell anyone who still needs health insurance, or knows someone who does:
Sign up. Follow the instructions on the website. Apply, and look at your options. You still have time, and take it from me: This is something you want to do.

I wrote a letter to President Obama this past February to tell him about my experience with the Health Insurance Marketplace. I hoped he'd read it, and he did.

I may not be a supporter of the President. But now, I get mad when I see Obamacare dragged through the mud on television.
And even though I regularly tune in to conservative pundits, I'd like to tell them they're getting it wrong. Obamacare works.

So one more time: If you still need health insurance, you have just three days to get it. Do what I did. Go to HealthCare.gov, submit an application, and pick a plan that works for you.

It just might change your life.

Mark D. Bearden, Ph.D.
Monroe, North Carolina

Special report: Taxpayers fund creationism in the classroom

Taxpayers in 14 states will bankroll nearly $1 billion this year in tuition for private schools, including hundreds of religious schools that teach Earth is less than 10,000 years old, Adam and Eve strolled the garden with dinosaurs, and much of modern biology, geology and cosmology is a web of lies.

Now a major push to expand these voucher programs is under way from Alaska to New York, a development that seems certain to sharply increase the investment.

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/education-creationism-104934.html

The U.S. Spends as Much Teaching Creationism in Schools as 23 Nations' Annual GDP

"...Concerned about government waste? Then you're probably not too pleased with American taxpayers in 14 states bankrolling nearly $1 billion in public funding for private schools — which as POLITICO reports, includes "hundreds of religious schools that teach Earth is less than 10,000 years old, Adam and Eve strolled the garden with dinosaurs, and much of modern biology, geology and cosmology is a web of lies..."

http://www.policymic.com/articles/86415/the-u-s-spends-as-much-teaching-creationism-in-schools-as-23-nations-annual-gdp

Wisconsin’s Massive School Privatization Plan

"Public school privatization troops were out in force yesterday in the Wisconsin State Capitol as the Senate Education Committee held a public hearing on SB 76, a bill that undermines the authority of local schools boards to approve charter schools, and dips into their pockets to pay for the insult..."

http://www.progressive.org/wisconsin-massive-school-privatization-plan

Scalia’s pseudo-science complex: Phony claims, delusions and bogus ideas

And this is why you've heard me say that church people are not telling the truth when they talk about the contraceptive mandate in Obamacare.

"These robed men may interpret the law of the land -- but it doesn't mean they understand how basic biology works..."

http://www.salon.com/2014/03/27/scalias_pseudo_science_complex_phony_claims_delusions_and_bogus_ideas/

Maryland local official defies court, opens meeting with prayer

"Government meetings are not a platform for government officials to promote their religious views," wrote Monica Miller, an attorney for the group. "We appreciate the commissioners' individual religious freedom ... we simply ask that they refrain from using the apparatus of government as a platform for their personal, sectarian religious views."

http://news.yahoo.com/maryland-local-official-defies-court-opens-meeting-prayer-211408310.html

 

Freethinkers to display books in Casey County grade schools

A Kentucky school district is becoming ground zero for a battle over free speech.

A Christian group, Gideons International, visited three elementary schools in Casey County earlier this school year.

An Atheist group, Tri-State Freethinkers, says it's their turn on Friday...

http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/Freethinkers-to-display-books-in-Casey-County-grade-schools-252767181.html

Why We Got Fatter During the Fat-Free Food Boom

Hint: It has to do with sugar.
 
Why We Got Fatter During the Fat-Free Food Boom by Allison Aubrey March 28, 2014 3:27 AM Audio for this story from Morning Edition will be availabl... Read more

An Undeniable Prognosis (Best Atheist Arguments)

"This video is a stark contrast to my "An Inexcusable Puerility" video and demonstrates the intelligence, but mostly common sense, of some of the greatest minds behind atheism"

http://youtu.be/PUzExsAJLmI

"Saved By Hate" by Old Fart Rants

"In yet another case of Christian prejudice and hate, an 8-year-old girl named Sunnie in Virginia has been told that she can not return to the Christian school she went to because she defied "biblical standards" by looking like a boy..."

http://youtu.be/RyRyax16oeE

RWW News: Robertson On Stoning Gays; Satan Leads Gay Rights Movement

Pat Robertson talks about the time gays were stoned to death and claims Satan is behind the push for gay rights.

http://youtu.be/uzctJPEVFuA

RWW News: Robertson: Liberals Are Zealots Trying To Destroy Our 'Health Supply'

Pat Robertson says liberals are the real fanatics.

http://youtu.be/tr0ZPJFhVmM

KKK Not Racist Because... GOD

http://youtu.be/WtjMFh9MJGQ

'God's Not Dead' Preys on Evangelical Fear

What does the weekend box office have in common with a Southern Poverty Law Center hate group? More than you might think. But we'll get to that in a m... Read more

The Windmill of the Future Might Float

"...It will use helium to hover above the ground, obviating the need for poles—and, for that matter, for land. The massive balloon will be, Gizmodo reports, the world's first floating commercial wind turbine... " Read more

GOP Legislators Apparently Don't Want More Money Going To Poor Schools

Judges, beware: Your job may be in jeopardy if you try to promote equal education for all students, according to a Center For American Progress report... Read more

Canadian Icon - Moraine Lake [2048x1366]

Read more

Koch University: The Koch Brothers Target College Students’ Education With $12.7 Million

Though more famous for their secretive workings in politics, the Koch brothers also funnel millions of dollars into the ... Read more

Homeless Mother Gets Job Interview But Doesn’t Have Childcare, Ends Up In Jail

Shanesha Taylor told officers she couldn't leave her children in the house and she had no one else to watch them.The post ... Read more

The States That Are Expanding Medicaid Just Got Some Good News

A new study finds that adults eligible for Obamacare's Medicaid expansion are in better physical and mental health than people ... Read more

How The World Vision Flip-Flop Demonstrates Conservatives’ Commitment To Anti-Gay Discrimination

World Vision's failed attempt to not discriminate proved that conservative Christians care more about denying jobs to the gay ... Read more

Another Financial Crisis Is Looming—Here's Why and How It Will Play Out

Thanks to bank misconduct, odds are that big trouble is on its way.

... Read more

What If Republicans Take Back the Senate?

Nate Silver is back, and back in the news. Silver's appearance on ABC's This Week on Sunday, where he said that if the election were held today, the R... Read more

Atheists Will Soon Deliver Even More Anti-Biblical Books to Georgia State Parks, All Thanks to the Governor

American Atheists President Dave Silverman said, “We continue to be delighted with the support of Governor Nathan Deal for our efforts to help educate Georgia citizens and visitors. Thanks to him, state park visitors can now read about Islamic fundamentalism and give their children a fun read on evolution. We’ve made sure to label every book we’re donating as coming from us, of course. But each label also properly credits Governor Deal and Attorney General Sam Olens.”
Steve Wells said, “We’re quite happy that more Georgians and visitors will get to learn the truth about the Bible; we plan to continue our support for this program.”

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/03/27/atheists-will-soon-deliver-even-more-anti-biblical-books-to-georgia-state-parks-all-thanks-to-the-governor/

Five Things The Justices Did Not Get During The Hobby Lobby Oral Arguments

"... What is worrisome, however, are the mistakes some justices made about important facts of the case and their failure to grasp some of the long term implications their decision in this case could have for the nation. Here’s what – based on the oral arguments – the Court seemed to miss..."


http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/03/27/3419539/five-things-the-justices-did-not-get-during-the-hobby-lobby-oral-arguments/

Florida Overcomes GOP Barriers To Enroll Uninsured

MIAMI (AP) — Florida's Republican leaders have fought the Affordable Care Act at every turn, banning navigators from county health departments, offeri... Read more

Texas Congressman Wants National Parks Opened To Drilling

"Guys on the West Coast ... west of the Mississippi, they know they've got oil and gas under the land that they can't touch ... Read more

Global Heath Leaders Call For Better Access To Abortion To Prevent More Women From Dying

Over the past two decades, one million women have died from a lack of safe abortion access. Public health leaders from around ... Read more

Kansas House Rejects Koch-Backed Push To Kill Clean Energy Law

Bucking powerful interests, a bipartisan group of Kansas state representatives rejected a bill that sought to repeal the ... Read more

Cook County Sheriff Rips Mental Health Cuts: ‘We Have Criminalized Mental Illness In This Country’

Funding cuts have turned Cook County's jail into the largest mental health provider in America.The post Cook County Sheriff ... Read more

Expiring on Netflix 3/28: Empire of Silver

This sprawling epic centers on the exploits and intrigues of a banking dynasty that controls much of China's wealth at the end of the 19th century.

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Empire_of_Silver/70121496?trkid=13641790

Dale Hansen: Kevin Sorbo has no faith in Bill Maher

"...Like the denial of science this conclusion, that the U.S. has lost its moral compass, almost never includes any empirical evidence... Are crime rates a proxy for morals? If so the rates of violent crime, simple assault, aggravated assault, rape, property crime and robbery have all dropped steadily for the past two decades.

Does the abortion rate correlate to morality? If so the number of abortions recently hit a 30-year low.

Is teen pregnancy and indicator of the country’s moral standing? If so teen pregnancy is down 42% since 1990.

How about the number of marriages that end in divorce each year? Does more divorce mean lower morals? If so in 2009 we hit a 40-year low in the divorce rate..."

http://blogs.detroitnews.com/politics/2014/03/23/kevin-sorbo-faith-bill-maher/

Pat Robertson suggests woman's atheism was caused by rape or abuse

"...he said that the co-worker was being controlled by something “demonic” or something “deeply ingrained.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/03/25/4914724/pat-robertson-atheist-woman-might.html#storylink=cpy

Atheists demand Gov. Scott Walker remove scripture tweet

“It is improper for a state employee, much less for the chief executive officer of the state, to use the machinery of the State of Wisconsin to promote personal religious views,” the letter stated, adding that the U.S. Constitution is “entirely godless and secular.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/25/atheists-demand-gov-scott-walker-remove-scripture-/

Tenn. Student Religious Protection Bill Delivered to Gov.

The bill would allow all Tennesee students to cite their religious beliefs in homework, at school functions, or in the classroom 'free from discrimination.'

http://www.advocate.com/politics/2014/03/25/tenn-student-religious-protection-bill-delivered-gov

SAP's Jim Snabe on Digitization

SAP Co-CEO Jim Hagemann Snabe discusses the impact datification is having on all industries, particularly education.

http://youtu.be/PlwAKR4luJM

RWW News: Robertson On Stoning Gays; Satan Leads Gay Rights Movement

Right Wing Watch reports on the extreme rhetoric and activities of key right-wing figures and organizations by showing their views in their own words. In this video, Pat Robertson talks about the time gays were stoned to death and claims Satan is behind the push for gay rights.

http://youtu.be/uzctJPEVFuA

Scumbag Politicians Caught Heading To Vegas For Election Bribes From Big Donor

"Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who along with his wife plowed more than $92 million into efforts to help mostly losing candidates in the 2012 elections, is undertaking a new strategy for 2016 — to tap his fortune on behalf of a more mainstream Republican with a clear shot at winning the White House, according to people familiar with his thinking.

In 2012, Sheldon and Miriam Adelson spent so much of their money on long-shot candidate Newt Gingrich that they helped extend an ugly intraparty fight that left the eventual nominee, Mitt Romney, severely bruised by the time he faced President Obama in the general election."

http://youtu.be/Jgf-EZ31k5U

Creationist Demands Airtime On 'Cosmos' To Debate Evolution

"On March 20, 2014, Danny Faulkner of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum made an appearance on the Janet Mefferd Show to complain that Neil deGrasse Tyson's revival of Cosmos will not provide airtime for Creationism adherents.

http://youtu.be/y77CH6nxhRE

Politician Wants To Hide Stand Your Ground Records From Media

*After a Tampa Bay Times' review of 200 cases that involved the controversial "Stand Your Ground" law found an "uneven application" and "shocking outcomes," one Florida lawmaker is seeking to impede the media's ability to scrutinize the law. Earlier this month, state Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fort Walton Beach) filed an amendment that would "severely limit access to court records in the self-defense cases," the Times' Michael van Sickler reports...* The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

http://youtu.be/MfiGwQ75_qM

How Paul Ryan Is Bringing the Poverty Nightmare of Charles Dickens' Novels to America

Inside Ryan's politics of gruel.

 ... Read more

Five Myths About Panhandlers

You'd be ... Read more

What's Really Tearing America Apart

Former secretary of labor says Dems and GOP no longer share the same basic values -- and that nationhood is dead.

 ... Read more