AHA! (Freethought Radio, September 10, 2014)

In the news: football prayer and religion in the military. We hear a tribute to George Gershwin (Rhapsody in Blue, Bernstein; "I Got Rhythm," Mary Martin; "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," Billie Holiday; "Someone To Watch Over Me," Nancy Wilson; "It Ain't Necessarily So" Sammy Davis Jr; "Embraceable You," Kiri Te Kanawa; American in Paris; "Summertime" Ella Fitzgerald). Then we talk with Sam Erickson, president of AHA!--the Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison--the strongest campus freethought group in the country.
Interview:
http://ffrf.org/news/radio/show-items/item/21382-freethought-radio-september-20-2014-broadcast

Maria Konnikova on How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes (Rationally Speaking, RS117)

Want to learn how to use your logical, reflective side in everyday life? It's elementary, my dear listeners! Maria Konnikova, the author of the bestselling Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes is the special guest on this episode of Rationally Speaking. Konnikova has a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University and writes about science for publications including the New Yorker, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and more. Julia and Massimo ask her for tips on Holmesian thinking, and debate her on questions like: Is your unreflective, "Watsonian" side really so bad? And did Sherlock make some mistakes in his famous quotes about thinking?

Interview:
http://rationallyspeakingpodcast.org/show/rs117-maria-konnikova-on-how-to-think-like-sherlock-holmes.html

Scientology Unmasked (The Thinking Atheist #184, September 23, 2014)

Created by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology is a religion/cult which teaches that humans are actually immortal beings who, having forgotten their true nature, require intensive (and expensive) "auditing" techniques to rediscover their true, immortal selves. 

Reports and allegations have been made, by journalists, courts, and governmental bodies of several countries, that the Church of Scientology is an unscrupulous commercial enterprise that harasses its critics and brutally exploits its members. In this compelling episode, we explore Scientology's practices, and we hear from those who escaped its shadow.  

Tony Ortega "The Underground Bunker:"  http://tonyortega.org Tory Christman's YouTube page:  https://www.youtube.com/user/ToryMagoo44 Mark Bunker's Knowledge Report: http://www.knowledgereport-themovie.com Scientific American article "The Real Science Behind Scientology": http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-real-science-behind-scientology/ - 
Interview:
See more at:
http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/podcast/scientology-unmasked#sthash.xeDV4sYx.dpuf

Interview with Dan Dennett (The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe, #481)

• Interview with Daniel Dennett
• This Day in Skepticism: Answering Machine
• News Items: Nvidia Debunks Moon Hoax, GMO Feeding Trial, Touch Pareidolia, Betavoltaics
• Who's That Noisy
• Science or Fiction

Interview:
http://www.theskepticsguide.org/podcast/sgu/481

Real Time with Bill Maher -- May 1, 2015 (audio)

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/real-time-with-bill-maher-49758/e/episode-352-originally-aired-5115-37861034

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/real-time-with-bill-maher-49758/e/overtime-episode-352-originally-aired-5115-37861052

More Money, More Problems: Billionaires Back Sectarian Courses For Public Schools

The virtual school, which is not accredited, produces video "courses" on subjects like feminism ... Read more

Dawkins Drops the Bomb

"It's just made up!"
Full series: https://youtu.be/48dA7VV6pmo
This part: http://youtu.be/F0sszxXlzlY

Watch young black boys and men explain the racism they face in their daily lives

Miles, a black 13-year-old boy, was walking with a white girl when she told him, "Oh, let's cross the street, there's a group of black kids, I don't w...  Read more

Invocations Invalidated: Federal Judge Strikes Down North Carolina Commission’s Sectarian Prayer Practice

It is encouraging to see that some federal judges understand the problems associated with legislative prayers... Read more

Jon Stewart Whacks Fox For Obsessing Over Clinton Charity While Ignoring Billionaire Bucks

Jon Stewart opened up his show with a look at the influence of money in politics, and Hillary Clinton coming under fire from the talking heads over at...  Read more

The Daily Show
Daily Show Full Episodes,  More Daily Show Videos,  Comedy Central Full Episodes

Jesus Rolls His Eyes...

Dear fellow Christians: Announcing that you are entitled to boss the world based on "Christian values" and then KICKING the poor? That's the OPPOSITE ...  Read more

National Media Reporter Admits 'National Media Primed To Take Hillary Clinton Down'

Dylan Byers over at the Charlie Pierce-dubbed Tiger Beat on the Potomac (aka Politico) spent a nanosecond thinking about how "inevitable" Hillary Clin...  Read more

Alabama Lawmaker: Don't Teach Children They 'Came From A Monkey'!

Another day, another lunatic in state politics. This one is from Alabama, and he evidently has the patronage of Governor Bob Riley, who appointed him ... Read more

Missouri Legislature Overrides Veto To Slash Welfare Benefits

There should be a special place in hell for these people who don't believe that we've given those who are living in poverty and living on the edge eve...  Read more

Oil And Gas Wells Are Leaking Huge Amounts Of Methane, And It’s Costing Taxpayers Millions

Fugitive methane emissions are still on the loose all across America's federal lands.  ... Read more

Why Teachers Have To Rely On Stephen Colbert To Buy School Supplies

It's important to examine why schools are looking to nonprofits, foundations, businesses looking for good press, and hopefully, ... Read more

Top DC-Anti-Islam Group: Texas Takeover Hype Distracting From Sharia Law Threat

Jade Helm 15 better watch its back. Being the hottest thing in conspiracy theories has made it the target of a group whose own fringe theories may ha... Read more

Scott Walker Gave Corporations Cash To Create Jobs, Forgot To Check If They Created Jobs

The job creation agency founded by Governor Scott Walker has been routinely violating its own rules and state law, according to ... Read more

Witness to Michael Brown Shooting Arrested The Day After He Sues The Police

Dorian Johnson was suspected of carrying illegal narcotics in a cup of liquid. The cup tested negative.  ... Read more

Week In The News: 2016 Announcement Season, Shooting In Texas, Deflategate Blows Up (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

A Federal court rules NSA phone surveillance illegal. Homegrown terror and deadly shootings in Texas. Hillary Clinton pledges executive action on immigration – as three more Republicans jump into the race for 2016. The new Attorney General launches a probe of Baltimore police. Twisters sweep through Tornado Alley. The Senate votes on the Iran nuclear deal. Across the ocean, a big win for the Conservatives, and a new princess for Britain. And Tom Brady takes a hit in Deflategate. This hour On Point: Our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines. / Anthony Brooks
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/05/08/election-2016-garland-shooting-deflategate

Friday News Roundup – Domestic (Diane Rehm Show)

The U.S. economy added 223,000 jobs in April, pushing the jobless rate to 5.4 percent – its lowest since 2008. Attorney General Loretta Lynch decides to launch an investigation of Baltimore’s police department. An appeals court rules that the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone data is illegal. The FBI says it warned police in Garland, Texas about one gunman hours before he and another man opened fire outside a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest. The Senate votes to give Congress the right to review any final nuclear deal with Iran. And politicians reflect on the legacy of former House speaker Jim Wright. A panel of journalists joins guest host Indira Lakshmanan for analysis of the week’s top national news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-05-08/friday-news-roundup-domestic

Friday News Roundup – International (Diane Rehm Show)

British Prime Minister David Cameron and his Conservative Party win a surprisingly solid victory in the British elections. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forms a new coalition of conservative and religious parties, but with a slim majority in Parliament. Saudi Arabia proposes a five-day halt to airstrikes on rebels in Yemen to allow aid agencies to reach civilians. And Nigeria’s military rescue hundreds of women and children kidnapped by Boko Haram. A panel of journalists joins guest host Indira Lakshmanan for analysis of the week’s top international news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-05-08/friday-news-roundup-

Robert Kennedy Jr. Blasts Vaccine Science, Compares It To Tobacco Companies Denying Cancer Link

Robert Kennedy, Jr. continued his national tour in Vermont where he spoke before a state legislature.  ... Read more

Robert Reich: Why on Earth Is Obama Promoting TPP with Global Exploiter Nike?

The President pandering to corporations is not what liberals want to see right now.
...  Read more

Why the American Family Needs Same-Sex Parents

...Same-sex couples are three times more likely than their different-sex counterparts to be raising adopted or foster children. Among married couples, same-sex couples are five times more likely. In states where same-sex couples can legally marry, more than three percent of adopted or foster children have same-sex parents. Since only about 0.3 percent of all children in those states have same-sex parents, it means that adopted and foster children there are nearly 10 times more likely than children in general to have same-sex parents...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-j-gates/why-the-american-family-n_b_7131516.html

A Matter of Conscience

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-richards/a-matter-of-conscience_b_6996816.html

The Drug War: The Primary Reason There Are '1.5 Million Missing Black Men'

Drug use doesn't discriminate, but the war on drug users does.
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/drug-war-primary-reason-there-are-15-million-missing-black-men

The US is safer than ever — and Americans don’t have any idea

There is half as much crime in the US right now as there was about 25 years ago. Both violent and property crime have declined pretty steadily since the early 1990s. But at any given time, if you ask Americans about it, between half and three-quarters of them will say that crime rates are going up.
http://www.vox.com/2015/5/4/8546497/crime-rate-america

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Declares The Constitution ‘Dead’

...You see, Scalia believes in something called Originalism, the idea that the US Constitution was written by a single minded ideology, with the ability to be used as intended by the divine minds of the founding fathers in perpetuity. Yes, it is just that crazy...
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/04/scalia-constitution-dead/

Gay, bisexual children bullied at an early age

Children who later identify themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual are the targets of bullying as early as elementary school, according to a new study. The research, published in a letter in the May 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that from the fifth through 10th grades these kids were nearly twice as likely to be bullied than peers who did not identify as being attracted to the same sex...
http://www.examiner.com/article/gay-bisexual-children-bullied-at-an-early-age

Michele Bachmann Debates Bernie Sanders

It was the type of shout-fest debate that would not have been out of place on the original Crossfire. Instead, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) went head-to-head on The Situation Room Monday afternoon. Once the debate began, Wolf Blitzer simply had to step back as these two ideologically-opposed lawmakers went at each other's throats.
http://youtu.be/9cJUBOZE26k

Jeb Bush’s terrifying W. strategy: How he’s sucking up to extremist billionaires—with the help of the worst president ever

Jeb recently said he goes to his brother for Israel advice. That should scare you for a billion different reasons With these thirteen simple words GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush struck terror into the entire world yesterday. He said, "If you want to know who I listen to for advice, it's him...

http://www.salon.com/2015/05/08/jeb_bushs_terrifying_w_strategy_how_hes_sucking_up_to_extremist_billionaires—with_the_help_of_the_worst_president_ever/

Oil and gas pipeline info would become secret under state bill

...Environmentalists, however, said Enbridge and other oil and gas companies have lobbied hard for Heise's bill, and likely have ulterior motives.

"It looks like a sweetheart bill for Enbridge," said David Holtz, chairman of the nonprofit Sierra Club's Michigan Chapter...
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/05/06/oil-gas-pipelines-freedom-information-foia-exempt/70923006/

'Shoot the gays’ author won’t fight effort to quash initiative, but...

“Take notice that if your office and the California secretary of state refuse to clear the Sodomite Suppression Act for signature circulation, I may demand as remedy that it be placed on the election ballot directly,” he added.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Shoot-the-gays-author-won-t-fight-effort-to-6249904.php

Stock Up On Cat Food! Republicans Pass Hideous Budget Deal

Under the cover of smoke from the rash of 2016 announcements and Texas conspiracy theories, House and Senate Republicans came to a agreement on what c...  Read more

Carly Fiorina: Actually, I Do Have National Security Experience

Carly Fiorina admits that during her six year tenure, Hewlett-Packard didn't exactly create jobs. "In the course of my time there, we laid off over 3...  Read more

Carson: The President Wouldn't Have To Follow SCOTUS On Gay Marriage

Republican presidential candidate and tea party favorite Ben Carson said in an interview with Newsmax that the President of the United States doesn't ... Read more

Sorry, Right-Wing Bible-Thumpers: Americans Would Prefer a Gay Pres to an Evangelical One

New poll is good news for the sane among us leading into the 2016 general election.
...  Read more

How Bible-Thumpers Can Rethink Same-Sex Marriage In One Simple Chart (IMAGE)

For the Christians still cherry-picking the "literal word of God..." Read more

Key & Peele Just Highlighted The Harsh Truth About Police Brutality With ‘Negrotown’ (VIDEO)

Key & Peele just got all sorts of real regarding police brutality upon people of color. In their latest Comedy Central sketch they attack the issue head-on with a satirical take on the subject. The men are transported to a magical, make-believe community where they are actually treated like human-beings — “Negrotown.”
... Read more
https://youtu.be/Rg58d8opQKA

Bernie Sanders Proposes A Bill To Break Up The ‘Too Big To Exist’ Banks

In short, the bill would give the Treasury Secretary a year to break up institutions that were bailed out in financial crisis in 2008 and 2009. Read more

Fox News Explains causes of Baltimore "riots": gay marriage, Barack Obama, Black people, Tattoos

Comedian, writer and film maker Katie Halper has kindly put together the ultimate video mash up of the Baltimore protest “whitesplaining” over at Fox News.
Read more
https://youtu.be/nhhRGjm2n1Y

RHNDA Rumble: Religious Groups Vow To Break D.C. Anti-Discrimination Law

RHNDA, passed earlier this year by the D.C. City Council and signed into law by Mayor Muriel ... Read more

Bill-O Tempts Fate, Dares God To Hit Him With Lightning Strike

In his Talking Points Memo segment on Thursday, Bill-O proclaimed our democracy and safety in danger because of "low information voters." O'Reilly is primarily concerned with the fact that no matter how hard Fox has tried to pimp Peter Schweizer's Big Book Of Hillary Lies, her approval ratings and trust ratings have risen, not fallen. And so, the Big Pronouncement from Bill-O spews forth.
... Read more

Dinesh D'Souza Wants A Little Summer Break From His Jail Sentence

Wow, it takes some nerve for Dinesh D'Souza to step up and ask the judge if he can have a teeny weeny break from the hard work of spending his nights ...  Read more

Rep. Louie Gohmert Goes Berserk On Anderson Cooper

Rep. Louie Gohmert loses control when Anderson Cooper asks for evidence on the 'Terror Babies' Conspiracy.
http://youtu.be/dQVfQCpYocQ

WaPo: Jeb Bush Told Group He Takes Mideast Advice From George W. Bush

Likely presidential candidate and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) told a group of New York financiers on Tuesday that when it comes to Middle East po... Read more

Pope Francis Rehabilitates Liberation Theology

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican's rehabilitation of liberation theology is continuing under Pope Francis with the movement's founder appearing at an o... Read more

AP Finds Tea Party Congressman's Stock Flipping 'May Test' The Law

WASHINGTON (AP) — A multimillionaire, first-term Florida congressman flipped shares in a solar company the same day he acquired them in an initial pub... Read more

Louisiana Lawmaker Tries And Fails To Explain How ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill Doesn’t Discriminate

A new website promoting Louisiana's "Marriage and Conscience Act" suggests businesses should be able to discriminate without ... Read more

Native Americans Say This Man Enslaved Them. Pope Francis Wants To Call Him A Saint.

"It legitimizes the conquest."  ... Read more

Wisconsin Republicans Would Spend Millions To Micromanage Poor People’s Shopping

A week after Wisconsin Republicans unveiled a plan to restrict poor families' access to shellfish and pasta sauce, the other ... Read more

Scott Walker’s Corporate Tax Breaks Come Back To Haunt Him

"This is a manufactured deficit crisis," said University of Wisconsin student organizer Amanda McGovern, blasting Governor ... Read more

Richest Congressman: America's poor are envy of the world

America's poor, however, might not feel as upwardly mobile. It's actually harder for Americans to climb the economic ladder here than it is for their peers in most other advanced countries, research by University of Ottawa Professor Miles Corak shows...
Read more

Tennessee GOPers Lament Koch Group Influence Over Medicaid Bill

Some Republicans in Tennessee are not too pleased with Americans for Prosperity's attempts to tank a bill that would have expanded Medicaid in the sta... Read more

School vouchers are bad idea in many ways

Pastors write: Plan wouldn't get God back in schools but would weaken public education and gut accountability.
http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/School-vouchers-are-bad-idea-in-many-ways-6247021.php

Decade Of Change For College Students: Less Religious, More Diverse And Lonely

America's college students have become less religious, more stressed and overwhelmingly in favor of marriage equality over the past decade. Campus life has grown more complicated, with soaring complaints of sexual violence and students so captivated by social media that they're hanging out less with friends. And, with many students now burdened by a lifetime of student loan payments, graduation no longer provides a tidy passage from school to career...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/07/college-10-years-changes_n_7201460.html

Nebraska Woman Sues All Homosexuals, Names God And Jesus As Plaintiffs

The battle between LGBT equality and religious freedom took an odd turn on Friday, when 66-year-old Omaha woman Sylvia Driskell filed a federal lawsuit against all homosexuals, naming herself the “ambassador” for the plaintiffs, “God and His son, Jesus Christ.”...
http://www.newnownext.com/nebraska-woman-sues-all-homosexuals-names-god-and-jesus-as-plaintiffs/05/2015/

Study: People don’t like atheists because they serve as a grim reminder of death’s finality

More and more people in the United States are casting aside religion and identifying as atheists — yet polling has found that nearly half of Americans still wouldn’t vote for a presidential candidate who didn’t believe in God. Most Americans think atheists are about as trustworthy as rapists...
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/05/study-people-dont-like-atheists-because-they-serve-as-a-grim-reminder-of-deaths-finality/