Best of Dan Barker Amazing Arguments And Clever Comebacks Part One

https://youtu.be/eJxWGyHUhLU

Misquoting Jesus in the Bible - Professor Bart D. Ehrman

Heyns Lecture Series at Cubberley Auditorium, Stanford University Campus, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Lecture on "Misquoting Jesus" a textual criticism of Biblical manuscript tampering. From the book "Misquoting Jesus: Scribes Who Altered Scripture and Readers Who May Never Know."
Interview:
https://youtu.be/pfheSAcCsrE

What Michelle Obama Can Tell Us About Race In America (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

First Lady Michelle Obama stepped to the commencement day podium at the historic black Tuskegee University and talked about race. And the country lit up for days in response. From conservative talkers complaining of too much bitterness and grievance, to late-night hosts having fun again with the First Lady remembering being portrayed with a huge Afro and a machine gun. It’s still got us thinking. This hour On Point: we settle in on Michelle Obama’s view with three black women. Pulitzer Prize-winner Isabel Wilkerson, LA Times columnist Sandy Banks, a mom from Ferguson, Missouri, and you.
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/05/14/michelle-obama-race-tuskegee-commencement-

Week In The News: FIFA Arrests, Texas Floods, 2016 Horse Race (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Deep water in long-dry Texas this week. Houses, lives, swept away. Nowhere to run to. Nowhere to hide. It may be the same for soccer’s FIFA chieftains. Corruption charges in the US. Switzerland investigating the World Cup awards to Russia and Qatar. At home, mystery charges against former Speaker of the House, Republican Dennis Hastert. Hush money millions and something dark coming. We’ve got Nebraska outlawing the death penalty. Ireland voting in gay marriage. More 2016 bids. Live anthrax on the move. This hour On Point: our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines.
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/05/29/houston-floods-fifa-arrests-election-2016-candidate

Friday News Roundup – Domestic (Diane Rehm Show)

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is charged with violating federal banking laws and lying to the FBI. Federal prosecutors say he paid an apparent blackmailer $3.5 million to hide misconduct. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch takes on the world’s most powerful sports organization. The White House weighs its options after a court ruling keeps an block on President Barack Obama’s immigration actions. More contenders enter the already-crowded 2016 presidential race. And a federal judge sets a timetable for releasing Hillary Clinton’s State Department emails. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week’s top national news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-05-29/friday-news-roundup-domestic

Friday News Roundup – International (Diane Rehm Show)

The European Union proposes a quota system to distribute migrants throughout its member states. Asian countries meet today over their own migrant crisis. Iraqi soldiers fight alongside Shiite militias in an attempt to retake Ramadi from ISIS. Verbal sparring intensifies between China and the U.S. over man-made islands in the South China Sea. The Vatican calls Ireland’s vote to approve same sex marriage a “defeat for humanity.” And FIFA pushes ahead with a scheduled presidential election amid the fallout over corruption charges. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week’s top international news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-05-29/friday-news-roundup-international

Sean Carroll On Death And The Afterlife

Sean Carroll explains that death is final.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/uQNnvfMJd_Y

Best of Daniel Dennett Arguments And Comebacks Part 2

Interview:
http://youtu.be/XZZ4hGEEQUU

Monsanto, RoundUp and Junk Science

...Glyphosate (RoundUp) has long been touted as virtually harmless. EPA doesn't even bother to test for residues in food, having decided years ago they pose little risk. But studies to the contrary have gradually been accumulating, and in March of this year, 17 experts from 11 countries meeting at the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), unanimously agreed to re-classify glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (e.g. Group 2A). The Chair of the IARC committee was Dr. Aaron Blair, formerly the top scientist on pesticides and cancer at National Cancer Institute. ...  Read more

Please Think Of The Children: Mont. Public School Had No Business Sending Kids To Creationist Attraction

Officials at a public school in Montana thought it would be just peachy to send third-graders to a creationist 'museum'...
... Read more

Common Sense In Carolina: N.C. Governor Vetoes Anti-LGBT Legislation

As Gov. McCrory correctly recognized, government is required to serve everyone – not just those ... Read more

Slavery? Really?

So the fast track plan to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership has run into a new wrinkle after an amendment passed in the Senate debate: slavery. Yes, ...  Read more

Pelosi: Rubio's Comments on Gays And Christianity 'Completely Wrong'

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) wouldn't have the backing of the Pope to support his claim that advocating for ... Read more

Article: More than 10,000 websites are blocking Congress from accessing them in protest

More than 10,000 websites are blocking Congress from accessing them as a protest of the Patriot Act, according to The Hill. Participants have embedded a small snippet of code into their websites that recognizes when a computer is attempting to access the websites from an IP address associated wit...

http://www.businessinsider.com/patriot-act-protest-sees-10000-websites-block-congress-from-accessing-them-2015-5

‘We’re Not Going To Fake It': America’s Top Two Oil Companies Reject Climate Change Measures

One of the proposals would have added a director with experience in climate change to the boards of two companies. ... Read more

Bobby Jindal’s Lawsuit Against Common Core Law He Signed Moves Forward

 ...Jindal’s lawsuit makes the case that the Race to the Top program, which was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, coerced states into adopting Common Core standards, even though participation in grant programs is completely optional and Jindal supported implementation of standards in his own state...
http://thinkprogress.org/education/2015/05/29/3664139/bobby-jindal-continues-legal-crusade-common-core-law-signed/

Civil rights group claims school district planned, promoted religious service

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A civil rights group accuses Byron Center Public Schools leaders of organizing and supporting a baccalaureate religious service for graduating seniors in violation of state law...
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/05/civil_rights_group_seeks_docum.html

'There Are 2 Types of Persecution Against Christians,' Says Rev. Samuel Rodriguez in Debate Over Alleged 'Bigotry' Against Gays in America

"We're not talking about attacks on Christianity, we're talking about attacks on bigotry."
http://www.christianpost.com/news/is-bigotry-against-christians-or-gays-robert-jeffress-samuel-rodriguez-debate-atheist-david-silverman-139680/

How the Duggars steer the GOP wrong

...So far, only Mike Huckabee has doubled down on that support, posting a full-throated defense of the Duggars on Facebook. (Rick Santorum, who campaigned with the Duggars in 2012, told “Good Morning America” Thursday that he was “sickened” by the charges.) But even candidates wise enough to steer clear of the story have a Duggar problem of sorts, as they struggle to manage the party’s evangelical base. Bobby Jindal, who majored in biology at Brown, has championed the teaching of creationism in schools. Marco Rubio recently whined that Christianity faces “a real and present danger” from gay rights supporters exercising their right to free expression...
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2015/05/28/how-duggars-kids-and-counting-steer-gop-wrong/i2u6TWff3Jz3ueDqjUPrZL/story.html

Religious Revolution at Top of the GOP

RALEIGH — There is an interesting and little-noticed revolution going on at the elite levels of the national Republican Party. Whereas the party was led at one time by WASPs — essentially white, Anglo-Saxon Episcopalians and Presbyterians with a few Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans thrown in — it is now dominated by Catholics and Protestants who belong to nonmainline denominations, particularly the Southern Baptist Convention or evangelical groups...
http://www.carolinajournal.com/daily_journal/display.html?id=12086

President of Southern Baptist seminary teams up with secular site

“People should be loved as individuals. We don’t all have to agree on everything,” he said. “We should care for each other as human beings regardless of differences of belief and opinion.”
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/religion/article22523676.html
https://youtu.be/7WJ-T2ZWGzk

Can there be an ‘atheist vote’? Nonreligious set sights on 2016

...As the 2016 election approaches, atheist, humanist and other freethinking activists are encouraged. They say their longtime goal of creating a cohesive and formidable secular voting bloc from the diverse and scattered category of the nonreligious has taken new life from the study — and could carry them far if they use the data wisely...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/can-there-be-an-atheist-vote-nonreligious-set-sights-on-2016/2015/05/28/3d30e660-0569-11e5-93f4-f24d4af7f97d_story.html

Penn Jillette on morality without God

http://youtu.be/b3X1afaYOlg

Christianity in a Nutshell Dan Barker

Former preacher Dan Barker summarizes the "good news" message of the bible in less than two minutes.
http://youtu.be/Z962j_B9G5k

Adam Savage at Reason Rally

http://youtu.be/qUDIvwryK7o

Daniel Dennett talks about William Lane Craig

http://youtu.be/UVUYVDnj2Zg

Newspaper That Printed Letter Calling For Obama's Execution: Oops!

A Pennsylvania newspaper apologized Thursday for running a letter to the editor that colorfully called for President Barack Obama's execution. Read M... Read more

Gun Activist: Texas Lawmakers Should Be Arrested, 'Hung From The Tree Of Liberty'

Texas open carry activist calls for arrest and execution of all Texas officeholders for voted against open carry law. ... Read more

Santorum: Rand Paul 'Sounds Like Bernie Sanders,' Not A GOPer

First it was former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) who got the third degree from his fellow Republicans on Iraq — now presidential contender Sen. Rand Paul... Read more

Buffing Up His Conservative Cred

Scott Walker is onboard with a new 20-week abortion ban for Wisconsin. No exceptions for rape or incest. ... Read more

Scott Walker Cagey On Possible Investigation Of State Loan To Donor

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) refused to say Thursday whether he would support a criminal investigation into a $500,000 loan by the state to a campa... Read more

Jindal: I've Got The Only Detailed Plan To Repeal And Replace Obamacare

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) made a bold claim about his opposition to Obamacare and other declared and likely 2016 Republican presidential candida... Read more

The Assault On LGBT Rights In The Texas Legislature Failed

None of Texas anti-LGBT bills prevailed, but Senators still made it clear where they stand.  ... Read more

The Global Movement To Get People Talking About Periods

Breaking the stigma around a universal female experience.  ... Read more

Fox News Host Has Outrageous Reason Progressive Ideas Are Getting More Popular

“Only about 50 percent of the American people take the time to understand important issues,” he said on his show this week. “Half the country does not; they are simpletons, unwilling and unable to discipline themselves into formulating a philosophy of life.”...
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/28/3663499/oreilly-progressive-ideas-gaining-popularity-simpletons/

Sorry, Jeb, The GOP Can’t ‘Embrace Science’ And Climate Denial At The Same Time

Jeb Bush says of climate change, "I don't think the science is clear what percentage is man-made and what percentage is ... Read more

Michigan May Add Another Hurdle To Getting Welfare

The Michigan legislature has passed a bill that would tie children's school attendance to welfare benefits. ... Read more

A Group Of CEOs Managing $12 Trillion Want A Strong Global Climate Deal

Turns out environmental activists aren't the only people who want to eliminate the risk of catastrophic global warming.  ... Read more

Sean Carroll On Death And The Afterlife

Sean Carroll explains that death is final.
http://youtu.be/uQNnvfMJd_Y

Ted Cruz — who voted against Hurricane Sandy aid — calls for federal relief following Texas floods

...Cruz, 44, voted against a federal disaster relief bill after Sandy ravaged the East Coast in October 2012 calling the measure “symptomatic of a larger problem in Washington – an addiction to spending money we do not have.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ted-cruz-calls-federal-flood-relief-texas-article-1.2238227

What Are You Reading This Summer?

I always have a stack of books in my "want to read" shelf. Not to mention e-books and audio books. And I find my overall sense of well-being is bette...  Read more

Larry Wilmore Slams The Duggars: 'Thank God Someone Finally Did Some Research On This Family'

The Nightly Show's Larry Wilmore checked in on the latest on the "culture wars" this Wednesday night, and the topic was, to no one's surprise, the Dug...  Read more

Did GOP create ISIS? Why Rand Paul says so.

The junior senator from the Bluegrass State is not afraid of speaking what's on his mind. And his feelings on this country's foreign policy are no exc... Read more

Scott Walker Fearmongers About Terrorists Coming Through The Border

He's just the latest 2016 presidential rival to make this suggestion.  ... Read more

Scientists Weigh In On Climate Impacts Of Texas’ Devastating Floods

Scientists would not say the flooding was caused by climate change, but agreed that similar events would become more likely in ... Read more

Overdraft fees top $1 billion at the big 3 banks

Despite efforts to curb these charges after the financial crisis, they are still a big money maker for banks.
Read more

Rand Paul Tries To Fool Students Into Thinking He's A Democrat

Baby Paul's obligatory "I wanna be President so I wrote a book" book is out. Huzzah! In it, he brands himself as a "crunchy treehugger" who says "the ...  Read more

Bobby Jindal Is Using Louisiana Governor's Website For 2016 Campaign

Bobby Jindal launched a particularly vicious -- and predictable -- attack on Rand Paul today, saying he was unqualified to be President. I might agree...  Read more

Republican Compassion: Hey, This Affects Me Personally!

Jeb Bush has a moment of what appears to be compassionate conservatism: Jeb Bush Signals More Funding and Faster Drug Approval for Alzheimer's .... ...  Read more

RWW News" Alex McFarland Says "The Number One Reason For Racism Is Belief In Evolution"

Christian apologist Alex McFarland teaches that the Bible says all men are created in the image of God, so logically the theory of evolution must be responsible for racism.
http://youtu.be/3JrvmrARDJk

WATCH: Jon Stewart Nails Rand Paul on 'Religious Freedom'—'Don't We Sell Cakes to Sinners All the Time?'

Paul tries to squirm out of the question of why gay marriage is the only focus.
...  Read more

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

The Secret Group That Wants to Take Over Your School

Their work behind the scenes is every bit as dangerous for the future of education as ALEC's.
...  Read more

20 Big Ideas From Bernie Sanders to Reverse Inequality, Expand Safety Nets and Stop America's Plutocrats

Sanders outlines his platform in a major hometown speech.
...  Read more

WATCH: Elizabeth Warren Gives Amazing Two-Minute Explanation of How Government Has Been Taken Over by the Rich

"They represent the rich and the powerful who don't want their taxes raised, who don't want to see any change."
...  Read more
https://youtu.be/_b0obdnXfqg

'F*cking A**hole': Bill Nye Drives Conservatives Into A Rage By Linking Texas Floods To Climate Change

A seemingly innocuous Twitter post from scientist Bill Nye linking historic flooding in Texas to climate change sent conservatives into a frenzy this ...  Read more

Where Are the Hardest Places to Live in the U.S.? (interactive map)

The Upshot came to this conclusion by looking at six data points for each county in the United States: education (percentage of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree), median household income, unemployment rate, disability rate, life expectancy and obesity. We then averaged each county’s relative rank in these categories to create an overall ranking...
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/26/upshot/where-are-the-hardest-places-to-live-in-the-us.html

It's Sinister: We're Locking Up Poor People in Debtor's Prisons to Fund Police Depts.

Local courts and municipalities are adopting aggressive collection practices that prey on the poor.
...  Read more

Shock: Congress Plots to Pay for Reviled TPP Deal by Raiding Medicare

"Congressional Democrats demanded the expansion of the Trade Assistance Program, Congressional Republicans apparently found the money in Medicare" — and 14 pro-money Democrats voted for it in the Senate. The bill was dead without them." ...  Read more

The Great Charter School Rip-Off: Finally, the Truth Catches Up to Education 'Reform' Phonies

Reports highlight awful charter schools and people are catching on.
...  Read more

Scottish Government: creationism banned from science class

CAMPAIGNERS who called for an official ban on teaching creationism in schools have welcomed a "clear statement" from a Scottish Government minister it should not be taught in science classes.
Read more

Calif. Bill Would Bar Misinformation at Crisis Pregnancy Centers

The bill comes after an undercover investigation by NARAL Pro-Choice California found that CPCs provide pregnant women with misleading and false information (Albarazi, Bay City News, 4/13)...
http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2015/5/27/calif-bill-would-bar-misinformation-at-crisis-pregnancy-centers

Fox News Makes You Dumb – And The GOP Is Worried

According to a study by a former top official in the George H.W. Bush administration, Fox News so badly mangles the national narrative that it creates uninformed voters. This is further proof that Fox News simply skews the national narrative and damages its viewers chances of ever being informed.
https://youtu.be/ntuq-rKKEbA

Rand Paul blames 'hawks in our party' for Islamic State's rise

Rand Paul says the Islamic State exists and increased in strength because of the hawkish wing of the Republican Party that provided weapons to the region “indiscriminately.”
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/rand-paul-blames-gop-hawks-for-isil-rise-118315.html

How The White House And Paul Ryan Are Making Sure Forced Labor Remains Part Of Their Trade Deal

WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives will quickly get down to unfinished business once it returns from the holiday recess: defending trading par...  Read more

Bernie Sanders Kicks Off 2016 Campaign

Senator Bernie Sanders began his 2016 presidential campaign Tuesday, holding his launch event in his hometown of Burlington, Vermont. Sanders heralded the event as the beginning of "a political revolution" and a transformation of the country economically, politically, socially and environmentally.
Transcript:
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/05/watch-live-bernie-sanders-kicks-2016
https://youtu.be/vD02qgdxruM

Bernie Sanders Kicks Off 2016 Bid With Vow To Attack Income Inequality

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders kicked off his longshot presidential campaign Tuesday with a pitch to liberals in the Democratic Pa... Read more

Rubio: If We Don’t Stop Gay Rights, Soon The Teachings Of The Catholic Church Will Be ‘Hate Speech’

Rubio is worried that opposing marriage equality will soon be considered hateful, rejecting the possibility that it already ... Read more
https://youtu.be/oXl8T7IvhWQ

Bernie Sanders Would Tax The Income Of The Wealthiest Americans At 90 Percent

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) doesn't think a 90 percent tax rate on the richest is too high in order to combat income ... Read more