5 min Street Epistemology: Miguel (1) | Unraveling Faith

https://youtu.be/D8LYTy4DmEs

Can I Talk You Out of Your Faith? (The Thinking Atheist)

Is it possible to "talk someone out of their faith?" Is it even appropriate or worthwhile to make an attempt? If so, how might atheists best approach those with deep-seated (and often lifelong) religious convictions to foster real discourse and encourage critical thinking? Dr. Peter Boghossian is author of the book, "A Manual for Creating Atheists." Anthony Magnabosco is a YouTube activist and advocate of "street epistemology." Both men join Seth Andrews for this interesting discussion.
Interview:
http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/podcast/can-i-talk-you-out-of-your-faith#sthash.aAuqxbmG.dpuf

AlterNet Comics: Brian McFadden on Ben Carson's Blunderful World

The presidential hopeful takes you on a tour of the globe.
...  Read more

Hebron hospital shooting: 'It was unnecessary killing'

Cousin of Abdullah al-Shalaldeh, killed by Israelis in a hospital raid, was fatally shot in a separate incident.  Read more

BREAKING: Supreme Court Will Hear Case That Could Gut Roe V. Wade

It's the biggest abortion case in more than 20 years.  ... Read more

New Report Reveals Bush Administration Ignored Dire Pre-9/11 Warning

The warnings in the meeting were largely ignored ... Read more

Rapidly Melting Glacier Has Enough Mass To Raise Sea Levels By Nearly 2 Feet

A massive glacier in Greenland is on the very verge of collapse, researchers have found. From 1996 to 2010, the edge of the glacier lost 2.2 miles into the ocean. But over just the next five years, it lost another 2.2 miles. The rapidly diminishing ice block, Zachariae Isstrom, has enough mass to raise the level of sea by nearly two feet...
Read more

Former CIA Director Reveals He Approved Drone Attack He Knew Would Kill Innocent Children

Panetta gave the go ahead on a strike he knew would kill innocent children.  ... Read more

This Northwest City Just Passed The Strongest Resolution Against Fossil Fuels In The Country

Portland, Oregon just passed some of the strongest anti-fossil fuel regulations in the country.... Read more

Ben Carson Hires State Chair Who Supported Jim Crow And Opposed The Civil Rights Act

The former federal judge was a devoted segregationist.  ... Read more

The New Religion Of Choice For White Supremacists

Spoiler alert: It's mostly because he's white.  ... Read more

Indefensible Lomborg Analysis Misleads On Paris Climate Pledges, Ignores China

Widely debunked confusionist Bjorn Lomborg has twisted the world's climate pledges beyond recognition to make people think the ... Read more

Carson Says He Doesn't Regret Helping Friend Avoid Prison For Fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ben Carson is defending his continuing business relationship with a close friend convicted of defrauding insurance companies. ... Read more

Report: States with handgun background checks have fewer mass shootings

There were fewer mass shootings in states that require background checks for handgun purchases over the past several years, a report by a national gun... Read more

Ben Carson Says His 'Sources' On Syria Are Better Than The White House

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson fired back Friday at the White House for dismissing his claims that China is moving into Syria, saying hi... Read more

Trump's Epically Insane Speech: The ISIS Part

https://youtu.be/ig9wpMvb_cc

GOP Debate Wrap-up: We’re All Screwed If Any Of These Idiots Get Elected

The fourth Republican debate is done, and there really were no clear winners. Rand Paul had a moment of lucidity before falling into his Libertarian economic nonsense. The real takeaway is that, if any of these buffoons make it to the White House, we’re all pretty screwed.

Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.
https://youtu.be/c5gcpwPs9tk

Obama On Carson: He 'Doesn't Know Much About' Eliminating ISIL (VIDEO)

President Barack Obama dismissed Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson's comments on Syria and eliminating the Islamic State terrorist state in... Read more

ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos

The Medicaid Crisis Bankrupting Public Hospitals | Al Jazeera America

NYC's public health system is a case study in how state budget cuts and Medicaid changes risk shuttering hospitals.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/11/14/medicaid-crisis-bankrupting-public-hospitals2.html

Student debt is a problem for the entire US

Patricia Sabga discusses why student debt is an issue to everyone in the US and not just debtors and their families.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/CGJ_j43H9g8

Real Time with Bill Maher: Overtime – November 13, 2015 (HBO)

Bill Maher and his guests – Asra Nomani, Jay Leno, Michael Steele, Dylan Ratigan and Paul Reiser – answer viewer questions after the show.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/lTeD19M9F9g

Week In The News: College Campus Unrest, Immigration At Stake, Battle For Sinjar (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Protests over race relations spread to more college campuses. At the GOP debate, the gloves were off. Who soared? Who scored? Who sank? And, can Bernie Sanders best Hillary when the Democrats debate this Saturday night? A blow to President Obama’s immigration plan. Kurdish forces move in on ISIS-held Sinjar.Netanyahu in the US. Jihadi John targeted by US airstrikes. A medal of honor hero at the White House. And, is Starbucks really declaring war on Christmas? This hour On Point, our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines. — Jane Clayson
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/11/13/missouri-yale-race-immigration-gop-debate

Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rules – November 13, 2015 (HBO)

Bill Maher issues his latest decrees for society and reminds depressed white Americans that they’ve still got it pretty good.
https://youtu.be/DpVOgYhriMk

Friday News Roundup – Domestic (Diane Rehm Show, 2015-11-13)

President Obama is expected to sign a $607 billion defense bill despite its ban on moving some prisoners from Guantanamo to U.S. prisons. The ban has prompted debate on whether the president will try to bypass Congress and close the military prison through executive action. The White House says it will ask the Supreme Court for a ruling on immigration reform. President Obama enlists former diplomats in his push to sell the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Republican presidential candidates spar over taxes, immigration, and wages in their latest debate. And the University of Missouri appoints a new interim president. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week’s top national news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-11-13/friday-news-roundup-domestic

Friday News Roundup – International (Diane Rehm Show, 2015-11-13)

Kurdish fighters say they’ve retaken control of a key town in Iraq in an assault on ISIS, backed by coalition airstrikes. U.S. aircraft carry out an operation in Syria targeting the militant known as Jihadi John. ISIS claims responsibility for a double suicide bombing in Beirut that kills more than three dozen people and wounds hundreds. In Myanmar, the party of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi wins a landslide election victory. In Europe, Sweden begins border checks to stem the influx of migrants. And Russian athletes are under fire by the World Anti-Doping Agency. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week’s top international news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-11-13/friday-news-roundup-international

Real Time with Bill Maher: Why Do They Hate Us? (HBO)

Bill Maher and panelists Dylan Ratigan, Michael Steele and Jay Leno discuss the motivations behind extremists’ attacks on western countries and the GOP's approach to foreign policy in this clip from November 13, 2015.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/mL5XXcDN3n0

Why Republicans Still Love the Gold Standard (New York Times)

"...Leaving his historical errors aside, Mr. Cruz is not the only Republican presidential candidate to express admiration for the gold standard: Senator Rand Paul and Ben Carson have, too. The gold standard has long been a pet cause among some conservatives (it was hinted at in the 2012 Republican platform) and has gained credence among mainstream Republicans as a tool to limit government influence over the economy.

But a return to the gold standard would be catastrophic, especially as we continue the climb out of our Great Recession. That is because, as the framers of Bretton Woods knew, the course of an economy depends not only on what happens, but on what people expect will happen..."
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/13/opinion/campaign-stops/why-republicans-still-love-the-gold-standard.html

‘Pathological’ definitely doesn’t mean what Donald Trump thinks it means

"The notion that a pathology is something that cannot be treated or cured doesn't make much sense," wrote John Hibbing, a professor of political science and psychology at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in an e-mail. "If the statement is true, why are there pathologists?"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/11/13/pathological-definitely-doesnt-mean-what-donald-trump-thinks-it-means/

Donald Trump begs Iowans not to believe Ben Carson: ‘Don’t be fools, okay?’

...Trump appeared to unravel on stage Thursday evening before a crowd of roughly 1,500 in Fort Dodge...At first, the audience was quick to laugh at Trump's sharp insults and applaud his calls to better care for veterans, replace the Affordable Care Act and construct a wall along the Mexican border. But as the speech dragged on, the applause came less often and grew softer. As Trump attacked Carson using deeply personal language, the audience grew quiet, a few shaking their heads. A man sitting in the back of the auditorium loudly gasped...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/11/13/donald-trump-begs-iowans-not-to-believe-ben-carson-dont-be-fools-okay/

Bank Raises Its Minimum Wage To $15, Sees Immediate Benefits

"There's plenty of room to share with employees," said the CEO of Amalgamated Bank.  ... Read more

Netanyahu: EU Should Be 'Ashamed' Of Decision To Label Settlement Products

BRUSSELS (AP) — Relations between the European Union and Israel took a dive on Wednesday after Israel derided a decision by the 28-nation bloc to labe... Read more

Warren Rails Against Ad 'Where I Look Like A Commie Dictator'

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) on Tuesday night tore into an ad that ran during the Fox Business Network debate that criticized the Consumer Financial P... Read more

Donald Trump: America’s 'Wages Too High' (VIDEO)

Real estate mogul Donald Trump flatly opposed raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour during Tuesday night's Republican presidential debate, arguing ... Read more

GOP Debate Wrap-Up: Fighting Over Putin, Outrageous Wage Claims - Late Night with Seth Meyers

http://youtu.be/GaxE-LlprlA

US guards 'taunt hunger-striking asylum seekers'

Staff accused of eating pizzas in front of inmates, amid calls for their release from for-profit detention centres.  Read more

Here’s How Much The World’s Biggest Economies Spend On Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Despite pledging to end fossil fuel subsidies in 2009, the world's major economies still spend billions each year on fossil ... Read more

Coal Is Dying, But Hillary Clinton Has A Plan To Save Coal Communities

Clinton calls for $30 billion towards rebuilding areas that coal has left economically and environmentally devastated. ... Read more

Fake Pregnancy Centers Will Say Some Ridiculous Things To Trick Women Away From Abortion

"Women who have abortions are more likely to abuse their other children."  ... Read more

Rand Paul Goes Full-On Climate Science Denier

A full debunking of Rand Paul's climate comments at Tuesday's GOP debate.  ... Read more

Walmart Workers Escalate Thanksgiving Wage Protests With Weeks Of Fasting

Workers say they frequently share food in the breakroom to save their friends from going hungry despite recent improvements to ... Read more

Obama’s Solar Power Plan For The California Desert

The plan Obama will boost renewable energy in the solar-rich California desert while protecting millions of acres of sensitive ... Read more

What You Need To Know About The Huge Student Protest Sweeping The Country Today

"Education should be free. The United States is the richest country in the world, yet students have to take on crippling debt ... Read more

Video Shows 3 Cops Repeatedly Using Stun Guns On Handcuffed Man Before His Death

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Three Virginia police officers repeatedly used stuns guns on a man who later died in their custody, according to recently release... Read more

AP: Carson Profits From Ties With Felon Convicted Of Health Care Fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential contender Ben Carson has maintained a business relationship with a close friend convicted of defrauding insurance companies and testified on his behalf, even as the candidate has called for such crimes to be punished harshly...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ben-carson-business-partner-felony-fraud

O'Reilly Hits Trump On His Praise For 'Operation Wetback': It Was 'Brutal'

Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on Wednesday night challenged Donald Trump over the Republican presidential candidate's support for the deportation model ... Read more

Wilmore: 'Trump Is Stupid. Plain And Simple.' (VIDEO)

"The Nightly Show" host Larry Wilmore has been incredibly forthright in his dislike of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. On Wednesday n... Read more

How solar is turning American energy on its head

It's early days, but solar power is beginning to show how it could recast the entire American power grid. Some power companies are worried. But in Vermont, they're giddy with excitement... Read more

Cavuto Brings Parade Of CEO's On To Lie About The Minimum Wage

Tuesday's debate kicked off with an acknowledgment of the protesters outside the debate who were calling for an increase in the minimum wage to $15 pe... Read more

Ben Carson's Fact-Free Flip-Flop On Minimum Wage

This moment in Tuesday's debate is a fine example of exactly why Ben Carson's character is fair game for media to challenge. He lies about all manner ...  Read more

Carly Fiorina Comes Unglued Over The CFPB

Here's what I can say about Carly Fiorina's performance in tonight's debate: She was, for the most part, a study in quiet psychotic behavior. The only...  Read more

Ben Carson Spews Word Salad On Too Big To Fail

Move over Sarah Palin! You've got some competition in the word salad department. MSNBC's Chris Jansing caught up to Ben Carson shortly after the Fox B...  Read more

Carly Fiorina: 'Obamacare Isn't Helping Anyone'

Carly Fiorina delivered a lecture on the Affordable Care Act during the Republican Fox Business debate tonight. I'm going to quote driftglass' live bl... Read more

Bertrand Russell - Why I'm Not a Christian

"It seems to me a fundamental dishonesty and a fundamental treachery to intellectual integrity to hold a belief because it's useful and not because you think it's true."
Read more

This guy is taking ultimate revenge on Jeep for selling him a lemon. In superb style, that is to say.

This guy made a rap video about his problems with his new car.
https://youtu.be/5sVmoOZRypk

Algae has been genetically engineered to kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

The algae nanoparticles, created by scientists in Australia, were found to kill 90% of cancer cells in cultured human cells. The algae was also successful at killing cancer in mice with tumors.
Read more

Republicans Realize Taking Obamacare Away From Their Voters Maybe Isn't A Great Idea

WASHINGTON -- Republicans have enjoyed big electoral wins over the past year that put them on the verge of being able to do major damage to Obamacare....  Read more

4 GOP Candidates Offer Ridiculous Opinions on Unrest at Yale and Mizzou

The anti-racism protests at the University of Missouri and Yale have become a topic of national conversation, which means politicians are also weighing in. As the party of old white cranks who think the only racism that exists in this country is against white men, it’s pretty much the job of the GOP presidential hopefuls to try to outdo each other yelling about how much they are not on board. (Considering that there are anti-racist protests happening at Ithaca, Smith and the University of Kansas, among several others, they’ll probably have more to say in coming days.) Here are some prize reactions from the Republican presidential contenders. ...  Read more

New Poll Shows Bernie Sanders Leads Trump and Bush by Double-Digits

Sanders outpolls GOP frontrunner Trump and establishment candidate Bush.
...  Read more

Ted Cruz Will Never 'Let It Go': The Right Wing's Insane New Fear of 'Frozen'

Conservatives target 'Let It Go' and make up stories about 'abortion regret' because they fear women's autonomy.
...  Read more

Utah judge removes lesbian couple’s foster child, says she’ll be better off with heterosexuals

...Johansen said that “through his research he had found out that kids in homosexual homes don’t do as well as they do in heterosexual homes.” She added that, when the judge was asked to show the research, he wouldn’t...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/11/12/utah-judge-removes-foster-child-from-lesbian-couple-saying-shell-be-better-off-with-heterosexuals/

Ben Carson promises law to protect religious objectors to same-sex marriage

The Republican presidential candidate defends his anti-evolution stance at a Christian university in Virginia: ‘Everybody believe what you want to believe’.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/11/ben-carson-promises-law-to-protect-religious-objectors-to-same-sex-marriage

Remember: Hobby Lobby Turns to God to Resolve Employee Disputes

...The New York Times has investigated how corporations have helped forge a “privatization of justice” by forcing employees and customers to sign contracts forfeiting their right to sue and instead agreeing to resolve a dispute—even one as serious as a medical malpractice claim—in what’s known as arbitration...
http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2015/11/10/remember-hobby-lobby-turns-god-resolve-employee-disputes/

Top U.S. and World News Headlines for November 12, 2015

https://youtu.be/LXdebbhuNwQ

Planned Parenthood Attack Group Can’t Catch a Break in Court

The Center for Medical Progress’ (CMP) streak of bad legal luck continued last week, as the anti-choice front group lost its latest bid to avoid providing information to the National Abortion Federation (NAF) about the names and identities of the people involved in CMP’s smear campaign against Planned Parenthood...
http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2015/11/09/planned-parenthood-attack-group-cant-catch-break-court/

The dirty little secret about religious conversion stories

"His selling point is that he is a man of integrity, said Michael Duduit, dean of the College of Christian Studies at Anderson University in South Carolina. "If it turns out he made up stories out of whole cloth, that would be very disconcerting."
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/10/politics/carson-religious-conversion/index.html

The 4th GOP Debate Was A Thing That Happened

Drama! Horror! Welding! The 4th GOP Debate truly had everything.
https://youtu.be/LGq1a4B3r-A

Brian Greene Explains That Whole Special Relativity Thing

Theoretical Physicist Brian Greene explains how the universe works using a water bottle and disco music.
https://youtu.be/0jjFjC30-4A

Stephen Puts The Christ Back In C(hrist)offee

Starbucks wants to de-Christmas the holiday season with its bland red and green cups? Not on Stephen's watch.
https://youtu.be/ypFGaW4eXj0

Fact checking the Republican debate

Dozens of lies! Busted!
https://youtu.be/eH1ph8g3gR4

Want To Make A School Better? Get Kids To Show Up

...He has studied high school dropouts for years, and in his research he kept seeing a red flag: chronic absences in elementary and middle school. Students who miss a couple days a month fall behind in reading — and if they can't read, they can't pass tests.

"To miss a month of school when you're 11 and 12, there's got to be something behind that," Balfanz says — and at Wolfe Street Academy there were. The list included things like tooth decay, mental health issues and not having a winter coat...
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/11/12/455052958/want-to-make-a-school-better-get-kids-to-show-up

Donald Trump Just Endorsed 'Operation Wetback' at the GOP Debate

...So there you have it: Donald Trump's model for deporting undocumented immigrants "warmly and humanely" is an unabashedly racist program in which nearly a million human beings were terrorized by our government and treated with less dignity than farm animals...
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/donald-trump-just-endorsed-operation-wetback-at-the-gop-debate-20151110

No, climate change skepticism isn’t really about doubting science

...So there's a big gap in Americans' understanding of the scientific community's consensus and the scientific community's actual consensus on climate change...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/11/09/no-climate-change-skepticism-isnt-really-about-doubting-science/