John Cleese in conversation with Eric Idle at Live Talks Los Angeles

We hosted John Cleese and Eric Idle at Live Talks Los Angeles on Nov. 18. The occasion: Cleese' memoir, "So, Anyway..." The venue, a sold crowd at the Alex Theatre. For more information on Live Talks Los Angeles, visit: www.livetalksla.org
Interview:
https://youtu.be/KnpY46lOTX4

New Hampshire Primary 2016: The Economy (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Coming to you today from snowy Manchester, New Hampshire and the first in the nation primary vote. Sanders and Cruz. Clinton and Trump. Kasich and Rubio and Christie and more. For months they have been criss-crossing this state laying out their themes, their vision and – when pressed – their economic plans. The span of what’s on offer for the economy here is wide, from Sanders’ socialism to Trump’s towering promises. This hour On Point, from the thick of New Hampshire’s primary voting, the candidates and the American economy. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2016/02/09/election-2016-new-hampshire-economy

New Hampshire Primary 2016: The Politics (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

And we are in Manchester, New Hampshire for today’s first in the nation primary vote. Iowa had its caucuses. In New Hampshire, it’s a full, formal vote. Polling places, early returns, the works. And of course, every presidential candidate wants to win it or at least get a bump, a boost, keep their hopes alive. The snow is fresh and it’s crunchy cold here, and we’ve been out in it, up close and personal with the contenders, with voters. It’s a scene. This hour On Point, we are in the thick of New Hampshire’s primary vote. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2016/02/09/new-hampshire-2016-presidential-primary

Stuck With Ted: The GOP Establishment Is Grudgingly, Reluctantly Joining Team Cruz

Lindsey Graham and his establishment pals are gritting their teeth and backing the only viable non-Trump option...
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/stuck-ted-gop-establishment-grudgingly-reluctantly-joining-team-cruz

February Didn't Just Break Climate Change Records – It Totally Obliterated Them

We are currently swamping the Earth’s ability to absorb greenhouse gases. And it just keeps getting dramatically worse...
http://www.alternet.org/environment/february-didnt-just-break-climate-change-records-it-totally-obliterated-them

Krugman Throttles GOP Elite for Their Dishonesty About Trump

Still in the thrall of Ayn Rand, Republicans blame the people hurt by their vicious policies...
http://www.alternet.org/economy/krugman-throttles-gop-elite-their-dishonesty-about-trump

Bomb Threats, Glitches, And Confusion Reported In Florida’s Primary

These folks were confused, upset, and disappointed they couldn’t vote today. http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/03/15/3760522/florida-primary-voting-problems/

Week In The News: SCOTUS Nominee, Big Primaries, Russia Leaves Syria (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

A Supreme Court nominee this week, and instant battle lines. No go, no hearings, says the Republican Senate. It’s your job, says the President. We’ll see. In primaries, Clinton and Trump go big. Trump warns of “riots” if he doesn’t get the nomination. We’ve got tough hearings on Flint’s water. Prison time for a young American in North Korea. A subway shutdown in the nation’s capital. An NFL V.P. links football and brain injury. And John Kerry calls the ISIS killing “genocide.” This hour On Point, our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2016/03/18/scotus-primary-election-2016-clinton-trump-sanders

Friday News Roundup – Domestic (Diane Rehm Show, 2016-03-18)

President Obama names Merrick Garland as his nominee to the Supreme Court. But Senate Republicans refuse to meet with the appeals court judge as he began making rounds on Capitol Hill. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton solidify their leads in the latest round of state presidential primaries. Trump warns Republican party leaders not to try to block his path to the nomination. Bernie Sanders prepares for the long haul despite news that President Obama thinks the Democratic party should soon unite behind a single candidate to replace him. And lawmakers call on Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and EPA administrator Gina McCarthy to resign over the Flint water crisis. A panel of journalists joins guest host Indira Lakshmanan for analysis of the week’s top national news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-03-18/friday-news-roundup-domestic

Friday News Roundup – International (Diane Rehm Show, 2016-03-18)

North Korea fires two ballistic missiles into the sea, flouting U.N. resolutions. It also sentences an American student to 15 years’ hard labor. Russia says it will continue to provide military and intelligence assistance to the Syrian regime. This follows Russia’s surprise decision to withdraw its military forces from Syria. The European Union works on a plan to send thousands of migrants back to Turkey. Secretary of State Kerry says the militant group ISIS is committing genocide against Christians, Yazidis and shiite Muslims. And Brazil’s government corruption scandal heats up. A panel of journalists joins guest host Indira Lakshmanan for analysis of the week’s top international news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-03-18/friday-news-roundup-international

U.S. Military Personnel Avoid Criminal Punishment For Bombing Doctors Without Borders Hospital

“This event is utterly tragic, inexcusable, and possibly even criminal,” U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a statement. “[I]f established as deliberate in a court of law an airstrike on a hospital may amount to a war crime.”...
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2016/03/18/3761695/military-discipline/

Florida Cuts Ties With Private Prison Company That Abused Kids For Decades

Private prison corporations, including the notorious GEO Group and the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), rake in money by requiring states to guarantee that they pay for 90 to 99 percent of the beds, which gives states the incentive to lock up more people. At the same time, the corporations try to minimize costs by under-funding and under-staffing their facilities, leading to poor management and little oversight. That concern for the company’s bottom line sets the stage for a wide range of abuses to occur...
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/03/18/3761410/ysi-gets-the-boot-in-florida/

One Small Fix To Help People Who Leave Their Jobs To Care For Loved Ones

“I heard these heartbreaking stories of people who were fearful of losing everything that they had saved because they had to leave a job in order to come home and take care of a loved one,” he said. Time out of the workforce caring for an elderly parent or a young child means lost income...
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2016/03/18/3761628/murphy-social-security-caregiver-credits/

A Trump Presidency Would Be As Bad For The World's Economy As Islamist Militancy, Analysts Say | ThinkProgress

The Economist Intelligence Unit warned of a “trade war” with China and Mexico and said that the election of Trump “would be a potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups,” although its analysts made clear that they do not expect Trump to win the presidency...
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2016/03/17/3761537/trump-economy/

Rick Snyder Testified Before Congress On The Flint Crisis. It Didn’t Go So Well.

Keri Webber got on a plane to fly from her home city of Flint, Michigan to Washington, DC this week in the hopes of finally being able to meet with her governor. “We’ve tried to meet with him in Lansing, we tried to meet with him in Flint,” she said of Rick Snyder. “We came to DC [to] meet on neutral ground. We never got a response.”
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2016/03/17/3761413/flint-congressional-hearing-day-two/

Meet The People Behind Ted Cruz's Terrifying Foreign Policy Plan | ThinkProgress

Cruz has previously called for carpet-bombing the Middle East to combat ISIS, said the United States should send troops to Iraq and Syria, and said something is torture only when it causes “pain equivalent to losing organs and systems.” Still, the list of advisers were surprising to many.
Here are three of the most shocking names...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/03/17/3761344/cruz-foreign-policy-advisers/

Portland Is Suing Monsanto Over Toxic Chemical Pollution

"Monsanto profited from selling PCBs for decades and needs to take responsibility for cleaning up after the mess it created."
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/17/3761342/west-coast-cities-monsanto-lawsuit/

Hottest Winter On Record By Far Drives Devastating Weather Disasters Globally

This extreme warmth — caused primarily by the accelerating human-caused global warming trend (with a boost from El Niño) — is a key reason a number of countries have already “set records for the all-time most expensive weather-related disaster in their nations’ history” this year, as meteorologist Jeff Masters has explained...
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/17/3761359/hottest-winter-weather-disasters/

Trump-Cruz Effect: Cook Political Report Moves 10 House Races To Dem Favor

According to Wasserman, Trump or Cruz at the top of the ticket could put a few kinds of districts into play for Democrats. For one, any district with a large Hispanic population could be a liability for Republicans. And, Wasserman says that "high-education" and "high-income" districts may also be more averse to Trump or Cruz...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cook-political-report-warns-of-trump-and-cruz-nightmare-for-house

Obama: GOP Argument That Voters Should Decide SCOTUS Is 'Puzzling'

"Well, in fact the American people did decide — back in 2012 when they elected me president of the United States with sufficient electoral votes."

"And they also decided that the Republicans would be in the majority," the President continued. "They didn't say we're going to decide that you are going to be in charge for three years and then in the last year you all take a break. They say 'No, you're the president for four years and Mr. McConnell you're going to be the leader because we've given you a Majority in the Senate."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/obama-republican-scotus-puzzling

DOJ Opens Civil Rights Investigation Into New Jersey Town's Denial Of Mosque

The suit alleges that Bernard Township planning board members were swayed by a swell of local opposition to the mosque, which masked anti-Islam sentiment.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/doj-ciil-rights-investigation-bernard-township-mosque

Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rule – The Self-Esteem Movement (HBO)

In his editorial New Rule, Bill Maher examines how instilling an overinflated sense of self importance in children has led to the existence of Donald Trump. Original air date: March 18, 2016.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/xSSExfcD2cM

Real Time with Bill Maher: Is Donald Trump a Con Man? (HBO)

"The Confidence Game" author Maria Konnikova joins Bill Maher to discuss the psychology behind Donald Trump's behavior in this clip from March 11, 2016.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/rY7WrX98I2o

Franken Knocks GOPers Open To Lame Duck Confirmation: It's 'Absurdity'

"It's gone from -- even under their reasoning -- from 'Let the people decide' ... to 'Let the people decide unless they decide on Hillary Clinton,'" he continued.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/al-franken-lame-duck-garland

Real Time with Bill Maher: Michael Ware - Only the Dead (HBO)

Journalist and filmmaker Michael Ware joins Bill Maher to discuss his Iraq war documentary, "Only the Dead," which premieres March 28th on HBO.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/-fK8hBSpWw4

Real Time with Bill Maher: Overtime – March 18, 2016 (HBO)

Bill Maher and his guests – Michael Ware, Sister Simone Campbell, Barney Frank, Rick Wilson and Esperanza Spalding – answer viewer questions after the show.
https://youtu.be/-spudb4lzHo

Barker v Slick part 4

https://youtu.be/6sgtyaxirsg

Democrats Have A Huge Voter Turnout Problem

https://youtu.be/ijwDdpS0R_w

More of Dutko's Dinosaur Nonsense: AronRa v Dutko part 3

https://youtu.be/gNCJGKqjd5E

What Psychological Traits Does the Con Artist Look for in Victims?

The con artist is more of a psychologist than a thief, explains Maria Konnikova. If fact, con artists will never actually steal anything from you; they'll convince you to hand it over freely. Konnikova's latest book is "The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time" (http://goo.gl/OHga3u).
https://youtu.be/SWFj8hjwbxI

Climate Change Will Lead To More Harmful Algal Blooms

The waters are warming, the sea ice is melting … Those conditions, without a doubt, are more favorable for algal growth...
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/15/3760245/toxic-algae-climate-change-pacific/

RWW News: Gordon Klingenschmitt Slams Evil, Sinful, Demonically Inspired Federal Judge

Gordon Klingenschmitt says a judge who ruled against prayer and Bible readings at a public school board meeting is evil, sinful and demonically inspired.
https://youtu.be/vHrmr8tyfNk

Top U.S. & World Headlines — March 18, 2016

https://youtu.be/tCt_iKsfowA

How American voters really can influence Merrick Garland’s confirmation battle

In particular, senators respond to the opinions of their fellow partisans back home. In other words, the votes of Democratic senators are driven by the opinion of their Democratic constituents, and the votes of Republican senators are driven by the opinion of their Republican constituents (controlling for ideology and other well-studied factors).

Why is this important? Consider the graph below, which shows the distribution of public opinion at the state level for 11 recent nominees for which we have suitable data...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/03/18/how-american-voters-really-can-influence-merrick-garlands-confirmation-battle/

Donald Trump Volunteers Are Forbidden From Criticizing Him for the Rest of Their Lives

"I spent a couple of bucks on legal fees, and they spent a whole lot more," he told the Washington Post. "I did it to make his life miserable, which I'm happy about."
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2016/03/donald-trump-volunteer-contract-criticism-forbidden

Our Four-Decade Antitrust Experiment Has Failed

We'd be better off returning to an older, cruder rule: ensuring that there are plenty of competitors in every market and refusing to allow any single company to become too dominant...
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/03/our-four-decade-antitrust-experiment-has-failed

Dear Corporate Media – Stop Pretending Any Of The GOP Candidates Are Sane

The Huffington Post ran a story this morning claiming that John Kasich was the “sane” GOP choice. But don’t be fooled – there isn’t anyone running for president on the Republican side that would qualify as a “sane choice." Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.
https://youtu.be/KrjAfSV1XGk

Catholic Bishops Winning “Liberties,” Losing Humans | Religion Dispatches

"Maybe it’s not them, Cardinal. Maybe it’s you. Maybe the pews are empty and the Starbucks are full because the hierarchy is more concerned about the public performance of a very specific type of conservative Catholicism that infringes on the rights of others than on fostering a genuine Christian community that actually creates a sacred space. Where’s the Catholic Sandy Koufax? He’s probably at Starbucks."
http://religiondispatches.org/catholic-bishops-winning-liberties-losing-humans/

Atheist entitled to 'religious' accommodation - Cable ONE

March 14-- Employers have to reasonably accommodate their employees' religious beliefs and practices. But what if the worker happens to be an atheist? Is he also entitled to reasonable accommodation of his beliefs?
http://home.cableone.net/news/read/category/Business/article/business_management-atheist_entitled_to_religious_accommodation-tca

Before Flint, Lead-Contaminated Water Plagued Schools Across U.S.

"We don't use the water from the building for cooking, not at all," say cafeteria worker LaShawn Thompson, shaking her head.
http://www.npr.org/2016/03/16/470512927/before-flint-lead-contaminated-water-plagued-schools-across-u-s

Apple On FBI iPhone Request: 'The Founders Would Be Appalled'

Apple says the government "attempts to rewrite history" with its request for help unlocking an iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters by stretching the law far wider than the Constitution and the lawmakers have intended.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/03/15/470436785/apple-on-fbi-iphone-request-the-founders-would-be-appalled

Puzzling 'fairy circles' spotted in Australia. How did they get there? - CSMonitor.com

The first so-called fairy circles – mysterious bald patches within grasslands – found outside Namibia popped up in Australia. Where did they come from?
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2016/0315/Bizarre-fairy-circles-appear-in-Australia-Where-did-they-come-from

Voter ID Laws: A Closer Look

Seth takes a closer look at controversial voter ID laws in America.
https://youtu.be/yfJeuk9Qizw

American IS fighter: I made a bad decision

“I wasn’t thinking straight,” Khweis said. “My message to the American people is that the life in Mosul is really, really bad,” he said, adding that he doesn’t believe the Islamic State group accurately represents Islam.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/american-is-fighter-i-made-a-bad-decision/2016/03/18/b54a32fa-ecf9-11e5-a9ce-681055c7a05f_story.html

Apple engineers would rather quit than develop an iPhone backdoor for the FBI

Apple employees are already discussing what they will do if ordered to help law enforcement authorities. Some say they may balk at the work, while others may even quit their high-paying jobs rather than undermine the security of the software they have already created, according to more than a half-dozen current and former Apple employees.
http://bgr.com/2016/03/18/iphone-hacking-apple-engineers-fbi/

Proof of evolution that you can find on your body

You have your mom's smile, your dad's eyes, and the ear muscles of a Triassic mammal.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/rFxu7NEoKC8

Top U.S. & World Headlines — March 17, 2016

Interview:
https://youtu.be/W9UAnUzVPFE

Week In The News: Sanders’ Michigan Surprise, Sharapova Stunner, Remembering Nancy Reagan (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Primary politics getting down to more and more serious moves this week. Bernie Sanders with a big must-win win in Michigan. illary Clinton notching more delegates. Republicans sobering up in debate last night as key Ohio and Florida votes loom. The word “civil” was used. Amazing. We’ve got Canada’s Justin Trudeau in Washington. ISIS files on 20,000 fighters. Peyton Manning all done. Nancy Reagan dies. This hour On Point, our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2016/03/11/donald-trump-bernie-sanders-2016-election-sharapova

Friday News Roundup – Domestic (Diane Rehm Show 2016-03-11)

President Obama names a Supreme Court nominee. Donald Trump warns of riots if Republicans try to block his nomination. And Michigan governor Rick Snyder testifies on Capitol Hill about the Flint water crisis. A panel of journalists joins guest host Indira Lakshmanan for analysis of the week’s top national news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-03-18/friday-news-roundup-domestic

Friday News Roundup – International (Diane Rehm Show 2016-03-11)

Russia begins withdrawing its military forces from Syria. The U.S. eases limits on travel and commerce with Cuba. And North Korea sentences an American student to 15 years hard labor. A panel of journalists joins guest host Indira Lakshmanan for analysis of the week’s top international news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-03-18/friday-news-roundup-international

North Carolina’s confusing primary: why so many votes won’t count

Last month, a federal three-judge panel found that Republicans drew two of the state’s congressional districts illegally, packing more black voters into districts where they already had a plurality, thus boosting Republican odds by “bleaching” surrounding districts...
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2016/0315/North-Carolina-s-confusing-primary-why-so-many-votes-won-t-count

Mother Teresa to be made a saint, though not everyone will celebrate (+video) - CSMonitor.com

“Mother Teresa was not a friend of the poor. She was a friend of poverty. She said that suffering was a gift from God,” wrote Christopher Hitchens, perhaps her best-known detractor. “She spent her life opposing the only known cure for poverty, which is the empowerment of women and the emancipation of them from a livestock version of compulsory reproduction.”
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2016/0315/Mother-Teresa-to-be-made-a-saint-though-not-everyone-will-celebrate-video

Muslims, Protestants and Jews share common concerns in 2016 election - Religion News Service

The Muslim community is “both pious and patriotic, optimistic and weary of discrimination, similar to Jews in its politics, and much like Protestants in its religious practice,” writes Dalia Mogahed, director of research for the ISPU and author of the report...
http://www.religionnews.com/2016/03/15/muslims-protestants-jews-share-common-concerns-2016-election/

A Metal Band And A Group Of Teenagers Are Among The Latest To Be Indicted For Blasphemy

How can you try someone for mocking ISIS?
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2016/03/16/3760539/blasphemy/

6 Quotes From Senate Republicans About Merrick Garland That Are Really Awkward Now | ThinkProgress

"Merrick B. Garland is highly qualified to sit on the D.C. circuit. His intelligence and his scholarship cannot be questioned... His legal experience is equally impressive... Accordingly, I believe Mr. Garland is a fine nominee. I know him personally, I know of his integrity, I know of his legal ability, I know of his honesty, I know of his acumen, and he belongs on the court. I believe he is not only a fine nominee, but is as good as Republicans can expect from this administration. In fact, I would place him at the top of the list." (Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/03/16/3760775/republicans-backed-merrick-garland-1997/

Even Developing World Cities Don't Shut Down Their Subway For A Day

The shutdown of Washington, D.C.'s Metrorail system for an entire day — 29 hours to be exact — for a safety inspection prompted a New York Times interviewee to say: "It's the capital of the United States and one of the biggest business centers in the country. This is like a developing country."
http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/03/16/470696745/even-developing-world-cities-dont-shut-down-their-subway-for-a-day?sc=tw

Surging Renewables Keep Global CO2 Flat As Economy Grows

What happened? The IEA says its “data suggest that electricity generated by renewables played a critical role, having accounted for around 90% percent of new electricity generation in 2015.” Yes, a whopping nine out of 10 new power plants in 2015 were renewable — and five out of 10 were wind...
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/16/3760809/renewables-global-co2-flat/

First European Country Votes To Stop Selling Weapons To Saudi Arabia

“Germany licensed arms exports of almost $200 million to the Sunni kingdom in the first six months of 2015, the latest economy ministry data available,” Reuters reported. “Dutch figures were not immediately available.”
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2016/03/16/3760965/saudi-netherlands-arms-embargo/

Buck v. Bell: SCOTUS Case That Led to Forced Sterilization of 70,000 & Inspired the Nazis

http://democracynow.org - As President Obama nominates centrist Judge Merrick Garland to replace late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, we take a look at what’s been described as one of the worst Supreme Court rulings in history. In the 1927 case Buck v. Bell, the court upheld a statute that enabled the state of Virginia to sterilize so-called mental defectives or imbeciles. The person in question was Carrie Buck, a poor, young woman then confined in the Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and the Feebleminded, though she was neither epileptic nor mentally disabled. In the landmark decision, eight judges ruled that the state of Virginia had the right to sterilize her. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. wrote the majority opinion concluding, "Three generations of imbeciles are enough." The decision resulted in 60,000 to 70,000 sterilizations of Americans considered "unfit" to reproduce. At the Nuremberg trials, lawyers for Nazi scientists cited the opinion in defense of their actions. We speak to Adam Cohen, author of "Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck."
Interview:
Part 1
https://youtu.be/FLM8dkIsHS0

Part 2
https://youtu.be/acVPt1qr5MY

Big Marijuana

Legal cannabis about to change American life.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/-rolOcVcwiQ

Homes for the homeless

LA rejects builder's tiny house idea.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/m-5PMzGKX8g

Iran election

Young people hope for a better future.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/4mMOUnuFviQ

Texas abortion law

Supreme Court appears sharply divided...
Interview:
https://youtu.be/M9GQ8dBRMm0

Judy Collins

Judy Collins' lifetime of activism & music
Interview:
https://youtu.be/D2rhBe6E1jE

Steve Jobs Transformed Apple by Exploiting Ritual Practices

Steve Jobs is known for his effective speeches and presentations in narrative form, but twice in his career he leveraged the ceremony as a unique communication tool to get his point across. Duarte's latest book is "Illuminate: Ignite Change Through Speeches, Stories, Ceremonies, and Symbols" (http://goo.gl/FxGyGD).
Interview:
https://youtu.be/F85iyGvcTZQ

North America's largest coal power plant to become 44-MW solar farm

The Ontario Power Generation Nanticoke Generating Station was once North America's largest coal-fired power plant. It's now about to get a second life as a solar farm...
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2016/0316/North-America-s-largest-coal-power-plant-to-become-44-MW-solar-farm

Ken Ham Disparages Schools Showing Cosmos in Class for “Imposing Atheism on Students”

The problem with Cosmos, if you’re Ken Ham, isn’t that it promotes atheism. It’s that it promotes asking questions, looking for evidence, and understanding the scientific method. Facts, like the rest of reality, contradict everything Ham believes about the origin of the universe. No wonder he doesn’t want children exposed to them...
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/03/15/ken-ham-disparages-schools-showing-cosmos-in-class-for-imposing-atheism-on-students/

House subcommittee advances bill stripping $100K from UT diversity operations

Van Huss entered the House Education Subcommittee on Tuesday afternoon with an amendment that would take $100,000 a year for the next three years away from UT and use it instead to pay for decals bearing the national motto "In God We Trust" on law enforcement vehicles...
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local/house-subcommittee-advances-bill-stripping-100k-from-ut-diversity-operations-2e1ea265-c7a1-07f3-e053-372169311.html

FBI raids in Ramapo target yeshivas, technology businesses

FBI agents and Rockland district attorney's office detectives fanned out across Ramapo on Wednesday with search warrants demanding that vendors and yeshivas provide records and account for equipment allegedly bought by religious schools with millions in federal education technology dollars...
http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2016/03/16/yeshiva-technology-records-raid/81808252/

Study: vaccine refusers helped spark recent measles and whooping cough outbreaks - Vox

Measles and whooping cough, two infectious diseases US public health officials had gotten pretty good at preventing, have made a disturbing comeback in recent years...
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/15/11239858/whooping-cough-measles-vaccines-outbreak

Hindus to press case for Oklahoma Capitol monument of Lord Hanuman if constitution changes - State - TulsaWorld

Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said in a statement from Nevada that if Oklahoma voters approve the constitution change, “Hindus would love to request placing a statue of Lord Hanuman, which might become the first Hindu religious monument on public land in USA.”
http://m.tulsaworld.com/news/state/hindus-to-press-case-for-oklahoma-capitol-monument-of-lord/article_90c08d21-ccbf-50be-b559-f254024bff57.html

Lifespans are Long Enough (John Dovan, Intelligence Squared Debate U.S.)

What if we didn’t have to grow old and die? The average American can expect to live for 78.8 years, an improvement over the days before clean water and vaccines, when life expectancy was closer to 50, but still not long enough for most of us. So researchers around the world have been working on arresting the process of aging through biotechnology and finding cures to diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer. What are the ethical and social consequences of radically increasing lifespans? Should we accept a “natural” end, or should we find a cure to aging?
Interview:
http://intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/past-debates/item/1493-lifespans-are-long-enough

The Humanist Hour #188: Black Nonbelievers: The Author’s Circle (The Humanist Hour)

In this episode, Jenn Wilson introduces our new producer, Stephanie Zvan, and Kim Ellington talks to Frank Edwards, Ronald F. Murphy, Cheryl Abram, and Darrell Smith – authors who presented at the Black Nonbelievers fifth anniversary celebration in Atlanta last month.

On January 16, 2016, Black Nonbelievers from all over gathered together in Atlanta to celebrate the organization’s five year anniversary. One of the day’s panels focused on black atheist and humanist authors. Kim Ellington attended the anniversary celebration and took the opportunity to talk to these panelists.

Frank Edwards is the author of the Jupiter Strong series, books designed for children and parents. The focus of this series was to showcase images of African people in dignifying terms and rebuild family values. From our series, children will learn critical thinking skills, self love, communal responsibility and have fun doing it!
Interview:
http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/humanist-hour-188-black-nonbelievers-authors-circle

Costco's entry-level workers will soon make $13 per hour

Costco announced that it will raise employees' wages this month, which may be a response to competitors like Wal-Mart that have also raised their wages...
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2016/0304/Costco-s-entry-level-workers-will-soon-make-13-per-hour

SCOTUS Stalls Clean Power Plan (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

The historic Paris agreement on fighting climate change nine weeks ago was based on the premise that everybody was in on the fight. One-hundred and ninety-five countries. The US, right up front with a very public commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Now the U.S. Supreme Court has thrown the brakes on the heart of the American promise to the world – cleaning up US power plants. They haven’t killed the plan yet, but they’re signaling they could. This hour On Point, climate change, the constitution, and the U.S. Supreme Court. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2016/02/11/scotus-clean-power-block

Did Jesus Exist? Dr. Robert M Price, Dr. Richard Carrier, David Fitzgerald Interview Part 2 Q&A

Part 2 is new and appears below.  If you haven't seen Part 1, it is here.

Historians and Apologists have been arguing for centuries about the evidence for a historical Jesus, the Mythicist theory takes the position that Jesus may never have existed as a real person and has compelling evidence to support it. Join us as we invite the top three scholars/authors in the Mythicist field to discuss the best and worst evidence for a historical Jesus.

The Authors:

Robert M. Price holds two Ph.D. degrees (in Theology and New Testament). He has taught undergraduates, seminarians, and doctoral students. He served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Montclair and as the Director of the Center for Inquiry, Metro, NY. His numerous books include Deconstructing Jesus, The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man, The Amazing Colossal Apostle, and The Human Bible New Testament. Price is the host of the podcasts The Bible Geek, The Human Bible, and The Lovecraft Geek.

Richard Carrier has a Ph.D. in the history of philosophy from Columbia University, and is a published philosopher and historian, specializing in contemporary philosophy of naturalism, and in Greco-Roman philosophy, science, and religion, and the origins of Christianity. He blogs regularly, lectures for community groups worldwide, and teaches courses online. He is the author of many books including Sense and Goodness without God, On the Historicity of Jesus, and Proving History, as well as chapters in several anthologies and articles in academic journals. For more about Dr. Carrier and his work see www.richardcarrier.info

David Fitzgerald is an atheist activist, writer, public speaker and historical researcher who has been actively investigating the Historical Jesus question for over 15 years. He has a degree in history and was an associate member of CSER (the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion) He lectures around the country at Universities and national secular events. He is also author of NAILED: Ten Christian Myths That Show Jesus Never Existed At All and The Complete Heretic’s Guide to Western Religion series.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/irRDkcr5Diw