Republicans Launch 13-State Campaign Targeting Harry Reid

The Republican National Committee launched a campaign Tuesday to "spotlight the failures" of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and bring focus ... Read more

Monument Valley, AZ at dawn on the mesa [1024x768] by Craig Tissot

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Poll: U.S. Leads The World… In Climate Denial

A poll of 20 countries and over 16,000 people has found that the United States leads the world when it comes to climate ... Read more

Onshore Wind Power Is Now Cheapest Form Of New Electricity In Denmark

A new analysis from the government of Denmark's energy agency found that wind power is by far the cheapest new form of ... Read more

European Court Official: Defining One’s Own Sexuality Is A Right

The European Court of Justice Advocate General 's opinion could make gay asylum seeker's quest much easier.The post European ... Read more

How A Good Education Can Actually Improve Poor Students’ Health

A new study confirms that ensuring kids' access to quality education is a public health issue.The post How A Good Education Can ... Read more

Faux Pause 3: More Evidence Global Surface Temperatures Poised To Rise Rapidly

A new study finds that when climate models factor in the temporary warming and cooling impact of El Niño and La Niña, they ... Read more

Think Tank ‘Analyst’ Says ‘Being Hung, Drawn, And Quartered Is Probably Too Good’ For Obama

"We've got to be grownups and accept that we can't have everything we want, you know, [Obama's] head on a skewer," Stephen ... Read more

Tenants Report Plumbing Problems, Leaky Roofs, And Absent Landlords In Rentals Owned By Wall Street

A hedge fund is now the country's largest landlord, and the first formal study of living conditions for its tenants shows ... Read more

60 Percent Of Americans Support A Carbon Tax When The Revenues Are Put To Good Use

Specifically, 56 percent of voters support the tax when revenues are return to taxpayers with rebate checks, and 60 percent ... Read more

Data From Skewed Polls Portray President Obama Unfairly, Media Buys It

If President Obama is such an awful leader, how the hell has he accomplished miracles?

... Read more

Rick Perry Needs To Take Morality Lessons From Deval Patrick

Could there be two more disparate responses to the border crisis than those from Governors Rick Perry and Deval Patrick? One governor grandstands for ... Read more

Nurse Sues For Religious Discrimination After Telling Interviewer She Won't Do Part Of Her Job

Back in the days when I used to spend a lot of time in bars listening to drunken arguments, I came to the conclusion that Americans believe they have ... Read more

Breaking: Two Wingnut Judges Order Obamacare Defunded

Now, don't panic. This was expected, and it's very unlikely to be upheld on appeal. Too much precedent on cases involving proofreading error, and we h... Read more

Streaming now on Netflix: Gandhi

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/60010384

Streaming now on Netflix: Holes

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/60027593

United Church of Bacon: May the Lard be with you

"...The church was started at Penn Jillette’s house in 2010 by the 12 apostates, all friends of Penn. The first active membership drive was in 2012 at The Amaz!ng Meeting, a science and skepticism conference. The motivation was to get people to donate to secular charities...."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/united-church-of-bacon-may-the-lard-be-with-you/2014/07/21/245ba1c0-10fa-11e4-ac56-773e54a65906_story.html

 Learn more about the United Church of Bacon.

IRS agrees to monitor churches for electioneering

The suit alleged the IRS routinely ignored complaints by the FFRF and others about churches promoting political candidates, issues or proposed legislation. As part of their tax-exempt status, churches and other religious groups are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/irs-agrees-to-monitor-churches-for-electioneering/2014/07/21/99815d32-1118-11e4-ac56-773e54a65906_story.html

Join the Freedom From Religion Foundation

John Oliver Uses Puppets To Explain Prison System Is 'A Lot Racist' (VIDEO)

"...On Sunday John Oliver tackled the "fundamentally broken" U.S. prison system in an extended segment on his HBO show "Last Week, Tonight."
“We have more prisoners at the moment than China," Oliver said. "We don’t have more anything than China other than, of course, debt to China."

Oliver explained that the prison population in America has expanded eight-fold since 1970..."
... Read more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pz3syET3DY

Jon Stewart’s Palestinian Breakthrough

This Gaza war has brought a new level of American awareness of the pain of Palestinian civilians. And we have Jon Stewart to thank.

.. Read more

7 Silly Things Right-Wingers Got Angry About Last Week

Exhibit A: Conservative radio host worries that the idea of a gay-themed Burger King Whopper could spread. ... Read more

How Creationists in Texas Are Pressuring Schoolbook Publishers to Bring God into Biology

A special interest creationist group is trying to undermine science education. ... Read more

Journalistic Malpractice: The Media Enables the Right-Wing Politicization of Science

From Hobby Lobby to climate change, journalistic disinformation happens all the time.

 ... Read more

Paul Krugman on the Real Reason Behind the Deficit Panic and the Terrible Damage It Has Wrought

'The debt apocalypse has been called off.'

 ... Read more

Israel Is Simply Wrong This Time

"Israeli settlers are stealing land. There's no other way to put it."

... Read more

Iran dilutes enriched uranium stockpile

UN nuclear agency says Iran has converted its 20-percent enriched stockpile as per agreement with major powers. Read more

Access Denied: The Religious Right Opens Up A New Front On Its War Against Birth Control

Religious Right groups place a high premium on a theology anchored in judgment, punishment and retribution. And nowhere does this come to bear more pointedly when we discuss issues of human sexuality.
... Read more

Beyond Hillary Clinton: Eight Democrats who might run if she doesn’t - Hillary Rodham Clinton - CSMonitor.com

There are two potential Democratic presidential fields for 2016. One includes Hillary Rodham Clinton, the other doesn’t. If former Secretary of State Clinton runs, she will scare away most if not all serious challengers for the Democratic nomination. But if she doesn’t, there’s a wide array of potential candidates. Here’s our list:

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2012/0410/Beyond-Hillary-Clinton-Eight-Democrats-who-might-run-if-she-doesn-t/Hillary-Rodham-Clinton

Steam from the sun

New spongelike structure converts solar energy into steam. A new material structure developed at MIT generates steam by soaking up the sun. "The new material is able to convert 85 percent of incoming solar energy into steam — a significant improvement over recent approaches to solar-powered steam generation."
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With 92% of Coal Ash Still Coating North Carolina River Bed, Duke Energy Declares Cleanup Complete

"...With 92 percent of the original heavy metal-laden and possibly radioactive coal ash still coating 70 miles of river bottom, river advocates are frustrated..."
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Poll: Swing Voters Don't Think Clinton's State Department Record Was Positive

Less than half of voters in swing states and swing districts believe that Hillary Clinton's record as secretary of state was "excellent" or "good," ac... Read more

MSNBC Contributor Slams Network For Pro-Israel Coverage: 'We Are Ridiculous!'

"Because of AIPAC, and because of the money behind it, and because of Sheldon Adelson, and because of all of us in the media. We are ridiculous. We are disgustingly biased when it comes to this issue," Jebreal said.
 -... Read more

New England Journal Of Medicine: 20 Million Covered Under Obamacare

New England Journal of Medicine: 20 million Americans now covered through Obamacare. ... Read more

This Congressional Candidate Isn’t Running From Climate Change, She’s Running On It

"The climate needs one House seat, and then we build on that."The post This Congressional Candidate Isn't Running From ... Read more

The Coming Christian Revolt | BarbWire.com

This article is reportedly very popular among those of the Christian Right, who believe that they are the victims of persecution by liberals.

"...From behind a smoking sniper rifle high atop his ivory tower peers the secular “progressive.” He surveys his many victims, strewn across the American landscape below and mockingly sneers, “War on Christianity? What war on Christianity?”

He then resumes shooting, all the while insisting that those uncooperative Christians who scatter for cover behind the word of God and the U.S. Constitution somehow suffer from a “persecution complex” (the baker, the photographer, the florist, the innkeeper, the Christian school administrator, etc.).http://barbwire.com/2014/07/19/coming-christian-revolt/

The Loophole Religious Organizations May Try To Use To Discriminate Against LGBT Workers | ThinkProgress

"...The new executive order suggests that a Catholic organization that wants to continue providing services to the federal government must not only retain employees in same-sex marriages, but also provide them equal marriage benefits as well. If Catholic Charities refuse, they may have to sacrifice the federal contracts altogether, but if they try fight the order on religious grounds, they might also have to then justify why employees who violate other Catholic tenets addressing divorce or birth control are not similarly refused employment...."http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2014/07/21/3462290/executive-order-loophole/

Palestinian Civilians Make Up Three-Quarters Of The Dead In Gaza

These numbers come from the United Nations as Israel and Hamas continue to trade fire as the third week of the war ... Read more

Sen. Elizabeth Warren Tells Netroots: 'Push Back And Fight Hard'

Senator Elizabeth Warren took her fight against a rigged system to the Netroots Nation gathering in Detroit Friday morning, saying that she is fightin... Read more

Rev. William Barber Calls Out Deficit Scolds For Promotion Of Cruel Tax Policies | Crooks and Liars

The Rev. William J. Barber, who has been leading the "Moral Monday" protests in North Carolina took on The Daily Caller's Jamie Weinstein along with the rest of deficit scolds on this Friday's Real Time with Bill Maher.
http://crooksandliars.com/2014/07/rev-william-barber-calls-out-deficit?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

New gene discovered that stops spread of deadly cancer: Scientists identify gene that fights metastasis of a common lung cancer -- ScienceDaily

A gene responsible for stopping the movement of cancer from the lungs to other parts of the body has been discovered by researchers, indicating a new way to fight one of the world’s deadliest cancers. By identifying the cause of this metastasis, which often happens quickly in lung cancer and results in a bleak survival rate, scientists are able to explain why some tumors are more prone to spreading than others. The newly discovered pathway may also help researchers understand and treat the spread of melanoma and cervical cancers.

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Marcus Aurelius

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Study: More Than Half Of The People Executed In The United States Have A Severe Mental Illness

Because of an oddity in the Supreme Court's death penalty cases, it is perfectly constitutional under existing precedents to ... Read more

The Painful New Mosquito-Borne Illness That’s Made Its Way To The U.S.

"Chikungunya" is here, and this is what you need to know about it.The post The Painful New Mosquito-Borne Illness That's ... Read more

Members Of Congress Take ‘Minimum Wage Challenge’ To Live Off Reduced Budget For A Week

Democratic Congresspeople and others will live off of $77 for a week, what a typical minimum wage worker brings home.The post ... Read more

Keli Goff Stands Up For Koch UNCF Hijack Because Tolerance

The Koch Brothers found a perfect way to drive a wedge into the African-American community, and it's working.

.. Read more

Hospitals In Medicaid Opt-Out States Are Beginning To Face Money Problems

Even large national and regional health care plans have been affected by the divergence in public health care funding schemes across America.

... Read more

Huckabee Refers To Palestinians As Vicious, Mad Dogs

Mike "HuckaJesus" spent some time Sunday stoking the fear fires so Americans could have more hatred toward Palestinians than they already do. After as... Read more

Freedom from Religion group, IRS settle lawsuit

"This is a victory, and we're pleased with this development in which the IRS has proved to our satisfaction that it now has in place a protocol to enforce its own anti-electioneering provisions," said the group's co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor.

http://journaltimes.com/news/state-and-regional/freedom-from-religion-group-irs-settle-lawsuit/article_f54e4f52-cad5-52a9-9331-a5636f1452a5.html

Atheists emerge from the shadows

“The big picture is to eliminate privilege for religion and to create a normal situation for atheism,” said David Silverman, president of a Cranford-based organization American Atheists. “We want atheism to be as normal in America as Christianity or Judaism.”

http://www.sentinelsource.com/features/religion/mct/atheists-emerge-from-the-shadows/article_44578757-87cb-5022-8a8f-22ca3ac69cc2.html

Mocking Versus Understanding Religion

"...I’ve met many people who stubbornly insist that everything they say be taken in the most literal manner, without any implicit content. This is facile. The majority of the time, someone who says, “Don’t you feel silly?” or even “Do you feel silly?” is implying that they think there’s a good reason for the person to feel silly. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to assume that a given person who asks such a question is including that implication in it..."

http://freethoughtblogs.com/brutereason/2014/07/20/mocking-versus-understanding-religion/

The Scopes Monkey Trial 2.0: It’s Not About the Stupid Science-Deniers

ighty-nine years after a Dayton jury found John Scopes guilty of teaching evolution, the people of this town are still acting out the creationist debate, all in order to put on a show.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/07/21/the-scopes-monkey-trial-2-0-it-s-not-about-the-stupid-science-deniers.html

Best of Daniel Dennett Amazing Arguments And Clever Comebacks Part One

http://youtu.be/LDHfp0YD3l0

Best of Sam Harris Amazing Arguments And Clever Comebacks

http://youtu.be/IWJfdRpHWuk

Winter in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand [3872 × 2592]

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Finally convinced my dad to buy a smartphone. He keeps saying he loves the camera. He now sends me this.

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ELI5:What is 4chan and why is it being banned in so many places? Isn't 4chan just like reddit?

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Discovery of fossilized soils on Mars adds to growing evidence that the planet may once have - and perhaps still does - harbor life

Oregon geologist says Curiosity's images show Earth-like soils on Mars.
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I accidentally took the most peaceful picture I have ever taken.

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Stupid Right Wing Tweets: Bryan Fischer Edition

This is what Bryan Fischer thinks will stop the spread of AIDS: Obama politicizes deaths of AIDS researchers on Malaysian plane. We know how to stop ... Read more

Bill Maher To The 'Tea Party': Here's The Massive Expansion Of Government You Should Be Freaking Out About

Real Time's Bill Maher had a question for the so-called "tea party" and those on the right who are constantly railing about the dangers of "big govern... Read more

Why The Vile Behavior From Conservatives Over Migrant Children? 'Producerism'

The conservative movement and the tea party are engaging in their 'Summer of Hate 2.0,' and are using the migrant children story to promote another si... Read more

Secular Humanism

ATHEIST (n.): one without a belief in, or one who lacks belief in, the existence of god or gods.

YOU MAY BE A SECULAR HUMANIST IF:

• You try to live an ethical and fulfilling life without religious belief.
• You think science and reason lead to more reliable knowledge than faith.
• You support secular government and an open society that guarantees human rights for all.
• You make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values.
• You see no convincing evidence for gods, the supernatural, or life after death.
• You believe that moral values are properly founded on human empathy and scientific understanding.
• You believe we must live this life on the basis that it is the only life we'll have -- that, therefore, we must make the most of it for ourselves, each other, and our world.

(List courtesy of The Institute for Humanist Studies)

SECULAR HUMANISM is a humanist philosophy that upholds reason, ethics, and justice, and specifically rejects the supernatural and the spiritual as the basis of moral reflection and decision-making. Like other types of humanism, secular humanism is a life stance that focuses on the way human beings can lead good, happy and functional lives.

The term "secular humanism" was coined in the 20th century to make a clear distinction from "religious humanism". Secular humanism is also called "scientific humanism", because biologist Edward Wilson claimed it to be "the only worldview compatible with science's growing knowledge of the real world and the laws of nature".

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_...

Militant Atheists:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H74cko...

http://youtu.be/K9_VsdoxtvU

The Humanist Manifesto III

Humanism is a group of philosophies and ethical perspectives which emphasize the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and generally prefers individual thought and evidence (rationalism, empiricism) over established doctrine or faith (fideism). The term humanism can be ambiguously diverse, and there has been a persistent confusion between several related uses of the term because different intellectual movements have identified with it over time.[1] In philosophy and social science, humanism refers to a perspective that affirms some notion of a "human nature" (contrasted with anti-humanism). In modern times, many humanist movements have become strongly aligned with secularism, with the term Humanism often used as a byword for non-theistic beliefs about ideas such as meaning and purpose, however early humanists were often religious, such as Ulrich von Hutten who was a strong supporter of Martin Luther and the Reformation.

http://youtu.be/4LfcPxHseDw