DN Speak

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Elizabeth Warren: 8 ways to restore the middle class

Ronald Reagan's trickle down economic theory -- that a growing economy would benefit all -- has failed the middle class, she told the crowd. Since 1980, 90% of Americans saw zero income growth...
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Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Republican-led House to vote on diluting financial regulations - One America News Network

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The House of Representatives expects to vote Wednesday on legislation retooling a series of financial regulations, an early sign that Republican leaders will attack President Barack Obama’s Wall Street reforms this year.

http://www.oann.com/republican-led-house-to-vote-on-diluting-financial-regulations/

5 Easy Ways You Can Advocate for Trans Rights Right Now

Following the awful suicide of teenager Leelah Alcorn, seemingly because her family would not accept her trans identity, we’re all asking ourselves how we can make life better for trans teens. Fellow Care2 writers have already had some great thoughts on this, but I wanted to contribute some specific actions we can take today that are easy and could lead to meaningful change.
http://www.care2.com/causes/5-easy-ways-you-can-advocate-for-trans-rights-right-now.html

How I help transgender teens become who they want to be

Puberty is an awkward time for just about everybody, but for transgender teens it can be a nightmare, as they grow overnight into bodies they aren't comfortable with. In a heartfelt talk, endocrinologist Norman Spack tells a personal story of how he became one of the few doctors in the US to treat minors with hormone replacement therapy. By staving off the effects of puberty, Spack gives trans teens the time they need. (Filmed at TEDxBeaconStreet.)
https://www.ted.com/talks/norman_spack_how_i_help_transgender_teens_become_who_they_want_to_be?language=en

The Christian Beheading Conveniently Ignored by Fox News

Apparently, without a Muslim suspect under arrest for the beheading, Fox News wasn't interested. ... Read more

Republicans Fight High-Speed Rail

http://youtu.be/iW4celm3GtA

The New Republican Attack on Social Security Starts Now!

"Republican opponents of Social Security have not wasted even a single day in their plan to dismantle Social Security brick by brick. What should be a dry, mundane exercise -- the adoption of new rules by the newly convening House of Representatives -- has turned into a stealth attack on America's working families..."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-altman/the-new-republican-attack_b_6425380.html

Dominionist 'Passion' Cult Seeks More Publicity On Fox News

Dominionist Millennials want coverage of their stadium-sized, cult gatherings. These are the breeding grounds of future Gohmerts and Bachmanns.
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"Governor Ultrasound Is Prison Bound!" by Old Fart Rants

http://youtu.be/K4NCje7rbdo

The Republicans’ Sneaky Plan To Make It Much Easier To Pass Massive Tax Cuts For The Rich

If a vote to use "dynamic scoring" passes, it could pave the way for big tax cuts that don't have to be paid for.The post The ... Read more

Scientists Say 77 Ohio Earthquakes Were Caused By Fracking

This is the first time a study has linked an earthquake large enough to be felt by humans to fracking.The post Scientists Say ... Read more

Conservatives Admit The Truth On Indiana ‘Religious Liberty’ Bill

It's no secret that Indiana lawmakers want to make anti-LGBT discrimination legal across the state.The post Conservatives Admit ... Read more

Conservatives Realize Their Proposed Obamacare ‘Fixes’ Won’t Actually Fix Anything

The latest GOP effort to amend Obamacare is getting some unexpected pushback from the right.The post Conservatives Realize ... Read more

Four Finder timesavers every smart Mac user should know | Macworld

For some users, “organizing files” in the Finder begins and ends with creating folders and moving files into them. But there are a bunch of other things you can do to manage your files in OS X that, whatever your workflow, will make things way easier.
http://www.macworld.com/article/2461480/four-finder-timesavers-every-smart-mac-user-should-know.html

Top tips for working with the Mac's menu bar

To start out your new year I thought I'd remind you of (or, possible reveal, if this is new to you) a handful of menu bar ... Read more

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Legal Scholar Calls for ‘Fetal Rescue Programs’ to End Abortion Debate

...That solution, as he sees it, is what he calls a “fetal rescue” program, in which the state bears the burden and expenses of gestating the terminated pregnancy, including the burden and expense related to caring for any live birth that results. Here’s Giles’ proposal:

It [fetal rescue program] puts the woman in what we might call the gestate-or-relinquish dilemma: carry the fetus to term or relinquish it to the state prior to viability for attempted rescue via AW [artificial womb]. The gestate-or-relinquish dilemma can best be characterized as a pre-viability, pre-natal version of the raise-or-relinquish dilemma. Like its post-natal analogue, it frustrates the woman’s interest in ensuring the death of the fetus. If she opts not to carry the fetus to term, she must relinquish it to the state, and if AW succeeds, her biological child will be raised by others.

http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2015/01/05/legal-scholar-calls-fetal-rescue-programs-end-abortion-debate/

Tea Party Rep. Louie Gohmert Claims America Will Be Destroyed If He Isn’t Elected House Speaker (VIDEO)

The fear mongering has begun in GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert's effort to replace John Boehner as Speaker of the House. Read more

It’s True, Cable News Basically Brainwashes You, And It’s Totally Legal

A new working paper reveals opinions can be shaped by the cable news one watches, and yes, the results can be seen on election ... Read more

The 14 states that don't require homeschooled kids to learn math or English, in one map

The number of children taught at home has increased 20 percent in the past five years, according to Motoko Rich of the New York Times, while public sc... Read more

2014 Was The Hottest Year On Record Globally By Far

The Japan Meteorological Agency announced that 2014 was the hottest year in more than 120 years of record-keeping. NOAA is ... Read more

CEO Who Said He’d Probably Have To Fire Employees If Obama Won Is Now Giving Them Raises

"We're experiencing the best year in our history," Siegel said.The post CEO Who Said He'd Probably Have To Fire Employees ... Read more

Here Is What Louie Gohmert Will Do If Elected Speaker

The Texas representative said he would prioritize securing the border and eliminating a majority of regulations. The post Here ... Read more

3 Charts That Illustrate The Bleak Reality About Reproductive Rights In The U.S.

2014 wasn't a great year for proponents of abortion access.The post 3 Charts That Illustrate The Bleak Reality About ... Read more

U.K. And Germany Smash Wind Power Records

2015 will see more growth of the industry across Europe with political and regulatory decisions weighing heavily in the years ... Read more

West Virginia Alters Curriculum To Cast Doubt On Climate Science

One school board member didn't think the state should be teaching climate change as settled science. The post West Virginia ... Read more

BREAKING: California Governor Calls For 50 Percent Renewable Power

"The challenge is to build for the future, not steal from it."The post BREAKING: California Governor Calls For 50 Percent ... Read more

A Nuclear Plant Leaked Oil Into Lake Michigan For Two Months Straight

The plant owners said there was "no evidence of oil in our reservoirs, in the lake or on the beach."The post A Nuclear Plant ... Read more

The Case Against In-Your-Face Atheism

When I began my blog on the Atheist Channel of Patheos, I thought I'd be able to show how someone can live a meaningful life without religious belief.... Read more

Monday, January 5, 2015

The benefits of a good night's sleep - Shai Marcu

It’s 4am, and the big test is in 8 hours. You’ve been studying for days, but you still don’t feel ready. Should you drink another cup of coffee and spend the next few hours cramming? Or should you go to sleep? Shai Marcu defends the latter option, showing how sleep restructures your brain in a way that’s crucial for how our memory works.
http://youtu.be/gedoSfZvBgE

MIT Science Prof Threatens to Undo Everything Religious Right Holds Dear

"...It doesn’t mean we should expect life everywhere in the universe — lack of a decent atmosphere or being too far from the sun still makes most of our solar system inhospitable for life with or without England’s perspective. But it does mean that “under certain conditions” where life is possible — as it is here on Earth, obviously — it is also quite probable, if not, ultimately, inevitable..."
http://www.alternet.org/belief/scientist-undos-wacky-creationism-claims

Sam Harris "How Christianity appears to non believers"

http://youtu.be/cbfAnZSRWNo

This Catholic Leader Had the Perfect Message for Parents of Transgender Children

"...Deacon Ray Dever of St. Paul Catholic Church in Tampa, Florida, wrote a personal essay on the topic and discussed his family's experience with having a transgender child..."
http://mic.com/articles/107654/this-catholic-priest-had-the-perfect-message-for-parents-of-transgender-children

Imagine No Religion 5

Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss head up a full weekend of amazing speakers in Richmond, BC June 5-7, 2015.
http://youtu.be/n5eJgEf_h9g

Downton Abbey explained for people who don’t watch Downton Abbey

After almost an entire year without the Dowager Countess (that's Maggie Smith to you uninitiated) throwing shade, Downton Abbey returns tonight on PBS... Read more

Non-americans of Reddit, what American customs seem outrageous/pointless to you?

TIL 52% of Americans can't afford the house that they are currently living in right now

Ingraham Demands 'Gridlock' Over Obama's Poll Numbers: 'In Defeat... He's Setting The Agenda'

Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham on Sunday reacted to President Barack Obama's rising poll numbers by advising the Republican-controlled Congress that "gridlock" would help the country.
... Read more

Senator Pushes Keystone XL Pipeline With Egregiously Misleading Statistic

Supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline are still using the misleading claim that the controversial project will create 42,000 ... Read more

CBO at center of next Capitol Hill showdown

"We are also extremely concerned about the possible appointment of a new CBO Director who would use 'dynamic scoring' to hide the true costs of tax cuts or make critical government lending programs for students, veterans, small businesses, and others appear more costly than they actually are," they [Democrats] wrote.
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Sunday, January 4, 2015

Bill Nye, Other Scientists Slam Media For Pretending Climate Change Deniers Are Just ‘Skeptics’

“The media has to sort of come out of this ethos that I think was in principle a good one, but it doesn’t really apply in science,” Tyson told host Brian Stelter. “The principle was, whatever story you give, you have to give the opposing view. And then you can be viewed as balanced.”

“You don’t talk about the spherical Earth with NASA, and then say let’s give equal time to the flat Earthers,” he added. “Plus, science is not there for you to cherry pick.”
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/12/10/bill-nye-other-scientists-slam-media-for-pretending-climate-change-deniers-are-just-skeptics/

Thanks Obama! GDP Grew 5% Last Quarter – Best In Over A Decade

"...All of these figures indicate a strong economy and a steady future for the US, which has seen repeated economic woes since the Great Recession of 2007-2009, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression before World War II..."
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/12/23/thanks-obama-gdp-grew-5-last-quarter-best-in-over-a-decade/

Native Americans Put GOP On Notice: Keystone Pipeline Is ‘An Act Of War Against Our People’ (VIDEO)

“The Rosebud Sioux Tribe will not allow this pipeline through our lands. We are outraged at the lack of intergovernmental cooperation. We are a sovereign nation and we are not being treated as such. We will close our reservation boarders to Keystone XL. Authorizing Keystone XL is an act of war against our people.”
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/01/04/native-americans-put-gop-on-notice-keystone-pipeline-is-an-act-of-war-against-our-people-video/

Comedian Maria Bamford (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Maria Bamford is the kind of comedian who doesn’t slow down for the slow wing of the audience. She lays it all out there, full of twists and turns and the mind’s curlicues and says, in effect, hang on. Through religion and family, shame and shopping, sex and suicide and the mind’s dark side. She’s had her own issues there, bipolar, and just keeps going. With “Arrested Development,” Louis CK, her own albums. She’s the American Comedy Awards “ Best Club Comic, 2014.” And she’s with us. This hour, On Point: Comedian Maria Bamford, on life./Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/08/05/comedian-maria-bamford

What We Find In Young Children’s Literature (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

News from the snuggly world of children’s bedtime books lately. The world of our first reading to little ones one and two and three and four years old. The world of “Good Night Moon” and “The Runaway Bunny.” From an old trunk of “Good Night Moon” author Margaret Wise Brown, a new trove of songs and poems. She died in 1952. She’s back. And a new study saying in the thousands of children’s books published last year, still few with children of color. What are we reading to our littlest ones these days? Are we reading? This hour On Point: what we seek and share in young children’s books./Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/12/25/reading-rainbow-christmas-childrens-books

The Apocalypse is All Your Fault

Say "evangelical Christian," and most people will probably think of Biblical fundamentalism, and opposition to the sexual revolution, feminism, LGBT e... Read more

A Year In The News: ISIS, Midterm Politics And The Year To Come (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Welcome to 2015. Happy New Year. And here goes the news, already. Mario Cuomo takes his leave. Saudi Arabia’s monarchy, in the balance. And a whole load of issues, rolling over to a new calendar. For our first Friday news roundtable of the New Year, we’ll look back at what’s going to matter out of 2014. Out of ISIS and Ebola and Ferguson. And we’ll look ahead at the year booming up in front of us right now. At Republican majorities and agendas. At the Keystone pipeline. At a world that does not stop. This hour On Point: a week in the news, a year in the news, and the year ahead – 2015!/Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/01/02/year-in-the-news-2014-2015-obama-cuba-russia-isis-ebola

Helping the Homeless: Backpack Breakdown

"Some of you have asked me to give a detailed description of what is in the backpacks. This is just a sample of the first three backpacks I have made. As of moment of the posting of this video I have currently made 7 backpacks and they are getting better every time. If you like what I am doing here on my channel, you should consider supporting it via patreon.com/REASON"
http://youtu.be/mM7dz6NoEcg

Orca Calf Shows Signs Of Whale Midwifery

A whale researcher has a new hypothesis about orca whales: Whale "midwives" may be assisting births. ... Read more

Increased Government Spending Has Republicans In A Panic

"This is quite possibly the single worst piece of news Republicans could receive starting the new year..."
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Pot Tax Adds $40+ Million To Colorado’s Economy: Crime, Traffic Deaths And Unemployment Are Down

The critics were wrong… Colorado's marijuana legalization experiment is a success! Will your state be next? Read more

Fox News Runs Outrageous Hit Piece On Pope Francis For Making Republicans Look Bad (VIDEO) | Addicting Info

"...Immediately after learning of the pope’s stance on climate change, Fox ran an unabashed hit piece on Francis, calling him an “activist” (conservative dog whistle for “liberal”) and pulling quotes from Catholic leaders who have been critical of his leadership. It was a hatchet job and an incredibly tasteless one – a television network modeled around conservative propaganda devoted an entire segment to lecturing the pope on why he was so bad. “Surreal” doesn’t begin to describe it..."

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/01/03/fox-news-runs-outrageous-hit-piece-on-pope-francis-for-making-republicans-look-bad-video/

How Fox News Covered Pope Francis' Action On Climate Change | Blog | Media Matters for America

Skepticism, Fearmongering, And Comparison To "Widespread Population Control"
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/01/02/how-fox-news-covered-pope-francis-action-on-cli/201994

A Brighter Economy Shellshocks Republican Strategy

"If Republicans think they can turn the public against the president with a shrinking deficit, falling gas prices and ..." Expect them to try to take credit for improvements.
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GOP Senator Lindsey Graham Vows To Follow Leader Of Another Nation Instead Of His Own President

US Senator Lindsey Graham is openly professing his loyalty, and that of his Republican comrades, to the leader of another ... Read more

The Senate's 46 Democrats got 20 million more votes than its 54 Republicans

"...those 46 Democrats got more votes than the 54 Republicans across the 2010, 2012, and 2014 elections. According to Nathan Nicholson, a researcher at the voting reform advocacy group FairVote, "the 46 Democratic caucus members in the 114th Congress received a total of 67.8 million votes in winning their seats, while the 54 Republican caucus members received 47.1 million votes."... Read more