Fox News 'Christians' Furious Over Secular Laws Of The USAF

A few weeks ago, a member of the United States Air Force, in full military dress, said the words, "mostly I'm thankful that I'm a redeemed believer i...  Read more

Insurers' High-deductible Plans Leave Many Without Needed Care

A dozen or so years ago, a small group of wealthy corporate insurance executives decided their customers were not paying nearly enough for the medical...  Read more

Bernie Sanders is unveiling a free college tuition bill. Will it work?

Bernie Sanders, currently seeking the Democratic nomination for president, has a new proposal for how to expand educational opportunities for America'... Read more

You Simply Must Read This: Conservative economist shows the harmful effects of Fox News

Bruce Bartlett is a conservative economist and policy hand (very much out of the supply-side and monetarist movement) who I think still considers himself and by rights is a conservative but at this point in his life is very much a dissident and critic of American conservatism. He just published this article 'How Fox News Changed American Media and Political Dynamics.' 

... Read more

Excerpt:

The creation of Fox News in 1996 was an event of deep, yet unappreciated, political and historical importance. For the first time, there was a news source available virtually everywhere in the United States, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a conservative tilt. Finally, conservatives did not have to seek out bits of news favorable to their point of view in liberal publications or in small magazines and newsletters. Like someone dying of thirst in the desert, conservatives drank heavily from the Fox waters. Soon, it became the dominant – and in many cases, virtually the only – major news source for millions of Americans. This has had profound political implications that are only starting to be appreciated. Indeed, it can almost be called self-brainwashing – many conservatives now refuse to even listen to any news or opinion not vetted through Fox, and to believe whatever appears on it as the gospel truth.

Open PDF in Browser

Jeb: We Need 'Traditional Marriage' To Get Kids Out Of Poverty (VIDEO)

After spending a week in the hotseat over his support for the Iraq War, likely presidential candidate and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) on Saturday... Read more

John Oliver Accuses Members Of Congress Of Being 'Chicken-F*ckers' (VIDEO)

"Last Week: Tonight" host John Oliver chose a surprising topic for his righteous crusade on Sunday night: chicken farmers.  ... Read more
https://youtu.be/X9wHzt6gBgI

Ayotte: GOP Rep. Guinta Should Resign Following FEC Violation

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) on Monday urged Rep. Frank Guinta (R-NH) to step down after the Federal Elections Commission ruled that the congressman viola... Read more

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s Best Climate Change Burns

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) gives his 100th speech on climate change Monday. Here are some of his greatest hits. .. Read more
https://youtu.be/mv-Vk16xSgw

Would This Man Be Charged With Terrorism If He Were Muslim?

Doggart ran for the House of Representatives last year and gained around 9,000 votes.  ... Read more

The Really Awful Truth About Climate Change

The really awful truth about climate change is that while climate scientists have been increasingly blunt about how dire our ... Read more

Is It Okay To Refuse Service To A Same-Sex Couple For Religious Reasons? Jeb Bush: ‘Absolutely.’

"This shouldn't be this complicated," Jeb Bush says, endorsing anti-gay discrimination.  ... Read more

Why This Lawmaker Opposes Abortion For Everyone Except His Own Wife And Mistress

It fits into a larger pattern informally dubbed "the only moral abortion is my own abortion."  ... Read more

Denying Evolution and Climate Science (Skepticality #239)

This week Derek brings you a taste of what you may have missed by not coming out for the yearly Skeptic events at Dragon Con 2014. A recording from the star studded panel, "Denying Evolution and Climate Science". Which involved Matt Lowry, David DiSalvo, Dr. Steven Novella, and Barbara Drescher.
http://www.skepticality.com/denying-evolution-climate-science-3/

Paul Krugman Drops Epic Truth Bomb on Latest Round of Lies About Iraq War

"Mistakes were made" just doesn't get at the truth about how America was coerced into the disastrous war in Iraq,and the horrific consequences that are still unfolding. Paul Krugman sets the record straight in Monday's column, beginning with the ironic statement, that "there’s something to be said for having the brother of a failed president make his own run for the White House."
http://www.alternet.org/media/paul-krugman-drops-epic-truth-bomb-latest-round-lies-about-iraq-war

Unoriginal Faith (with AronRa) (The Thinking Atheist)

AronRa jumps into the mix for a casual (and random) conversation with Seth Andrews about God, Satan, the shattered Ten Commandments monument, Governor Rick Perry, a host of pre-Christian deities and some details about the Australia leg of the Unholy Trinity Tour in 2015. Sit back, relax and enjoy this conversation among friends.
http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/podcast/unoriginal-faith-with-aronra#sthash.CYgTvW15.dpuf

Bart Campolo, a Humanist Preacher with Passion (The Humanist Hour #123)

In this episode, Bo Bennett and Kim Ellington speak with Bart Campolo, the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Southern California who recently left Christianity and became a “preacher of reason.” Bart talks about his journey and offers advice on how secular groups can use some of the “secret sauce” used by many religious groups to build communities.

After receiving his BA in Religious Studies from Brown University, Bart served as youth pastor of the Park Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis before returning to his hometown of Philadelphia to found Mission Year, which recruits Christian young adults to live and work among the poor in urban neighborhoods across the country. During his fifteen years in that role, Bart became a popular writer and speaker in evangelical Christian circles, focusing on interpersonal relationships, community development, and social justice. In 2005 he returned to street-level ministry as leader of the Walnut Hills Fellowship, a missional, interfaith community in inner-city Cincinnati, and also began consulting with a variety of non-profit organizations. Most recently, he worked with the Abraham Path Initiative and the Telos Group, educating American faith leaders about the causes of and potential remedies for the modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Over the course of his ministry career, Bart gradually transitioned from Christianity to secular humanism. As the first Humanist Chaplain at USC, he is committed to developing a community that offers regular inspiration, pastoral care, supportive fellowship, and service opportunities to students, faculty, staff members, local families, and individuals exploring or actively pursuing secular goodness as a way of life. Bart and his wife, artist Marty Thorpe Campolo, have three adult children.
Interview:
http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-123-bart-campolo-a-humanist-preacher-with-passion

From Apostle to Apostate (Freethought Radio)

In the News: Landmark Minnesota Church abuse case. Freethought Hall expansion progress, including video of the artist making commemorative tiles. Then we hear from two former ministers who no longer believe: Randy Bender (Lutheran) and Matt Killingsworth (Pentecostal).
Interview:
http://ffrf.libsyn.com/from-apostle-to-apostate

Psychology of the Paranormal with Dr. Susan Blackmore (The Humanist Hour #122)

In this episode, Bo Bennett and Todd Stiefel interview Dr. Susan Blackmore about near death experiences, the paranormal, consciousness, and memes.

Dr. Blackmore is an English freelance writer, lecturer, skeptic, and broadcaster on psychology and the paranormal, and is best known for her book The Meme Machine. She has written and contributed to over 40 books and 60 scholarly articles and is a contributor to The Guardian newspaper.
Interview:
http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-122-a-discussion-on-the-psychology-of-the-paranormal-with-dr-susan-blackmore

Atheist demands court martial for Christian Air Force general

..."Simply put, there IS no more profound clear and present danger to our American way of life than mixing this rabid theology of 'Weaponized Jesus' with the vast weapons of our American military's arsenal," Weinstein claimed...
http://www.christianexaminer.com/article/atheist.demands.court.martial.for.christian.air.force.general/48952.htm

Here is the video he is talking about:
Air Force Major General Craig Olson speaking in uniform at Shirley Dobson's May 7, 2015 National Day of Prayer Task Force event on Capitol Hill, in violation of a slew of military regulations. Members of the military are strictly prohibited from endorsing any "non-federal entity," religious or non-religious, by doing things like speaking in uniform at their events. So this isn't just about the obvious issue of Olson violating the regulations regarding participation in religious events and the promotion of his personal religious beliefs; he's blatantly disregarding a whole bunch of regulations. But the biggest danger of his very public Jesus speech is that it was streamed around the world by GOD TV, handing our enemies like ISIS some great material for recruiting propaganda on a silver platter.
https://youtu.be/UNbaMXzaPQg

Life Beyond Belief (Freethought Radio)

Life Beyond Belief. After state/church news in South Dakota, Georgia, Ohio, and Oklahoma, we hear from science-fiction writer Ursula K. LeGuin, and listen to part of Malala Yousafzai's Nobel Peace Prize remarks. Then we talk with Bob Ripley, former pastor of the largest mainline Protestant church in Canada who resigned after discarding his faith. His new book is Life Beyond Belief: A Preacher's Deconversion.
Interview:
http://ffrf.libsyn.com/life-beyond-belief

Halloween Extra: 18th Annual Houdini Séance with Joe Nickell (Point of Inquiry)

Harry Houdini, the most famous illusionist the world has ever known, spent the later part of his career fascinated with spiritualists and mediums. This led him to became a dedicated skeptic and investigator.

In this special Halloween episode for 2014, Point of Inquiry’s new producer Nora Hurley chats with Joe Nickell, the world’s leading paranormal investigator, and a former professional magician himself. Together, they conduct the Center for Inquiry’s 18th Annual Houdini Séance. Listen in as Nickell follows traditional séance protocol to call upon the spirit of Houdini to communicate with us beyond the grave.

While summoning the dead, Nickell explains how Houdini’s background as a magician allowed him to expose fraudulent mediums and spiritualists, who were using illusions and trickery to profit off the grief of innocent people. Joe Nickell continues to honor Harry Houdini, not just with annual séances, but more importantly by carrying on his investigative work.
Interview:
http://www.pointofinquiry.org/halloween_extra_18th_annual_houdini_seance_with_joe_nickell/

Pro-Choice Without Apology, with Katha Pollitt (Point of Inquiry)

Given the divisive nature of the debates over abortion, the subject is understandably not the best table-talk material. But despite the fact that abortion is normal and often necessary (one in three women will have an abortion before menopause), even those who are staunchly pro-choice feel compelled to hedge their support by making sounds about how abortions are "horrible" and "unfortunate." When both sides of the controversy associate abortions as immoral and shameful, much of the conversation ground is yielded to anti-abortion advocates.

This week on Point of Inquiry, columnist and activist Katha Pollitt discusses her new book, Pro: Reclaiming Reproductive Rights. With clinics closing at record high rates, unapologetically reclaiming women’s reproductive rights may be the best way to keep the conversation — and the clinics — open.
Interview:
http://www.pointofinquiry.org/pro-choice_without_apology_with_katha_pollitt/

How Evangelists Are Using 'Church Planting' to Retake Secular Boston

The approach uses public schools and other publicly funded spaces to facilitate a religious revival.
http://www.alternet.org/education/how-evangelists-are-using-church-planting-retake-secular-boston

Unaffiliated and Underrepresented; Congress more Christian than constituents

This begs the question: How much longer will this be thought of as a strictly Christian nation (if it ever really was one) with an overwhelming Christian government?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026688075

Zooming out of the most recent image of the Andromeda galaxy

... more than 60,000 light years across, shows more than 100 million stars. http://i.imgur.com/hVhWZXY.gifv

Science debunks Kent Hovind

In this video, some two-bit John Morris Pendleton wannabe tells us that he thinks he uses stupid definitions of "evolution", then complains about some crappy old textbooks for a while.
https://youtu.be/uUEusDsR61k


In this video, the preeminent scientific genius of the modern era tells us that the sun is the universe, shares with us an engaging intellectual discourse he once had in the bathroom mirror with the highly qualified Berkeley cosmologist Dr. Kent Hovind, then explains why evolution and watching YouTube videos are religions.
https://youtu.be/r4kSNU9Wots


In this video, Kent explains that evolutionists believe that the first life came from a rock through the exact process used in the Miller-Urey experiment, which didn't include any rocks.
https://youtu.be/45KFHn4rBck


In this video, Kent explains that evolutionists believe that hamsters, tomatoes, and whales can be bred onto corn stalks, and he gives us an easy method by which we can classify animals into "kinds".
http://youtu.be/i4TXqEbv780

Alex Jones Is Actually Dangerous: Why We Have to Start Taking his Paranoid Worldview Seriously

He has a captive audience and a sizable influence.
...  Read more

Biblical Bus Driver Calls 11-Year Old Gay, Tells Her She Will ‘Burn In Hell’

A Kansas City school bus driver loses her job because... Jesus.  Read more

Republican Brags About Restricting Abortions – A Few Years After Telling His Mistress To Get One

Meet the biggest "family values" hypocrite in Congress.  Read more

WATCH: Jon Stewart Mocks Jeb Bush's Muddled Non-Campaign Campaign

Bush the younger's quest for the White House hasn't officially started and it's already gone off the foreign policy rails
...  Read more

HYPOCRISY ALERT: Republicans Want The Pope To Stop Inserting Religion Into Politics

The party of "Christian" values doesn't want anyone else using religion in politics... that's their game... Read more

This Billionaire Tried To Get University Scientists Fired For Doing Their Job

Continental Resources CEO Harold Hamm was so displeased by research connecting oil and gas activity to a dramatic rise in ... Read more

Fox News Poll: 60% Of Americans Think Terrorists Are Living Next Door

Americans think ISIS is in their hometowns, and it's all Obama's fault! Read more

Poll: 60% Of GOPers Hate Jeb Bush, Say They’ll Stay Home In 2016 If He’s The Nominee (SCREENSHOTS)

Republicans find Jeb just as despicable as Democrats do.  Read more

America Is Losing Religion: Why More and More Women Are Embracing Non-Belief

What's behind some interesting new data on religion.
...  Read more

5 Right-Wing Idiocies This Week: O’Reilly Claims He’s Never Mean; Shows Clips of Mean Things He’s Said

Fox News keeps forgetting—video sticks around for a while.
...  Read more

4 U.S. Companies Getting Rich Off Gulf Arab Conflict With Iran

They're are striking contracts with the Department of Defense to supply missiles, helicopters and fighter jets.
...  Read more

Top 10 Times David Letterman Made Right-Wingers Look Like Idiots

...And so, to recognize his exquisite work in taking down some of the right’s worst, and for being a culture-shifting, groundbreaking, trailblazing, brilliant force in comedy, here’s a look at a few of David Letterman’s best anti-right-wing political moments.
...  Read more

Ted Cruz: Gay Marriage Is The ‘Greatest Threat To Religion In American History’

No matter how many gay people Ted Cruz has dinner with, don't let him fool you -- he's still a bigot... Read more

Watson will thoroughly analyze your personality based on a writing sample.

The Watson Personality Insights service uses linguistic analytics to extract a spectrum of cognitive and social characteristics from the text data that a person generates through blogs, tweets, forum posts, and more.
Read more

Lab grown meat thirty thousand times cheaper than 18 months ago

Dutch Professor Mark Post, the scientist who made world's first laboratory grown beef burger believes so-called "cultured meat" could spell the end of traditional cattle farming within just a few decades.
Read more

A Texas woman claims she was forced to give birth alone in jail

...during a horrific night in solitary confinement nearly two years ago, and that her baby died because of it, according to a federal lawsuit filed this week...  Read more

Filmmaker Ken Burns' Commencement Address: 'Black Lives Matter'

I'm a huge Ken Burns fan. His ability to bring history to life via his films is unique and inspiring, as was his commencement address to graduates at ... Read more

Trainmen's Union: New Schedule May Have Caused Serious Fatigue

I talked to a retired engineer this week, who explained to me about the new schedules and how many engineers were operating on only six hours' sleep: ...  Read more

Neil Cavuto Lashes Out At President Obama For Telling The Truth About Fox

Fox's Neil Cavuto responded to President Obama rightfully calling out the Republican propaganda network for their constant shaming of those living in ...  Read more

Cory Booker Explains To Chuck Todd That Yes, Lack Of Infrastructure Spending Does Cost Lives

How pathetic is it that someone actually has to explain this to Meet the Press host Chuck Todd? After this week's Amtrack derailment, the Republicans ...  Read more

Sanders Smacks Down CNN Host For Demanding Food Fight Between Him And Clinton

Sen. Bernie Sanders promised he was going to have a civil debate on the issues and not take personal shots at his opponents when he first entered the ...  Read more

Fox Pundits Dare To Complain About Stephanopoulos Being Biased

I keep waiting for the lightning strike any time I hear these talking heads on Fox complain about someone on another network being "biased." From the ...  Read more

Scott Walker: I'm 'The Most' Qualified On Foreign Policy Because I Visited Six Countries

Likely Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker argued on Sunday that he would be the most qualified person to lead the country's foreign policy...  Read more
https://youtu.be/OEuY2Cz8OT4

Frank Rich Slams GOP For Cleveland Convention While Black Outreach 'Not Even On The Radar Screen'

New York Magazine columnist Frank Rich on Sunday asserted that Republican presidential candidates were making a mistake by not offering serious outrea...  Read more
https://youtu.be/VmIBjvsqmDU

This Food Change Up Could Save Seven Thousand Lives A Year

"There are few targeted actions you can take in this space that have that kind of direct impact."  ... Read more

Marco Rubio Refuses To Answer A Basic Question About The Iraq War

Rubio repeatedly refused to answer Chris Wallace's simple question ... Read more
https://youtu.be/kzH3PJms1hI

What The N-Word Feels Like

“Why can’t I walk from the corner where the cab dropped me off to my apartment without someone yelling the n-word at me outside of a car?”
http://youtu.be/qaqBLZZd6Ns

FBI says plane hacker a threat to public safety

Did a well-known computer security researcher endanger public safety by hacking into aircraft control systems? The FBI has asked a federal court in New York for a warrant to search the electronic devices it took from well-known computer security researcher Chris Roberts on April 17. The bureau sa...

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/fbi-plane-hacker-threat-public-safety-150517084024404.html

That Time Ron Paul Said Black Lawmakers Oppose War Because They Want Money For Food Stamps (AUDIO)

How far does the apple fall from the tree? Read more

Fox News: We don't call the poor "leeches." Jon Stewart: Let me Google that for you!

After President Obama made some of the most interesting comments of his career at a Georgetown University panel on poverty Tuesday, I worried that the...  Read more

Bill O'Reilly Blames Hip-Hop for Decline in U.S. Christianity

"There is no question that people of faith are being marginalized by a secular media and pernicious entertainment," O'Reilly said. "The rap industry, for example, often glorifies depraved behavior. That sinks into the minds of some young people -- the group that is most likely to reject religion."
Read more

Nestle CEO Tim Brown on whether he'd consider stopping bottling water in California: "Absolutely not. In fact, I'd increase it if I could."

“An acre-foot [nearly 326,000 gallons] is enough water to supply an entire family for a year. So, in this time when we’re being asked to flush our toilets less and less, we have to ask the question: Is this really an environmentally, ethically correct thing to be doing right now?”
Read more

First Warm-Blooded Fish Identified

The determination helps to explain why opah are such high performance predators that have a keen sense of vision, swim speedily, react quickly, and have the stamina to chase down fast-moving prey.
Read more

Theocratic Mirage: Allen West Discovers Sharia Law Has Not Invaded His Local Walmart

West is a real gem. For almost anyone else, this tall tale would be the most bizarre thing he or she has ever concocted. In West’s case, it’s just the weirdest thing he has discussed this month.
... Read more

Both. Sides. Don't.

As many of you know, there's a campaign to remove "both sides" from the pundit class lexicon, because the words "both sides" almost always mean the sp...  Read more

Marco Rubio’s Murderous Myth: Why His “Noble Lie” About American History Is So Dangerous

The GOP contender espouses a make-believe version of American history. Here's why you should be alarmed.
...  Read more

A Fraternity of Failure: Paul Krugman On How Neocon Ideology Rewards Being Wrong

The only “experts” left standing are those who made all the approved mistakes.
...  Read more