The State Of Homelessness In America In 2015 (Diane Rehm Show)

The number of homeless in America is going down, but in a handful of cities there have been big increases leading some local leaders to declare states of emergencies.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-12-07/the-state-of-homelessness-in-america-in-2015

Stephen Colbert: Donald Trump plays my old character 'better that I ever could'

https://youtu.be/FevhNRfULlU

What's the point if there's no God? | Richard Dawkins, William Lane Craig and others

https://youtu.be/J2CAAf2CmOg

The Case Against the Resurrection (Keith Parsons)

Former pastor Keith Parsons lays out his case against the resurrection.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/CNjweaCZj60

Mapping Police Violence: New Study Shows Cops Have Killed At Least 1,152 in 2015

Amid grief and outrage over the killings of two unarmed African Americans in Chicago, a year-end report from the Mapping Police Violence research project says police nationwide killed at least 1,152 people in 2015. In 14 cities, every single police victim was African-American. And across the country, police killings had little correlation with crime rates and population size. We discuss the findings with Sam Sinyangwe, a statistician who worked on the Mapping Police Violence project...
Interview:
https://youtu.be/6WHd8NEp7lw

Grief & Outrage as Chicago Police Shoot Dead 2 More Unarmed African Americans

Protests continue in Chicago after police shot dead two more unarmed African Americans—Bettie Jones, a 55-year-old mother of five, and 19-year-old college student Quintonio LeGrier. The shooting comes amid outrage over the more than year-old police killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald and a potential police cover-up. Could these killings force Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resign? We are joined by Aislinn Sol of Black Lives Matter Chicago.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/rW4O9miTdjE

Top U.S. & World Headlines — December 28, 2015

https://youtu.be/Y4irtjV_mm0

Atheist Arguments #2 Natural Disasters (Natural Evil)

https://youtu.be/VqPJ5hEvf1w

Bill Nye: Can We Stop Telling Women What to Do With Their Bodies? | BEST OF 2015

The Science Guy argues that most anti-abortion legislation is derived from outdated beliefs that predate smart science by fifty centuries...
https://youtu.be/ME5vQYaSO3k

Five Stupid Things for December 28, 2015

The internet freaks out over a black woman being cast to play Hermione in a new Harry Potter play, Hillary Clinton wants to be thought of as a Latino grandma, and Pro Publica and the Marshall Project publish an unbelievable (and infuriating) story of rape.
https://youtu.be/_SdN9L_gjGk

And Now the Good News #169: 12/29/2015

https://youtu.be/7IUf0tjXaZI

I’m An Atheist, But I’m Not…

“I’m atheist but that doesn’t mean I’m being disrespectful when I ask the question, 'Why?'”
https://youtu.be/zV3KWRy3gKk

Unlimited Corporate Money In Politics Killed Democracy Long Ago

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse explain the threat that unlimited corporate money poses to our democracy.
https://youtu.be/OMhJ2VKMGC0

How Is This Not National News?

--A massive methane leak in Porter Ranch, California, has displaced thousands of residents and is releasing over 30,000 kilograms of methane per hour...
https://youtu.be/7x-4VRg-cRc

The Biggest Health Epidemic Ever That Americans Are Ignoring...

Thom Hartmann reports on a Harvard researchers who say police shootings should be considered a public epidemic and Thom calls for higher standards for police officers.
https://youtu.be/ZLlVh-9htRw

The Real Ten Commandments... the ones from Solon the Athenian Philosopher

1. Trust good character more than promises.
2. Do not speak falsely.
3. Do good things.
4. Do not be hasty in making friends, but do not abandon them once made.
5. Learn to obey before you command.
6. When giving advice, do not recommend what is most pleasing, but what is most useful.
7. Make reason your supreme commander.
8. Do not associate with people who do bad things.
9. Honor the gods.
10. Have regard for your parents.
http://infidels.org/kiosk/article/the-real-ten-commandments-2.html

Government Spending

http://www.alternet.org/files/sorensen_on_gvmt_spending.png

Paul Krugman: The Nasty Truth That Trump Distracts Us From

And you thought W. was bad...
http://www.alternet.org/economy/paul-krugman-nasty-truth-trump-distracts-us

Why the Christian Right Is so at Home With Donald Trump's Bloated Narcissism

The non-religious Trump seems to resonate with evangelicals...
http://www.alternet.org/why-christian-right-so-home-donald-trumps-bloated-narcissism

Turns Out, Raising Restaurant Workers’ Wages Won’t Cause Job Loss

A new study challenges the restaurant industry’s claim that it will not be able to keep up with minimum wage increases...
http://www.alternet.org/labor/turns-out-raising-restaurant-workers-wages-wont-cause-job-loss

No Liberal Hero Here: Pope May Have Helped Derail Marriage Equality In Slovenia

This may come as surprise to some who view Francis as a progressive force within the church...
https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/no-liberal-hero-here-pope-may-have-helped-derail-marriage-equality-in

Chicago police kill two in domestic call, saying one was a mistake

Grieving relatives and friends of the two victims said Sunday that the slayings raised concerns about why officers “shoot first and ask questions later” and that law enforcement had failed the city's residents...
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/27/chicago-police-kill-two-in-domestic-call-one-a-mistake.html

Here’s How Many People Police Killed In 2015

Despite public protests, occupations, direct action, and increased public scrutiny, U.S. police killed more people in 2015 than in 2014. While numbers vary from source to source — the Washington Post cites 975, while the Guardian puts the tally at 1,125 — the website killedbypolice.net found that police have killed 1,186 people in 2015 (the U.S. government currently does not track how many people are killed in police encounters.)...
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/12/28/3735190/killed-by-police-2015/

Former KKK Leader: Trump Speaks ‘A Lot More Radically Than I Talk’

Former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke spoke candidly about Donald Trump recently, saying the Republican presidential candidate speaks “a lot more radically” than he does...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/12/28/3735160/david-duke-trump-interview/

Republican Governor Says Its Time To ‘Eliminate Gerrymandering’

A Republican Governor’s Plan To Make America A Democracy Again...
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/12/27/3735132/republican-governor-says-its-time-to-eliminate-gerrymandering/

Alabama Governor Uses BP Spill Money To Fix Up A Second Mansion For Himself | ThinkProgress

While Alabama’s oyster industry and coastal communities continue to suffer from the effects of the massive Deepwater Horizon oil well blowout, the repairs to the governors’ mansion are estimated to cost between $1.5 million and $1.8 million...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/12/27/3735129/alabama-mansion-bp/

Everything You Need To Know About How Republicans Are Running The Senate, In One Number | ThinkProgress

Eleven.
If you want to understand how the Senate has functioned since Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) took over as Senate Majority Leader last January, the number 11 offers a clear window into McConnell’s entire philosophy of governance — or perhaps, non-governance. According to the Federal Judicial Center, the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed just 11 judges this year. That compares to 40 during President George W. Bush’s seventh year in office, 34 during President Bill Clinton’s seventh year, and 44 at this point in Ronald Reagan’s presidency...
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/12/27/3735124/everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-republicans-are-running-the-senate-in-one-number/

The unseen toll of workplace disease in America

The deadliest scourge you probably haven't heard of: an estimated 50,000 lives lost each year to on-the-job exposures...
http://www.publicintegrity.org/node/19078

The Wrongly Targeted Sikhs

At the risk of stating the obvious, these attackers almost certainly believe they are attacking Muslims. But Sikhs are not Muslims...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-wrongly-targeted-sikhs

Increase Your Tax Savings On Charitable Giving - Forbes

Giving to a charity that benefits a cause that’s close to your heart is rewarding. Getting a tax break for your generosity can make it even more gratifying—even more so than you may realize. What if you could add more than 20% to your charitable contribution and maximize your tax savings by taking advantage of an often-overlooked tax provision?...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/fidelity/2015/12/03/increase-your-tax-savings-on-charitable-giving/

StillTasty: Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide - Save Money, Eat Better, Help The Environment

How long will your favorite food or beverage stay safe and tasty? What's the best way to store it? Get the answers to all your questions here.
http://www.stilltasty.com

Guess Who Ted Koppel Thinks Is the Chief Recruiter for ISIS?

Trump and ISIS both "want to divide the world into Judeo-Christian on one side and the Islamic on the other."
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/guess-who-ted-koppel-thinks-chief-recruiter-isis

Gene editing saves girl dying in UK from leukaemia in world first.

Total remission, after chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant fails, in just 5 months. It is too soon to say she is cured, the team stressed at a press conference in London on 5 November. That will only become clear after a year or two. So far, though, she is doing well and there is no sign of the cancer returning. Other patients are already receiving the same treatment.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28454-gene-editing-saves-life-of-girl-dying-from-leukaemia-in-world-first/

Early On, Comedian John Cleese Says, He Had Good Timing But Little Else (Terry Gross, Fresh Air)

The co-founder of the Monty Python troupe admits he wasn't "naturally gifted" at physical comedy. His memoir, So, Anyway..., covers his boyhood and early career.
Interview:
http://www.npr.org/2015/10/16/448945981/early-on-comedian-john-cleese-says-he-had-good-timing-but-little-else

Have We Lost A Constitutional Right In The Fine Print? (Terry Gross, Fresh Air)

New York Times reporter Jessica Silver-Greenberg says many companies' contracts force consumers to settle complaints through arbitration instead of in court, and include bans on class action suits.
Interview:
http://www.npr.org/2015/11/12/455749456/have-we-lost-a-constitutional-right-in-the-fine-print

America left behind: Many US communities fall short of UN goals

https://youtu.be/LPgxrXKyzZ4

Most People In New York Actually Like Common Core, According To New Survey

More than 70 percent of respondents in a survey that included 10,500 New York residents said positive things about Common Core. There was more criticism and suggestions for how to improve Common Core implementation for earlier grades than later grades, according to the survey. The majority of the respondents were teachers...
http://thinkprogress.org/education/2015/12/15/3732113/common-core-new-york-survey/

Citizenship, For Sale (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

It is Veterans Day. A day to honor those who have served and remember that a whole lot of people have died fighting for their country. Citizen soldiers, devoted to nation. But the globalized world is changing the very idea of citizenship. At the bottom, refugees and outcasts are being left stateless, with no country. At the top, millionaires and billionaires are now buying passports to multiple countries, with real ties and maybe allegiance to none. Countries are putting citizenship up for sale. Belonging is fluid. This hour On Point, identity, belonging, statelessness – and citizenship for sale. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/11/11/citizenship-statelessness-refugee-crisis-syria

Biblical Studies - Robert Price & Hector Avalos

http://www.centerforinquiry.net/jesusproject/fellows/price_robert_m/
Robert Price interviews fellow Bible Geek and secular Bible scholar Hector Avalos on a wide range of topics, from the increasingly devotional character of the Society of Biblical Literature to law enforcement in the Bible and whether Ezekiel was seeing a flying saucer.

Did Abraham exist? How about Moses? David? Solomon? Jesus? Is there a future for Biblical Studied as we relegate it to the same level as the Iliad and the Odyssey?

Hector Avalos serves as professor of religious studies at Iowa State University. Once upon a time, he was a Pentecostal preacher and a child evangelist. Since then he has earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology in 1982, a Masters of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School in 1985, and a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Near Eastern Studies from Harvard University in 1991. His many books include Illness and Healthcare in the Ancient Near East, Fighting Words: The Origins of Religious Violence, and The End of Biblical Studies.

Education
Ph.D. 1991, Harvard University, 1991
M.T.S. 1985, Harvard Divinity School
B.A. in Anthropology, 1982 University of Arizona

Research and Teaching Interests
Biblical and Near Eastern Studies
U.S. Latino/a Religion and Literature
Religion and Violence
Science and Religion
https://youtu.be/xOj51_tY4_E

Black Atheist: "God Is Fake" | SPEAKERS CORNER

Hyde Park Speakers Corner 2015: London Black Atheist Group Promotes Atheism To The African Diaspora, Atheist Vs Muslim.
https://youtu.be/OjIEumdSbnc

Peter Boghossian - Jesus, The Easter Bunny and Other Delusions: Just Say No!

Dr Peter Boghossian's lecture presentation on January 27, 2012, presented by the Freethinkers of PSU.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/WIaPXtZpzBw

The U.S. Has A Mass Shooting Epidemic, But No Government Database On Gun Violence (Terry Gross, Fresh Air)

"I found a couple of perfunctory timelines that highlighted a couple of major attacks over the years, but that was it," Follman explains to Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "My response to that was just to think, 'This is crazy. How could there not be more information on this?' "
Interview:
http://www.npr.org/2015/12/09/459056018/the-u-s-has-a-mass-shooting-epidemic-but-no-federal-database-on-gun-violence

Latest Anti-LGBT 'Religious Freedom' Bill Filed In New Mexico | ThinkProgress

Republican state Reps. David Gallegos and Nora Espinoza filed HB55 on Thursday, a bill “relating to religious freedom.” New Mexico already has a “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (RFRA), but the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 2013 that it did not justify anti-gay discrimination. Gallegos and Espinoza’s bill seeks to rewrite RFRA in the same problematic ways proposed earlier this year in Indiana — meticulously redefining terminology to expand its scope and creating new exemptions...
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/12/23/3734788/new-mexico-lgbt-discrimination-religious-freedom/

Newly Elected Governor Strips 140,000 Of Voting Rights, Lowers The Minimum Wage | ThinkProgress

Those impacted, who are overwhelmingly African American and lower income, had already completed their felony sentences but remained permanently disenfranchised. The order excluded those convicted of violent crimes, sex crimes, bribery or treason...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/12/23/3734771/governor-strips-voting-rights-lowers-minimum-wage/

Wind Energy Reaches Record Production

The latest record of 70 gigawatts of wind energy generation through 50,000 turbines was achieved in November, but documented this week, according AWEA, the national trade association for the U.S. wind industry. This announcement suggests a turning point for an industry that had been struggling...
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/12/23/3734678/wind-energy-reaches-new-record/

Judge upholds Seattle 'gun violence tax'

Tax adds $25 to price of each firearm sold in Seattle and 2 or 5 cents per round of ammunition, depending on type...
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/22/judge-upholds-seattlegunviolencetax.html

Hunger, homelessness on the rise in major US cities, study finds

Officials in surveyed cities attribute rising number living on street to low wages and lack of affordable housing...
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/22/hunger-homelessness-on-the-rise-in-22-us-cities.html

These 4 Chrome extensions make Gmail better right now

These add-ons will track your messages, schedule your meetings, and more...
http://www.macworld.com/article/3017750/software-productivity/these-4-chrome-extensions-make-gmail-better-right-now.html

Teen Birthrate In The U.S. Falls To Historic Lows

Teen girls in the U.S. are giving birth at record lows, continuing a more than two-decade trend of falling birthrates among 15- to 19-year-olds...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/teen-birthrate_567ae6c4e4b06fa6887fb4f9

These Black Women Died In Police Encounters, And May Never Get Justice

As the national conversation around race and policing gained momentum in the past year, Bland’s death brought renewed awareness to the number of black women killed in police encounters. Activists launched campaigns like Say Her Name in order to amplify the stories of black women, which rarely receive national attention...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/these-black-women-died-in-police-encounters-and-they-may-never-get-justice_567971c4e4b014efe0d6ca0f

The New Face Of Big Money Politics (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

A GOP debate last night, and we will look at it. Immigration The economy. What it means to be a conservative. To be Ben Carson. But there’s more going on than what’s on the stage. It’s what’s in the bank. In campaign coffers and super PACs. Millions. Hundreds of millions. Money is not everything this time out. Bernie Sanders does not have a super PAC. Neither does Trump. Of course, he’s a billionaire. Jeb Bush has a heap of dough and he’s trailing. And yet money keeps talking, and in new ways. This hour On Point, a check-up on money and super PACs in the 2016 campaign. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/11/11/super-pacs-big-money-politics-citizens-united

Programming (Seth Andrews, The Thinking Atheist)

Religious parents and institutions know the importance of a child's developmental years, and how difficult it is to tell/sell supernatural claims once the child reaches his or her teen years. In this podcast, Seth Andrews explores the "programming" of young minds, and explores the difference between education and indoctrination. Capping the show is the personal story of a young woman named Kaitlyn, whose apostasy prompted her devout Mormon parents to kick her out of her home.
Interview:
http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/podcast/programming

"No Industry Rips Off Consumers More Than Big Pharma: The Latest Scam"

When it comes to ripping off Americans, no industry does it better than Big Pharma. And now, we’ve learned that it isn’t just price gouging that’s taking place, as Big Pharma has joined the ranks of many other corporate giants by trying to avoid paying any taxes to the U.S. government...
https://youtu.be/yqcVAhyr1p4

The Best Books Of 2015 (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Every December we bring in book readers and sellers and critics and ask them to share their favorite books of the year. Some years there is lots of overlap on those lists. Some years, they’re all over the place. This is one of those sprawling years. Look around. Ta-Nehisis Coates makes lots of lists with “Between the World and Me.” Elena Ferrante is up there. Helen Macdonald, with “H is for Hawk.” Then it’s a free-for-all. But a rich free-for-all. Full of great reads. This hour, On Point, we put our net in the river for the best books of 2015. And it’s a good catch. Stay tuned. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/12/11/2015-best-books-list

Donald Trump and Division within the Republican Party (Diane Rehm Show)

Businessman Donald Trump continues to top the polls of likely Republican voters. In the key state of New Hampshire, Trump now leads the field by 18 points. But his recent proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S. has ignited a firestorm. Critics say it’s an outrageous plan that violates the U.S. Constitution. But supporters say it’s necessary to keep America safe from Islamic terrorism. Guest host Melissa Ross and guests discuss Donald Trump’s continuing dominance in the polls, his plan to keep Muslims out, and what it all means for the 2016 presidential election and the future of the G.O.P.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-12-10/donald-trump-and-division-within-the-republican-party

Mexico’s Drug Policy in Flux, with Sylvia Longmire (Point of Inquiry)

s smoking pot a fundamental human right? On Wednesday, November 4th Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that four individuals involved in a private cannabis club have the constitutional right to grow, sell, and smoke cannabis based on “the right to the free development of one’s personality.” The ruling was limited to the specific individuals who brought the suit, but it introduces a host of questions about what might happen if the trend toward broader marijuana legalization continues in Mexico.

Here to talk about the current political climate as it relates to drugs in Mexico is journalist and intelligence analyst Sylvia Longmire. Longmire specializes in Mexico’s drug war, and provides valuable insight not only into this latest development, but also the particular quirks of the Mexican legal system, and the potential repercussions of Mexican drug legalization on cartels, the illegal drug trade, and drug policies in the U.S.
Interview:
http://www.pointofinquiry.org/mexicos_drug_policy_in_flux_with_sylvia_longmire/

Former commissioners tell Congress, ‘The IRS is stretched to the breaking point,’ so stop slashing its budget - The Washington Post

“Over the last 50 years none of us has ever witnessed anything like what has happened to the IRS appropriations over the last five years and the impact these reductions are having on our tax system,” wrote the former commissioners, who served in the Kennedy, Johnson, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush administrations. “It is clear to each of us that the [reductions] over the last five years materially and adversely affect the ability of the IRS to assist taxpayers who are trying to comply with their tax obligations, as well as the ability of of the IRS to detect and deter taxpayers who have not complied with their tax obligations.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/11/13/former-commissioners-tell-congress-the-irs-is-stretched-to-the-breaking-point-so-stop-slashing-its-budget/

Cops Claim LSD Killed This Dad, but Autopsy and Video Confirms They Hogtied Him to Death

The family has never accepted the official story and believes that excessive force and the manner of restraint killed Troy Goode...
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/cops-claim-lsd-killed-dad-autopsy-and-video-confirms-they-hogtied-him-death

‘Star Wars’ And The Evolution Of Space Fiction (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

All right, Jedi knights. You all know that Star Wars fever is back. The force is awakened and all over movie theaters as of last night – with wookie and light sabre, the old gang and new. We’re going to dive in to what’s come back this time, and where Star Wars sits in the potent genre of space fiction, on and off screen. In space, almost anything can happen. Star Wars has been called space opera, fairy tale, hero journey. What about Alien, Avatar, Star Trek, 2001, WALL-E, Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov? This hour On Point, Star Wars, and its place in the pantheon of space fiction. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/12/18/star-wars-force-awakens-space-fiction

Fighting God: David Silverman (The Thinking Atheist)

David Silverman is a self-proclaimed "atheist billboard" and "firebrand atheist." As President of American Atheists, he has been at the point position on many controversial issues (and the occasional lawsuit), and he has just released a new book called, "Fighting God: An Atheist Manifesto for a Religious World." David spoke with Seth Andrews about the book, the lightning rod of David's particular brand of activism, and the rise of non-belief in America. This conversation can also be seen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9aSyjQjC2yo
Interview:
http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/podcast/david-silverman-fighting-god

Refuting the Irrefutable Proof of God - Part III

"Such bold claims from this mega cult leader! I took the bait and had to dispute refute and absolutely disprove his allegedly indisputable irrefutable absolute proof of God."
https://youtu.be/0qCa0-aah1k

Streaming now on Netflix: The Physician (repost)

A medical apprentice in 11th-century Persia disguises himself as a Jew to study at a school that does not admit Christians.
http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/80014996?trkid=13641790

Actor Jeffrey Tambor On 'Transparent': 'I Loved It From The Very Beginning' (Terry Gross, Fresh Air)

When actor Jeffrey Tambor first read the script for the Amazon series Transparent, he remembers being bowled over. The series, created by Jill Soloway, tells the story of Maura, a 70-something divorced parent of three who comes out as a transgender woman.
Interview:
http://www.npr.org/2015/12/10/459138410/actor-jeffrey-tambor-on-transparent-i-loved-it-from-the-very-beginning

Leaving the LDS Fold (Freethought Radio)

In the News: Two seasonal state/church victories in Indiana; new FFRF lawsuit in New Jersey challenging public money to churches; Winter Solstice signs around the country; Nonbelief Relief report. After hearing Dan’s “Salt Lake City Blues,” we talk with Utah attorney Mark Naugle about how he has helped more than 3,000 people leave the Mormon Church, mainly as a result of the LDS position on same-sex couples.
Interview:
https://ffrf.org/news/radio/show-items/item/24909-freethought-radio-december-5-2015

Legal Battles Over Parenting And Adoption Rights For Same-Sex Couples (Diane Rehm Show)

Last month a judge in Utah ordered a lesbian couple to give up their foster daughter to heterosexual parents. The order was reversed. But the decision highlighted a lack of parenting and adoption protections for same-sex couples. Although the Supreme Court affirmed the right to same-sex marriage nationally in June, many states have not changed their parenting rights policies. And new bills in a few states would allow adoption agencies to refuse same-sex couples for religious reasons. Legal battles over parenting and adoption rights for same-sex couples.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-12-10/legal-battles-over-parenting-and-adoption-rights-for-same-sex-couples

The Humanist Hour #176: Live at FREEFLO 2015!

In this episode, Bo Bennett teams up with guest co-host Peggy Knudtson at FREEFLO in Orlando, Florida for a live Humanist Hour recording. They begin with Woo Jeopardy, featuring an all-star panel of contestants including Matt Dillahunty, Seth Andrews, and Sarah Morehead. Keep listening for a religious jokes contest followed by a “wackiest beliefs” contest!
http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-176-live-at-freeflo-2015

Another Year, Another Round of Attacks on Contraception Coverage

Congress passed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, guaranteeing for the first time ever that most employer-provided health care insurance plans could no longer discriminate in coverage on the basis of gender. Yet despite the wide carve-out in the law for churches and houses of worship, as well as the generous accommodation process for religiously affiliated nonprofits to opt out of its contraceptive coverage requirement, conservatives have not stopped fighting the ACA since...
http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2015/12/23/another-year-another-round-attacks-contraception-coverage/

Top U.S. & World Headlines — December 24, 2015

https://youtu.be/hOUXbZ2-Utg

Richard Dawkins VS Fox News' Father Jonathan Morris

https://youtu.be/CGcHw8vHZlU

Poll: Support for Abortion Highest in Two Years

Public support for legal abortion in the United States is at a two-year high, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll that showed increased support over the past year among both Democrats and Republicans...
http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2015/12/22/poll-support-abortion-highest-two-years/

Creationists get leadership roles in education

It was just two months ago when Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) appointed a new commissioner to the state’s Department of Education, despite (or perhaps because of) his support for teaching creationism in Maine’s public schools...
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/creationists-get-leadership-roles-education

The Country Is Moving Left

It might not seem so in the middle of a day's news cycle, especially with that news always being about Donald Trump, but 2015 marked a year of change in a progressive direction. And the country is solidly behind this move...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-johnson/the-country-is-moving-lef_b_8871490.html

Shocking New Report Exposes Widespread Dysfunction on U.S. Military Bases

Over 100,000 soldiers are non-deployable because they do not meet proper standards of sleep, nutrition or physical activity...
http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/shocking-new-report-exposes-widespread-dysfunction-us-military-bases

USA and Guns: Questions from a Limey Bastard (Off the Cuff #4)

"Don't forget, if you are a gun advocate to precurse your answer with:
""Why don't you shut the fuck up you limey bastard?"

For those that can't be arsed to watch the video. Two questions for those in the pro-gun ownership lobby:

1) Why is "you can't take away our guns as we have a constitutional/2nd amendment right to them" a reasonable response to calls to ban such guns? Is there something that bans amendments being amended?

2) Would your position change if a magic wand could be waved that removed all guns, including off the "ne'er do well's" all in one go?

That is the video in a nutshell, yet I still managed to drone on for over ten minutes!"
https://youtu.be/s6aX0oKBzYg

Ted Cruz Campaign Rally Morphs Into Creepy ‘Prayer Revival’

Cruz introduced 'the man who led my father to Jesus,' Pastor Gaylon Wiley of Clay Road Baptist Church in Houston...
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/ted-cruz-campaign-rally-morphs-creepy-prayer-revival

5 Ways Sanders Is Gaining Ground as the Primaries Begin

Here are five factors that underscore Clinton’s assessment that the first two contests for the 2016 Democratic nomination—the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary—are within reach for Sanders...
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/5-ways-sanders-gaining-ground-primaries-begin