How Lead Caused America's Violent Crime Epidemic

"Starting in the 1960s, America saw a huge increase in levels of violent crime that peaked in the early 1990s, then steadily declined, and continues to decline today. All kinds of theories have been promulgated to explain this peak and decline in crime, and plenty of politicians in the 1990s took credit for it. But in what I personally consider to be a tour de force of journalism, Kevin Drum of Mother Jones has summarized all of the available research. All of it points to one simple idea: violent crime rose as a result of lead poisoning because of leaded gasoline. It declined because of lead abatement policies..."
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2013/01/03/how-lead-caused-americas-violent-crime-epidemic/

What You Need To Know About Lead Poisoning - Flint Edition (Forbes Now)

Worried about terrorism? Thousands of young children in Flint, Michigan have been poisoned by their state government’s austerity moves and may have life-long damage.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2016/01/09/what-you-need-to-know-about-lead-poisoning-flint-edition/

Former Senate majority leader George Mitchell discusses the 2016 election

https://youtu.be/2whkh0GHq0k

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore: Laws Are Superseded By God

"Are laws themselves superseded by God?" I asked him in an interview on my radio program in 2011. "I think you're correct in saying that," he answered. "This is a Christian nation by the fact that 90% of the churches in America are Christian churches and it's certainly founded upon Christian principles. The supreme law of the land is the Constitution of the United States which recognizes many of those principles. Our freedom to believe what we want comes from God. When it comes from God, no man or no court, can take it away. That's a God-given right under the Declaration of Independence, which is law itself."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelangelo-signorile/alabama-chief-justice-roy-moor-laws-are-superseded-by-god_b_8929848.html

"Gov. Snyder Should Be Arrested": Flint Residents Demand Justice over Water Poisoning

Protests are growing in Flint, Michigan, over the state’s cover-up of the ongoing water contamination crisis. Filmmaker Michael Moore is asking fans to sign a petition on his website calling for the immediate resignation of Governor Rick Snyder. In an open letter to the governor, he writes: "[Y]ou have effectively poisoned, not just some, but apparently ALL of the children in my hometown of Flint, Michigan. And for that, you have to go to jail." We speak to Nayyirah Shariff, coordinator with the Flint Democracy Defense League.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/_UlYD_umAIA

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 8, 2016

https://youtu.be/v1B_Ia2GHFg

Poisoned Democracy: How an Unelected Official Contaminated Flint's Water to Save Money

In Flint, Michigan, where a growing number of residents are demanding the arrest of Governor Rick Snyder over the ongoing water contamination crisis. Snyder declared a state of emergency for Flint Wednesday, after learning federal prosecutors had opened an investigation into lead contamination in the drinking water. The poisoning began after an unelected emergency manager appointed by Governor Snyder switched the city’s water source to the long-polluted Flint River in a bid to save money. Lead can cause permanent health impacts including memory loss and developmental impairment. Researchers at Virginia Tech who have been testing Flint water say the city could have corrected the problem by better treating the water at a cost of as little as $100 a day. On Thursday, the mayor of Flint revealed it could now cost as much as $1.5 billion to fix the city’s water infrastructure. We speak to Curt Guyette, investigative reporter for the ACLU of Michigan, who has closely covered the story.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/Jh-f5MLWSlU

Amid State & Fed. Cover-Up, the Story of How Researchers & Residents Exposed Flint's Water Poisoning

For over a year, Flint residents have complained about the quality of the water, but their cries were ignored by state officials. In February, tests showed alarming levels of lead in the water, but officials told residents there was no threat. That same month, an EPA official named Miguel Del Toral wrote an email to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality warning about lead contamination. No action was taken. He wrote another email in April to the EPA. Then in July, Governor Snyder’s chief of staff, Dennis Muchmore, wrote an email to health officials admitting that Flint residents are "basically getting blown off by us."
Interview:
https://youtu.be/S7PbonV1bIg

How the Koch Brothers' 'Bankers' Snuck an Anti-Wind Op-Ed Past the New York Times

Since 1997, the Kochs have given more than $79 million to groups that distort climate science and malign renewable energy...
http://www.alternet.org/environment/how-koch-brothers-bankers-snuck-anti-wind-op-ed-past-new-york-times

The Daily Show - President Obama Targets Gun Violence

President Obama vows to enact stricter firearm legislation through executive action, much to the chagrin of his Republican counterparts...
https://youtu.be/VXq6lSJDyLE

Paul Ryan Sinks to a New Low...

Thom Hartmann comments on a Daily Kos piece that says House Speaker Paul Ryan criticized President Obama for being 'distracted' by murdered children.
https://youtu.be/E6Y5KAw99EE

"Make America Great Again" Best Parody of Trump Supporters Ever

Dwain, from Mullets Over America, sings the anthem "Make America Great Again" bout the general awesomeness of Donald J Trump.
https://youtu.be/rN1HKMyJAro

We Found the Real War on Christmas!

We often hear about the war on Christmas, mostly from Fox News. It’s nonsense in America of course, but in Israel it’s starting to get a little more real. Cenk Uygur, host of the The Young Turks, breaks it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

"The leader of Jewish extremist group Lehava has likened Christians to "bloodsucking vampires" and called for their expulsion from Israel, in a tirade published a few days before Christmas...

In the piece titled Eradicate the Vampires, Gopstein went on to warn that missionaries spent "billions of dollars to get a foothold in the Holy Land," and have "infested entire communities."

"I call on [Jews] to raise their voices and fight the perverse phenomenon [of Christianity]," he concluded. "Christmas has no place in the Holy Land... Let us remove the vampires from our country before they drink our blood again. We have given them enough already.””
https://youtu.be/sYWdbQh2Cg4

WaPo Contributor Finally Admits He's a Shill for Fossil Fuel Industry on Climate Change

Ed Rogers lobbied for one of the biggest opponents of the most significant U.S. policy to combat climate change...
http://www.alternet.org/media/wapo-contributor-finally-admits-hes-shill-fossil-fuel-industry-climate-change

Carly Fiorina says U.S. didn't address cybersecurity in economic dialogues with China

"When we held recent economic dialogues with China, we agreed on over 100 different things  —  including wildlife trafficking and volcano research. None of these 100-plus points of agreement addressed cybersecurity."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jan/07/carly-fiorina/carly-fiorina-says-us-didnt-address-cybersecurity-/

"Marco Rubio voted against authorizing President Obama to strike Syria after Assad used chemical weapons on his own people."

"Marco Rubio voted against authorizing President Obama to strike Syria after Assad used chemical weapons on his own people."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jan/07/hillary-clinton/hillary-clintons-syrian-air-strikes-claim-against-/

The Company Behind Keystone XL Now Wants $15 Billion From US Taxpayers

"It's very troubling if every time the president makes a decision in the interest of the people, he's risking an enormous liability of this sort."
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2016/01/transcanadas-15-billion-nafta-suit-probably-doesnt-stand-chance

Griping Aside, America Is In Pretty Damn Good Shape (Mother Jones)

...But generally speaking, Grunwald is right. America weathered the Great Recession better than Europe, better than China, better than Japan, better than Russia, better than just about anybody. Health care costs have been growing slowly and more people are covered than ever before. Taxes are low on the middle class...
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/01/griping-aside-america-pretty-damn-good-shape

American Family Association Distributes Graphic with Fake Founding Father Quotation

"If only there was some kind of book where Christians could learn morals like not bearing false witness." (A reader comment, one of many great ones.)
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/01/07/american-family-association-distributes-graphic-with-fake-founding-father-quotation/

Republican Candidates Need To Take Responsibility For Inspiring Oregon Terrorists

Republican candidates are finally waking up to the idea that the events in Oregon – where a group of right wing terrorists have taken over a federal building – could actually be quite toxic to their campaigns.

Both Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz have urged the terrorists to stand down, saying that they do not have any Constitutional right to do whatever it is they are trying to do. I’m sure in the coming days we’ll see more Republican candidates follow suit, trying to distance themselves from the crazy that they have created. But I can promise you one thing – there will not be a single Republican candidate that comes out and apologizes for their role in this disaster. And believe me when I say that these people share part of the blame.
https://youtu.be/B7G5D_er3PY

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 7, 2016

https://youtu.be/893M3tp-Zcw

Addressing Climate Change and Deforestation: A Solution From Guatemala

One extremely successful model of how to address climate change and sustainable land management is occurring right now in Guatemala, which is one-third forested and already severely impacted by climate change...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anika-rahman/addressing-climate-change_11_b_8802080.html

Sounds Like A Great Guy

Why Did The Bundy Brigade Take Over This Particular Oregon Wildlife Refuge?
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/why-malheur-wildlife-preserve-is-relevant-in-the-militia-fight

Native American Tribe's Answer To Oregon Militia

The armed group occupying a federal wildlife refuge in Burns, Oregon, are being sent a message from the indigenous Paiute tribe whose actual ancestral land is being occupied.
https://youtu.be/Zm7mewPWh9g

Militias And The Patriot Movement: Love My Country, Hate My Government

The armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon is the latest rallying point in a right-wing movement animated by an anti-government ideology.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/SFQ4w4zVPx8

Leading Constitutional Law Scholars Support President's Measures to Stem Gun Violence

"Accordingly, we join the many individuals and organizations that have urged the President to take every action within the power of his Administration to reduce gun violence and save lives. A recent report by the gun-violence-prevention organization Everytown for Gun Safety outlined more than a dozen actions within the President's power, and we urge the Administration to act promptly to explore how to implement these and any other measures within its authority..."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caroline-fredrickson/leading-constitutional-la_b_8925402.html

Steven Salzberg: Bad Medicine - Alternative Medicine Infiltrates Medical Schools

Steven Salzberg writes the “Fighting Pseudoscience” column for Forbes, for which he was awarded the 2012 Robert P. Balles Prize in Critical Thinking from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, and Biostatistics at Johns Hopkins University, and the Director of the Center for Computational Biology at John Hopkins School of Medicine.

In a talk presented at the Reason for Change conference in Buffalo, New York, on June 14, 2015, Salzberg exposes the many harms of alternative medicine, and how its practice and promotion has infected some of the leading medical schools in the United States.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/qiRsuq7LdZg

Why Europeans And Asians Evolved So Differently

Early humans migrated all over the world to get us where we are today. The environments our ancestors inhabited made us all very different!
https://youtu.be/wGBDShN8F-E

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 6, 2016

https://youtu.be/cNcOei3DyFk

Obama Acts to Curb Gun Violence

The administration unveils a set of unilateral moves aimed at closing loopholes in the current background-check system...
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/obama-gun-control-violence/422607/

Conservative Christians Are on a Mission in Public Schools

Religious groups keen on getting their messages to teenagers have found an effective way to do it at public expense. They come into public schools under the banner of substance abuse programs, character education, anti-bullying education, or sex education. Then they set aside the education and get down to the business of promoting a religious message, sometimes along with a partisan political agenda...
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2016/01/conservatives_are_on_a_mission_in_public_schools.html

Canadian Prime Minister Gets It Right – Republicans Are All About Fear

In a recent interview with newly minted Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau, the leader was asked what he thought about the surge in popularity of Donald Trump in the United States election cycle. Trudeau responded by saying that he doesn’t approve of the politics of fear, but that is the only brand the Republican Party of today knows.

Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this...
https://youtu.be/w_hhI-Q0RQE

Donald Trump's Controversial TV Ad May Be Misleading

Donald Trump's new TV ad doesn't show what it claims to show.
https://youtu.be/1G8N2smugEc

Here’s What Happened When Black People Tried Armed Occupation (ThinkProgress)

Armed members of a fringe liberation group called MOVE were bombed and burned alive for directing their weapons at police. The bombing highlighted the stark contrast in the way cops treat black and white radicals...
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/01/04/3735745/move-vs-oregon-standoff/

Ted Cruz: Obama Is Putting On Commando Gear And Coming For Your Guns (ThinkProgress)

Coming on the heels of President Obama’s announcement of slightly stricter background check rules for would-be gun owners, this latest fundraising ploy is more than rhetorical flair...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/01/05/3736337/cruz-obama-jackboot-photoshop/

Faith Leaders, Scientists, Military Officers Are All Asking SCOTUS To Save Abortion Access (ThinkProgress)

Never before has such a diverse array of organizations and leaders stepped forward to condemn abortion restrictions at the U.S. Supreme Court... “We hope the court is able to put abortion politics aside and focus on the illegitimacy of the medical claims propping up the restrictions,” said Robyn Blumner, president and CEO of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science. “When science claims are used to infringe a constitutional right they had better be valid, but that’s not the case here.”..
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2016/01/05/3736151/scotus-hb2-briefs/

GOP Candidates Reject Obama's Tearful Plea For Gun Control | ThinkProgress

But even before Obama took the podium, nearly all of the leading Republican presidential candidates had already promised to repeal his actions...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/01/05/3736069/gop-candidates-repeal-obama-executive-order-gun-control/

On The Defensive, Ben Carson Unleashes Litany Of Anti-Obama Conspiracy Theories

Carson then called into question Obama’s educational achievements, repeating a widely debunked theory that Obama’s educational records are being kept secret by some sort of court order...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/11/07/3720254/ben-carson-obama-conspiracy-theories/

Paul Krugman: GOP So Far Down the 'Black Hole' That They Might Not Be Able to Stop Progress

Can we breathe a sigh of relief?
http://www.alternet.org/economy/paul-krugman-gop-spiraling-ever-deeper-black-hole-conspiracy-theory

Gordon Klingenschmitt Blames Demonic Influence For Failure To Defund Planned Parenthood

https://youtu.be/VQcXO8sqss4

Pat Robertson's Dismissive Advice On Child Abuse

https://youtu.be/SmKpBi37ppY

Biblical Slavery

https://youtu.be/Oxn7a6NpDOQ

How Fox News Created The Racist Right Wing Terrorist Movement

Right wing terrorists have taken over a federal building in Oregon, with the help of Cliven Bundy’s sons. Bundy and his racist family were aided in their anti-government crusade in 2014 by Fox News, and this latest stunt is also the result of the racist, anti-government views being spouted by Fox. They are responsible for this disaster and it is time to hold them accountable...
https://youtu.be/3ahz7JHq5H4

Lawrence Krauss: We Need to Teach Kids Creative Thinking | BEST OF 2015

"Education is far less about a set of facts than a way of thinking," says the professor and theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss. "And therefore what I always think should be the basis of education is not answers but questions."
Interview:
https://youtu.be/w00dJ05gxo0

Transcript - Education is far less about a set of facts than a way of thinking, than learning how to critically think. And therefore what I always think should be the basis of education is not answers but questions. We should teach kids how to question. Now having said that of course to be a productive adult there are certain skills that are required – reading, writing and in the old fashioned days we used to say arithmetic. Now we say mathematics. And it’s important that we provide students those basic skills. And in that sense I’m in favor of a common core because I think there are certain things that most reasonable educators and most reasonable mathematicians and scientists and historians would agree are a part of what every modern literate person should have as a tool to go out and look at the outside world.

I am in favor of saying okay, let’s get teams of educators and experts in certain disciplines to say what are the basic things that we think are an essential part of an early education for people. Put them together and create as well as possible a set of goals and tools to learn those things. One thing I cannot understand and people are probably going to be upset about this is why local school boards have control over educational content. Because local school boards are inevitably made up of individuals without any training. One of the reasons we send kids to school is to help protect them from their parents – in a good sense. I mean most parents want their kids to learn good but the point is the reason kids are outside the house is so they can get exposure to things that might take them beyond the biases that they learn at home. And if we send them to school we should take them beyond the biases that are present in local school board members. There should be standards that are based – that are determined by educators, not by people who for one reason or another run for election to a local school board. So a common core is something I’m in favor of. What I’m not in favor of by the way is standardized tests however. Testing always inevitably means you teach students to be able to do tests. And I’ve seen it at all levels including by the way at graduate school. We have many grad students say from China who are excellent at taking physics tests but when they want to become researchers just being able to regurgitate information is not what makes you a creative researcher. And I think the same is true for a young person. Being able to know specifics to pass a test is not the same as being able to understand how to go about answering those questions...

Keeping Church and State Separate

Those on the Christian right who would break down this wall of separation are doing a disservice to themselves, because the loss of the separation between church and state weakens the capacity of the government to protect the rights of anyone to practice their religious beliefs freely. Of course, it is possible that many on the Christian right do not believe in freedom of religion and instead want America to be a Christian nation (by which they mean their particular brand of Christianity) that is intolerant of the beliefs of others, whether Buddhist, Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, atheist or anything else...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-w-traphagan/keeping-church-and-state_b_8903266.html

Action Alert: Ask Your Senators to Co-Sponsor the Darwin Day Resolution

On December 17, Senator Richard Blumenthal, with help from the Secular Coalition for America, introduced the 2016 Darwin Day Resolution (S. Res. 337). This resolution recognizes February 12, 2016 as Darwin Day in honor of what would be Charles Darwin’s 207th birthday. This resolution also:

• States that evolution “provides humanity with a logical and intellectually compelling explanation for the diversity of life on Earth”
• Demands that the “advancement of science be protected from those unconcerned with the adverse impacts of global warming and climate change”
• Confirms that the “teaching of creationism in some public schools compromises the scientific and academic integrity of the United States’ education systems”

With recent studies showing a growing disconnect between scientists and the public, increasing and promoting scientific literacy is a critical priority. Last year marked the first time a Senate version of the resolution was introduced and we’d like to gain momentum by adding more co-sponsors. Please write to your Senators today and urge them to sign on to S. Res. 337 and affirm their commitment to science and scientific knowledge.

http://action.secular.org/secular/app/write-a-letter?3&engagementId=155773

Good Without God in 2016

Moreover there are countless examples of deeply religious people doing horrendous things in the name of their faith. Their religion didn't give them humility or empathy – maybe just the opposite...
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/faith-matters/articles/2016-01-04/the-2016-race-privileges-religion

Throwback: Right Wing Domestic Terrorism Alive And Well

In June of 2014, America’s Lawyer, Mike Papantonio, and political essayist Chauncey DeVega discussed right-wing terrorism in the United States and how fear is drummed up by Republican talking heads in the media. Watch the discussion...
https://youtu.be/VRD_QnzvH9k

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 5, 2016

https://youtu.be/J2JPulMbqsY

Mendenhall Ice Caves in Juneau, AK [OC] [6016x4016]

http://i.imgur.com/Kk9n2hL.jpg

Trump Camp On Border Ad Fact Check: ‘No Sh*t’ That’s Not Mexico

Asked about the footage, Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager, told NBC News: “No shit it’s not the Mexican border but that’s what our country is going to look like. This was 1,000 percent on purpose.”...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-morocco-border-fact-check

Meet The Armed Militiamen Who Have Taken Over That Oregon Wildlife Refuge

Ritzheimer has engaged in a plethora of anti-government and anti-Islamic activities over the past few years. He threatened to make citizens arrests against lawmakers who supported the Obama administration's nuclear agreement with Iran, most notably Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). And, in November, the FBI issued a warning that Ritzheimer was planning to potentially travel to Hancock, New York, a community with a substantial Muslim population...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/meet-the-militia-cowboys-held-up-in-oregon-wildlife-refuge

Donald Trump's first TV ad shows migrants 'at the southern border,' but they're actually in Morocco

The clear suggestion is that the footage is of the "southern border" between the United States and Mexico. But it’s not -- it’s 5,000 miles away, in a small Spanish enclave on the mainland of Morocco...
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jan/04/donald-trump/donald-trumps-first-tv-ad-shows-migrants-southern-/

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick claims states where people carry guns have less crime

"Everywhere that we have more citizens carrying guns, crime is less. There's a study showing that where states have open carry or concealed carry, but particularly open carry, the crime is down 25 percent."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jan/03/dan-patrick/texas-lt-gov-dan-patrick-claims-states-where-peopl/

14 Tweets That Sum Up The Racist Double Standard Surrounding #OregonUnderAttack

The difference between "thugs" and "peaceful protesters" is skin color...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/14-tweets-that-sum-up-the-racist-double-standard-of-oregonunderattack_568a8c0ce4b06fa68882d316

3 Anger-Inducing Charts About Kids and Prison

Does the justice system think white kids are more redeemable than black kids?
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/01/disturbing-data-behind-juvenile-life-without-parole

In Philadelphia, 22 percent of adults lack basic literacy

In part 2 of our ‘America left behind’ series, Al Jazeera explores the vicious cycle of poverty and lack of education...
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/15/philadelphia-many-lack-literacy.html

Koch brothers supersize higher-ed spending

A pair of private foundations led by the billionaire industrialists poured more than $23.4 million into U.S. colleges and universities during 2014, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of tax documents recently filed with the Internal Revenue Service...
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/15/koch-brothers-supersize-higher-ed-spending.html

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 4, 2016

https://youtu.be/FyeZvW3QX2Y

Russia Is Using Space Power in Its Attack on Syria

Vladimir Putin’s military is unveiling a new arsenal in its battle with ISIS and other insurgents in Syria. Much of that new military hardware is hundreds of miles above Earth...
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/16/russia-is-using-space-power-in-its-attack-on-syria.html

Why Clinton’s wildly ambitious $20 billion plan to cure Alzheimer’s by 2025 matters

“This is a tsunami, an epidemic that could single-handedly crush Medicare, Medicaid… It’s an unmet medical need of the greatest type," Tanzi said...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/12/22/why-clintons-wildly-ambitious-20-billion-plan-to-cure-alzheimers-by-2025-matters/

Arctic Temperatures Rising at Breakneck Speed

"Warming is happening more than twice as fast in the Arctic than anywhere else in the world," said Rick Spinrad, the chief scientific officer a the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), here in a press briefing at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. "We know this is due to climate change."...
http://www.livescience.com/53111-arctic-warming-fast-in-2015.html

Scalia dismisses concept of religious neutrality in speech

"To tell you the truth there is no place for that in our constitutional tradition. Where did that come from?" he said. "To be sure, you can't favor one denomination over another but can't favor religion over non-religion?"...
http://news.yahoo.com/scalia-dismisses-concept-religious-neutrality-speech-202953789.html

Kirkjufell mountain at sunset time in summer, Iceland [2827x1958] (OC)

http://i.imgur.com/uuWq3Ou.jpg

10 Secrets That Nurses Keep From Their Patients

After all, everyone has secrets, and even your nurse might be keeping something from you...
http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/10-secrets-nurses-keep-their-patients

It's Tough Going Through Life Stupid

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/it-s-tough-going-through-life-stupid

L.A. schools swapped 'zero tolerance' for 'restorative justice.' Is it working?

Staff applaud the goals of 'restorative justice,' a community-minded alternative to schools' 'zero tolerance' policies, which have not proven to be effective, but they add that more training and resources are needed...
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2015/1108/L.A.-schools-swapped-zero-tolerance-for-restorative-justice.-Is-it-working

My daughter got the mail today (it's Sunday), apparently they have another week off school.

https://i.imgur.com/Fd86JsP.jpg

Dog Owner Pretends to Suddenly Collapse While Walking His Dog and Records the Dog’s Reaction.

https://i.imgur.com/gqOWd5Y.gifv

Muslim group ushers in 2016 by launching campaign against ISIS - The Times of India on Mobile

Activist Farid Khan said volunteers would work among parents too. "If parents see any behavioural change among their sons like they have suddenly become very religious or spend a lot of time on networking sites, they should approach us. We will ensure they are de-radicalised and brought back into the mainstream."...
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Muslim-group-ushers-in-2016-by-launching-campaign-against-ISIS/articleshow/50410022.cms

The Big Lie in the War Against Drugs

Since the beginning, the War on Drugs has been about controlling political power--by breaking up Black communities and the dissident left...
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/big-lie-war-against-drugs

Sheriff: Militia members used rancher protest as ruse

Sheriff David Ward said protesters came to Harney County, in southeastern Oregon, "claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers." In reality, he said, "these men had alternative motives to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States.”...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/01/03/militia-members-occupy-us-building-in-oregon-after-protest/78226600/

France wrestles with revoking citizenship of attackers

Opponents of the measure consider it would create two classes of citizens — dual nationals who could lose their citizenship and others who cannot — in opposition to the principle of equality set out in France's constitution...
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/1/2/france-wrestles-with-revoking-citizenship-of-attackers.html

WATCH: Colbert Pushes Kasich On Legalizing Marijuana

“We don’t want to tell our kids don’t do drugs, but by the way this drug is okay,” Kasich said.

“Isn’t that what alcohol is?” Colbert said to loud applause from the audience.
https://youtu.be/mu2tMTkz4Bk

Most Israelis support extrajudicial killings

Findings by Israel Democracy Institute reflect hardening attitudes among Jewish citizens amid tensions and violence...
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/11/israelis-support-extrajudicial-killingspolls-151108123738192.html

Activists geolocate Russian soldiers on ground in Syria

Moscow-based group says troops can be seen using software, contradicting claims intervention is limited to air strikes...
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/11/activists-geolocate-russian-soldiers-ground-syria-151108135416902.html

NASA: 2015 Will Be ‘A Scorcher Relative To All Other Years’ On Record

Schmidt also tweeted out “With Nov update to GISTEMP, probability of 2015 being a record year is >99.999%.”
Scientifically, >99.999 percent certainty is equivalent to the chances that:

• The new Star Wars movie will make money.
• Donald Trump will say something at the Las Vegas GOP debate that will offend somebody.
• At some point in your life, you will experience either death or taxes.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/12/15/3732080/nasa-2015-hottest-year/

Streaming now on Netflix: Amadeus (repost -- because it's back!)

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/247351?trkid=4791092

Donald Trump Featured In New Terrorist Recruitment Video

"Muslims of the West: Take heed and learn from the lessons of history. There are ominous clouds gathering in your horizon. Yesterday America was a slang of slavery, segregation, lyching and Ku Klux Klan. Tomorrow it will be a land of religious discrimination and concentration camps..."

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/01/01/3735522/breaking-donald-trump-featured-in-new-terrorist-recruitment-video/

Amid Emissions Scandal, A Bumpy Road Ahead For Volkswagen (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

The story of Volkswagen’s big cheat on automotive emissions has gone from big and unbelievable to huge and kind of astounding. Eleven million cars equipped with lying software when it comes to their pollution. A CEO, out. A criminal investigation called for. One of the world’s very biggest automakers – with a long history and once-lustrous reputation – facing a completely uncertain future. And millions of car owners wondering, “What now?” with dirty cars they thought were clean. What happened here? This hour On Point, all we know on VW’s big cheat. And now what? — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/09/24/volkswagen-emissions-scandal-ceo-resignation

Cathy Lynn Grossman, Journalist for Religion News Service (Hemant Mehta, The Friendly Atheist)

"Cathy Lynn Grossman is a senior national correspondent for Religion News Service, a wire service for faith-based news. She often writes stories involving research and statistics. She also worked for more than two decades with USA Today.

I spoke with Grossman about the toughest story she’s ever written, what the Internet is doing to religion, and whether the amount of religion currently in politics is a new phenomenon."
Interview:
http://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2015/10/18/cathy-lynn-grossman-journalist-for-religion-news-service/

Lying For Jesus

https://youtu.be/W1XgqSR7WRE

14 glorious minutes of religious people getting served by Richard Dawkins (repost)

https://youtu.be/OaYjV4sWpoc

What if Jesus did not exist?

A thought experiment for believers.
https://youtu.be/NDscX7wO1Pc

Richard Dawkins talk about religion, morality, and science

https://youtu.be/tmrOHY6YdaI

#131 Debate - Christopher Hitchens vs Dennis Prager - Is God Not Great - 2007

https://youtu.be/pR43wRoJjMw

Christopher Hitchens - Playing 'What if' on Wretched Radio [2009]

https://youtu.be/fG2ffBV4VbE