Sunday, October 31, 2010

Jon Stewart Critiques Cable News in Rally Speech

"If the picture of us were true, our inability to solve problems would actually be quite sane and reasonable.Why would you work with Marxists trying to subvert the Constitution? Or racists and homophobes who see no ones humanity but their own? We hear every damn day about how fragile our country is, on the brink of catastrophe, torn by polarizing hate,  and how it is a shame we cant work together to get things done. But we do, we work togeter to get things done every damn day. The only place we don’t is here [Washington DC], or on cable TV."

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/jon-stewart-critiques-cable-news-in-rally-speech_b37711

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Cato Institutet: Conservatives Betraying Small-Government Values by Opposing Pot Legalization

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/10/cato-expert-win-lose-californias-pot-measure-shake-up-drug-policy

Fox Ratings Reign Endangered by 17% Drop in Audience

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-10-27/fox-ratings-reign-endangered-by-17-drop-in-audience.html

Companies Fight to Keep Global Warming Data Secret

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101028/ap_on_bi_ge/us_greenhouse_gases_transparency

Candidate Who Shot Two Unarmed Iraqis Likely to Be Elected to Congress

http://www.pensitoreview.com/2010/10/28/nc07-gop-t-candidate-who-shot-two-unarmed-iraqis-60-times-likely-to-be-elected-to-congress-next-week

The Rise, Fall and Rise of John Boehner

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/26/AR2010102607150.html

How To Get Fox News To Shut up

All the things Republicans have accused the media of for years, they are now actually doing with FOX. What Fox produces is not news, it is propaganda, spin, misinformation, and campaign agitprop for the GOP. This should have been clear years ago, but their behavior over the past two years, including hosting tea parties and the Glenn Beck nonsense, should make it explicit.

http://freakoutnation.com/2010/10/27/how-to-get-fox-news-to-stfu

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

What Tea Party Movement?

After a months-long investigation attempting to get a hold of the hundreds of Tea Party groups across the country, The Washington Post found the much-hyped movement is actually "not so much a movement as a disparate band of vaguely connected gatherings that do surprisingly little to engage in the political process."

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/opinions/view/opinion/What-Tea-Party-Movement-5518

8 Nasty Conservative Lies About the Democrats and Obama That Must Be Debunked Before the Election

The public has been misled on a ton of issues like tax cuts, the deficit, the economy, and the cost of health care.

http://www.alternet.org/news/148614/8_nasty_conservative_lies_about_the_democrats_and_obama_that_must_be_debunked_before_the_election

14 Year Old Alabama Girl Raped After Being Used by Teacher to Lure Rapist

The teacher coerced 14-year-old B.H.J., an African-American student who had reported being repeatedly sexually harassed, into meeting her tormentor in a bathroom, assuring her that they would “catch him.” But nobody followed B.H.J. into the bathroom, and nobody stopped her from being raped; the teacher simply went back to her classroom and waited. B.H.J. is reported as being severely traumatized and in an almost completely non-communicative state.

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/10/26/14-year-old-raped-after-being-used-to-lure-rapist

Rand Paul Supporter Stomps Head of Female MoveOn Member Outside KY Debate

As the candidates arrived, a group of Paul supporters pulled a female MoveOn member to the ground and held her there as another Paul supporter stomped on the back of her head and neck.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/male-rand-paul-supporter-stomps-head-of-female-moveon-member-outside-debate.php

Friday, October 22, 2010

O’Donnell Admits Using Campaign Cash to Pay Rent

Last month, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington declared that O'Donnell is "clearly a criminal" for allegedly using $20,000 of campaign money for personal expenses.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/10/odonnell-campaign-cash-pay-rent

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Pretend Birmingham Poet Wins Pretend Award


John Leander, a poet well known to other fictional authors in the Birmingham, AL area, today was presented with the Best Poem Ever Written About Football by John Leander Award. The ceremony took place just a few yards away from the entrance to the esteemed Alys Stephens Center. Unfortunately, there was a virtual press black out due to the event not actually occurring. Even so, one University of Alabama at Birmingham student was observed pausing for a moment, adjusting her backpack, and glancing in the direction where the ceremony would have taken place. The Birmingham Free Press is proud to print the award-winning poem below, about which Leander muttered, "If you say it's about football, then why not, sure, it's about football. Is that a grilled cheese sandwich?"





Fall Opens in Birmingham, Alabama
(variation on a theme by James Wright)

The drums of marching bands sound once again, away over the foothills, unseen and close as heartbeats.

Shamans whirl in leaves that leap from tree limbs. Electrons charge through campuses under roiling thunderclouds.

Seniors chant and boom the call! The bright blast of flashing horns summon young and old.


The crash of suns! Folk come running from their cabins and their mansions, too.

A nation unites under the common colors of fantastic banners.


Soon, the air tells you, brothers will cry the yell of war.

Lots of Water on Moon, Scientists Say

There is a lot more water on the moon than previously believed, according to an analysis of NASA data being published Friday, a finding that may bolster the case for a manned base on the lunar surface.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303339504575566194097878552.html?mod=WSJ_hps_LEADNewsCollection

Compare Liberal and Conservative Talk Show Hosts

Sarah Palin Wreaks Havoc on the Campaign Trail

According to a source familiar with the situation, she backed out of planned interviews with conservative talk-show hosts Sean Hannity and Mark Levin the morning she was scheduled to talk to them. And her multiple schedule changes so annoyed Glenn Beck that he finally decided not to have her on his radio or TV show to promote the book.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43936_Page3.html

All Terrorists are Muslims…Except the 94% that Aren’t

According to this data, there were more Jewish acts of terrorism within the United States than Islamic (7% vs 6%).  These radical Jews committed acts of terrorism in the name of their religion.  These were not terrorists who happened to be Jews; rather, they were extremist Jews who committed acts of terrorism based on their religious passions, just like Al-Qaeda and company.

http://www.loonwatch.com/2010/01/not-all-terrorists-are-muslims

NPR's Hasty Decision to Fire Pundit Juan Williams

In a democracy, the media must foster a free and robust political debate, even if it may, at times, offend some people. At the same time, they must uphold standards of civility, including an appropriate respect for the legitimate sensitivities of all members of the public. The eternal question is how to strike the right balance.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/21/AR2010102103973.html?hpid=topnews

Glenn Beck: Evolution Is 'Ridiculous -- I Haven't Seen A Half-Monkey, Half-Person Yet'

Have you ever seen a half-monkey, half-person? No? Well neither has Glenn Beck, which is how he knows evolution doesn't exist.

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/glenn-beck-evolution-is-ridiculous----i-havent-seen-a-half-monkey-half-person-yet.php

Do Intelligent People Drink More Alcohol?

Although increased alcohol consumption could be a reflection of exceptional brainpower, drinking more will certainly not make you any more intelligent than you already are.

http://news.discovery.com/human/do-intelligent-people-drink-more-alcohol.html

Huckabee Calls on Congress to Cut NPR Funding

NPR says federal funding comprises less than 2 percent of its budget, with most of its financial support coming from station fees, sponsorships and grants.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/21/huckabee-calls-on-congress-to-cut-npr-funding

Making Ignorance Chic

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/opinion/20dowd.html?_r=3&hp

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Military RecruitersTold to Accept Gay Applicants

WASHINGTON – A Pentagon spokeswoman says recruiters have been told that they must accept gay applicants, following a federal court decision striking down the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

Spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said Tuesday that top-level guidance has been issued to recruiting commands informing them that the military's "don't ask, don't tell" rule has been suspended for now. Recruiters also have been told to inform potential recruits that the moratorium could be reversed at any point.

Last week, a federal judge ordered the military to stop enforcing the 1993 law banning openly gay service members. The Justice Department is appealing the decision and has asked for a temporary stay.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101019/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_gays_in_military_recruiting_1

Crystal Cathedral Megachurch Files for Bankruptcy

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101019/ap_on_re_us/us_crystal_cathedral

Christian Right Insiders Reveal Racism, Virulent Anti-Immigrant Attitudes and Homophobia in Prominent Religious Group

http://www.alternet.org/belief/148488/christian_right_insiders_reveal_racism%2C_virulent_anti-immigrant_attitudes_and_homophobia_in_prominent_religious_group

Kickboxing Fail Video

http://www.thesmokingjacket.com/entertainment/an-impressive-display-of-failure

Why a New “Appetite-Control” Product May Turn the World of Weight Loss on its Head

http://www.howlifeworks.com/health_beauty/dietrevolution/?AG_ID=442&CID=7077af

Aaron Sorkin: Yes, 'The Social Network' Is Sexist

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/features/view/feature/Aaron-Sorkin-Yes-The-Social-Network-Is-Sexist-2331

O'Donnell Questions Separation of Church and State

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/odonnell-questions-separation-of-685320.html

O'Donnell Questions Separation of Church and State

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/odonnell-questions-separation-of-685320.html

Marvel Superheroes Re-Imagined in the World of TRON!

http://slackerandtheman.podbean.com/2010/10/19/marvel-superheroes-re-imagined-in-the-world-of-tron

Survey Findings on Far-Right in Germany

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/1015/1224281154659.html

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Cell Phones Radiate Lady Gaga

by Brent Stauffer



SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN:

Can You Hear Me Now? The Truth about Cell Phones and Cancer

By Michael Shermer (publisher of the Skeptic magazine)

http://www.scientificamerican.com

October 4, 2010

Cell phones cannot cause cancer, because they do not emit enough energy to break the molecular bonds inside cells. Some forms of electromagnetic radiation, such as x-rays, gamma rays and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, are energetic enough to break the bonds in key molecules such as DNA and thereby generate mutations that lead to cancer. Electromagnetic radiation in the form of infrared light, microwaves, television and radio signals, and AC power is too weak to break those bonds, so we don’t worry about radios, televisions, microwave ovens and power outlets causing cancer.

A cell phone generates radiation of less than 0.001 kJ/mole. That is 480,000 times weaker than UV rays and 240,000 times weaker than green light!



MICROWAVE NEWS:

Scientific American vs. Lady Gaga

http://www.microwavenews.com

September 28, 2010


Yes, yes, yes, we can all agree that microwaves are too weak to disrupt molecular bonds. Can we now please move beyond that? We have been covering this topic for decades, with special emphasis on the possibility that power-frequency EMFs and cell-phone radiation may lead to DNA breaks. Yes, again, not break them directly — but perhaps by inhibiting the repair process. We all know —or at least we should— that DNA breaks are common events in human biology. What would happen if the repair mechanisms that can usually fix the breaks no longer work? In the end, there isn't much net difference between breaking a bond and failing to repair an already broken bond. Either way, you end up with potentially compromised genetic material.


RICHARD 2010:

response on Scientific American website from some random dude

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-you-hear-me-now#comment-02

9/26/10


It is true that the energy of cell phone radiation cannot break DNA, the missing word in this article is *directly*. Thus, even the title is incorrect,


What about the *indirect* effects of cell phone radiation? About 6 different research groups have independently shown that DNA breakage occurs after cell phone radiation, and among some of the mechanisms implicated are 1). generation of reactive oxygen species, 2). protein phosphorylation, 3). cell cycle perturbations, 4). protein expression changes, particularly that of Hsp70 heat shock proteins.




BIRMINGHAM FREE PRESS:

Special Cell Phone Debate Analyst

Mid-October, 2010

Say what to who now?



The 'Nastiest' Campaign Ad Ever: Bill Brady is a 'Puppy Killer'

http://theweek.com/article/index/208166/the-nastiest-campaign-ad-ever-bill-brady-is-a-puppy-killer