Daily Archives: December 20, 2011

Why we need to disband the NRA and drop the Second Amendment

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If we didn’t have a Second Amendment in the United States, we would still have firearms and people could still own guns, and hunt, and do all that other fun stuff. But we wouldn’t have what amounts to a religious proscription against doing anything smart when it comes to firearms. Continue reading Why we need to disband the NRA and drop the Second Amendment →

Earth Sized Planets Elsewhere Discovered

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First, there were big-giant planets discovered orbiting other stars. Then, more recently, a planet in the star’s Goldilocks Zone … where water would be at least sometimes liquid, were it present. But that was a big planet that may or may not have been truly “class M” in having a surface, atmosphere, etc.

Now, NASA reports planets the size of the earth beyond our solar system. Unfortuntely, they are not in the zone. But still, this is cool.

Continue reading Earth Sized Planets Elsewhere Discovered →

The Bible-Thumping Grinch who Pissed on Christmas

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I am amazed at the giddiness amongst Christian Fundamentalists that has fomented from the mere utterance of a holiday greeting by Richard Dawkins. The counter-insurgents in the War on Christmas … the Red White and Blue, squeaky-faced smirking shits that call themselves commentators or preachers are creaming in their jeans. But they are also stepping over the line, and I’m calling them on it.

Continue reading The Bible-Thumping Grinch who Pissed on Christmas →

Mother Jones Blames American People for Iraq War

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And probably justifiably.

Jonathan Stein and Tim Dickinson make the point that some of us have been making since the World Trade Center fell: If we become a nation motivated mainly by fear, we will become a militaristic police state.

But the blame for Iraq does not end with Cheney, Bush, or Rumsfeld. Nor is it limited to the intelligence operatives who sat silent as the administration cherry-picked its case for war, or with those, like Colin Powell or Hans Blix, who, in the name of loyalty or statesmanship, did not give full throat to their misgivings. It is also shared by far too many in the Fourth Estate, most notably the New York Times’ Judith Miller. But let us not forget that it lies, inescapably, with we the American people, who, in our fear and rage over the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, allowed ourselves to be suckered into the most audacious bait and switch of all time.

Welcome to the party.

Read the essay here: Lie by Lie: A Timeline of How We Got Into Iraq

“Silent Night” Sung

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I had earlier mentioned that Americans United sof Separation of Chruch and State had expressed concern over the singing of the song “Silent Night” in a school Christmas program; Well, the event carried out and the song was sung, and AU has no immediate plans.

Alex Luchenitser, associate legal director for Separation of Church and State, said Monday afternoon the group planned no action against the play, at least not this year.

“Nobody’s planning it at this time,” Luchenitser said. “We had a short time frame to address this, so we only had time to send a letter that we hoped would educate school officials about separation of church and state. We hope in the future they don’t do this again.”

Luchenitser said his group received a local complaint about the song. He said they have a policy against disclosing details about the complaint or revealing the identity of the complainant. Continue reading “Silent Night” Sung →