Little Green Footballs

LGF Archives: May 2009

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Video: Sorry I'm Late

Video | Sun, May 31, 2009 at 9:20:47 pm PDT

A change of pace, after a rather intense news day: Sorry I’m Late. [Video]

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Tags: Video, Short Film, Animation

Tiller Murder Suspect Identified, Posted at Operation Rescue

US News | Sun, May 31, 2009 at 5:17:06 pm PDT

The man arrested on suspicion of murdering Dr. George Tiller has been identified as Scott Roeder: The gunman fled, but a 51-year-old suspect was detained some 170 miles away in suburban Kansas City three hours after the shooting, Wichita Deputy Police Chief Tom Stolz said. Although Stolz refused to release the ...

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Tags: Extremism, Crime, Hate Speech, Comments, Abortion, George Tiller, Scott Roeder

Bad Craziness Watch: Right Wing Reaction to the Tiller Murder

Blogosphere | Sun, May 31, 2009 at 4:18:30 pm PDT

At Free Republic, they’re celebrating the murder of Dr. George Tiller. From the following two threads: Report: George Tiller Shot To Death [Child Murderer Killed At Wichita Church] George Tiller (Child Murderer) shot to death at Wichita church ... a selection of comments, among hundreds (if not thousands) of similar comments: I’m not ...

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Tags: Extremism, Crime, Hate Speech, Comments, Abortion, George Tiller

Sunday Afternoon Open

Open | Sun, May 31, 2009 at 3:28:03 pm PDT

An open thread for a Sunday afternoon, nothing more, nothing less...

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Tags: Open Thread

Gates Warns North Korea

World | Sun, May 31, 2009 at 2:49:14 pm PDT

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is warning North Korea, and pointedly not taking the military option off the table. SINGAPORE (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned North Korea on Saturday that the United States would respond quickly if moves by the communist government threaten America or its Asian ...

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Tags: Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, North Korea, Korea, Barack Obama, Unclench

Suspect Arrested in Tiller Murder

US News | Sun, May 31, 2009 at 12:42:44 pm PDT

KWCH in Kansas reports that the suspected murderer of abortion doctor George Tiller has been arrested near the town of Gardner. Eyewitness News has confirmed the suspect in the shooting of Dr. George Tiller is in custody in the Kansas City area. Wichita police say the man was arrested near ...

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Tags: Extremism, Crime, Abortion, George Tiller

Dr. Tiller Shot to Death at Wichita Church

US News | Sun, May 31, 2009 at 10:24:10 am PDT

Dr. George Tiller, the controversial abortion clinic doctor who specialized in providing late-term abortions, was murdered as he walked into church this morning. WICHITA, Kan. — Dr. George Tiller, a Kansas man who became one of the most famous figures in the national debate over abortion, was shot and killed ...

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Tags: Extremism, Crime, Abortion, George Tiller

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 11:07:46 pm PDT

They got this guy, in Germany. Fritz Something-or-other. Or is it? Maybe it’s Werner. Anyway, he’s got this theory, you wanna test something, you know, scientifically - how the planets go round the sun, what sunspots are made of, why the water comes out of the tap - well, you ...

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Tags: Open Thread

The White House is Not 'Cutting Off Criticism'

Politics | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 7:13:57 pm PDT

Hot Air readers are freaking out over this post by Ed Morrissey, claiming that the Obama administration is “silencing criticism” of the stimulus bill and violating America’s First Amendment rights: White House: We’ll cut off criticism of Porkulus. Here’s the post at the White House website on this issue: Update on ...

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Tags: Barack Obama, First Amendment, Stimulus

Obama Administration Defends Invoking 'State Secrets'

US News | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 6:00:32 pm PDT

Another sign that the Obama administration may not be entirely clueless about national security, as they continue to insist that the government has the right to withhold classified information in terrorism cases: U.S. vows to keep using ‘state secrets’ defense. WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Obama administration has informed a federal ...

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Tags: Wiretap, Terrorism, Islamic Charities, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Al Haramain

Onion Panel: Loopholes in Manslaughter Laws

Video | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 3:15:48 pm PDT

The Onion’s distinguished panel of experts examines the loopholes in current laws pertaining to manslaughter... [Video]

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Tags: Humor, Law, Onion

Miniaturizing the Sun

Science | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 2:03:28 pm PDT

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is preparing to start the first serious experiments on a possibly world-changing new technology: Fusion tests set at new Livermore facility. Outside a concrete slab of a building 10 stories high that holds the most powerful array of lasers and high-precision optics ever assembled, the ...

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Tags: Science, Energy, Physics, Fusion, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Defenseman: Moderated Hate

Blogosphere | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 1:03:12 pm PDT

A new post at Defending the Defensible looks at what happens when stalkers try to appear legit: Moderated Hate. This comment from the stalker site is especially rich with crunchy hypocrisy... 26. gclaghorn on 24 May, 2009 at 2:47 pm I set the registration system so that you cannot register with the ...

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Tags: Stalkers, Kooks, Extremists, Creeps

Is Obama Denying Israel's Request for Apache Helicopters?

Middle East | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 11:46:51 am PDT

There are reports going around the blogosphere that the Obama administration has held up Israel’s request for Apache Longbow “attack” helicopters, but I have yet to find a reputable source that confirms the rumors. If true, this is disturbing, but I’m suspicious that this story is being exaggerated or distorted ...

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Tags: Israel, Military, Barack Obama, Rumor, Apache Helicopters

Rall Wraps Around

Opinion | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 9:42:11 am PDT

One columnist who’s always willing to take his overheated far left rants further than anyone else is Ted Rall, and now he’s taken it so far that he’s wrapped around and joined the far right: It’s increasingly evident that Obama should resign. Obama is useless. Worse than that, he’s dangerous. ...

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Tags: Ted Rall, Barack Obama, Far Right, Far Left, Wraparound

Our Friends the Saudis

World | Sat, May 30, 2009 at 9:31:30 am PDT

A horrific crime leads to horrific punishment, in the religious apartheid kingdom: Saudi beheads and crucifies murder convict. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi authorities beheaded and crucified a man convicted of brutally slaying an 11-year-old boy and his father, the Interior Ministry announced. According to the statement issued by the ...

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Tags: Islam, Saudi Arabia, Beheading, Crime, Wahhabism, Sharia

Friday, May 29, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 11:09:23 pm PDT

We must not make a scarecrow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Their perch and not their terror. — William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

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Tags: Open Thread

Noonan: Can We Play 'Grown-Up' Now?

Politics | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 7:15:29 pm PDT

Peggy Noonan would like the GOP to Play Grown-Up. So would I. We need at least two functioning parties in this country in order for our politics to work correctly, and right now one of them seems to be in permanent tantrum mode. “Let’s play grown-up.” When I was a child, ...

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Tags: Extremism, Supreme Court, GOP, Republican Party, Sonia Sotomayor, Peggy Noonan

Video: Obama Discusses Sotomayor on NBC Nightly News

Politics | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 6:46:35 pm PDT

[Video]

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Tags: Video, Supreme Court, Barack Obama, Discrimination, Sonia Sotomayor

Friday Night Shred: Paul Gilbert, 'Scarified'

Music | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 6:06:38 pm PDT

Totally sick shreddage from Paul Gilbert and band, live in the studio with their astronaut suits. [Video]

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Tags: Music, Electric Guitar, Paul Gilbert, Shred

Lessons from the Vaccine-Autism Wars

Health | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 3:50:32 pm PDT

Here’s an excellent article exploring the disturbing rise of irrational anti-vaccination theories, now threatening public health as diseases long thought eradicated in modern societies are returning with a vengeance: A Broken Trust: Lessons from the Vaccine–Autism Wars. Until the summer of 2005, Sharon Kaufman had never paid much attention to ...

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Tags: Health, Medicine, Kooks, Pseudo-Science, Vaccines, Jenny McCarthy, Autism

Obama Criticizes Palestinian Hate Speech

Middle East | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 1:28:52 pm PDT

This is a little surprising, given his history of associations with radical pro-Palestinian activists like Rashid Khalidi, but maybe Barack Obama isn’t completely clueless about the Palestinian culture of hate. Following a meeting Thursday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, President Obama told the Palestinian leader that “ ... It ...

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Tags: Israel, Antisemitism, Palestinians, Hate Speech, Indoctrination, Barack Obama

Phil Spector Sentenced

US News | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 1:24:06 pm PDT

Legendary record producer Phil Spector was sentenced today to 19 years to life in prison for murder.

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Tags: Murder, Crime, Phil Spector, Celebrity

Sotomayor on Tape

Politics | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 12:49:02 pm PDT

The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire has made available audio recordings of Sonia Sotomayor in action in the Ricci v. DeStefano case. I’ve included the audio files below: [Audio] [Audio] Seventeen white and two Hispanic firefighters in New Haven, Conn., scored high enough on a test to win promotion, but the city ...

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Tags: Supreme Court, Discrimination, Sonia Sotomayor

Moderate Muslims Drive Out Al-Muhajiroun Supporters

World | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 12:00:50 pm PDT

In the British town of Luton today, members of the Muslim community confronted extremists and drove them from the streets. Muslim extremists behind a protest against soldiers on a homecoming parade have been driven off the streets today by members of their own community. Fights broke out and traffic ground to ...

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Tags: Militant Islam, Islam, Demonstration, Britain, Moderate Islam, Luton

Sen. Cornyn: Limbaugh and Gingrich Comments 'Terrible'

Politics | Fri, May 29, 2009 at 10:11:49 am PDT

Senator John Cornyn is criticizing Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich for labeling Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor a “racist.” (CNN) — A top Senate Republican is taking aim at recent statements from conservative commentators Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich suggesting Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is a “racist.” “I think it’s ...

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Tags: Supreme Court, Racism, GOP, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, Sonia Sotomayor, John Cornyn

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Thu, May 28, 2009 at 11:16:18 pm PDT

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again. Then quit. There’s no use in being a damn fool about it. — W. C. Fields

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Tags: Open Thread

Pat Buchanan's Executive Director to Be Sentenced for Violent Hate Crime

US News | Thu, May 28, 2009 at 8:43:29 pm PDT

This just in: Marcus Epstein, executive director of Pat Buchanan’s “The American Cause” and Tom Tancredo’s Team America PAC, and founder of “Youth for Western Civilization,” is going to be sentenced on July 8th for verbally and physically assaulting a black woman in Washington DC in 2007. According to documents ...

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Tags: Racism, Vlaams Belang, White Nationalism, Tom Tancredo, Pat Buchanan, Filip DeWinter, Frank Vanhecke, Marcus Epstein, American Cause, Youth For Western Civilization

Fox Nation Goes Nirther

Moonbats | Thu, May 28, 2009 at 5:28:15 pm PDT

At the Fox Nation website, unrestrained Nirth Certifikit insanity runs rampant in the comments for a video of Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs answering a question from a Nirther journalist (not sure who it is): Should Obama Release Birth Certificate? Or Is This Old News? | The FOX Nation. 688 comments as ...

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Tags: Conspiracy Theories, Barack Obama, Birth Certificate, Kooks, Nirthers

Texas School Board Creationist Gets the Boot for Good

Science | Thu, May 28, 2009 at 2:50:59 pm PDT

Dentist Don McLeroy, the young earth creationist appointed to head the Texas State Board of Education twice by Republican Governor Rick Perry, has been rejected by the Texas Senate. I see this as very good news, but the Discovery Institute (who pushed hard to get their anti-evolution “academic freedom” language ...

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Tags: Science, Texas, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Discovery Institute, Don McLeroy, Rick Perry

Thursday Afternoon Open

Open | Thu, May 28, 2009 at 1:45:08 pm PDT

If we do not succeed we run the risk of failure. — Dan Quayle

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Tags: Open Thread

Auto Industry Bankruptcy Watch

Business | Thu, May 28, 2009 at 12:01:41 pm PDT

General Motors is on the fast track to bankruptcy: DETROIT/BERLIN (Reuters) – General Motors Corp appeared to clear a major hurdle on its way to filing the kind of bankruptcy it favors on Thursday by persuading major bondholders to accept a sweetened deal — even as talks over the carmaker’s ...

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Tags: Bankruptcy, Auto Industry, General Motors

BusinessWeek: Sotomayor's a 'Moderate on Business Issues'

Business | Thu, May 28, 2009 at 10:58:38 am PDT

BusinessWeek analyzes Sonia Sotomayor’s record, and concludes that she’s A Moderate on Business Issues. Federal Appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor, nominated May 26 by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Supreme Court, has earned a centrist reputation in business cases: In 1995, she sided with Major League Baseball players in a ...

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Tags: Economy, Supreme Court, GOP, Sonia Sotomayor

Laughable Headline of the Day

Middle East | Thu, May 28, 2009 at 10:15:09 am PDT

As the Holocaust-denying puppet Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority meets with Barack Obama, our laughable headline of the day is from the Associated Press: Abbas pushing pan-Arab peace with Israel. Is there any diplomat anywhere who really believes there’s going to be a “pan-Arab peace with Israel,” if Israel agrees ...

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Tags: Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan, Arab World, Barack Obama, King Abdullah

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 11:10:33 pm PDT

“Faith” is a fine invention When Gentlemen can see — But Microscopes are prudent In an Emergency. — Emily Dickinson

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Tags: Open Thread

We're All RINOs Now

Politics | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 9:44:32 pm PDT

Looks like there’s not going to be a fight to the finish over Sonia Sotomayor: Sonia Sotomayor ‘fight’ could fizzle. Top Senate Republican strategists tell POLITICO that, barring unknown facts about Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the GOP plans no scorched-earth opposition to her confirmation as a Supreme Court justice. More than 24 ...

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Tags: Supreme Court, GOP, Sonia Sotomayor

Cheney: 'We're Happy to Have General Powell in the Republican Party'

Politics | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 8:27:31 pm PDT

Dick Cheney backtracks from his statement that he “didn’t know Colin Powell was still a Republican,” and says, “We’re happy to have General Powell in the Republican Party.” (Obviously, he isn’t speaking for the right-wing blogosphere, most of whom are calling Powell a “RINO” and screaming, “Traitor! Good riddance, who needs ...

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Tags: GOP, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, RNC, Republican Party, Moderates, Centrists

Wednesday Night Music: Bruce Hornsby, 'What the Hell Happened to Me?'

Music | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 6:29:35 pm PDT

[Video]

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Tags: Music, Bruce Hornsby, Piano

What the Hell Happened to Me?

Politics | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 6:04:23 pm PDT

DrewM. at Ace of Spades thinks something has happened to me: Charles seems genuinely confused that some people might actually say out loud they don’t want Sotomayor confirmed to the Supreme Court. Uh, no, that’s not my point at all. (But I don’t expect careful reasoning from the Ace of ...

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Tags: Supreme Court, Rush Limbaugh, Barack Obama, Fail, Sonia Sotomayor

Limbaugh Stuck on Fail

Politics | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 1:54:02 pm PDT

Because it was so successful last time around, Rush Limbaugh’s doubling down on that “failure” meme that has won him so much praise, and converted so many fence-sitters to the conservative cause. (Not.) Now he wants Sonia Sotomayor to fail too. “Do I want her to fail? Yeah. Do I want ...

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Tags: Supreme Court, Rush Limbaugh, Barack Obama, Fail, Sonia Sotomayor

Street

Images | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 1:18:08 pm PDT

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Tags: Photograph, IPhone, Shadows, Street, Black And White

Holy Land Foundation Member Gets 65 Years

US News | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 12:04:27 pm PDT

One of the ringleaders of the Hamas-linked Muslim “charity” called the Holy Land Foundation has been sentenced to 65 years in prison. DALLAS (AP) — A founding member of what was once the nation’s largest Muslim charity was sentenced to 65 years in prison Wednesday for funneling millions of dollars ...

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Tags: Hamas, Terrorism, CAIR, Council On American Islamic Relations, Holy Land Foundation, Trial

Terrorists Returning to Terrorism - Who'da Thunk?

World | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 11:42:53 am PDT

I hope you’re sitting down, because one in 7 who leave Guantanamo are involved in terrorism. WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Seventy-four, or one out of every seven, terrorism suspects formerly held at the U.S. detention site at Guantanamo Bay are confirmed or suspected of having returned to terrorism, the Pentagon said ...

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Tags: Militant Islam, Terrorism, Guantanamo Bay

Who Would Jesus Torture?

Religion | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 10:04:55 am PDT

At RedState: Jesus would have waterboarded. It’s likely even Jesus would have OK’d water boarding if it would have saved his Mom. He would’ve done the same to save his Dad, or any one of His disciples. Excuse me while I pick up my jaw from the floor. Among the other ...

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Tags: Christianity, Fundamentalism, Waterboarding, Social Conservatism, Jesus Christ, Redstate

A Mock Attack on North Korea

World | Wed, May 27, 2009 at 9:21:35 am PDT

Noah Shachtman on prepping for war with North Korea: Even the hawks say there’s not much America can do, in response to North Korea’s nuclear test. But that doesn’t mean the U.S. military isn’t prepping for a war with the Kim Jong-Il regime, just in case. In March, American and South ...

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Tags: Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, North Korea, Korea, Barack Obama, Unclench

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Tue, May 26, 2009 at 11:10:09 pm PDT

There is a growing tendency to think of man as a rational thinking being, which is absurd. There is simply no evidence of any intelligence on the earth. — Marvin the Martian

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Tags: Open Thread

North Korea Threatens War with South

World | Tue, May 26, 2009 at 9:43:03 pm PDT

North Korea Threatens Military Strike, End to 1953 Armistice. May 27 (Bloomberg) — North Korea threatened military action in response to South Korea joining an anti-proliferation program and said it’s no longer bound by the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War. South Korea’s actions are tantamount to a “declaration of ...

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Tags: Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, North Korea, Korea, Barack Obama, Unclench

White Supremacists Plan to Recruit at July 4th Tea Parties

US News | Tue, May 26, 2009 at 5:48:56 pm PDT

The Anti-Defamation League has a report on white supremacists’ plans to infiltrate “tea party” protests on July 4th, in order to recruit new members: White Supremacists and Anti-Semites Plan to Recruit at July 4 Tea Parties. The Tea Party phenomenon, which began with anti-tax rallies staged across the country on ...

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Tags: Demonstration, Protest, Neo-Nazis, Stormfront, White Supremacism, Hate Groups, Tea Party

Fauxtography Roundup

Media | Tue, May 26, 2009 at 3:28:35 pm PDT

10 News photos that took retouching too far.

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Tags: Media Bias, Fraud, Fauxtography

More Diseases Coming Back, Thanks to Anti-Vaxers

Health | Tue, May 26, 2009 at 2:36:53 pm PDT

Another disease making a big comeback, because of the anti-vaccination craziness spread by irresponsible people like Jenny McCarthy: whooping cough. Children who aren’t vaccinated against whooping cough are 23 times more likely to develop the disease than children who get all of their shots on time, a new study shows. Whooping ...

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Tags: Health, Medicine, Kooks, Pseudo-Science, Vaccines, Whooping Cough

Posner on Sotomayor

Politics | Tue, May 26, 2009 at 11:29:39 am PDT

An interesting post by Eric Posner at The Volokh Conspiracy: Judge Sonia Sotomayor: What the Data Show. The conclusion of this analysis seems to be that Sotomayor is a stronger candidate for the Supreme Court in many ways than Samuel Alito was.

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Tags: Supreme Court, Barack Obama, Sonia Sotomayor

Cal. Supreme Court Upholds Proposition 8

US News | Tue, May 26, 2009 at 11:00:32 am PDT

Today the California Supreme Court upheld the vote for Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, but validated all marriages that took place before their ruling. Demonstrations are already in the works.

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Tags: Gay Rights, Marriage, Gay Marriage, Proposition 8

Obama's First Supreme Court Pick: Sonia Sotomayor

US News | Tue, May 26, 2009 at 9:35:52 am PDT

President Obama has picked a Hispanic woman, Sonia Sotomayor, to serve on the Supreme Court; she currently sits on the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and is from the Bronx. The New York Times has a collection of Statements on Sotomayor’s Nomination, and an article about her ...

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Tags: Supreme Court, Barack Obama, Sonia Sotomayor

Monday, May 25, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 11:16:51 pm PDT

The surface of the Earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean. From it we have learned most of what we know. Recently, we have waded a little out to sea, enough to dampen our toes or, at most, wet our ankles. The water seems inviting. The ocean calls. — Carl ...

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Tags: Open Thread

Dublin Archbishop: Church Leaders Are 'In Denial'

Religion | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 8:39:39 pm PDT

The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, has spoken out strongly against the Irish Catholic institutions that perpetrated and concealed the abuse of children for decades; but the Vatican itself remains silent. DUBLIN – Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin slammed Irish Catholic orders Monday for concealing their culpability in decades of child ...

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Tags: Vatican, Child Abuse, Ireland, Catholicism

Forward

Images | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 6:32:28 pm PDT

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Tags: Photograph, Cycling, IPhone

Audio: How to Argue with a Creationist

Science | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 5:12:54 pm PDT

Here’s a list of the most common creationist talking points, along with refutations of all of them, by Brian Dunning at Skeptoid.com: How to Argue with a Creationist. The audio version: [Audio] Can you guess how many of these endlessly recycled canards have been brought up in the evolution-related threads at LGF? (Try: ...

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Tags: Science, Religion, Evolution, Creationism

Bad Idea of the Day: The Criminals' Tour De France

Sports | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 3:06:57 pm PDT

Those wacky, irrepressible French! What will they think of next? What could possibly go wrong? NANTES, France (Reuters) – Close to 200 prisoners will cycle around France next month, watched by scores of guards on bicycles, in the first penal version of the Tour de France, authorities said Monday. The 196 ...

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Tags: France, Prisoners, Cycling, Tour De France, Criminals

Thugs Riot in Britain

World | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 12:58:22 pm PDT

In the British town of Luton, masked thugs and skinheads marched to protest Islamic extremism yesterday — and ended up rioting, stoning police, smashing car windshields and shop windows, and attacking at least one Asian man. Edmund Standing has a report at Harry’s Place: How NOT to oppose Al Muhajiroun. Pro-BNP ...

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Tags: Demonstration, Riots, BNP, Lionheart, Luton, Anti-Islam

iPhone Photography

Images | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 12:39:40 pm PDT

Photos you won’t believe were taken with the iPhone’s underpowered digital camera, at Chase Jarvis Photography. Also see: The Art of iPhone Photography.

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Tags: Photograph, IPhone, Digital Cameras

Paulians Pushing for Judge Napolitano

Media | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 11:47:53 am PDT

Ron Paul “activists” are pushing hard to get Judge Andrew Napolitano his own show on Fox News — because they know he’ll be an advocate for their whacked out economic theories and the conspiracy madness of people like Alex Jones and Lew Rockwell: Don’t read this if you aren’t a ...

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Tags: Truthers, Fox News, 9/11 Conspiracies, Ron Paul, Alex Jones, Lew Rockwell, Judge Andrew Napolitano

Colin Powell on Face the Nation

Politics | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 10:39:18 am PDT

Here’s Colin Powell on Face the Nation, addressing the attacks launched on him by Rush Limbaugh and former VP Dick Cheney. I had big differences with Colin Powell when he was Secretary of State, but I believe he’s right on the money when he says the Republican Party needs to reach ...

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Tags: GOP, Rush Limbaugh, Colin Powell, RNC, Republican Party, Moderates, Centrists

Memorial Day Technology: Map the Fallen

Technology | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 9:59:15 am PDT

Here’s a way to commemorate Memorial Day with the technology you’re using right now — your computer. Google engineer Sean Askay has created a “layer” for Google Earth with detailed information about the service members who gave their lives in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars: Map the Fallen. With Askay’s tool, ...

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Tags: Google, Military, Memorial Day

Ahmadinejad Decries NK Nuke Test

World | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 9:22:45 am PDT

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shakes a finger at North Korea, and apparently the world is supposed to believe this absurd charade. Tehran - Iran said Monday it opposed the nuclear test conducted Monday by North Korea and called for international efforts toward global denuclearization. “Iran basically opposes nuclear weapons and favours international ...

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Tags: Iran, Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, North Korea, Korea, Barack Obama, Unclench

The North Korean Nuclear Test

World | Mon, May 25, 2009 at 8:44:22 am PDT

They’re still not unclenching. How much more nicely can we ask? Joshua Stanton at OneFreeKorea has a detailed report on North Korea’s latest nuclear test, and the news isn’t good for the rest of the world. Seismic reports from the U.S. Geological Survey tell us that the blast created a magnitude ...

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Tags: Nuclear Weapons, North Korea, Korea, Barack Obama, Unclench

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sun, May 24, 2009 at 11:27:09 pm PDT

Wanda: But you think you’re an intellectual, don’t you, ape? Otto: [superior smile] Apes don’t read philosophy. Wanda: Yes they do, Otto, they just don’t understand it! Let me correct you on a few things; Aristotle was not Belgian! The central message of Buddhism is not “Every man for himself!” And the ...

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Tags: Open Thread

Google and Memorial Day

US News | Sun, May 24, 2009 at 8:55:09 pm PDT

Thank you, Google, for finally stepping up and commemorating Memorial Day.

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Tags: Google, Military, Memorial Day

Sekrit Counter-Jihad Summit Held

Sun, May 24, 2009 at 4:51:46 pm PDT

Another “counter-jihad summit” was held last weekend at a secret, highly secure location somewhere in the wilds of Muslim-occupied Copenhagen. Somehow the brave anti-jihad warriors managed to avoid being beheaded. UPDATE at 5/24/09 5:20:46 pm: Speaking of the fascist sympathizers at Gates of Vienna (linked above), you can now find their articles ...

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Tags: Europe, Gates Of Vienna, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Eurofascism, Anti-Jihad

The Door Opens - Update: The Door Closes

Open | Sun, May 24, 2009 at 2:27:09 pm PDT

Registration is open for a limited time. Read all the rules before you register, and commit them to memory. The short version: %%LIST=Don’t register with a proxy. Don’t register with a throwaway email address. Don’t register more than one account at a time. Don’t be a jerk. Don’t be a troll. Don’t be a sock puppet. Stinky ...

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Tags: Registration

Sunday Afternoon Music: Finn Brothers, 'Angel's Heap'

Music | Sun, May 24, 2009 at 1:46:04 pm PDT

Here’s the video for “Angel’s Heap,” another great song from the album Finn Brothers. [Video]

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Tags: Music, Crowded House, Finn Brothers

Appeals Court Upholds Tobacco Racketeering Rulings

US News | Sun, May 24, 2009 at 12:07:25 pm PDT

On Friday the American tobacco industry suffered a huge blow, as the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld earlier rulings that the industry violated federal racketeering laws in a decades-long scheme to deceive the public about the dangers of smoking. The court affirmed most remedies that ...

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Tags: Law, Tobacco Industry, Racketeering

Memorial Day 2009

US News | Sun, May 24, 2009 at 10:50:49 am PDT

On May 25th this year we honor the men and women of the US military who have died serving our country. As we fire up the barbecues and crack open our assorted beverages today, don’t forget to spend a few moments contemplating their sacrifices and giving thanks for these heroes ...

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Tags: Military, Memorial Day

Space Shuttle Lands Safely in California

Science | Sun, May 24, 2009 at 9:34:44 am PDT

The space shuttle Atlantis glided in to a perfect landing in California this morning, after a very successful 13-day mission to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. The shuttle was rerouted to California because of poor weather conditions in Florida. Total distance traveled during the mission: 5.3 million miles. Image credit: ...

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Tags: Science, NASA, Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, Space Exploration, Atlantis

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sat, May 23, 2009 at 11:20:01 pm PDT

Absolute truth belongs only to one class of humans ... the class of absolute fools. — Ashley Montagu

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Tags: Open Thread

We Got Mail!

Blogosphere | Sat, May 23, 2009 at 6:59:13 pm PDT

Several emails from a supporter of the “Pro-Köln” group in Germany provide a revealing (if disturbing) glimpse into the mindset of the people who are drawn to these fascist groups. Obscenities are left intact to give you the full experience. (To recap, “Pro-Köln” is the group of neo-Nazi-linked “anti-jihadists” that announced ...

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Tags: Europe, Robert Spencer, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Eurofascism, Anti-Jihad, Pamela Geller, Pro Koln

Video: Skewed Views of Science

Video | Sat, May 23, 2009 at 3:07:19 pm PDT

Another excellent video presentation from “QualiaSoup:” [Video]

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Tags: Science, Skepticism, Logic

Hezbollah Implicated in Hariri Murder

Middle East | Sat, May 23, 2009 at 2:30:29 pm PDT

Spiegel Online has an article with detailed information on the investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri — imagine my surprise to learn that New Evidence Points to Hezbollah in Hariri Murder. SPIEGEL has learned from sources close to the tribunal and verified by examining internal ...

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Tags: Lebanon, Syria, Assassination, Hezbollah, Hariri

Unorthodox Serbian Drug Treatment Techniques

Religion | Sat, May 23, 2009 at 12:02:48 pm PDT

The Serbian Orthodox Church has some rather unorthodox ideas about how to treat drug abusers. BELGRADE, May 23 (Reuters) - The Serbian Orthodox Church ordered the closure on Saturday of a treatment centre for drug abusers after a video showed a patient being beaten with a shovel, punched and kicked ...

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Tags: Crime, Serbia, Serbian Orthodox Church, Drug Treatment, Brutality

Scientific American Top 10 Honors 'Darwin's Golden Retriever'

Science | Sat, May 23, 2009 at 10:30:34 am PDT

Congrats and kudos to Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education, who was named as one of the Scientific American 10 for 2009. We recommend her book Not in Our Classrooms: Why Intelligent Design Is Wrong for Our Schools, co-written with Glenn Branch; a very informative look at the ...

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Tags: Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Scientific American, Eugenie Scott

GOP Goes Hat in Hand to HuffPo

Politics | Sat, May 23, 2009 at 9:19:26 am PDT

Our “weird bedfellows” story of the day: Republicans flock to The Huffington Post. When Tom Coburn wanted to pitch his criticism of the Democrats’ health care plan last month, the senator’s office considered sympathetic media outlets like The Wall Street Journal and the conservative blog RedState. Instead, the Oklahoma Republican went ...

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Tags: Antisemitism, Huffington Post, Hate Speech, GOP, Republican Party

Friday, May 22, 2009

And Now for a Joey

Images | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 11:05:11 pm PDT

A little joey, accidentally ejected from Mom’s pouch at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. From the Internet Center for the Study of Insanely Cute Baby Animals, Zooborns.

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Tags: Zoo, Animals, Cuteness, Kangaroo

Catholic League's Donohue: Irish Child Abuse Was No Big Deal

Religion | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 8:27:51 pm PDT

The Catholic League’s Bill Donohue brushes off the appalling report on child abuse by the Church in Ireland: it all happened before the 1970s, and in any case, these kids were “delinquents” and “miscreants” who probably deserved it. And besides, everybody was doing it back then. Reuters is reporting that “Irish ...

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Tags: Child Abuse, Ireland, Catholicism, Catholic League, Bill Donohue

Obama Springs to the Rescue, Signs Credit Card Bill

US News | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 8:06:01 pm PDT

Have no fear, your credit problems are over: Obama Signs Credit Card Bill. (CBS/ AP) President Barack Obama warned overeager shoppers and greedy credit card companies alike on Friday to act responsibly as he signed into law a bill designed to protect debt-ridden consumers from surprise charges. The White House staged ...

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Tags: Economy, Finance, Barack Obama, Business, Financial Crisis, Credit Card, Credit

Muslim Association of Britain Seething Over Israeli Tourism

World | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 5:52:55 pm PDT

The radical Islamic front group calling itself the Muslim Association Of Britain has launched a campaign to have Israeli tourism advertisements removed from London subway stations. The hypocrisy is stunning, of course — because even though it’s a regular feature of Palestinian propaganda to publish maps of the state of ...

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Tags: Radical Islam, Israel, Palestinians, Britain, Muslim Association Of Britain, MAB

'Mancow' Waterboarded - Lasts 6 Seconds Before Deciding 'It's Torture'

US News | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 3:14:51 pm PDT

Ranting “conservative” talk show host Erich “Mancow” Muller decided he would prove that waterboarding isn’t torture by undergoing the interrogation method himself. It didn’t turn out the way he expected: Mancow Waterboarded, Admits It’s Torture. Listeners had the chance to decide whether Mancow himself or his co-host, Chicago radio personality Pat ...

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Tags: Radio, Torture, Waterboarding

An Anti-Vaccination Doctor with a 'Troubling Record'

Health | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 2:23:09 pm PDT

In today’s Chicago Tribune, an exposé of a Chicago doctor who peddles anti-vaccination insanity to patients—along with quack remedies, including a claim that Vitamin D cures autism: Autism doctor: Troubling record trails doctor treating autism. Dr. Mayer Eisenstein comes across as a grandfatherly physician, a pat-on-the-knee practitioner who delivers babies ...

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Tags: Chicago, Health, Medicine, Kooks, Pseudo-Science, Vaccines, Autism

Falwell's University Purges Campus Democrats

US News | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 12:46:11 pm PDT

Liberty University, the fundamentalist Christian college founded by Jerry Falwell that actually has “biology” courses titled “Advanced Creation Studies,” has announced that they’re banning the campus Democratic Party club — despite the fact that the club opposes abortion and gay marriage. The religious right is starting to purge the unfaithful monkeys. ...

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Tags: Fundamentalism, Jerry Falwell, Social Conservatism, Religious Right, Liberty University

Midday Open Thread

Open | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 11:34:56 am PDT

Here’s an open thread while various analog obligations are being met...

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Tags: Open Thread

Krauthammer: Obama in Bush Clothing

Opinion | Fri, May 22, 2009 at 10:08:15 am PDT

Charles Krauthammer’s column today is about the Obama administration’s newfound fondness for the policies of the Bush administration: Obama Adopts the Bush Approach to the War on Terrorism. If hypocrisy is the homage that vice pays to virtue, then the flip-flops on previously denounced anti-terror measures are the homage that ...

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Tags: War On Terror, Charles Krauthammer, Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, Opinion

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Thu, May 21, 2009 at 11:06:15 pm PDT

I’ve had people walk out on me before, but not when I was being so charming. — Deckard, Blade Runner

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Tags: Open Thread

The Fascist Strategy of Entryism

World | Thu, May 21, 2009 at 8:59:32 pm PDT

The leader of the fascist British National Party, Nick Griffin, makes his agenda very clear in this video clip, from a meeting of “white nationalists” in America in 2000. Standing next to Griffin: former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. Keep in mind as you watch: this is exactly the same ...

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Tags: David Duke, Robert Spencer, Neo-Nazis, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Nick Griffin, BNP, British National Party, Eurofascism, Pamela Geller

Nirthers Fleecing the Flock

Moonbats | Thu, May 21, 2009 at 6:41:07 pm PDT

World Net Daily is now embarked on a campaign to fleece their gullible flock out of donations, so they can put up billboards asking, “Where’s the birth certificate?” For what purpose, nobody knows. Birth certificate billboard mania continues. Right-wing Trutherism comin’ atcha, courtesy of Weird Nut Drooly. WASHINGTON – More than $25,000 ...

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Tags: Conspiracy Theories, Barack Obama, Birth Certificate, Kooks, Nirthers

Who Cares About a Dead Lemur?

Thu, May 21, 2009 at 3:15:14 pm PDT

Organizations with the word “Family” in their name are invariably fundamentalists and creationists (with the possible exception of “Family Planning”), and OneNewsNow, the website of the “American Family News Network,” is a case in point as they react to the news of the “Ida” fossil by consulting Ken Ham, leader ...

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Tags: Science, Evolution, Creationism, Transitional Fossil, Answers In Genesis, Paleontology

The Gitmo Myth and the Torture Canard

Opinion | Thu, May 21, 2009 at 1:34:11 pm PDT

An excellent piece at Commentary by Arthur Herman on the history and purpose of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, and the unceasing distortions and falsehoods promoted by far-left groups: The Gitmo Myth and the Torture Canard. The standard argument is that the public shift in attitude toward Gitmo was gradual, ...

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Tags: Terrorism, Guantanamo Bay, Torture, Military Tribunals, Barack Obama

Thursday Afternoon Open

Open | Thu, May 21, 2009 at 12:32:39 pm PDT

Just another carefree, happy go lucky open thread for a sunny Thursday afternoon...

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Tags: Open Thread

More Details on New York Jihad Plot

US News | Thu, May 21, 2009 at 10:09:15 am PDT

The Associated Press has more details (including the militant Islam angle they were shying away from yesterday) on the suspects arrested in New York for plotting to bomb a synagogue and shoot Stinger missiles at military aircraft: NYC police: Terror suspects wanted to commit jihad. NEW YORK — Four men ...

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Tags: Militant Islam, Antisemitism, Terrorism, New York, FBI, Bombing

Serbians to Biden: 'Go Home, Nazi Scum'

World | Thu, May 21, 2009 at 9:46:18 am PDT

In Belgrade yesterday, far-right Serbian nationalists held signs in parliament calling Vice President Joe Biden a “fascist” and a “Nazi.” A classic case of projection. BELGRADE (AFP) — Serb ultra-nationalist lawmakers held up insulting signs in parliament Wednesday as US Vice President Joe Biden, considered a strong backer of Kosovo independence, ...

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Tags: War Crimes, Genocide, Fascism, Serbia, Nationalism, Joe Biden

California Officials Get 18% Pay Cut - Later

US News | Thu, May 21, 2009 at 9:16:27 am PDT

Following the ignoble defeat of every budget measure he tried to push, Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced that California’s top elected officials will get a salary cut of 18%. In ... uh ... seven months. Nice to see the Governator springing into action to handle the emergency. Schwarzenegger and other top officials ...

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Tags: Economy, Schwarzenegger, California, Budget

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 11:11:42 pm PDT

I believe that I’ve made good judgments in the past, and I think I’ve made good judgments in the future. — Dan Quayle

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Tags: Open Thread

Four US Muslims Arrested in Synagogue Bombing Plot

US News | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 9:07:34 pm PDT

Four US citizens have been arrested in upstate New York after an FBI sting operation; I had to search Google News for information on the suspects because most US media are concealing the fact that they’re Muslims connected to a mosque in Newburgh: Four Arrested Over ‘Plot To Bomb Synagogue’. ...

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Tags: Militant Islam, Antisemitism, Terrorism, New York, FBI, Bombing

Wednesday Night Book Thread

Books | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 7:29:59 pm PDT

The news about Ireland’s report on Catholic reform school child abuse came just as I was finishing a terrific series of crime novels by author Ken Bruen, set in Ireland. One of Bruen’s novels deals specifically with the “Magdalen Laundries” run by Catholic nuns, and the terrible effects on children ...

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Tags: Books, Kindle, Fiction, Ken Bruen

The Return of the Texas Creationist School Board Chairman

Science | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 5:55:35 pm PDT

Like a creationist zombie film franchise that returns for sequel after bad sequel, dentist Don McLeroy — the appallingly ignorant Biblical literalist appointed twice by Texas Governor Rick Perry to be in charge of the education of Texan children — is back in the running. Reports of his dismissal were ...

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Tags: Science, Texas, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Discovery Institute, Don McLeroy, Rick Perry

California Voters Say 'No Way!'

US News | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 4:56:25 pm PDT

All of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget measures and tax increases for California were shot down in flames yesterday, and now the question is: how will California dig itself out of its fiscal hole? Federal bail-out time? Well, he may have had a grand day in D.C. schmoozing with the Democratic president ...

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Tags: Economy, Schwarzenegger, California, Budget

Thousands of Children Abused and Raped in Irish Catholic Reform Schools

Religion | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 2:59:50 pm PDT

The horrific story behind Ireland’s Catholic reform schools has been circulating for a long time, but today the final report was issued after nine years of investigation, and the truth is more vile than we could have imagined: Thousands beaten, raped in Irish reform schools. DUBLIN (AP) — A fiercely ...

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Tags: Child Abuse, Ireland, Catholicism

Video: Whoopi Busts Beck for Lying

Video | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 1:19:26 pm PDT

Glenn Beck is beaten like a red-headed stepchild by ... Whoopi Goldberg. (And he deserves it.) [Video]

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Tags: Extremism, Glenn Beck, The View, Far Right, Fanaticism, Kooks

Going Ape?

Science | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 12:02:53 pm PDT

Among the geeks at ScienceBlogs, there’s a lot of debate about the appropriateness of the splashy media campaign to promote the “Ida” fossil; the NYT Opinionator blog has a round-up of the comments (and a nod to LGF for our Rush Limbaugh post): Let’s Not Go Ape Over Ida. I understand ...

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Tags: Science, Rush Limbaugh, Evolution, Creationism, Transitional Fossil, Paleontology

My Email to Geert Wilders

Opinion | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 10:40:56 am PDT

On December 16, 2008, I sent the following email to Geert Wilders: Dear Mr. Wilders, As I’m sure you’ve heard, I am a US blogger who’s very opposed to allowing the Belgian Vlaams Belang party to be involved in any ‘anti-jihad’ movements. I feel that the inclusion of the VB can ...

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Tags: Islam, Free Speech, Free Expression, Hate Speech, Geert Wilders, Bigotry

Senate Blocks Gitmo Closure

US News | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 10:12:51 am PDT

Wow. Ninety to six. The honeymoon is over for Barack Obama and Congress: Senate votes to block funds for Guantanamo closure. WASHINGTON (AP) — In a major rebuke to President Barack Obama, the Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to block the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the United States and ...

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Tags: Terrorism, Guantanamo Bay, Congress, Military Tribunals, Barack Obama

Bad Craziness in Italy

World | Wed, May 20, 2009 at 10:03:25 am PDT

An Italian politician has called for apartheid on public transport in Milan. A proposal to introduce racial segregation on trains, trams and buses in Milan provoked an outcry from Italian opposition politicians today. The scheme was put forward by a representative of the anti-immigrant Northern League, the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s ...

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Tags: Italy, Racism, Apartheid, Northern League

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Tue, May 19, 2009 at 11:20:40 pm PDT

The Brick House was one of the toughest joints I ever played in ... Guys would drink and fight one another like circle saws. Bottles would come flying over the bandstand like crazy and there was lots of plain common shooting and cutting. But somehow all that jive didn’t faze ...

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Tags: Open Thread

Rush Limbaugh, Creationist

Science | Tue, May 19, 2009 at 8:27:41 pm PDT

The question has come up several times, in our threads related to evolution, whether Rush Limbaugh is a creationist. I searched for definitive statements because I was curious where he stood, but was never able to really pin it down. Well, today he pretty much settled the matter, with a rant ...

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Tags: Science, Rush Limbaugh, Evolution, Creationism, Transitional Fossil, Paleontology

Steele Promises 'New Ideas'

Politics | Tue, May 19, 2009 at 5:31:04 pm PDT

Andrew Malcolm has the full text of GOP chairman Michael Steele’s speech today: RNC Chairman Michael Steele tries to re-rally the GOP. A point that Steele made: “The Republican Party is again going to emerge as the party of new ideas.” The key phrase, though, seems to be that the GOP is ...

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Tags: GOP, RNC, Michael Steele, Republican Party

The Link - Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor

Science | Tue, May 19, 2009 at 2:05:26 pm PDT

As we noted last week, an international team of scientists has unveiled a landmark discovery: an amazingly well-preserved 47-million year old fossil found in Germany that could be the common ancestor of all monkeys, apes, and human beings. This team has put together an excellent website with articles, photos, and video ...

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Tags: Science, Evolution, Transitional Fossil, Paleontology

Paulians Shout Down Lindsey Graham in SC, Sanford Co-Signs

Politics | Tue, May 19, 2009 at 11:10:57 am PDT

At the South Carolina GOP convention (where creationist Karen Floyd was unanimously elected to lead the state’s Republican Party), Sen. Lindsey Graham gave a speech that became a farce when he said, “Let me tell you — Ron Paul, I like, I admire him, but I don’t agree with him ...

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Tags: Science, GOP, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Ron Paul, South Carolina, Republican Party, Mark Sanford, Anti-Science, Karen Floyd, Lindsey Graham

Massive Measles Outbreak in Wales

Health | Tue, May 19, 2009 at 10:12:26 am PDT

The anti-vaccination insanity is starting to take a fatal toll across the pond as well: Measles outbreak ‘worst in years’. Health chiefs in Wales are dealing with a “massive” measles outbreak, with numbers already four times the highest figure recorded over the past 13 years. Four nursery school children were treated ...

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Tags: Wales, Health, Medicine, Kooks, Pseudo-Science, Vaccines

The Red Museum

Middle East | Tue, May 19, 2009 at 8:52:55 am PDT

Here’s Jerry Weinberger’s Iraq Journal, on a visit to Saddam’s chamber of horrors. There is nothing cold about the faces one sees on the walls of the Red Museum, where from 1979 until the uprising in 1991, Saddam tortured and killed in pursuit of the Kurdish rebels. Though Saddam usually ...

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Tags: War Crimes, Iraq, Saddam Hussein, Torture, Red Museum

Monday, May 18, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Mon, May 18, 2009 at 11:20:17 pm PDT

The sublime and the ridiculous are often so nearly related, that it is difficult to class them separately. One step above the sublime makes the ridiculous, and one step above the ridiculous makes the sublime again. — Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason

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Tags: Open Thread

Creationist Unanimously Elected to Lead SC Republican Party

Science | Mon, May 18, 2009 at 6:47:03 pm PDT

At the South Carolina GOP state convention yesterday, Karen Floyd was unanimously elected to lead the Republican Party: Floyd to lead GOP in S.C. State Republicans elected Spartanburg businesswoman Karen Floyd to head the party at a state convention that underscored the divisions facing the GOP as it prepares for ...

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Tags: Science, GOP, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, South Carolina, Republican Party, Anti-Science, Karen Floyd

An Open Letter to Oprah Winfrey

Health | Mon, May 18, 2009 at 6:03:12 pm PDT

Shirley Wu says it all in this open letter to Oprah, about her disastrous decision to give a talk show to anti-vaccination kook Jenny McCarthy: Dear Oprah, I have to confess, I have never watched more than a few minutes of your show. Probably not the best way to start a ...

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Tags: Health, Medicine, Kooks, Pseudo-Science, Vaccines, Jenny McCarthy, Oprah Winfrey

Video: DeNuke Iran

World | Mon, May 18, 2009 at 2:05:15 pm PDT

[Video] The petition mentioned in this video is here: DeNukeIran Declaration.

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Tags: Iran, Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, Ahmadinejad, Barack Obama

Steele: Purging Centrists is 'Boneheaded'

Politics | Mon, May 18, 2009 at 12:14:15 pm PDT

In an interview with Fox News’ Carl Cameron today, GOP chairman Michael Steele said that the idea of purging centrists from the Republican Party (an idea currently very popular in the right wing blogosphere) is “boneheaded.” Another quote from Steele’s interview: How is kicking Colin Powell out, or kicking Dick Cheney ...

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Tags: GOP, Rush Limbaugh, RNC, Michael Steele, Moderates, Centrists

Space Shuttle Hubble Mission Wrapping Up

Science | Mon, May 18, 2009 at 11:03:32 am PDT

The astronauts are finished with their repairs of the Hubble Space Telescope, and now we can’t wait to see the images from the powerful new instruments they’ve installed. They’re doing tool inventory and cleanup before ending their final spacewalk; you can watch live at NASA TV.

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Tags: Science, NASA, Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, Space Exploration, Atlantis

Gerecht on the Israel-US Meeting

Middle East | Mon, May 18, 2009 at 10:02:45 am PDT

As Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet with Barack Obama in Washington DC, former CIA officer Reuel Marc Gerecht has a good piece in the Wall Street Journal on the storm brewing in the Middle East over Iran’s nuclear aspirations: Netanyahu and Obama Have a Shared Interest in Iran. We shouldn’t ...

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Tags: Israel, Antisemitism, Iran, Nuclear Proliferation, Barack Obama, Benjamin Netanyahu

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 11:03:30 pm PDT

By sealing our work with our blood, we may see at least the bright dawn of universal happiness. — Maximilien Robespierre

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Tags: Open Thread

Sunday Night Music: Finn Brothers, 'Only Talking Sense'

Music | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 7:07:45 pm PDT

From one of my desert island records, Finn Brothers, here are Neil and Tim Finn with a great song and a truly weird video, “Only Talking Sense.” [Video]

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Tags: Music, Crowded House, Finn Brothers

Maureen Dowd Plagiarizes Josh Marshall

Blogosphere | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 6:03:03 pm PDT

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd very obviously plagiarized Josh Marshall, in yet another editorial bashing the Bush administration: NY Times’ Maureen Dowd Plagiarizes TPM’s Josh Marshall. Increasingly, this is what the New York Times — and Fox News — does: appropriate the work of bloggers and claim it as their ...

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Tags: New York Times, Plagiarism, Media Malfeasance

The Great Adobe Flash Downgrade Maneuver

Technology | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 5:42:12 pm PDT

OK, so I upgraded to Adobe’s latest version of the Flash plugin recently, version 10. Big mistake. My Intel Mac desktop machine promptly started getting very cranky. Safari slowed down. Video playback was jerky and slow. Other applications were affected too; the excellent utility Keyboard Maestro became almost unuseable, it was so ...

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Tags: Apple, Software, Mac Os X, Flash, Adobe, Downgrade

Onion: The Congressman's Son

Video | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 4:45:08 pm PDT

I think I saw this kid at the supermarket the other day... [Video]

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Tags: Humor, Congress, Onion, Politicians, Kids

Tamil Tiger Terrorists Give Up

World | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 1:51:23 pm PDT

After decades of suicide bombings and terrorist attacks, the Sri Lankan military has dealt a decisive blow to the Tamil Tigers. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The Tamil Tigers admitted defeat Sunday in their fierce quarter-century war for a separate homeland as government forces raced to clear the last pockets ...

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Tags: Terrorism, Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka

Obama at Notre Dame

US News | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 11:18:34 am PDT

President Obama is about to speak at Notre Dame’s commencement ceremony; here’s an open thread to discuss, as Alan Keyes and Randall Terry gnash their teeth, and the audience gives Obama a standing ovation... UPDATE at 5/17/09 12:44:12 pm: Here’s the Text of Obama’s Notre Dame speech. Since it’s the big issue ...

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Tags: Barack Obama, Abortion, Notre Dame, Alan Keyes, Lambs Of Christ

Space Shuttle Hubble Mission Live

Science | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 11:01:54 am PDT

The astronauts from shuttle Atlantis are working on the Hubble Space Telescope right now, entering the fourth hour of their spacewalk. You can watch live at NASA TV; as I write there’s a glorious view of the Earth with an astronaut silhouetted against it, as they pass over Africa at ...

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Tags: Science, NASA, Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, Space Exploration, Atlantis

Ridiculous Propaganda Photo of the Day

Images | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 10:12:58 am PDT

Every year, when the Palestinian whinefest known as “Nakba” rolls around, the wire services dutifully publish photo after photo of Palestinians holding keys, “symbolizing” the loss of their houses in 1948 when the state of Israel was established. But this year we have the most ridiculous example yet — an obviously ...

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Tags: Palestinians, Propaganda, Media Bias, Associated Press, Fauxtography, Nakba, Staging

Kuwaiti Women Win Parliamentary Seats

World | Sun, May 17, 2009 at 9:39:28 am PDT

Fantastic news from Kuwait, where the modern world finally seems to be taking hold: In a first, four women elected to parliament. Some great news for women in the conservative Persian Gulf: Kuwaitis elected their first-ever women lawmakers [second item] to parliament. Voters in four districts elevated women into parliamentary jobs. It’s ...

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Tags: Islam, Women's Rights, Democracy, Elections, Kuwait

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sat, May 16, 2009 at 11:09:48 pm PDT

You’ve got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there. — Yogi Berra

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Tags: Open Thread

Saturday Night Oddity: 'Does This Excite You?'

Video | Sat, May 16, 2009 at 8:22:17 pm PDT

Journey with Estus Washington Pirkle, as he asks and answers the question, “How does an expert view heaven?” [Video]

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Tags: Video, Weirdness, Pirkle, Heaven

The Moronic Convergence of ID Creationism and Islamic Creationism

Science | Sat, May 16, 2009 at 2:54:37 pm PDT

“Intelligent design” creationist Denyse O’Leary interviews Islamic creationist Adnan Oktar (aka Harun Yahya); bug-eyed insanity ensues: Interview with Turkish Darwin doubter Adnan Oktar. O’Leary calls Oktar’s book The Evolution Deceit: “the most succinct and comprehensive of the critiques of overblown claims for Darwinian evolution that I have ever read.” Other books by ...

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Tags: Turkey, Religion, Evolution, Creationism, Harun Yahya, Adnan Oktar, Denyse O'Leary

UC Irvine Muslim Student Union Antisemitic Hatefest, Featuring Cynthia McKinney

US News | Sat, May 16, 2009 at 1:00:15 pm PDT

I’ve posted many times about the radical Islamic group calling itself the Muslim Student Union at UC Irvine; well, they’re at it again, with another anti-Israel extravaganza featuring hate speech and conspiracy theories from the likes of the notorious Cynthia McKinney and the completely insane Abdel Malik Ali: Amir Abdel ...

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Tags: Antisemitism, Cynthia McKinney, Hate Speech, Muslim Student Union, UC Irvine

Utah's Huntsman to Be Ambassador to China

Politics | Sat, May 16, 2009 at 10:04:30 am PDT

Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr., one of the very few top GOP politicians who isn’t a creationist, doesn’t oppose gay rights, and doesn’t issue blanket denials of climate change, will be Barack Obama’s ambassador to China. President Barack Obama named Republican Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. as his pick ...

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Tags: Science, China, GOP, Evolution, Ambassador, Republican Party, Jon Huntsman

Video: Hummingbird Time Warp

Video | Sat, May 16, 2009 at 9:58:04 am PDT

Something amazing to start off a Saturday: [Video]

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Tags: Science, Nature, Hummingbird, High Speed Photography

Friday, May 15, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 11:07:50 pm PDT

Forgive me my nonsense as I also forgive the nonsense of those who think they talk sense. — Robert Frost

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Tags: Open Thread

Alan Keyes Arrested at Notre Dame with Radical Anti-Abortion Activists

Religion | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 8:11:39 pm PDT

Not one of these people uttered a word of protest when Notre Dame University tried to bring radical Islamist Tariq Ramadan to the school, to make him chairman of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. But Tariq Ramadan is in favor of the death penalty for homosexuals, so ...

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Tags: Tariq Ramadan, Barack Obama, Abortion, Notre Dame, Alan Keyes, Lambs Of Christ

Friday Night Music: Tommy Emmanuel, 'Mombasa'

Video | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 5:35:28 pm PDT

Tommy Emmanuel turns his guitar into a whole percussion section, with a tune called “Mombasa,” available on the terrific album Center Stage. [Video]

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Tags: Music, Acoustic Guitar, Tommy Emmanuel

No More War

US News | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 3:21:13 pm PDT

The war has been going on for about 40 years, with no victory in sight; now the Obama administration is preparing to call it quits. Or at least, preparing to quit calling it a “war:” White House Czar Calls for End to ‘War on Drugs’. WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s new ...

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Tags: Barack Obama, Drugs, War On Drugs, Kerlikowske

A Landmark Discovery in Human Evolution?

Science | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 1:02:54 pm PDT

Next week at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History, an international team of scientists will unveil a complete, 47-million year old fossil found in Germany that may be one of the most important anthropological discoveries ever made: a primate creature that could be the common ancestor of all ...

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Tags: Science, Evolution, Transitional Fossil, Paleontology

That Tiny Popping Sound You Hear is the Exploding of Lefty Bloggers' Heads

US News | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 11:05:50 am PDT

Another flip-flop from the Obama administration, and another case where we have to give him a thumbs-up for doing the right thing even though you can already hear the shrieking from the left: Obama revives tribunals for Gitmo detainees. WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he is restarting military ...

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Tags: Terrorism, Guantanamo Bay, Military Tribunals, Barack Obama

Glenn Beck Fears Assassins

Media | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 9:49:58 am PDT

Rupert Murdoch may need to put Glenn Beck on suicide watch after his latest paranoid rant about ACORN: “If I’m ever in a weird car accident, or I commit suicide or something, after the media stops celebrating my death, could they check into it? Because I’m not suicidal. And I’m ...

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Tags: Extremism, Glenn Beck, Far Right, Fanaticism, Kooks

Muslim Brotherhood Faltering in Egypt

World | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 9:35:05 am PDT

The global jihadist organization calling itself the Muslim Brotherhood is on the ropes in Egypt—and that’s good news, even though Hosni Mubarak is nobody’s idea of a hero. ALEXANDRIA, Egypt — Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is on the defensive, its struggles reverberating throughout Islamist movements that the secretive organization has spawned ...

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Tags: Militant Islam, Islam, Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood, Mubarak

Krauthammer: The Torture Debate, Continued

Opinion | Fri, May 15, 2009 at 8:58:07 am PDT

Charles Krauthammer’s previous column provoked several angry responses from other pundits, and today he responds: The Torture Debate, Continued. This month, I wrote a column outlining two exceptions to the no-torture rule: the ticking time bomb scenario and its less extreme variant in which a high-value terrorist refuses to divulge ...

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Tags: Torture, CIA, Charles Krauthammer, Nancy Pelosi, Opinion

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Thu, May 14, 2009 at 11:00:24 pm PDT

In school they told me “Practice makes perfect.” And then they told me “Nobody’s perfect.” So then I stopped practicing. — Steven Wright

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Tags: Open Thread

GOP State Sen. Kim Hendren: 'That Jew'

Politics | Thu, May 14, 2009 at 6:03:38 pm PDT

With the GOP on the ropes and struggling to keep from being knocked out, this is probably the last news Michael Steele wants to hear: GOP Sen. hopeful heard calling Schumer ‘that Jew’. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A Republican state lawmaker hoping for his party’s nod to run for ...

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Tags: Antisemitism, GOP, Republican Party

Video: Michael Shermer, Why Darwin Matters

Video | Thu, May 14, 2009 at 3:07:39 pm PDT

Here’s Skeptic Magazine publisher Michael Shermer, with a great presentation at the University of California, San Diego, based on his book, Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design. [Video] (Hat tip: Thanos.)

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Tags: Science, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Skepticism, Michael Shermer

Thursday Afternoon Open

Open | Thu, May 14, 2009 at 12:16:11 pm PDT

The small become the great, the great the small; The right thing happens to the happy man. — Theodore Roethke

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Tags: Open Thread

California Bankruptcy Sale

US News | Thu, May 14, 2009 at 11:20:15 am PDT

California’s going out of business! Everything must go! Unbelievable deals available on San Quentin State Prison, the L.A. Coliseum, and the Orange County Fairgrounds! Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!

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Tags: Economy, Schwarzenegger, California, Budget

Simon: How Ahmadinejad Made Me a Believer

Religion | Thu, May 14, 2009 at 10:04:56 am PDT

Roger L. Simon says that coming face to face with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad turned him into a believer.

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Tags: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Geneva, Durban

Pelosi Accuses CIA of Lying to Her About Waterboarding

Politics | Thu, May 14, 2009 at 9:24:58 am PDT

Obviously, Nancy Pelosi can’t continue to stick to her story that she was “never told” that the CIA was using waterboarding on a few detained terrorists, now that documents have been released showing that she was briefed on it. So now she says the CIA lied to her. House Speaker Nancy ...

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Tags: Torture, CIA, Nancy Pelosi, Porter Goss, Waterboarding

DHS to Replace 'Right Wing Extremism' Report

Politics | Thu, May 14, 2009 at 8:36:34 am PDT

After weeks of political grandstanding and misguided ranting from bloggers and talk show hosts over the DHS report on “right wing extremism,” Janet Napolitano announced yesterday that the DHS has removed the report from their websites: Napolitano defends security budget, extremism report. Napolitano, testifying before the House appropriations sub-committee on ...

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Tags: Extremism, Neo-Nazis, Veterans, Right-Wing, DHS, Militias, Napolitano

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Get This Man Some Pants

Images | Wed, May 13, 2009 at 11:02:11 pm PDT

This man deserves a medal. And some pants. Army Spc. Zachary Boyd of Fort Worth battles the Taliban on Monday in Afghanistan as he wears his “I love NY” boxer shorts. Boyd rushed from his sleeping quarters to join his fellow platoon members. (Hat tip: Killgore.)

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Tags: Militant Islam, Taliban, Afghanistan, Military, Pants, Underwear

Exploring Life's Origins

Science | Wed, May 13, 2009 at 6:49:12 pm PDT

Scientists in Britain have made a breakthrough in their research into the origins of life on earth: How RNA Got Started. The new findings map out a series of simple, efficient chemical reactions that could have formed molecules of RNA, a close cousin of DNA, from the basic materials available ...

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Tags: Science, Origin Of Life, RNA, Chemistry

Another Monckton Climate Change Fraud

Environment | Wed, May 13, 2009 at 3:50:48 pm PDT

Christopher Monckton, who last appeared at LGF in July 2008 when he claimed to have a peer reviewed paper showing that the Earth’s climate sensitivity had been vastly overstated (a claim that turned out to be false), has been caught out again, deliberately manipulating data to claim that IPCC projections ...

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Tags: Global Warming, Climate Change, Carbon Dioxide, Christopher Monckton

Obama Tries to Block Release of Abuse Photos

Politics | Wed, May 13, 2009 at 12:34:41 pm PDT

President Obama keeps surprising (and enraging) the far left, by actually taking his duties as Commander in Chief seriously: Obama seeks to block release of abuse photos. WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is seeking to block the release of hundreds of photos showing prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan being abused, ...

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Tags: Abu Ghraib, Military, Torture, Barack Obama

Mac OS 10.5.7 Security Update Available

Science | Wed, May 13, 2009 at 11:45:28 am PDT

Apple users: run, don’t walk, to your Software Update application and grab the latest update to Mac OS X, with important security enhancements: Apple Unveils Mac OS X 10.5.7 and Safari Updates. The security update for the beta version of Safari 4 is available at the Apple website: Apple - Safari ...

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Tags: Apple, Software, Web Browser, Safari, Mac Os X

Egyptian Child Abuse

Video | Wed, May 13, 2009 at 11:00:33 am PDT

Since Barack Obama has announced that he plans to address the Muslim world from Egypt in early June, perhaps he could raise the subject of television shows like this one, broadcast on Egyptian/Saudi channel Al-Hafez TV on April 27, 2009, featuring a smiling, jovial host indoctrinating Arab children to hate ...

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Tags: Islam, Egypt, Koran, Child Abuse, Indoctrination

Video: Grabbing the Space Telescope

Science | Wed, May 13, 2009 at 9:45:10 am PDT

Space shuttle Atlantis is about to latch onto the Hubble Space Telescope to begin its repair mission; here’s the live feed from NASA TV as Atlantis approaches the telescope: [Live feed now disabled...] UPDATE at 5/13/09 10:17:48 am: It’s so cool to watch this live — the shuttle has successfully used its grappling ...

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Tags: Science, NASA, Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, Space Exploration, Atlantis

Aussie Antisemite Charged After Blog Outing

World | Wed, May 13, 2009 at 9:15:02 am PDT

Dave at Israellycool has the story of an Australian Holocaust denier now facing charges under Australia’s “racist vilification” laws, after being exposed by Israellycool and Tim Blair. Also see: WA man accused of anti-Jew YouTube posts.

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Tags: Antisemitism, Holocaust Denial, Australia, Hate Speech

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Tue, May 12, 2009 at 11:18:43 pm PDT

Experience: The wisdom that enables us to recognise in an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced. — Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary

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Tags: Open Thread

RedState Proves the GOP Isn't 'Anti-Science' - By Promoting Creationism

Science | Tue, May 12, 2009 at 6:18:22 pm PDT

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry after reading this post that was “promoted” to the front page of RedState.com, trying to prove that Republicans are not anti-science... with an ignorant rant in favor of teaching “intelligent design” creationism. Yep. Really. Writer “realityunwound” tries to turn the tables and say that ...

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Tags: Science, GOP, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Republican Party, Anti-Science

EPA Head Flips, Flops

Environment | Tue, May 12, 2009 at 2:48:03 pm PDT

The Environmental Protection Agency seems to be backtracking on recent statements in favor of regulating CO2 emissions, after a document warning of economic damage was leaked: EPA Chief: CO2 Danger Finding May Not ‘Mean Regulation’. WASHINGTON — The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday a finding that ...

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Tags: Global Warming, Climate Change, Carbon Dioxide, EPA, Environmental Protection Agency

Logical Fallacy of the Day: 'No True Scotsman'

Opinion | Tue, May 12, 2009 at 12:13:20 pm PDT

Today’s logical fallacy goes by the name: No True Scotsman. No True Scotsman is a logical fallacy by which an individual attempts to avoid being associated with an unpleasant act by asserting that no true member of the group they belong to would do such a thing. The term was coined ...

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Tags: Logic, No True Scotsman

World Media Falls for Another Hoax

Media | Tue, May 12, 2009 at 11:27:29 am PDT

Layers upon layers of sophisticated fact-checking, foiled again: Irish student hoaxes world’s media with fake quote. PDT DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) — When Dublin university student Shane Fitzgerald posted a poetic but phony quote on Wikipedia, he said he was testing how our globalized, increasingly Internet-dependent media was upholding accuracy and ...

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Tags: Media Bias, Hoax, Wikipedia, Media Blindness

The Door Opens - Update: The Door Closes

Open | Tue, May 12, 2009 at 9:48:01 am PDT

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Tags: Registration

Totten: The Future of Iraq

World | Tue, May 12, 2009 at 9:14:02 am PDT

Michael Totten has posted the first of a four-part series exploring the big issue on everyone’s minds: The Future of Iraq. Iraq has never been successfully governed by anyone but a strongman. You might even say Iraq has never been successfully governed at all. Who today sincerely believes the use ...

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Tags: Iraq, Military, Michael J. Totten, Journalism, Baghdad

Camera: Jew Hatred at HuffPo

Media | Tue, May 12, 2009 at 8:52:09 am PDT

Camera.org has an interesting article asking the question: Has the Huffington Post Become a Magnet for Israel Haters? Outside of its coverage of Israel, the Huffington Post articles and opinion columns reflect liberal-left sentiment. But many of the views expressed on comment threads relating to Israel are not liberal or ...

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Tags: Antisemitism, Huffington Post, Hate Speech

Monday, May 11, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 10:53:14 pm PDT

He snorted and hit me in the solar plexus. I bent over and took hold of the room with both hands and spun it. When I had it nicely spinning I gave it a full swing and hit myself on the back of the head with the floor. — Raymond Chandler, Pearls ...

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Tags: Open Thread

Monday Night Music: Shawn Colvin, 'Diamond in the Rough'

Video | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 5:59:40 pm PDT

Here’s Shawn Colvin live on the PBS show “Sessions at West 54th Street,” with an excellent performance of “Diamond in the Rough” from her first album Steady On. She’s accompanied by bassist Larry Klein and guitarist Steuart Smith. [Video]

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Tags: Music, Shawn Colvin

Monday Afternoon Open

Open | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 3:34:00 pm PDT

Nathan: Who the hell are you? Leonard: Smalls. Leonard Smalls. My friends call me Lenny. But I got no friends. — Coen Brothers, Raising Arizona

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Tags: Open Thread

Iran Frees US Journalist

World | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 2:59:11 pm PDT

US journalist Roxana Saberi has been freed by Iran after being sentenced to 8 years in prison on trumped-up espionage charges after a 15-minute “trial:” US journalist freed by Iran, reunited with parents. Associated Press writer Ali Akbar Dareini seems to believe this ridiculous charade will help Barack Obama achieve “dialogue” ...

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Tags: Iran, Media Bias, Roxana Saberi

Pope Walks Out After Sheikh's Anti-Israel Diatribe

Middle East | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 12:23:23 pm PDT

When the “Chief Islamic Judge” of the “moderate” Palestinian Authority launched a vicious tirade against Israel at a meeting attended by Pope Benedict today (even though he wasn’t scheduled to speak at all), the Pope walked out. Chief Islamic Judge of the Palestinian Authority, Sheikh Tayseer Rajab Tamimi, launched a ...

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Tags: Israel, Palestinians, Islam, RoP, Pope Benedict

Space Shuttle Hubble Mission: A Perfect Launch

Science | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 11:41:04 am PDT

A perfect launch this morning sent the space shuttle Atlantis into orbit, ready to begin an 11-day mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA TV is replaying the launch on their video channel.

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Tags: Science, NASA, Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, Space Exploration, Atlantis

The Amazing, All-New, Never Seen Before '57-State Solution'

Middle East | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 11:05:00 am PDT

Jordan’s King Abdullah says that the US and Barack Obama are promoting a “new plan” for peace in the Middle East—a “57-state solution.” LONDON (Reuters) - The United States is promoting a peace plan for the Middle East involving a “57-state solution” in which the entire Muslim world would recognize ...

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Tags: Israel, Jordan, Arab World, Barack Obama, King Abdullah

Facebook Welcomes Holocaust Deniers, Bans Breast Feeding

Media | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 10:55:14 am PDT

There’s something rotten at Facebook: Jew Haters Welcome At Facebook, As Long As They Aren’t Lactating. Way more countries have laws against holocaust denial (11 or so) than breast feeding (0), but guess which one is banned on Facebook? That’s right. Pictures of breast feeding babies are indecent, so they’re ...

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Tags: Antisemitism, Facebook, Jew Hatred

Stephanopoulos: Edwards Staff Planned to Reveal Affair

Politics | Mon, May 11, 2009 at 10:11:31 am PDT

Here’s a classic moment in modern American politics, as George Stephanopoulos reveals that John Edwards’ own staff had a “doomsday” plan to sabotage his campaign. ABC contributor George Will suggested former Sen. John Edwards was irresponsible to campaign for the Democratic Party nomination. “Think about what a tragedy it would have ...

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Tags: Corruption, John Edwards, Affair

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sun, May 10, 2009 at 11:27:25 pm PDT

These are the desolate, dark weeks when nature in its barrenness equals the stupidity of man. The year plunges into night and the heart plunges lower than night — William Carlos Williams

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Tags: Open Thread

Space Shuttle Hubble Mission on Schedule

Science | Sun, May 10, 2009 at 6:19:38 pm PDT

The space shuttle Atlantis is on the launchpad and on schedule to launch at 2:01 pm EDT tomorrow (Monday), for its mission to perform extensive repairs and maintenance on the Hubble Space Telescope. It’s been seven years since the Hubble was serviced, so there’s a lot to do; five spacewalks are ...

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Tags: Science, NASA, Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, Space Exploration, Atlantis

Sunday Night Music: Antoine Dufour, 'Scratch'

Video | Sun, May 10, 2009 at 5:18:53 pm PDT

Here’s acoustic guitar madman Antoine Dufour, with an exceptionally clean performance of “Scratch,” from the album Naissance. [Video]

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Tags: Music, Acoustic Guitar, Antoine Dufour

Video: Wanda Sykes Goofs on Rush Limbaugh

Video | Sun, May 10, 2009 at 2:34:50 pm PDT

Lots of people freaking out about Wanda Sykes’ jokes about Rush Limbaugh today. Here’s the video, so you can decide for yourself whether you want to laugh, yawn, or go ballistic... [Video]

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Tags: Rush Limbaugh, Barack Obama, Wanda Sykes

'Pro-Koln' Fascist Update - Day Three

World | Sun, May 10, 2009 at 1:17:31 pm PDT

The gathering of extreme right wing Eurofascist groups (including representatives from Belgium’s Vlaams Belang and France’s Front National) billing itself as the “Pro-Köln Anti-Islamization Congress” wrapped up their event today, with another miserable failure. They promised thousands of supporters would show up, but on the last day the total was about ...

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Tags: Europe, Robert Spencer, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Eurofascism, Anti-Jihad, Pamela Geller, Pro Koln

IPT: FBI Explains CAIR Cutoff

US News | Sun, May 10, 2009 at 10:53:57 am PDT

The Investigative Project has new details on the FBI’s decision to sever its ties to the Hamas-linked radical Islamic front group CAIR: FBI Explains Its CAIR Cut Off. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is not “an appropriate liaison partner” for the FBI because of evidence linking the organization and ...

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Tags: Radical Islam, Hamas, CAIR, Propaganda, Council On American Islamic Relations, FBI, Harassment

Happy Mother's Day

Lifestyle | Sun, May 10, 2009 at 9:40:10 am PDT

We wish a very happy and safe Mother’s Day to all LGF readers, and especially to the mothers, without whom none of us would be here. The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key ...

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Tags: Mother's Day

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sat, May 9, 2009 at 11:05:56 pm PDT

A man must be excessively stupid, as well as uncharitable, who believes that there is no virtue but on his own side, and that there are not men as honest as himself who may differ from him in political principles. — Joseph Addison

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Tags: Open Thread

Video: In the Womb: Extreme Animals

Video | Sat, May 9, 2009 at 8:49:19 pm PDT

For Mother’s Day tomorrow, the National Geographic Channel has a fascinating show in the works, titled In The Womb: Extreme Animals, exploring the reproduction of four different animals with real-time 4D ultrasound images. Here’s a video clip of the section dealing with a penguin fetus and its extraordinary method of ...

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Tags: Science, National Geographic, Biology, Animals

Discover: Why Does the Vaccine/Autism Controversy Live On?

Health | Sat, May 9, 2009 at 6:12:40 pm PDT

Discover Magazine has an excellent article by Chris Mooney on the anti-vaccination insanity that crosses political boundaries, and is now becoming a major risk to public health: Why Does the Vaccine/Autism Controversy Live On? Vaccines do not cause autism. That was the ruling in each of three critical test cases ...

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Tags: Science, Health, Medicine, Kooks, Pseudo-Science, Vaccines, Anti-Science

New LGF-Related Blog: Defending the Defensible

Blogosphere | Sat, May 9, 2009 at 2:28:16 pm PDT

Here’s a new blog that will be of interest to LGF readers: Defending the Defensible. (Kudos to whoever is responsible for this one. Stinky and I appreciate the support.) Also see: Wild Irish Rose: Charles Johnson is right: defending the defensible. UPDATE at 5/9/09 5:17:20 pm: Here are two of the people responsible for the ...

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Tags: Stalkers, Kooks, Extremists, Creeps

'Pro-Koln' Fascist Update - Day Two Another Bust

World | Sat, May 9, 2009 at 1:05:35 pm PDT

The gathering of Eurofascist groups (including representatives from Belgium’s Vlaams Belang and France’s Front National) billing itself as the “Pro-Köln Anti-Islamization Congress” had another disastrous day today, with only around 150 demonstrators showing up (many from Belgium and the Czech Republic) — vastly outnumbered by about 4,000 counter-demonstrators: Colorful Cologne ...

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Tags: Europe, Robert Spencer, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Eurofascism, Anti-Jihad, Pamela Geller, Pro Koln

Saturday Afternoon Open

Open | Sat, May 9, 2009 at 12:11:47 pm PDT

Perhaps this is our strange and haunting paradox in America—that we are fixed and certain only when we are in movement. At any rate, this is how it seemed to young George Webber, who was never so assured of his purpose as when he was going somewhere on a train. ...

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Tags: Open Thread

Wingnuts of the Week - By Former Giuliani Speechwriter

Opinion | Sat, May 9, 2009 at 10:33:41 am PDT

Former Rudy Giuliani speechwriter John Avlon, author of Independent Nation: How the Vital Center Is Changing American Politics, has a new feature for CNN’s “American Morning:” Wingnuts of the week. Here’s how Avlon introduces the segment: We’re trying out a new segment on “American Morning” called “Wingnuts of the Week.” It ...

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Tags: Cynthia McKinney, Rudy Giuliani, Kooks, Extremists, Michele Bachmann, John Avlon

Religion of Tolerance Demands Apology from Pope

Middle East | Sat, May 9, 2009 at 9:43:40 am PDT

Jordanian Muslim leaders welcomed Pope Benedict to their country by whining and complaining about his speech that urged reconciliation between Christians and Muslims. And of course, the Pope has already issued the apology they’re demanding. AMMAN (AFP) — Jordanian clerics expressed disappointment that Pope Benedict XVI in an address to Muslim ...

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Tags: Islam, RoP, Pope Benedict, Jordan, Amman

Friday, May 08, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 10:59:55 pm PDT

I find it truly stunning how many people can shrug off stuff like this, preferring instead a tiny, cramped cosmos just 6,000 years old, scheduled to end any-time-now in a scripted stage show. An ancient and immense and ongoing cosmos is so vastly more dramatic and worthy of a majestic ...

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Tags: Open Thread

Onion: Special Boy with Freakishly Large Brain Wins Spelling Bee

Video | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 6:45:51 pm PDT

Uh ... I used to win spelling bees too. Does that make me some kind of freak? [Video]

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Tags: Humor, Spelling, Onion, Anti-Intellectualism

Friday Night Shred: Paul Gilbert, 'The Curse of Castle Dragon'

Video | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 5:34:22 pm PDT

Mind-melting technique from Paul Gilbert in his astronaut suit and headphones, recorded live in Paris in 2007. The tune is “The Curse of Castle Dragon,” from his album Get Out of My Yard. (Hit the HQ button for much better audio and video.) [Video]

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Tags: Electric Guitar, Music. Paul Gilbert

'Pro-Koln' Fascist Update

World | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 3:55:27 pm PDT

The first day of the “anti-Islamization” conference in Köln, Germany, was an utter disaster for the pro-Köln and pro-NRW groups; only about 80 people showed up at the pro-NRW demonstration in Dormagen, and only 60 at the pro-Köln demonstration in Leverkusen. There were more counter-protesters than anti-Islam protesters in ...

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Tags: Europe, Robert Spencer, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Eurofascism, Anti-Jihad, Pamela Geller, Pro Koln

Louis Caldera Goes Under the Bus

US News | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 3:26:25 pm PDT

For authorizing the incredibly stupid Air Force One New York flyover, military office director Louis Caldera is out of a job. A White House aide joined the unemployment lines today for his role in Air Force One’s controversial photo-op flyover above New York, the Obama administration just announced. (Of course, ...

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Tags: Barack Obama, Air Force One, Photo Op

Obama Will Speak to Muslims From Egypt

Politics | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 2:03:32 pm PDT

After much consultation and an entire research team’s worth of expertise, Barack Obama has decided to address the Muslim world from Hosni Mubarak’s dictatorship: Obama to Address Muslim World From Egypt. Hosni is relieved he won’t have to put up with any more of that annoying “democracy” talk. President Obama will ...

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Tags: Egypt, Diplomacy, Barack Obama

Glenn Beck: 'The Government is the Devil'

Moonbats | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 11:54:04 am PDT

Glenn Beck continues his string of loony, irresponsible, extremist statements by saying, “The government is the devil.” From his May 5th radio show: GLENN: No, did he say — go quote the scripture to your professor. Ask him, did Jesus say when a man asks for your shirt, you give the government your ...

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Tags: Extremism, Glenn Beck, Far Right, Fanaticism, Kooks

Friday Morning Open

Open | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 11:04:26 am PDT

It’s still morning on the west coast, so here’s an open thread as the world keeps turning...

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Tags: Open Thread

The Breakdown of the 'Special Relationship'

Middle East | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 9:29:29 am PDT

No surprise from me over this news; during the campaign, Barack Obama’s ties to numerous radical Palestinians and leftists made it very clear that this was in the cards if he were elected: Jerusalem worried over breakdown of U.S.-Israel cooperation under Obama. Obama’s foreign policy plan seems to be to reach ...

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Tags: Israel, Diplomacy, Barack Obama

The Loud Silence of the Fascist Enablers

World | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 8:53:58 am PDT

Oddly enough, Robert Spencer, Pamela Geller, and Gates of Vienna have absolutely nothing to say about Bruce Bawer’s piece on the meltdown of the anti-jihad movement into a puddle of stinky fascist goo. Their normal response to criticism is to rant, rave, and spew insults, usually within minutes of such ...

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Tags: Europe, Robert Spencer, Bruce Bawer, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Eurofascism, Anti-Jihad, Pamela Geller

Krauthammer: The Hamas 'Peace' Gambit

Middle East | Fri, May 8, 2009 at 8:37:44 am PDT

Charles Krauthammer knows what’s behind Hamas’ latest phony offer of a temporary truce: The Hamas ‘Peace’ Gambit. WASHINGTON — The Times conducted a five-hour interview with Hamas leader Khaled Meshal at his Damascus headquarters. Mirabile dictu, they’re offering a peace plan with a two-state solution. Except. The offer is not ...

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Tags: Hamas, Charles Krauthammer, Hudna, Khaled Meshaal, Truce, Opinion

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Thu, May 7, 2009 at 11:20:24 pm PDT

It is never too late to have a happy childhood. — Tom Robbins

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Tags: Open Thread

Video: Discovery Institute Lies Promoted by Fox News

Science | Thu, May 7, 2009 at 8:21:26 pm PDT

Here’s one of the very worst, most deceptive dog-and-pony shows I’ve ever seen about evolution, from ... who else? ... Fox News. Steve Doocy interviews the anti-evolution Discovery Institute’s main parrot Casey Luskin, who proceeds to spew a complete load of crap, without any context or any rebuttal whatsoever. The really ...

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Tags: Politics, Science, Evolution, Creationism, Discovery Institute, Casey Luskin

Poll: Ron Paul Is ...

Moonbats | Thu, May 7, 2009 at 5:45:08 pm PDT

Given the sudden resurgence of the crazy uncle in GOP politics, here’s a new poll. [Poll]

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Tags: Racism, GOP, Conspiracies, Ron Paul, John Birch Society, Kooks, Idiocy

The Mainstreaming of Ron Paul

Politics | Thu, May 7, 2009 at 4:32:54 pm PDT

For the past couple of months I’ve been writing about the “mainstreaming” of paleo-libertarian Ron Paul; he’s been a regular guest on Fox News and other networks, and his drones have been heavily involved in organizing “tea party” demonstrations. Lots of LGF readers didn’t want to believe this was happening. Well, ...

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Tags: Antisemitism, Racism, GOP, Conspiracies, Ron Paul, John Birch Society, Kooks, Idiocy, Michele Bachmann

Onion: Biden Washes Trans Am in White House Driveway

Humor | Thu, May 7, 2009 at 3:00:11 pm PDT

Proving once again that they really are fair and balanced, the Onion takes a glorious shot at Joltin’ Joe: Shirtless Biden Washes Trans Am In White House Driveway. WASHINGTON—Taking advantage of the warm spring weather Monday, Vice President Joe Biden parked his 1981 Trans Am in the White House driveway, ...

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Tags: Humor, Onion, Joe Biden

Map

Images | Thu, May 7, 2009 at 12:58:54 pm PDT

I got this 18th century map of the New World in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1994. Photographed with a Canon Powershot G10; click the picture for a larger version.

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Tags: Photograph, Turkey, Map, Nautical Map

Diseases Coming Back, Thanks to Anti-Vaxers

Health | Thu, May 7, 2009 at 10:17:38 am PDT

The Wall Street Journal has an article about a report from the Centers for Disease Control warning about new outbreaks of diseases thought to be eradicated—due to parents who are buying into the anti-vaccination craziness promoted by people like Jenny McCarthy: Fear of Vaccines Spurs Outbreaks, Study Says. Parental doubts ...

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Tags: Science, Health, Medicine, Kooks, Pseudo-Science, Vaccines, Anti-Science

Palestinians Prevented from Propagandizing Pope

Middle East | Thu, May 7, 2009 at 9:12:35 am PDT

Leave it to the Palestinians to try to turn a visit from Pope Benedict into a propaganda show: IDF bans Palestinians from hosting pope next to West Bank fence. A Palestinian official says the Palestinian Authority has scrapped plans to host Pope Benedict XVI next week on a stage near ...

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Tags: Palestinians, Terrorism, Propaganda, Security Barrier, Pope Benedict

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Wed, May 6, 2009 at 11:16:52 pm PDT

To do is to be. — Socrates To be is to do. — Plato Do-be-do-be-do. — Frank Sinatra

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Tags: Open Thread

Chris Matthews and Tom Tancredo Promote 'Intelligent Design' Creationism

Science | Wed, May 6, 2009 at 7:42:15 pm PDT

If you thought last night’s video featuring Chris Matthews interviewing a ducking, dodging Mike Pence about the GOP’s inexplicable attachment to creationism was something, wait ‘til you see this one. This time Matthews interviews Tom Tancredo, who spouts Discovery Institute talking points about “intelligent design” creationism as expected (including his desire ...

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Tags: GOP, Religion, Evolution, Creationism, Chris Matthews, Tom Tancredo, Republican Party, Anti-Science

News to Make Creationists' Heads Explode

Science | Wed, May 6, 2009 at 5:51:42 pm PDT

I’ve been following the story of the curious “hobbit-like” remains found in Indonesia in 2003 for years with great interest, and today two new studies have been released that conclude this really is a new species of proto-human. Diminutive humans whose remains were found on the remote Indonesian island of ...

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Tags: Science, Indonesia, Evolution, Creationism, Hominid

Bruce Bawer on the 'Anti-Jihad' Meltdown

Opinion | Wed, May 6, 2009 at 1:30:06 pm PDT

Bruce Bawer, author of While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within and Surrender: Appeasing Islam, Sacrificing Freedom, has issued an unequivocal denunciation of the so-called “anti-jihad” bloggers and writers who are advocating alliances with European fascist parties such as Belgium’s Vlaams Belang. With Bruce’s permission, ...

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Tags: Europe, Robert Spencer, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Eurofascism, Anti-Jihad, Pamela Geller

British Islamic Center Arson Under Investigation

World | Wed, May 6, 2009 at 12:32:21 pm PDT

Following angry demonstrations organized and attended by skinheads and BNP supporters in the British town of Luton (demonstrations praised by Pamela Geller of “Atlas Shrugs” as “pushback against Islamic extremists”), an Islamic center in the area has been the target of an arson attack. Emergency services were called to the ...

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Tags: Hate Speech, Neo-Nazis, BNP, Lionheart, Pamela Geller, Luton

Too Good to Check: Jimmy Carter to Help Harvest Coca Leaves in Bolivia?

Weird | Wed, May 6, 2009 at 11:38:23 am PDT

Probably a hoax, but you just never know with Jimmy Carter: Jimmy Carter reported to accept coca invitation from Evo Morales. Globovision of Caracas reports news that we hope is inaccurate, and which will be denied by former President Carter. The Venezuelan television network states that he has accepted an ...

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Tags: Jimmy Carter, Hoax, Bolivia, Loon, Cocaine

Big-Screen Kindle DX Announced

Science | Wed, May 6, 2009 at 10:23:28 am PDT

Today Amazon announced the newest addition to the Kindle family of E-book readers: the Kindle DX: Amazon’s 9.7’ Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation). It’s available for pre-order now, and will be released “this summer,” for a rather pricey $489. The Kindle DX weighs about 6 ounces more than the current version, ...

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Tags: Amazon, Books, Kindle, E-Reader, Kindle DX

IAEA Reports Weapons-Grade Uranium Found in Egypt

World | Wed, May 6, 2009 at 9:32:57 am PDT

A leaked IAEA report says the UN’s toothless nuclear watchdog found traces of weapons-grade uranium in Egypt. UN nuclear inspectors have found traces of weapons-grade uranium in Egypt, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. Dated May 5, the restricted report said IAEA ...

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Tags: Nuclear Proliferation, Egypt, United Nations, IAEA

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 11:29:45 pm PDT

History does not always repeat itself. Sometimes it just yells, “Can’t you remember anything I told you?” and lets fly with a club. — John W. Campbell

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Tags: Open Thread

Mike Pence Ducks and Dodges the Evolution Question for 5:25

Science | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 7:22:20 pm PDT

You’ll never witness a better example of political pandering than this video, in which Indiana Republican Representative Mike Pence ducks, dodges, and refuses to answer simple questions from Chris Matthews about whether he accepts the theory of evolution — even including the obligatory “global warming” diversion that we’ve seen in ...

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Tags: GOP, Religion, Evolution, Creationism, Republican Party, Anti-Science, Oklahoma

Tuesday Night Music: Randy Newman, 'In Germany Before The War'

Video | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 5:26:00 pm PDT

An eerie, haunting song by Randy Newman, performed at the 2007 Jazz Open festival in Stuttgart: “In Germany Before the War.” The song is available on The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 1, a highly recommended collection of Randy’s classic songs rearranged for just voice and piano. This is songwriting at its ...

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Tags: Music, Randy Newman

An Open Letter to the Republican Party

Opinion | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 2:45:31 pm PDT

The Sensuous Curmudgeon writes an Open Letter to the Republican Party: My fellow Republicans: As our party is going though a much-needed period of introspection, please consider that there was a time when this party stood for the Constitution, the rule of law, national defense, free enterprise, limited government, low taxes, ...

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Tags: Politics, Science, Religion, Social Conservatism, Republican Party

Tuesday Afternoon Open

Open | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 1:17:44 pm PDT

Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit. — Elbert Hubbard

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Tags: Open Thread

About Pakistan's Nukes

World | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 12:34:47 pm PDT

Here’s our warm, fuzzy news of the day: Pakistan’s Nukes Within Terrorists’ Reach? (CBS) While calling the rising tide of Taliban violence in Pakistan cause for grave concern, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs played down the nightmare scenario of terrorists taking control of that country’s nuclear weapons. “I don’t think ...

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Tags: Militant Islam, Terrorism, Pakistan, Nuclear Weapons, Taliban

The Furious Evolution of the Swine Flu Virus

Health | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 11:13:43 am PDT

At the New York Times, Carl Zimmer has a fascinating — and frightening — article on the evolution of the swine flu virus, and the efforts of virologists to unlock its secrets: The 10 Genes of a Human Flu Virus, Furiously Evolving. The current outbreak shows how complex and mysterious ...

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Tags: Science, Viruses, Evolution, Disease, Pandemic, Swine Flu

Morris: Running Out of Solutions

Middle East | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 10:25:10 am PDT

The Israeli left is increasingly waking up to the disturbing reality that their country is surrounded by people with genocidal intent, and historian Benny Morris is a case in point: Running out of Solutions. On an overcast afternoon in early April, unsmiling men with big guns and earpieces patrol the ...

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Tags: Israel, Iran, Nuclear Weapons, Benny Morris

Michael Savage Banned in Britain

World | Tue, May 5, 2009 at 9:06:16 am PDT

Now included on Britain’s list of “undesirables” banned from entering the country (along with a host of Islamic militants and hate preachers): Don Black of Stormfront and radio screamer Michael Savage.

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Tags: Britain, Radio, Hate Speech, Michael Savage

Monday, May 04, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 11:47:56 pm PDT

We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology. — Carl Sagan

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Tags: Open Thread

Coyne: Poor Beleaguered Melanie Phillips!

Science | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 10:33:58 pm PDT

University of Chicago geneticist Jerry Coyne has a good post on Melanie Phillips’ latest 2,000-word attempt to burnish her credentials with the anti-evolution crowd (by attacking me). Phillips tries to earn some martyr points by claiming she’s the victim of a “secular Inquisition:” Poor beleaguered Melanie Phillips! Just call me Torquemada. ...

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Tags: Science, Melanie Phillips, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Discovery Institute

Joe the Plumber Speaks Out Against 'Queers'

Politics | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 7:04:14 pm PDT

Joe the Plumber weighs in on the pressing issue of “queers:” In the last month, same-sex marriage has become legal in Iowa and Vermont. What do you think about same-sex marriage at a state level? At a state level, it’s up to them. I don’t want it to be a federal ...

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Tags: Constitution, Gay Rights, Theocracy, First Amendment, Joe The Plumber, Bigotry, Establishment Clause, Homophobia

The White House Hearts MSNBC

Media | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 6:44:52 pm PDT

“At the White House, as we all like to say, we love MSNBC.” Can you blame them?

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Tags: Media Bias, Journalism, Media, MSNBC, Barack Obama, Kareem Dale

Big-Screen Kindle Planned

Science | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 2:47:01 pm PDT

Yes, folks, it’s another new version of the Kindle, being announced this week, with a larger screen and improved web browser: Amazon to Launch Kindle for Textbooks. It’s unclear from the news reports whether the new Kindle will be for sale any time soon. Looks like the first roll-out will be ...

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Tags: Amazon, Books, Kindle, E-Reader

Cartoon Renaissance

Images | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 1:52:16 pm PDT

A classic Photoshop contest featuring the old masters at Worth1000.com: Cartoon Renaissance.

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Tags: Photoshop, Cartoon, Humor

That's Not Funny

Media | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 12:48:21 pm PDT

The Funny thing about Obama ... is that there’s nothing funny about Obama. On his HBO show, “Real Time With Bill Maher,” the comedian routinely makes vicious fun of celebrities, politicians, presidents and even God. But he’s learned that, for much of his audience, Barack Obama is off limits. Not long ...

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Tags: Media Bias, Comedy, Political Correctness, Barack Obama

Huffington Post's War on Medical Science

Health | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 11:08:11 am PDT

Here’s an excellent post by David Gorski at Science-Based Medicine, taking an in-depth look at The Huffington Post’s War on Medical Science. And the picture is not pretty. But I’d also point out that in addition to the anti-science quackery that runs rampant at HuffPo, there’s been a long-running strain of extreme ...

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Tags: Huffington Post, Science, Medicine, Kooks, Anti-Vaccine, Quackery

Times Editorial: The Incredible Shrinking Elephant

Politics | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 9:52:40 am PDT

An editorial in London’s Times Online: The incredible shrinking elephant - Why moderate US Republicans must stand up for themselves. The background to Mr Specter’s defection is a case in point. He is unquestionably an opportunist, abandoning the Republicans only when it became clear that staying with them would cost ...

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Tags: Democratic Party, Arlen Specter, Abortion, Far Right, Social Conservatism, Republican Party

McKinney Appears on Far-Right Antisemitic Radio Show

Moonbats | Mon, May 4, 2009 at 9:02:53 am PDT

Former US Representative and last year’s Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney is getting more and more insane: Cynthia McKinney Interviewed on Far-Right Racist Radio Program. Continuing to increase her political connections with the extreme far right (as I documented here and here), former U.S. Representative and 2008 Green Party ...

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Tags: Antisemitism, Cynthia McKinney, Hate Speech, Conspiracy Theories, Racism, Far Right, Green Party

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sun, May 3, 2009 at 11:13:16 pm PDT

I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. — Bill Cosby

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Tags: Open Thread

We Got 'Burn in Hell' Mail!

Moonbats | Sun, May 3, 2009 at 6:11:13 pm PDT

Tonight’s post about Melanie Phillips’ highly dubious article on “intelligent design” creationism prompted the following email, from a creationist in Australia who emails these ranting missives within minutes of every LGF post on the subject (more than 60 emails at last count). In this one, he cites scripture and lets ...

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Tags: Science, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Answers In Genesis, Creation Ministries International

Melanie Phillips Takes a Wrong Turn on 'Intelligent Design' Creationism

Science | Sun, May 3, 2009 at 2:11:56 pm PDT

Melanie Phillips has done good work exposing the danger of Islamic militancy in Britain, and I’ve linked many of her articles on the subject here at LGF. She’s also taken a principled stand against Eurofascist groups such as the BNP, who try to gain legitimacy by claiming to be “anti-jihad.” But ...

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Tags: Science, Melanie Phillips, Religion, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Discovery Institute

Sunday Afternoon Open

Open | Sun, May 3, 2009 at 12:35:46 pm PDT

I have learned, as a rule of thumb, never to ask whether you can do something. Say, instead, that you are doing it. Then fasten your seat belt. The most remarkable things follow. — Julia Cameron

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Tags: Open Thread

Jon Stewart, War Criminals, and the True Story of the Atomic Bombs

History | Sun, May 3, 2009 at 10:45:37 am PDT

Bill Whittle takes Jon Stewart to school: Jon Stewart, War Criminals & The True Story of the Atomic Bombs.

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Tags: History, World War II, Bill Whittle, Japan, Jon Stewart, Atomic Bombs

Specter on 'Meet the Press': GOP Moved 'Far to the Right'

Politics | Sun, May 3, 2009 at 10:26:58 am PDT

On “Meet the Press” this morning, Senator Arlen Specter said a big factor in his decision to become a Democrat was that the Republican Party had moved “far to the right.” Specter told David Gregory on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he had determined “with polls and a lot of ...

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Tags: Democratic Party, Arlen Specter, Abortion, Far Right, Social Conservatism, Republican Party

Michael Oren Named As New Israeli Ambassador to US

World | Sun, May 3, 2009 at 9:49:47 am PDT

Michael B. Oren, author of the terrific book Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East, will be the new Israeli ambassador to the United States—and that’s excellent news. For insight into Oren’s thinking, I highly recommend the book linked above, and also the series ...

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Tags: Israel, United States, Ambassador, Michael Oren

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 11:17:50 pm PDT

Bigotry dwarfs the soul by shutting out the truth. — Edwin Hubbel Chapin

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Tags: Open Thread

The Discovery of the Wedge

Science | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 8:56:19 pm PDT

Here’s the fascinating story behind the outing of the infamous “Wedge Strategy” of the creationist propaganda farm calling itself the Discovery Institute: Discovery’s Creation. In 1998, members of a Seattle nonprofit think tank drafted a secret five-year plan with an ambitious goal: to “defeat scientific materialism” and “replace materialistic explanations ...

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Tags: Propaganda, Intelligent Design, Creationism, Deception, Discovery Institute, Wedge Strategy

Rest in Peace, Jack Kemp

US News | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 8:16:52 pm PDT

He was a true gentleman and a great sportsman, and tonight he has passed away at the age of 74: RIP: Jack Kemp. WASHINGTON (AP) — Jack Kemp, the ex-quarterback, congressman, one-time vice-presidential nominee and self-described “bleeding-heart conservative” died Saturday. His spokeswoman Bona Park and longtime friend and former campaign ...

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Tags: RIP, Jack Kemp

Glenn Beck Hosts Ron Paul Tea Party Supporters

Media | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 6:48:23 pm PDT

Glenn Beck brings his audience into the picture to discuss the “tea party” demonstrations, and imagine my surprise when several of them turn out to be Ron Paul acolytes. [Video]

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Tags: Demonstration, Protest, Fox News, Glenn Beck, Ron Paul, Tea Party

Saturday Night Music: Crowded House, 'Fall At Your Feet'

Video | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 6:03:19 pm PDT

From the album Woodface, this is a live version of a great song by Crowded House, “Fall At Your Feet.” Performed at the Sydney Opera House in 1996, with a very good audio track. [Video]

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Tags: Music, Crowded House

Video: The Crisis of Credit Visualized

Business | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 3:50:29 pm PDT

This is an excellent video presentation on the credit crisis, created by designer Jonathan Jarvis. [Video] Here’s Jarvis’ description of the project, from his website: The Crisis of Credit Visualized distills the economic crisis into a short and simple story by giving it form. It is also argues that designers have the ...

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Tags: Economy, Finance, Banking, Business, Financial Crisis, Credit, Investments

Saturday Afternoon Open

Open | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 2:19:32 pm PDT

Sometimes the only thing left to do is open a thread, throw caution to the wind, let the chips fall where they may, and forge ahead into the Great Unknown...

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Tags: Open Thread

Fables of the Reconstruction

Opinion | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 12:06:15 pm PDT

Here’s a very good piece by Deborah Rudacille (author of The Scalpel and the Butterfly and The Riddle of Gender) on the DHS “right wing extremism” report, and the absurd over-reaction from conservative bloggers and politicians, featuring some words from yours truly: Fables of the Reconstruction. The report is ...

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Tags: Extremism, Conspiracy Theories, Neo-Nazis, Right-Wing, DHS, Alex Jones, Militias

On Hating Nazis

World | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 11:11:14 am PDT

Mary Madigan has a very good post on the recent revelation that Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller were planning to attend a meeting of the fascist “Pro Köln” group in Germany: Nazis. I hate these guys. The enemy of your enemy is not your friend. When Leftists tolerated and supported ...

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Tags: Europe, Robert Spencer, Racism, Fascism, Vlaams Belang, Eurofascism, Anti-Jihad, Pamela Geller, Pro Koln

BNP on the Brink of Political Legitimacy?

World | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 9:52:35 am PDT

The extreme right white supremacist British National Party could be on track to win six seats in June’s European elections—which would entitle these cretins to get funding from the European Union. Through the looking glass we go. The British National party could transform British politics and get up to £2m from ...

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Tags: Britain, Fascism, BNP, British National Party, Eurofascism, White Supremacism

'Proud Racist' Threatened to Blow Up Mosques

World | Sat, May 2, 2009 at 8:48:46 am PDT

A member of the neo-Nazi National Front in Glasgow decided to put some of that rabble-rousing anti-Islam populist rhetoric into action, by allegedly threatening to murder Muslims and blow up mosques. A man has admitted he threatened to blow up Glasgow Central Mosque and execute a Muslim a day unless ...

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Tags: Islam, Neo-Nazis, Glasgow, Scotland, Mosques, National Front

Friday, May 01, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 11:38:44 pm PDT

Gordie: Mickey is a mouse, Donald is a duck, Pluto is a dog. What’s Goofy...? Teddy: He’s a dog, he’s definitely a dog. Chris: He can’t be a dog, he wears a hat and drives a car... Vern: Yeah, that is weird. What the hell is Goofy? — Stephen King, Stand By Me

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Tags: Open Thread

FBI Mosque Informer: A Convicted Con Artist

US News | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 8:05:18 pm PDT

And the hits just keep on coming, with an Orange County Weekly exposé on an FBI informer who insisted he was hot on the trail of terrorist plots at OC mosques—until he turned out to be a convicted felon and con artist: The FBI, the Islamic Center of Irvine and ...

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Tags: Militant Islam, Islam, Orange County, Mosques

Friday Night Beefheart: 'Ice Cream for Crow'

Video | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 6:06:35 pm PDT

Whoa, Nellie. I never knew that Captain Beefheart had actually made a video for this supremely weird 1982 song from the album Ice Cream for Crow. [Video]

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Tags: Music, Surreal, Captain Beefheart

The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums?

Entertainment | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 2:33:17 pm PDT

Here’s someone’s list of The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time. There’s plenty to argue with on this list (where’s John McLaughlin?) but since I played on one of the records (Stanley Clarke’s School Days) I won’t complain too much.

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Tags: Music, Jazz

Another Round of Screaming at the DHS Begins

US News | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 12:55:21 pm PDT

Here we go again. Now everyone’s screaming about a DHS memo that was actually recalled “within minutes” of being released, defining a “lexicon” of domestic extremists of all types: Who You Calling an Extremist? This time the lefties can start yelling too. Here’s the memo. (PDF) I can see absolutely nothing wrong with ...

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Tags: Extremism, DHS, Lexicon, Absurdity

Fox News Pimping Judge Andrew Napolitano, Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell, Alex Jones

Media | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 11:34:16 am PDT

Judge Andrew Napolitano, who uses his Fox News online show “Freedom Watch” to promote racists and nutjobs like Lew Rockwell, Ron Paul, and Alex Jones, is now being pimped on the official Fox News video page. The mainstreaming of the extreme right wing and the conspiracy kooks continues apace.

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Tags: Truthers, Fox News, 9/11 Conspiracies, Ron Paul, Alex Jones, Lew Rockwell, Judge Andrew Napolitano

Krauthammer Parses the 'Torture' Claims

Opinion | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 10:25:07 am PDT

Another excellent column from Charles Krauthammer: The Use of Torture and What Nancy Pelosi Knew. Torture is an impermissible evil. Except under two circumstances. The first is the ticking time bomb. An innocent’s life is at stake. The bad guy you have captured possesses information that could save this life. ...

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Tags: 9/11, Terrorism, Guantanamo Bay, Torture, Krauthammer, CIA

Jawa Report Notes Geert Wilders' 'Fascist Tendencies'

Religion | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 9:15:44 am PDT

I see that Robert Spencer is spewing some more insults at me today. Oh well, what are you gonna do? Meanwhile, there’s at least one “anti-jihad” blogger who isn’t being taken in by Geert Wilders’ call to strip Muslims of their right to freedom of religion: The Jawa Report: Cheers for ...

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Tags: Islam, Free Speech, Free Expression, Hate Speech, Geert Wilders, Bigotry

Case Against AIPAC Dropped

US News | Fri, May 1, 2009 at 8:58:25 am PDT

The espionage case against two former AIPAC members is now finished. WASHINGTON (JTA) — Prosecutors asked a judge to drop charges against two ex-AIPAC staffers accused of passing along classified information. In a statement Friday, the acting U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia said restrictions on the government’s case imposed by ...

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Tags: Israel, Espionage, AIPAC

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Overnight Open Thread

Open | Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 11:23:59 pm PDT

How are we to survive? Solemnity is not the answer, any more than witless and irresponsible frivolity is. I think our best chance lies in humor, which in this case means a wry acceptance of our predicament. We don’t have to like it but we can at least recognize its ...

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Tags: Open Thread

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