Link round-up for 30 October 2011

[Posting a day early this time. I will not have internet access for much of this weekend.]

Yep, that pretty much sums up religion.

Tremble before the awesome balloonosaurus rex.

Pundits blame the poor, but.....

IO9 takes a look at the making of Alien and the genius of HR Giger (found via Mendip).

I've never liked the GOP's using that noble animal, the elephant, as its symbol -- but I'll accept this version.

This can't be a real campaign ad.....can it?

Aliens may not be too impressed with us these days. Nor with this guy (found via Mendip).

We should be thankful to religious extremists.

Here are a few handy translations of teabagger signs.

I've always thought churches need more transparency.

Which do you find more shocking?

PCTC has a proposal for a progressive manifesto.

Anti-gay-marriage nutters get caught misusing yet another photo.

Does income truly reflect what each one contributes?

Parsley's Pics assembles a very informative guide to the factors that distinguish the most conservative states within the US.

A brutal assault in Ohio is captured on video, but the punishment doesn't fit the crime.

Crabby old dinosaurs Bennett and Robertson whine that feminism is undermining masculinity.

It's better to face harsh reality than accept the false comforts of religion.

The 2009 stimulus kept more than six million Americans out of poverty.

Those fake anti-abortion "crisis pregnancy centers" reveal their true fundamentalist agenda.

Oakland's city government has its priorities. Don't trust the media, or the police; listen to the Marines.

Scott Lively has heard a message from God, but the result isn't an improvement (found via Republic of Gilead).

There are actually two separate Republican nomination races (this is the same divide I've called Sane vs. Nutty, here and here).

Some of the wealthy support the Occupiers.

Read about the recent religious harassment of a Marine veteran -- then sign the petition (found via Preliator pro Causa).

Here's wealth re-distribution that Republicans support.

The police violence in Oakland draws attention from as far afield as Britain -- and here's how our country's rising inequality looks from Germany.

Here's a Republican Presidential candidate the Christian Right could never support.

In trying to make things better, we must take care not to make them far worse.

Yes, Cain really is nuts.

Romney will have a tough time winning over the Republican base.

The US health-insurance system imposes much higher overhead costs on doctors than Canada's socialist system.

The US Air Force is purging its training materials of religious bigotry (background here), with the help of military atheists.

Balloon Juice has a good overview of our economic situation and why the Republicans don't want to do anything about it.

Fundies push their latest totalitarian initiative in Mississippi by lying about science.

Most Americans think the Republican party represents only the interests of the wealthy.....gee, I wonder why.....

America grows polarized on gay marriage -- the fundies are going the opposite way from everybody else.

Perry may be on the verge of a scorched-earth campaign against Romney.

A "Quiverfull" guide for wives reveals the bizarre ideal of woman- hood promoted by Biblical fundamentalism (found via Republic of Gilead).

Here's some more sleazy TSA behavior (though the agency has taken action in this case).

Given the nature of today's right wing, we should have expected this: prominent wingnut Cindy Jacobs says the Occupiers are in league with demons.

Bloomberg debunks yet another right-wing talking point on economics.

Occupiers in London issue a manifesto.

Some German experts think the very measures being taken to save the euro currency may destroy it. Keep an eye on Italy too.

In one way, Europe's leaders have done a better job than ours (found via Politics Plus).

Anti-German hatred continues to fester in Greece.

Sometimes the most important news happens outside the US.

There are signs of a little justice for the Catholic Church.

There are still countries where insulting some stupid religion can get you a prison sentence. Be grateful for the Enlightenment.

This took guts: Yemeni women burn their veils in protest.

Following Qaddhafi's path: the Syrian regime's thugs shot and killed forty peaceful protesters on Friday.

The best evidence yet that al-Nahda, the top-vote-getting party in Tunisia, is not extremist: they promise tolerance of gays.

The cracking of the Copiale cipher highlights a new approach to deciphering unknown writing systems.

A newly excavated bunker in France gives insights into life during World War I.

Nazi ideology had nothing to do with Darwin and a lot to do with religion (see this too).

Measles is on the rise in the US, thanks to stupidity.

It's now feasible to build a unified electrical grid for the entire Mediterranean basin.

Global warming has been shrinking glaciers world-wide; now Chinese scientists join in raising the alarm.

A speech defect found in one British family provided a clue to the genetic roots of language ability.

Soon it may be possible for those who eat meat to do so without the cruelty to animals and inefficient use of resources which meat production now requires.