03 January 2016

Link round-up for 3 January 2016

This is how the world looks when you watch Fox News.

Exposed at last -- the history of the Illuminati.

While driving, watch out for dangerous ice.

Here's a huge collection of fan-made Lovecraft-based videos (found via Mendip).

Rosa Rubicondior has a new book out.

You cannot make this stuff up -- some wingnuts now suspect Paul Ryan of being a Muslim.

See which languages Europeans consider most useful.

Ranch Chimp tangles with a Texas tornado.

Americans' choices for most admired man and woman are good news for Democrats.

Preachy Christians rip off -- and turn off -- waitresses (from Ahab).

Patriotism comes in conservative and liberal forms.

There are things money can't buy.

Iran holds elections next month, and Kaveh Mousavi explains why they matter to Iran and to the world at large.

Nancy LeTourneau looks at identity in politics and how Republicans don't get it.  She also reviews the year in Obama photos.

Politics Plus has New Year fireworks from around the world.

Zandar offers predictions for 2016 and looks back at how well he did on 2015.

Fundie predictions for the year were a total bust.

Here are 2015's five worst anti-science moments.

Republic of Gilead looks back at the year in religious extremism and gay rights.

2015 was a year of exciting discoveries in evolutionary biology, but not so great for creationism.

Politico has insider predictions.

In Saudi Arabia, 2015 was a banner year for beheadings, and 2016 has started off big as well.

Green Eagle's latest Wingnut Wrapup starts with WND's inevitable "man of the year" and goes downhill from there.

Will you vote?  These people will.  And it's worth it.

Don't forget the contrast in Bush's and Obama's record on jobs.

The elevation to sainthood of Mother Teresa illustrates the fakery and fraudulence of the Catholic Church -- and of Pope Francis. And a film on the Church's child-molestation cover-up is making waves.

Jeb is still playing Ahab to Rubio's white whale.

Internet commerce in India takes off, thanks to a popular product.

The exclusion of a novel from Israeli high schools provokes an uproar.

A murdered atheist blogger gets some justice.

Stop using bigoted language to dismiss Middle Eastern opponents of tyranny.

Congress has removed your legal right to know where your meat comes from (found via Mock Paper Scissors).

Scared-shitless Republicans are gabbling nonsense.

Finally!  A Catholic hospital in California is being sued for refusing a tubal ligation.

In education, we're not number one -- not even close.

A doctor stands up to the idiots.

Wingnut rhetoric is getting scarier.  And they have a comprehensive plan to strangle democracy and drag the US back to the 19th century.

The Christian Right "remnant" doubles down on its delusional world-view.

You'll find substantial wisdom in Faye Kane's rules for life -- I especially liked the Second Law of Stupid and the Principle of Guiltless Sex.

Star Wars is really a dysfunctional-family drama.  Here's a collection of art based on the first film.

[Image at top:  New Year fireworks, London]

8 Comments:

Blogger Rosa Rubicondior said...

Thanks for the shoutouts. Three in one roundup is a rare privilege. - 'Roosa' :-)

03 January, 2016 07:35  
Blogger Shaw Kenawe said...

Great collection. And thanks for the links.

What's your take on the citizen militia occupying the federal wildlife refuge?

03 January, 2016 08:43  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Rosa: Oops! Fixed -- thanks for pointing that out.

Shaw: I only just heard about it and haven't gotten up to speed on the details yet. That's a very remote area. I think the government will have to come down on this pretty hard, or there will just be more and more of it from these nuts.

03 January, 2016 10:04  
Blogger Ahab said...

Infidel -- Here's some coverage of the Oregon mess.

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/01/drama_in_burns_ends_with_quiet.html

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ammon-bundy-militia-members-occupy-malheur-national-wildlife-refuge-oregon-n489311

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/03/us/oregon-wildlife-refuge-protest/

The Twitter hashtag #OregonUnderAttack is definitely worth a look.

03 January, 2016 10:10  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Ahab: Thanks. Sounds like pretty much what I thought. No people are at risk, so the authorities may just wait them out.

On another note, there's snow here in Portland for the first time in years. Only an inch or so, thank goodness.

03 January, 2016 10:56  
Blogger Ranch Chimp said...

I didnt go through all these, but a couple comments I want to add before I run ....

First of all, good posting of interest from Rosa R. (Miserable year for creationism)... I alwayz suspected we are going to find out much that is gonna change the way we even view our own species. But, funny thing bout these "creationist" types ... they really confuse the Hell outta me ... here you have folks, that say they "believe" in a creator that created this big ball of life and universe ... yet ... when science gives evidence ... they deny everything they say their God created ... long story to tell, but if that makes sense, but if that aint some twisted shit ... I dont know what is. Every single thing that their God created, they reject ... including the evolution of our species and the human mind ... I could go on and on with these types. To me it's just another fad cult.

You know guy ... when you look at that deal about Paul Ryan being a Muslim ... you think it MUST be a joke ... I dont know, it is hard for me to imagine that some folks actually think like that ... when I get around folks like that ... I try to get away from them as fast as I can! On the other hand ... heh, heh, heh, heh, heh ... I cant help to wonder what I guy like Paul Ryan may think ... that ole boy is between a rock and a hard place on that one! {:-) I can tell you one thing Infidel ... WHOEVER the next President is ... I bet within a few month's, they will be labelled as the "anti-christ" ... and long complex vidz will show up all over You Tube pointing out 1001 things of the person that makes them the AC ... it never fails ... even Bush and Obama were the AC {:-) they got a following for that, kind of like years ago when folks read them tabloids that had images of mother Mary or Satan in cookie sheets, tree's or whatever.

That was cold- blooded as far as that tip left for the waiter (AOL) ... but I wouldnt put that type of crap by them, I know their types all too well! That is just plain wrong, by any standards.

No, I didnt know how strong the English language is in many of these countries on that piece from Jakub M.

I cant really say that I tangled with that tornado ... it like tangled me man ... when I seen that damn thing straight ahead, I didnt know whether to laugh, cry, take a dump or wind my watch!

03 January, 2016 12:06  
Blogger Ranch Chimp said...

Let me add here ... in defense of those good American's of higher Christian standards than this Muslim faith that question Paul Ryan being Muzzlum ... are doing their duty as Christian soldiers and marching on for truth and justice. If Paul was "blonde" no one would question it, but his hair is dark ... and he could pass for something like an Aye-Rab ... they are just trying to make sure that he really is devoted to the white American movement and of true Christian faith ... it's the "American" thing to do.

04 January, 2016 04:32  
Blogger Pinku-Sensei said...

Thanks for linking to that entry and putting in the same paragraph as Rosa Rubicondior's about the Catholic Church. I'm in good company!

The New Republic is right about the Star Wars saga being a multi-generational tale of a dysfunctional family. However, I wouldn't call it bad parenting, at least in the first two trilogies. I'd call it absentee parenting combined with bad foster parenting (except in the case of Leia; I think the Organas were actually good parents). Obi-Wan screwed up with Anakin and was supplanted by Palpatine, who was even worse. Lars tried, but he wasn't suited to deal with his nephew by marriage, who had the family curse of being destined for greatness.

It wasn't until the current movie that a combination of an unruly child with parenting not up to the task became apparent. Leia, Han, and Luke all tried with Kylo Ren, and all failed. Smoke (sp.?) took over the Palpatine role and ended up being the evil foster parent. Thank you, J.J. Abrams for making crystal clear what George Lucas only implied.

The good news is that the foster parents can redeem themselves. Obi-Wan, with Yoda's help, succeed with Luke where they failed with his father. Anakin himself finally did the right thing by his son, although it took Palpatine doing his best to kill Luke to do it. I wouldn't be surprised if Luke and Leia do the same for Kylo Ren and Rey by the final film of this trilogy. There is a formula to these films, after all.

The Catholic Church and Star Wars? Insert Pope Palpatine joke here.

P.S. I have one thing to say about the situation in Oregon: Y'all Qaeda is on a Yee-hawd.

04 January, 2016 10:03  

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