RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?

Keep up to date with all the interesting world news and current events that relate to RationalWiki's mission here. The most popular entries are found at Best of the world and the older entries found in the archives.

What is going on? World Blogs Clogs Elections The Bar (talk) (talk) (talk) (talk) (hic)

July 2010

32

Biggest military document leak in history: WikiLeaks, in concert with the New York Times, the Guardian and der Spiegel, releases 200,000 pages of classified documents on the clusterfuck that is the war in Afghanistan. That's twenty times the size of the Pentagon Papers, and much fresher.

13

First we had the atheist bus campaign, now Pope Benedict is to get an "Ordain Catholic Women Priests Now" message.

19

If somebody pulls your top down against your explicit wishes... You consented to having your boobs filmed and the video comercially sold.

10

The quantum world continues to confuse mere human brains, to the consternation of physicists.

4

Reporter, investigative journalist, and Nixon enemy Daniel Schorr has passed at 93.

10

Another set of parents from the faith healing Oregon church where two adolescents have already died have been indicted for endangering the health of their 7-month-old daughter. The baby's condition isn't life-threatening, but that doesn't diminish the tragedy of the case. WARNING: Includes a disturbing, heartbreaking family photo that the sheriff's department confiscated from the baby's obviously disturbed parents.

22

Woman has consensual sex with man. Finds out he is not one of the Chosen People. Realises she was actually raped.

7

Meet "Beloved Comrade" Kim Jong Un, youngest son of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il. The CIA is scrambling to gather every scrap of information they can find about him ASAP. They believe the twenty-something -- they don't even know his birthdate for certain! -- Swiss-educated, Nike sneaker-wearing Michael Jordan fan might take his father's place as early as this September. With infighting between him and his two older brothers, this situation could turn into a modern-day version of The Lion in Winter (if the House of Plantagenet were a bunch of commies with a million-man army and some nukes). This situation will probably catch most Westerners by surprise because, as one diplomat puts it, "We are on the verge of a total changeover in the leadership of North Korea—and yet, Mel Gibson and his mistress are the big story for most of you guys in the media."

11

Who wouldn't want to get it on with a face like this?

13

Newt Gingrich argues that there shouldn't be a mosque near Ground Zero because the Saudis don't allow churches at all. Newt, before you get all fired about following Saudi practices, perhaps you should check out what the Saudis do to adulterers.

12

Thank you, Archbishop Tutu. We'll miss you, but you've more than earned your retirement.

11

Modern tabloid journalism is no longer content with misrepresenting or exaggerating stories or even just falling for obvious hoaxes; the Daily Star decides to simply make some shit up. Update: The original author of the article doesn't seem to understand why fabricated journalism is wrong.

14

We're going to have a serious televised poltical debate about the leadership of our country. Sorry mates, but it clashes with the final of Masterchef.

12

A blog publishes bomb making instructions? Kill it all with fire.

21

Welsh local councilman gets in hot water over a tweet mentioning he rushed past a Scientology church "in case the stupid rubs off"

13

A Transgender candidate standing for the State House - where else but Oklahoma!

6

Looks like Colorado Springs (see below) isn't the only American city that's using right wing "solutions" for its budget crisis. Maywood, California, has fired all of its hourly workers (but not the elected politicians) and has "outsourced" all of its services. With remarkably positive results, since it was a bit feckless to start with.

14

While some complain about tax-payer funded research, Sarah Palin squeezes California State University, Stanislaus, for $100 000. For which they received a 40-minute speech, and bills for first-class flights, luxury hotel rooms and "bendable straws."

14

Wherefore art ya, refudiate?

5

A "locked-in" man seeks the right to die.

8

Hmmm. If popping all those Oxys made Rush Limbaugh deaf, what do you suppose Glenn Beck has been doing to make himself go blind? (Or so he thinks.) Maybe if he stopped dabbing soap in his eyes as a means to prompt his famous crocodile tears, his vision would come back.

9

US Marines are rescuing kittehscats in Afghanistan. All together now.... "aaaaaawwwwww..."

5

Eat shit* and die live. (*well, sewage actually.)

4

The US government has issued over 800,000 security clearances, so many that nobody knows how well the whole system works.

8

It was the warmest June in recorded history, worldwide.

14

He's not called the Mad Monk for nothing: Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott proposes compulsory bible study in all schools. Hey, when you're going to lose anyway, you might as well shore up the base.

8

Here, have some music. Now give us your lungs wallets.

15

Fuck Chinese medicine!

17

Mark Williams would like you to know that the Tea Party is not racist. Actually, the NAACP is for having the word "colored" in their name... as it has been since 1911. That's why he wrote a satirical letter from the "coloreds" to Abraham Lincoln, in which they ask not to be freed because then they would have to give up government handouts bailouts. In completely unrelated news, the tanning tax is racist. Update: The National Tea Party Federation kick out not only Williams but his entire Tea Party group for odious racism!

11

The Westboro Baptist Church is going to protest at Comic-Con, because nerds like superheroes. No, really.

8

Is this the scientific breakthrough that will now save millions of lives?

7

Texans, hide your goats!!! El chupacabra (corrección: Dos chupacabras) have been killed in a rural area north of Fort Worth. Or not.

6

"If you aren't liberal at 18, you have no heart If you aren't conservative by 40 you have no brain" - A new study suggests people do lurch to the right as they grow up, but are probably in denial of it.

15

Dept. of you couldn't make it up. According the the Vatican ordaining women is as grave an offence as paedophilia.

5

If he wasn't his mommy's son, he'd be laughed off the planet: Hitchens slams Prince Charles Hat tip

15

Doctor's Data, a laboratory providing testing services for chelation therapy practitioners, sues Quackwatch - alleging defamation, with the usual "We're licenced and everything, so stop saying bad things about us" spiel. Quackwatch asked for clarification, due to the original claim from Doctor's Data being somewhat vague. Doctor's Data helpfully responds by suing. Quackwatch is accepting donations towards their legal costs.

8

The Vatican gets round to pulling its head out of the sand and its finger out of its arse.

21

Tears of joy as Argentina becomes the first Latin American country to legalise same-sex marriage and grant full equal rights to gay and lesbian couples.

6

More than 6000 years old.

7

Hated the vuvuzela during the World Cup? Just think how BP must feel.

2

From KKK to MMM and back again. Aspiring to be the world's biggest tit can be bad for your health.

-1

Eleven months ago, one of the Lockerbie bombers was released from prison after serving 8½ years of a life sentence, then sent back to Libya for humanitarian reasons. (He had cancer and was given three months to live.) He's still alive, and a doctor says he could live another decade. Now the four senators from New York and New Jersey have called for an investigation to see if BP brokered the bomber's early release in exchange for a $900 million offshore drilling deal with Libya.

8

Theocracy is good for you - NOT (Hat tip PZ) Update: Ah, the martyr complex. Nope; didn't happen, it's just propaganda via Compass Direct News, debunked by PZ's commenters.

10

Another country heard from. It's not just the decadent west having trouble with these religious nuts. Hat tip

5

Welcome home Captain Costello, sorry it took so long.

8

Who is telling the truth. USA or Iran? Anybody's guess

9

The Church of England finally catches up with the 21st Century.

6

Oh please please PLEASE let her run. Sarah Palin's war chest is said to be impressive.

10

A case of a meaningful name or self fulfilling prophecy? MP Mark Reckless gets too pissed to vote.

8

Raoul Moat is dead, but with the pressure now off, hindsight bias rears its ugly head.

13

VIDEO: Meet Ernest J. Pagels Jr., proud homophobic fundamentalist Christian Republican candidate for the Wisconsin U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Russ Feingold. (The primary is on 14 September.) He is lawsuit happy (but no doubt hates trial lawyers). And if he thinks you're gay, he might piss on your tires.

11

Another reason why health care should not be a strictly for-profit industry: After Halloween of this year, if you are bitten by a North American coral snake -- most commonly found in the Jesusland states of Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas and Arizona -- the odds will be much greater that you are going to die from it than if you had been bitten before November 1st.

18

How to kill a political party:Replace your (loony) ethnic leader with your (loony) female loser!

15

We predict fundie and Daily Heil condemnation in 3... 2... 1. Update: Well, not quite the Fail

14

Health food manufacturers are being asked to back up their claims

23

Welcome to Colorado Springs, America's preeminent right wing and/or libertarian haven! Home of Focus on the Family! Do you hate taxes and government? Well, then, you've found a new paradise in our community of a half-million people! Just this year we've driven down government costs by turning off one-third of the streetlights, putting a hiring freeze on new cops and firefighters, putting our police helicopters for sale on the internet, discontinuing in-person burglary investigations, stopping the maintenance public lawns and parks, closing public swimming pools and recreation centers, and much more! Oh, and since we've also cut back on police beat patrols, we've mandated recruited taxi cab drivers to report suspicious activities. And just to make sure there's no mistake about this, we've marked every taxi cab serving the city with a big sticker that reads "C.O.P.S." (Cabbies-On-Patrol Service).

13

Pastor and author Dr. Charles Stanley claims the United States is turning away from God and moving closer toward socialism. He must have missed "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise" in Luke.

14

Father and brother of Harry Potter star appear in court charged with her attempted murder after it emerged she is dating a Hindu

10

So, what part of "generated substantial income for the hospital" is bad?

12

Spain joins the 21st century, with their new unrestricted abortion laws. Pro-lifers have kittens.

4

Arizona based Taser International files a lawsuit in Canadian Court after an inquiry finds that (hold on to your hat) tasers may be dangerous and police should stop using them until further tests can be conducted. The alleged violation? The inquiry ignored the evidence presented in defense: "Our tasers haven't killed anybody."

22

Know what's bad? Performing surgery on a baby's naughty bits so they'll be "normal." Know what's worse? Molesting them afterwards..

15

BP truly cares about the environment. So much so that they prevent a sea captain from rescuing endangered species of sea turtle from burning alive.

17

Fox "we'll tell you all you need to know" News suggests ditching libraries.

8

Mexicans head to the polls, but drug lords want to kill whomever wins.

17

Michael Steele Says Afghanistan Was 'War Of Obama's Choosing,' Not Something The U.S. 'Wanted To Engage In' Apparently did bad in History.

3

Glenn Beck has opened his very own online university. Among his first faculty members is "historian" David Barton. Oh, and there's a video

25

A doctor decides to 'treat' expectant mothers to prevent 'abnormal daughters' with an experimental drug.

9

Nick Clegg unveils an initiative for people to nominate what laws they don't like. With whining about health and safety and demanding that people be allowed to smoke in public, the BBC comment section gives a taste of things to come... Update: So far, we have "get rid of all laws", let kids eat junk food at school and about half a billion calls to repeal the smoking ban and bring back fox hunting. Never fear, the nerds are here to save us.

2

Feds seize TV-Shack - "Boo!! Hisss!!" or "Hooray!!" (Your milage may vary)

5

Post-It notes undermine our future history.

6

Move over Janet Jackson, make way for the Lord Mayor of Leicester.

13

Don't startle the YECs but the oldest multicelluar fossils are 2.1 bn years old.

-3

Wonder Woman isn't quite what she used to be.

10

How many ways can our favorite VP candy Sarah Palin get things wrong in a week?

-4

E-cigarettes? (Note fake news web site.) If Fox News hostess gushes "oral fixation" one more time, I'll explode.

3

Gordon Gekko (1987): Greed is good. Michael Douglas' ex-wife (2010): You betcha!

June 2010

2

Smoking is bad for Christopher Hitchens too, sadly.

-3

Mexican singer: "I'm not dead!" Oops, you are now. Sorry!

5

You can't fool statistics. Daily Kos sues its polling firm, Research 2000, after catching R2K just making shit up.

10

But Grandma, good Christians don't vandalize private property that's something only dirty atheists do.

11

American corporations in 2009 were discriminated against, just like African-American school children in 1954.

7

Female banker fired for being 'too sexy and distracting' files official human rights complaint.

19

How civilized.

18

Scientology and other cults in Australia are asked to show their public benefit if they want to maintain their tax-exempt status.

5

Senator Robert Byrd is in the hospital due to dehydration and heat exhaustion, and is seriously ill. UPDATE: Senator Byrd has passed.

25

The Catholic Church is shocked to discover that it is not above the law. Meanwhile in Kentucky ...

7

You always knew Fox News was creepy, but necrophilia?

12

ASCAP solicits funds from members to fight "copyleft"-promoting organizations. Wonder what happens when Wikimedia notices.

14

More from the you-couldn't-make-this-up department: Dutch police use decoy Jews to beat anti-semitism.

18

A Missouri farmer has posted a billboard on his land asking "Are you a producer or a parasite?" Under the question he claims that Democrats are the party of parasites. Naturally, he doesn't think that the $1.1 million dollars in farm subsidies that he has taken from the federal government since 1995 makes him a parasite.

11

Australia gets its first female prime minister.

24

The Texas GOP goes for a platform which we definitely couldn't have predicted (full PDF).

6

The UK budget is announced to a resounding "meh" from all most the most ardent political nerds.

13

Carbon dating has been used to measure known dates to test Egyptian chronology, and surprise surprise, it's actually accurate.

23

Sarah Palin proposes a solution to the Gulf oil disaster. Brace yourself - it's a doozy. Update - PZ reports that Robert Adley has the same idea

8

Self-promotion on Twitter goes in a creepy new direction, as Utah's AG announces that he's given the go ahead for Ronnie Gardner's execution online.

9

After a grovelling Rep. Joe Barton apologizes to BP for Obama's "shakedown" (see below), Rep. John Boehner says taxpayers should share the tab.

13

More wacky weather - just in time for the World Cup, South Africa suffers from its coldest June ever. Brrr!

9

Conservative family values, UK-style: Caroline Nokes, Cameron's Christian side-kick has been doing the naughty with a toy-boy for the last four years.

9

Alberta: land of oil, libertarian gun-nuts and ... the largest cache of dinosaur bones ever uncovered!

22

In Limbaugh Land, all the kids who will go hungry this summer without school lunches are walking right by their overstocking fridges and cupboards overflowing with Twinkies!

8

99 Red balloons go by...

12

BP I'm sorry that the government is pushing you around and all that money you gave me has nothing to do with my feelings. GOP leadership: No you're not!

4

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

4

What's the problem with "publish or perish"? An avalanche of mediocre scientific research that no-one reads or builds upon. Update: Or not: "Not cited" should not be confused with "not read".

17

100 years after the physics were confirmed and 50 years after its first mention in science fiction, the first true solar sail for propulsion is deployed for testing in orbit.

2

The situation at Arlington Cemetery goes from bad to worse

9

Eleven-year-old-boy speaks truth to power, tells the Canucks what's what.

8

Glorious Democratic People's Republic of Korea soccer has fans from across the world and not Chinese people paid to root for them.

12

Problem: Police officers are getting caught on tape lying and using excessive force with suspects. Solution: Use 40 year old wiretapping laws to arrest citizens who have the nerve to record police misconduct.

12

Hoping to one-up the "Zeigen Sie mir Ihre Papiere" crowd in Arizona, a GOP candidate from New Mexico talks about one "interesting" solution to illegal immigration -- LAND MINES!

18

American goes to Pakistan, plans to kill bin Laden. With a freakin' sword.

6

Glenn Beck writes his Atlas Shrugged Turner Diaries

15

62 foot-tall statue of Jesus, nicknamed Touchdown Jesus, incinerated by bolt of lightning. Zeus: 1, Jesus: 0.

6

How much of a diehard libertarian is Rand Paul? Well, it seems that he's not only against "interference" from the government, he's also against "interference" from private professional organizations. E.g., he isn't a board-certified ophthalmologist (as he has claimed) because he thinks the certification process is "unfair." Unless, of course, you count his certification from the rival board that he helped create. You know, the unsanctioned board whose recertification process is less rigorous bureaucratic.

4

Look at what the US has "found" since the invasion of Afghanistan. Conspiracy theorists will begin thinking "So that's the reason for the invasion of Afghanistan" in 5...4...3...2...

9

Cow seduces Indonesian man "She called my name and seduced me, so I had sex with her," he said. The bovine temptress was drowned to rid village of bad luck, and the man underwent "ritual cleansing".

20

New York Post not entirely clear on the concept.

12

FIFA claims the World Cup is "solid gold." Science says "bollocks it is."

6

Pyrophosphite might have been early life's energy repository.

10

Homeopathy is harmless? That's why a homeopath is in the dock after telling a cancer patient to forego all other treatment, and Western Australia is looking at regulating it.

16

Georgia's creationist natural history museum, The Gallery of Creation, is liquidating its entire astounding collection of curiosities in an auction.

13

"Pop" science: shedding new light on bursting bubbles with high speed cameras. As reported in Nature.

8

Victory for the righties who have sought to eliminate the Estate Tax "Death Tax"! A Texan who recently died after amassing a fortune estimated at $9 billion has become the first American billionaire since the tax was enacted in 1916 to pass his entire fortune to his heirs completely tax-free. (This one-year tax amnesty is the last "quirk" in the tax package that Dubya pushed through Congress all the way back in 2001. Because, you know, his tax policies have made us so prosperous today.)

7

UN Security Council votes to continue sanctions against Iran.

9

California Republicans are nervous, Orly Taitz might actually win the primary for California Secretary of State. Update: The voters of Califonia showed at least some good sense. Though, 365,684 people still voted for her!

9

BP onsite supervisors ordered shortcuts the day of the rig explosion. And there was a history of such activities

18

Hydrogen fueled Methane monsters live on Titan, scientists say.

14

How do we know that the leadership of the Catholic church still doesn't understand the problems regarding the priest child sexual abuse scandal? Well, for starters, the Burlington, Vermont diocese put this photo on the cover of the current issue of its monthly magazine.

17

What's going to hack the fundies off more? The fact that children of Lesbian couples do just as well, if not better, than their contemporaries, or that Fox covered the news without slagging off the study?

7

What's $1,000,000 to Elton John? Well, its enough to get him to play at Rush Limbaugh's fourth wedding. (See Mike Edwards of Jesus Jones on the murky world of the corporate gig circuit.)

8

Huzzah! Finally some sound reason in the UK with regards to GM crops. Oh and don't forget to facepalm at the comment section.

10

SpaceX' Falcon 9 launches successfully a dummy Dragon capsule to orbit (video), marking another step towards private access to space and giving Australians a mysterious spiral to ponder.

10

The simple solution is to make the nonwhite kids...white!. In Prescott, Arizona of all places (groan.) Where is Billy Jack when we need him?

4

Is that Internet idiot really Aspergic or just a fuckwit? A pee test for autism!

9

"Hey, Baracky, watch me pull the end of your Presidency out of my asshat!" "But that trick never works!" "This time for sure!" "Rrrrrrrroooooaaaaaaarrrrrrr!" "Looks like I'm gonna need another crackpot legal strategy." Birthers get smacked down... again.

13

"Wicked Nun vanquished. Catholic church excommunicates Nun that authorized a lifesaving abortion" How Do You Solve a Problem Like Margret McBride

8

Success for abstinence-only sex education advocates! The rhythm method is now being used by an increasing number of American teens.

8

Rand Paul may really be speaking to his base. According to a recent University of Washington poll finds that three out of four Teabaggers agree with the following statement: "While equal opportunity for blacks and minorities to succeed is important, it's not really the government's job to guarantee it." Furthermore, more than half believe that "compared to the size of their group, lesbians and gays have too much political power."

10

Former Head of GOP in Florida is arrested, has busted lip for some reason - resisting arrest?.

8

In Iran improperly veiled women are a ""security issue."

10

Conserva-schism! Some prominent evangelical Christians support comprehensive immigration reform, including a "path to citizenship"; others conservatives, including Mama Schlafly, disagree.

19

Saudi woman beats up thought cop, risks lashing. (Although the burka might mean they'll have trouble getting a positive ID...)

8

Monsignor Charles Scicluna warns paedophile priests that they will be punished utterly and horifically ... in his imagination. Yep, can't see that failing to stop the child raping dead in its tracks.

16

Is Betelgeuse about to blow up? Let's watch the science sites over the next few days ... Update: Er, no. (everybody say "awww" )