RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/November 2012

November 2012
North Korea discovers secret unicorn lair. Disappointing UPDATE: Sadly, not unicorns, merely kirin In the UK, religious schools will lose government funding if they don't teach evolution as a fact. The GOP: Oh, you know, John Kerry's a pretty nice guy. Who says that being rich makes you smart? Or good with money? Dick and Betsy DeVos intend to keep a dud of a Broadway musical afloat for the next few weeks because it's about Aimee Semple McPherson, and they're just sure that fundamentalist Christians will gladly fill the (mostly empty) 1450 seats at the Neil Simon Theatre during the Christmas season. (TKTS lists discount ticket prices ranging between $57 and $147 per seat.) UN grants Palestine non-member observer state status. Also, Canada takes several steps backwards as its leadership decides to be on the wrong side of history. NASA's MESSENGER probe sends back photos of ice on Mercury's poles. This is not okay, Syria. NASA: Expect idiots committing suicides on Dec 21. Seralini's infamous "GMO gives cancer to rats" study is definitively rejected by the European Food Safety Agency. "Gay conversion therapy" is being taken to court in New Jersey under the state’s Consumer Fraud Act. NASA: "We've found something worthy of the history books on Mars." "What is it, NASA?" "Not telling yet LOL!" Cubans will pay taxes for the first time since the 1959 Communist revolution. Sarkozy's wife: Kinder, Küche, Kirche FTW! Shockingly, it is The Telegraph calling her out for being a rich asshole.

Even Pat Robertson denies that the Earth is 6,000 years old. Just give them the goddamn Pulitzer already. Irony meters, everyone! Arguably the most batshit mayor in the Western world is hit with a blunt-force legal banhammer that would make his minimum sentencing allies drool. Update: Sun NewsCanada's Faux: "The homosexual extremists did it." <vote poll=world6318 closed="yes">Republicans are backing out of Grover Norquist's suicide pact. <vote poll=world6317 closed="yes">Parishioner: "Your priest raped my daughters!" Cardinal George Pell: "So? Sue us if you don't like it." <vote poll=world6316 closed="yes">Two foster parents have their children taken away because they are UKIP members. <vote poll=world6315 closed="yes">A 24-hour petition to further postpone Uganda's "Kill the Gays" bill gets past its halfway mark, with unconfirmed reports of the death penalty clause being removed (for now), retaining life imprisonment. <vote poll=world6314 closed="yes">A glimpse of the apocalypse - Walmart Customers Fight Over Phones On Black Friday. <vote poll=world6313 closed="yes">Playing dirty in candyland: Austrian thieves drive off with 18 tons of chocolate. <vote poll=world6312 closed="yes">Poe's Law emanates in the most unusual of circumstances. <vote poll=world6311 closed="yes">21st Century solutions to 14th Century problems... <vote poll=world6310 closed="yes">Oh MRAs, you're so, so oppressed! <vote poll=world6309 closed="yes">This is why you don't accept wrestling moguls into your political party. <vote poll=world6308 closed="yes">Great tits more susceptible to diseases. <vote poll=world6307 closed="yes">"We need to stop insulting the intelligence of the voters," said creationist, eugenicist and former exorcist Bobby Jindal. <vote poll=world6306 closed="yes">Phantom Islands are still an issue in the South Pacific

<vote poll=world6305 closed="yes">Oh Mitt, about that 47% comment... It's official: Believe God protects Kentucky, or go to jail. <vote poll=world6303 closed="yes">C'mon UK readers, get this ePetition to the official brushoff stage: No women Bishops, no automatic seats in the House of Lords. <vote poll=world6302 closed="yes">The Dutch on abstinence only education: Hahahahahahahaha. <vote poll=world6031 closed="yes">Ceasefire in the Middle East. Again. <vote poll=world6030 closed="yes">Occupy Wall Street has come up with a plan to bail out people, not banks. <vote poll=world6029 closed="yes">The genius who brought the world UnSkewedPolls.com is back. With the same eye for accuracy, he proves that Barack Obama won Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida through voter fraud. <vote poll=world6028 closed="yes">Would-be Breivik arrested in Poland <vote poll=world6027 closed="yes">The 20 worst candidates of 2012. <vote poll=world6026 closed="yes">U.S. federal statistics show that red states suffer from a higher percentage of fatal traffic accidents than blue states. <vote poll=world6025 closed="yes">Teen Pakistani Christian girl cleared of blasphemy charges. <vote poll=world6024 closed="yes">The Italian branch of Stormfront is closed by the authorities, with four of its posters arrested. <vote poll=world6023 closed="yes">Four new studies: college diversity promotes critical thinking, which might explain why Texas Republicans are against teaching critical thinking skills. <vote poll=world6022 closed="yes">And more depressing crap from a Christian engaging in the manufacture of child pornography. <vote poll=world6021 closed="yes">Recent Conservative attempts to re-open the abortion debate in Canada backfire terribly, as support for unrestricted access to abortion spikes amongst the population. <vote poll=world6020 closed="yes">How would you show support for Malala Yousafzai, the Muslim schoolgirl who was shot in the head? If you're Madonna, you dedicate a striptease to her. <vote poll=world6019 closed="yes">Marco Rubio: "whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I'm not sure we'll ever be able to answer that. It's one of the great mysteries" The War on Christmas has begun early this year

<vote poll=world6017 closed="yes">The hits just keep coming - Republican poll worker caught complaining about the high turnout amongst "people of color." <vote poll=world6016 closed="yes">This week in stopped clocks: GOP Study Committee releases brief debunking copyright myths and the laws that follow from them. Update: Executive Director Paul Teller disowns the brief, surprising no one. <vote poll=world6015 closed="yes">Oklahoma lawmaker violates the First Amendment and erects a Ten Commandments monument on state capitol grounds, complete with spelling errors. <vote poll=world6014 closed="yes">That these idiots were able to put up a fight against NATO says more about us than them. <vote poll=world6013 closed="yes">Not content with making his mistress have an abortion, pro-life Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) also convinced his ex-wife to have an abortion.

<vote poll=world6012 closed="yes">One name you won't find on an IKEA product; Stasi. <vote poll=world6011 closed="yes">Millionaires ask to pay more taxes <vote poll=world6010 closed="yes">Way to make PETA look sane by comparison. <vote poll=world6009 closed="yes">Turnout for the police commissioner elections in England and Wales is already at record lows, and it looks as if the number of valid votes may be even lower. <vote poll=world6008 closed="yes">Newport, Wales, has a statue commemorating the, who fought and went to prison for the right to vote. If they could read this now... <vote poll=world6007 closed="yes">Texan cult leader ordered his wife to be murdered, to cover up ritual sexual assault. <vote poll=world6006 closed="yes">IRS being sued for not taking action against tax-exempt churches that become involved in political campaigns. <vote poll=world6005 closed="yes">You know that saying "More money than sense?" Yeah, well... <vote poll=world6004 closed="yes">[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/15/mccain-skips-benghazi-briefing-gets-testy-when-questioned-by-cnn/?hpt=hp_t1 "John McCain, if you think the President is lying on Benghazi, why didn't you show up at the classified briefing?" "WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH"] <vote poll=world6003 closed="yes">The spin around Savita begins: There's no evidence that a Catholic ethos prevented people or inhibiting people from carrying out proper medical treatment. <vote poll=world6002 closed="yes">Top Georgia GOP Lawmakers Host Briefing on Secret Obama Mind-Control Plot

<vote poll=world6000 closed="yes">So, little Uganda, what would you like for Christmas? "I wanna kill the gays!" <vote poll=world5999 closed="yes">Fiscal conservatives at their best. <vote poll=world5998 closed="yes">The Turnaway Study, one of the few scientific surveys to report on the lives of women who seek (and sometimes cannot get) an abortion, publishes its interesting results. Update: And look at that. <vote poll=world5997 closed="yes">For every action there is an equally stupid reaction <vote poll=world5996 closed="yes">"Petraeusgate" just went from a simple Lewinsky to full-blown WTFery. Update: And now the top commander in Afghanistan. <vote poll=world5995 closed="yes">Obamacare just got a new patient. <vote poll=world5994 closed="yes">Willard Mitt Romney. [http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20121112_In_59_Philadelphia_voting_wards__Mitt_Romney_got_zero_votes.html You got no votes. Not a sausage. Bugger all.] <vote poll=world5993 closed="yes">The Vatican advocates polyamory! (cough) <vote poll=world5992 closed="yes">Right-wingers file petitions to secede from the US. <vote poll=world5991 closed="yes">Dear Jenny McCarthy: When you were pregnant, did you have the flu, or a fever that lasted for a week or more? <vote poll=world5990 closed="yes">CBO: TAX THE FUCKING RICH ALREADY. <vote poll=world5989 closed="yes">Father Tyson. <vote poll=world5988 closed="yes">Yeah, we're in bizarro world now. <vote poll=world5987 closed="yes">Goddammit Obama, a few of us want to actually get married here sometime soon!

<vote poll=world5985 closed="yes">Ken Ham's Creation Museum reports its fourth consecutive year of declining attendances since opening AND AiG reports its first ever net loss. <vote poll=world5984 closed="yes"> After 54 days and a snowballing series of scandals, director general of the BBC George Entwistle resigns, making him the shortest-serving DG in the Corporation's history. <vote poll=world5983 closed="yes">President of Fordham University tears apart a Republican club's attempt to invite the Coultergeist on campus. Response: "We regret that we failed to thoroughly research her before announcing." <vote poll=world5982 closed="yes">Allen West is a sore loser <vote poll=world5981 closed="yes">We still had these? <vote poll=world5980 closed="yes">Final result: 332-206 <vote poll=world5979 closed="yes">The Seattle Police Department addresses the passage of I-502 (legalizing marijuana) with amazing candor and wit. (Spoiler: They actually use "TL;DR" in proper context.) <vote poll=world5978 closed="yes">Not Onion: RyanAir CEO thinks that seat belts on planes are unnecessary, wants to offer standing-room only seats <vote poll=world5977 closed="yes">The Occupy movement is helping with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts <vote poll=world5976 closed="yes">10 years after being rescued from the House of Prayer, the victims, now adults are starting to speak about the abuse. <vote poll=world5975 closed="yes">Cue Benghazi conspiracy theories in 3...2...1.. Update: The MIC's fucking around today. <vote poll=world5974 closed="yes">HWGA -- Pastor/ex-gay counsellor charged with molesting two young men. (And, yes, the accused is a man.) <vote poll=world5973 closed="yes">Coal company announces layoffs in response to Obama's reelection. <vote poll=world5972 closed="yes">Sean Hannity's position on illegal immigrants changes spontaneously. Obviously a RINO. <vote poll=world5971 closed="yes">Karl Rove is still in the denial stage of grieving the election. Obama won by voter suppression, apparently. Yes, of course, he offers zero evidence to his claims. <vote poll=world5970 closed="yes">How fiscally conservative is Romney? Trying to get home from work on election night, his campaign workers discovered their credit cards had already been cut off. <vote poll=world5969 closed="yes">Remember when Obamacare survived the Supreme Court and wingnuts threatened to move to Canuckistan? It happened. Again. Update: And to Australia, where their "president" is a male Christian, apparently. <vote poll=world5968 closed="yes">Candidates always say that every vote counts, so it might be a good idea to make sure your spouse gets to the polls. <vote poll=world5967 closed="yes">The good news for British sceptics is that only 44% of the country believe in God. Unfortunately, there's some bad news too... <vote poll=world5966 closed="yes">Despite criticising Obama for using executive orders, Mittens' prepared President-elect website reveals he planned to issue an executive order on the first day in office to begin dismantling Obamacare. <vote poll=world5965 closed="yes">El Rushbo gets a head start on warming up the Republican persecution complex for the new term. <vote poll=world5964 closed="yes">The counterattack begins. Republicans drafting rules to tighten control over the House, despite Boehner's promises of relaxing control when he became Speaker. <vote poll=world5963 closed="yes">Another in a list of firsts: Congress will have its first Hindu Representative. Ommm. <vote poll=world5962 closed="yes">Puerto Rico has voted to become the 51st State. <vote poll=world5961 closed="yes">Minnesota voters defeat a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage, making Minnesota "the first state in our country that has faced this question and said 'no'." (Except for Arizona, of course, well... not anymore since 2008) <vote poll=world5960 closed="yes">One for the birthers - Barack and Mitt are both born in Kenya! <vote poll=world5959 closed="yes">The cream of the twitterati congratulate Obama. <vote poll=world5958 closed="yes">New Hampshire makes history by becoming the first state ever to send an all-female delegation to Congress. Also, their new governor-elect will be the only Democratic Party female governor in the US during the next two-year cycle. <vote poll=world5957 closed="yes">Conservative bloggers: "Black youth are planning riots in case Obama loses!" Police: "That's nonsense." Real life: White UMiss students start a riot because Obama won. <vote poll=world5956 closed="yes">A man fired for joining the British National Party wins his political discrimination case thanks to (check irony meters) the European Court of Human Rights. <vote poll=world5955 closed="yes">You were raped by your teachers? Oh, it's probably your fault. <vote poll=world5954 closed="yes">Voters boot out another rape denialist - Richard Mourdock can crawl back under his rock now. Ditto Josh Mandel. <vote poll=world5953 closed="yes">Donald Trump loses his shit, calls for revolution against his legally elected government. <vote poll=world5952 closed="yes">Wisconsin elects the U.S.'s first openly gay senator. <vote poll=world5951 closed="yes">This WIGO ought to be the last time you hear the words "Todd Akin." And "Allen West." <vote poll=world5950 closed="yes">Fox News gets an early start on making excuses for Obama's re-election. <vote poll=world5949 closed="yes">Say it with me, 4 more years! <vote poll=world5948 closed="yes">Wingnut Tory MP Nadine Dorries is suspended from the Conservative Party and has managed, perhaps fatally, to annoy the local party that kept her in her seat in the face of all competence, for agreeing to appear in the reality TV show I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here, so that she can push her pro-life views. <vote poll=world5947 closed="yes">Oh God, it's like the old Simpsons skit again. <vote poll=world5946 closed="yes">Memo to US voters: If you think the "down ballot" candidates and initiatives aren't important enough to garner your attention, somebody at your local elections office might "complete" your ballot for you. <vote poll=world5945 closed="yes">Familial dishonour painfully claims another young victim. <vote poll=world5944 closed="yes">Is this why Mitt is hiding his tax returns? <vote poll=world5943 closed="yes">Mittens charged with violating Federal Ethics Law! <vote poll=world5942 closed="yes">Ohio's Secretary of State - the Republican guy who fired County officials who voted for extending early voting - has ordered that “experimental software patches” be installed on vote-counting machines in a number of Ohio counties. <vote poll=world5941 closed="yes">St. Paul Pioneer Press doesn't have a Kluwe, when it comes to marriage equality. <vote poll=world5940 closed="yes">Oakland's Chief of Police never saw tons of email regarding police brutality at Occupy Oakland and other incidents because he has had a number of related terms in auto-delete filters since October 27, 2011 that caught them all, including messages from a Federal monitor. Oakland PD is also facing federal takeover, an unprecedented move in the US. <vote poll=world5939 closed="yes">"North Korea says it's proud of its human rights record" <vote poll=world5938 closed="yes">Another rightie is a chronic case of "Do as I say, not as I do?" It's not even funny any more, just predictable. <vote poll=world5937 closed="yes">Good night, sweet NYANYANYANYANYA <vote poll=world5936 closed="yes">Found near Field Marshal Montgomery's former headquarters - About that... <vote poll=world5935 closed="yes">Now don't be drinking anything when you click this. <vote poll=world5934 closed="yes">A boy charged with shooting his violently abusive white supremacist father to death may have believed he'd get away with it because he watched a crime drama where a father-killing boy avoided jail because it was justified because of beatings. <vote poll=world5933 closed="yes">People who have spent the last 4 years questioning Obama's birthplace, urged to vote for somebody who obviously wasn't born in the USA. <vote poll=world5932 closed="yes">Journalists kidnap and threaten to kill a (female) journalist. As a practical joke. There are no words... <vote poll=world5931 closed="yes">[http://gu.com/p/3bh3m Bloomberg backs Obama, slams Romney. Booyakkahsa]. <vote poll=world5930 closed="yes">That, or maybe God has a weird sense of humour. <vote poll=world5929 closed="yes">Sandy wasn't the fault of the homosexuals, it was that damn "Innocence of Muslims" that brought Allah's wrath down on America. <vote poll=world5928 closed="yes">When facts hit you in the face, just throw the report away. <vote poll=world5927 closed="yes">David Coppedge loses his case against JPL. <vote poll=world5926 closed="yes">The easiest way to get Mitt to strip away his robotic persona? Talk to him about LDS. Holy fuck. <vote poll=world5925 closed="yes">Measurements retroactively force photons to be both wave and particle. <vote poll=world5924 closed="yes"> Will it take an airliner being destroyed to put an end to the chemtrail myth? Violence threats against "chemtrail pilots" get noticed. <vote poll=world5923 closed="yes">Trick or treat? [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20172392 TREAT! Trick.] <vote poll=world5922 closed="yes">Where will it stop? After the talking Beluga whale we now have a Korean-speaking elephant. <vote poll=world5921 closed="yes">Guy sues church after the crucifix that he prayed to in order to "heal" his wife's cancer falls on his leg, requiring amputation. Now, the real question: do you want him to win, or lose?