RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/May 2009

May 2009
Two California pastors refuse to conduct weddings until gay marriage is legalised. Chiro-quackery. Dr. George Tiller shot dead at his church on May 31. He had been the target of assassination attempts before. He also was the constant focus of Christian groups because his clinic was one of the few that still performs late-term abortions. The right-wing Christian zealots have called Dr. Tiller "Tiller the Killer." His murderer is still at large. UPDATE: A suspect has been arrested. A delicate issue of individual property rights vs. the public's right to honor the dead rears its head at the site of the Flight 93 crash. New York Times: Conservatives are more likely than liberals to sense contamination. Obviously the entire organic food movement passed these statisticians right by. Clear this: Wikipedia banhammers the Church of Scientology. The British National Party vs the music. Given the choice between his girlfriend and being a Catholic priest, Father Cutie, aka "Reverend Oprah," jumps ship and joins the Episcopalian church. He still has to undergo some vetting before he can be an Episcopalian priest. For instance, he will have to show that he is not anti-gay. General Townsend orders his troops to KILL THEMSELVES.''' Marmite: You either love it or hate it. Now we know what Jesus thinks of it. Animals can tell right from wrong.MOAR: biological basis for morals Apparently, it's only ok for *some* gays to be married in CA. The rest of teh gay, who didn't jump over the broom during the last 6 months, are not equal citizens to the 8000+/- gays who are legally married.

Moar bad British habits! "Frog" bites Scientologist. Google doesn't love America, claim a few wacko Christian and right-wing loonies. George Lucas was right about the Storm Troopers. Take note that this is from the NY Post, so take it with a grain of salt. <vote poll=world758 closed="yes">Liberty University has banned the campus Democratic Club, because it conflicts with Christian values. <vote poll=world757 closed="yes">Conservative radio host 'Mancow', having claimed waterboarding isn't torture, proves unable to take it for more than 6 seconds and calls the procedure "torture". Reports of Sean Hannity hiding in a closet are as yet unconfirmed. <vote poll=world756 closed="yes">Gentlemen Irish Catholic Church!(See also WIGO below.) You are not alone.

<vote poll=world755 closed="yes">Wind farm kills goats through "lack of sleep" <vote poll=world754 closed="yes">Irish church knew abuse 'endemic'. No snark necessary. <vote poll=world753 closed="yes">In Massachusetts, two out of three teacher-wannabes fail the math test. The superintendents' organization blames the teacher prep program; more likely it is that they are now apparently trying to teach theoretical statistics to elementary school students. A dose of Tom Lehrer would not go amiss here. <vote poll=752 closed="yes">During the invasion of Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld published the Dept. Of Defense Top Secret reports with Bible quotes on the cover. Way to go in convincing the MIddle East it wasn't another Crusade. Mind you, it was partly why he was fired. <vote poll=751 closed="yes">The thirteen year old (and illiterate) chemotherapy refusenik and his mom skips town. <vote poll=750 closed="yes">Amnesty International requests everyone's help in saving Troy Davis, convicted of murder upon unreliable testimony without physical evidence, from potential execution. <vote poll=world749 closed="yes">That guy who swam to Aung San Suu Kyi's house sure looks familiar. <vote poll=world748 closed="yes">The discovery of a very interesting small primate fossil has been announced - "It tells a part of our evolution that's been hidden so far". <vote poll=world747 closed="yes">No sex, please; only Party members are allowed to do that. <vote poll=world746 closed="yes">Oh the fun of "take your children to work day". <vote poll=world745 closed="yes">Just Imagine. <vote poll=world744 closed="yes">In the ongoing saga of Atheist bus ads (See WIGOWorlds passim) the City of Bloomington, Indiana is facing a lawsuit for refusing ads. ("You can't be good without God. You can't," said resident Amanda Delaney. "I don't think they should promote that.") <vote poll=world743 closed="yes">Aussie newspaper publishes some of the pictures Obama does not want you to see (Warning: Graphic Content) <vote poll=world742 closed="yes"> Barack "Change" Obama flip flops and continues the trials at Guantanamo. <vote poll=world741 closed="yes">Pirate Bay Update: It's just crazy enough to work! <vote poll=World740 closed="yes">What will ID apologists think of this. Countdown to Goddidit in 5... 4... 3... <vote poll=World739 closed="yes">Washington Times slips into wishful thinking <vote poll=World738 closed="yes">Republicans decide to now call the Democrats in all of their speeches the "Democratic Socialist" party. Yay snarl words and ideological boogymen! <vote poll=World737 closed="yes">More of the Change thing: Barack Obama decides to maintain the US government's policy of not releasing photos of American soldiers abusing their prisoners. <vote poll=World736 closed="yes">A Texas (where else?) couple uses the largely defensive weapon of gun to kill a seven-year-old they thought was trespassing on their property. (He wasn't.) Reluctant to shoot at a moving target, they waited until he stopped to take a leak before firing. <vote poll=World735 closed="yes">A new search engine set to launch this month may make Google obsolete. (Imagine entering "What was the weather in Rancho Mirage when Gerald Ford died?" and getting a specific answer rather than 12 billion hits.) <vote poll=World734 closed="yes">Taliban-run madrasah in Afghanistan to one of its students -- don't attend that social function at the school of the infidels. Oh, wait. That's wrong. It should read as follows: Fundamentalist Baptist high school in Ohio to one of its students -- don't attend the local public high school prom with your heathen, public school girlfriend. UPDATE: The school responds with, "The lib-burr-rul media didn't stump for our rules! The Bible says Christians mustn't go anywhere near >ugh!< girls dancing in low-cut dresses." <vote poll=World733 closed="yes">Sex.Is.Necessary. And if you tell my wife to hold out, I'll sue. <vote poll=World732 closed="yes">Evidently waking up from an eight year coma, Dick Cheney reminds the GOP of its "commitment to the Constitution and constitutional principles". <Vote poll=World731 closed="yes">More distrust in Wikipedia articles as Irish student hoaxes world press with a widely-reported fake quote. <Vote poll=World730 closed="yes">Unions do not equal marriage, says former "anti gay marriage" Governor of Maine. Separate but equal never was that good an argument. <Vote poll=World729 closed="yes">Sometimes serial killers don't look like misfits. In other news, gravity still makes things fall down. <Vote poll=world728 closed="yes">Interrogation or ''murder? <vote poll=world727 closed="yes">Whoofuckin'pee, us grils can join ... wait for it ... the Swiss guard. Where do I go to sign up? <vote poll=world726 closed="yes">Egypt starts its persecution of religious minorities swine flu prevention measures. <vote poll=world725 closed="yes">Alberta makes evolution teachings mandatory. Canada 1 Rest of North America 0. <vote poll=world724 closed="yes">Miss California Carrie "opposite marriage" Prejean makes a couple of good points. <vote poll=world723 closed="yes">Have no fear of Peak oil: here come the Chocolate-powered car and the Ice cream power station. <vote poll=world722 closed="yes">Cincinnati just got a little safer. <vote poll=world721 closed="yes"> Fred Phelps is among 22 barred from the UK (as is his daughter) despite never having tried to come here. Talk show host Michael Savage is also not wanted. <vote poll=world720 closed="yes">Al Jazeera (English) video: "General Order #1" for troops in Afganistan clearly states that there shall be no "proselytizing of any religion, faith or practice." So, naturally, the fundy military chaplains have troops give Bibles to locals anyway claiming that they are just "gifts." <vote poll=world719 closed="yes">Gun owners - not paranoid - not at all. <vote poll=world718 closed="yes">Literary critic Terry Eagleton: Believing in technology requires more faith than believing in God. Also, you can't answer the question, "Why is there anything in the first place?" without religion. He should read up on his Aristotle ("'Why a thing is itself' is a meaningless inquiry.") <vote poll=world717 closed="yes">According to a survey conducted by the Pew Forum, the more you go to church, the more likely you are to approve of torture. The Washington Post has a somewhat scathing commentary on the poll results. <vote poll=world716 closed="yes">Some conflicting views from musicians regarding using music as torture.