RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/December 2008

December 2008
New York Times: Religion gives you more self-control. Obviously these people should get a clue. Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, child of Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston, is born. Barring a miracle, there's no hope that this kid doesn't become as fucked up as the rest of his wackaloon fundie family. Saying what we already knew, Abstinence vows are ineffective.. The highlight, "taking a pledge doesn't seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behavior.". That's so crazy it might just work: A plan to fight global warming with a global sprinkler system. Vandals once again desecrate the Christmas festivities by setting fire to the Holy Goat Many Russians still regard Stalin as a national hero, and government whitewashing of his atrocities continues. And now, a Christmas message from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security: [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28387496 Be afraid. Be very afraid. (At least for the next five years.)] Oops! Bush confirms his status as the biggest nitwit ever to occupy the White House makes history (maybe) by becoming (or so it appears) the first president to rescind one of his own pardons. (Historians are still checking to see if any previous presidents rescinded any of their pardons.  They'll let us know when they're done checking.) Here he comes! It's the apocalypse. Pat Robertson "Criticizes Bush, Praises Obama."  Guy in a beautifully embroidered dress says "that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was as important as protecting the environment." In one of the more despicable hate-crimes in recent memory, a San Francisco lesbian is brutally gang-raped because of her sexual orientation. One analyst says that "Anytime there is an anti-LGBT initiative, we tend to see spikes both in the numbers and the severity of attacks. People feel this extra entitlement to act out their prejudice." Bush's internet strategist Michael Connell - who knew too much a lot about the 2006 Ohio voter fraud case - dies in a mysterious airplane crash. Uh-oh. The new long-drive champ in women's golf was born a man - a one-time 245-pound SWAT cop, no less. The real world has ignored this since her 22 October win, so the media (i.e., Fox Sports) feels the need to stir up some outrage. Favorite line: she beat her closest opponent (the reigning long-drive champ) because of a 40 mph headwind. What's the difference between Hollywood libruls and the Bush Administration? Hollywood libruls are now consulting scientists to make their movies more accurate. Because it's more important for Titanic to have an accurate star field than it is to stop climate change. Wanna know what you should do when a state Attorney General (oh, say from California) calls for the nullification of a law infringing on equal rights? You listen. <vote poll=world448 closed="yes">The results of mandatory sentences; the mentally ill being kept in prison isolation. <vote poll=world447 closed="yes">Remember, there is NO religious intolerance in the Bible Belt. <vote poll=world447 closed="yes">South Korean actress (with a slightly ironic name) is convicted of adultery, despite arguing that the outdated law is an infringement of privacy and human rights. <vote poll=world446 closed="yes">Democracy comes to the internet. <vote poll=world445 closed="yes">Bettie Page dies in LA at the ripe old age of 85 <vote poll=world444 closed="yes">Burger King decides to take the idea of diversification to its logical extreme..... WTF? <vote poll=world443 closed="yes">Shameless, the Bush administration spend their final hours kicking back to the corporate interests who served them so well. Why is it only Iraqis who have the courage to throw their shoes at the man? <vote poll=world442 closed="yes">BlackBerry: $20, McCain-Palin's Contacts: Priceless <vote poll=world441 closed="yes">Iraqi Journalist Throws Shoes At George Bush Jr., Microphone Beats Up Dana Perino <Vote poll=world440 closed="yes">Mexico's playboy decides December would be a perfect month to piss off every Catholic in the world. <vote poll=world439 closed="yes">With just 40 days left until the White House is exorcised, the Bushies' shift their war on science into overdrive. <vote poll=world438 closed="yes"> Vatican: Babies made without sex are EVIL. Not fertile enough? Too bad, so sad, try prayer.  <vote poll=world437 closed="yes">The IWF backs down. Score one for common sense! <vote poll=world436 closed="yes">Bush on creationism. <vote poll=world435 closed="yes">Democracy comes at last to a place almost untouched by modern civilisation; no cars, no buses and feudal laws dating back to the 16th century. Some middle eastern or third-world Aftrican country liberated by a western coalition? No. It's in the United Kingdom! <vote poll=world434 closed="yes">Newsweek: Anti-gay sentiments are NOT biblical. <vote poll=world433 closed="yes">Wednesday (10 December) is International Human Rights Day. Activists want people worldwide to protest Proposition Hate by taking a sick day after calling in gay. <vote poll=world432 closed="yes">This will set a cat amongst the CP pigeons. <vote poll=world431 closed="yes">As stated earlier on the "What's going on in the Blogosphere?" page, Donofrio v. Wells is dead. Now it's official. <vote poll=world430 closed="yes">What those crazy Christians are buying this Kitschmas <vote poll=world429 closed="yes"> UK ISPs censor Wikipedia. "The page that they cannot view is about an relatively obscure 70s heavy metal band, Scorpions, and it has been blocked because it includes an image of a controversial album cover. That cover shows a naked child ..." <vote poll=world428 closed="yes">If a Midwestern federal judge appointed by Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton overturn a conviction, it's a sure thing that the mouthbreathers Dubya appointed to the 6th District Court of Appeals will reverse the lower court's decision. <vote poll=world427 closed="yes">Next stop, Iowa. <vote poll=world426 closed="yes">Prescription Handguns For the Elderly and Disabled: This Won't End Well. <vote poll=world425 closed="yes">It turns out that the CEO of Cinemark Theaters donated $9999 to Prop Hate. Now the organizers of the Utah-based Sundance Film Festival are scrambling to find "alternate sites" to the Cinemark-owned theaters that traditionally screen the festival's independent (i.e., usually gay-friendly) films. I wonder how much money Cinemark will make off the movie Milk? <vote poll=world424 closed="yes">B-b-but without hookers and pot, Amsterdam would be just another expensive, rainy northern European city. <vote poll=world423 closed="yes">Kentucky atheists have sued over a state law requiring the state's Office of Homeland Security to stress its "dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth." <vote poll=world422 closed="yes">Having already already pardoned a guy who killed bald eagles, now Georgey wants to get rid of the rest of those pesky endangered species. And tourists. <vote poll=world421 closed="yes">So, if the recession began in December, 2007, why did it take an entire year for the official announcement? Could it be that economists (government and private sector) have been cooking the books to keep people spending and investing? As Captain Renault would say, we are shocked, shocked, to find gambling going on here. <vote poll=420 closed="yes">Two new editions of the Bible are released, catering to hipsters, goths and environmentalists. Expect an outraged explosion from the fundies in three...two... <vote poll=world419 closed="yes">Prop 8 was spurred on by religion?! To a California poll we say, "No. Fucking. Shit." <vote poll=world418 closed="yes"> Rationalwiki throws it's full support behind [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c0cf508ff8/prop-8-the-musical-starring-jack-black-john-c-reilly-and-many-more-from-fod-team-jack-black-craig-robinson-john-c-reilly-and-rashida-jones Prop. 8 the Musical] for the 2009 Tony for best musical showcasing the stupidity of the Religious Right. <vote poll=world417 closed="yes"> Conservative Episcopalians, angry at teh ebil librul Episcopalian dioceses, form their own conservative dioceses. Won't this be fun. <vote poll=world416 closed="yes">Let's not forget that voters started electing Conservatives in the 1980s as a revolt against the many small taxes that the Cons claimed were frivolous, excessive, intrusive, et cetera. So, when our newly elected progressive officials propose new taxes on sweeping fallen leaves, or emergency assistance after automobile collisions, remind them that they risk incurring another backlash. <vote poll=world415 closed="yes">A little old, but next time a fundie claims that only Atheists sue over Christmas displays, remind them about this. UPDATE: An "atheistic sign" has been added to this display. <vote poll=world414 closed="yes">In Britain, Conservative Party councillors come from all walks of life. Businessmen. Housewives. Managers. IRA interpreters. <vote poll=world413 closed="yes">More proof of God as students counter-protest the Westboro Baptist Church. <vote poll=world412 closed="yes">We already knew, but now it's official: Recession! <vote poll=world411 closed="yes">"No sex please, we're British?"... Well, now that we're poor...