RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/November 2015

November 2015
Robert Dear, the accused murderer at the Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic, was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct in 1992 for allegedly raping a woman at knife-point. New Canadian citizen Prof. Dror Bar-Natan to immediately renounce the oath of loyalty to the Queen that he is required to take. Northern Ireland edges slowly into the 1960's. Europe adds the "big money" carrot to the "vague unspecified progress towards eventual EU membership" one in order to get Turkey to keep the refugees they won't. The Paris climate change summit has started with around 220 people being arrested for clashing with police. US Kurdish allies are most likely torturing their prisoners. Tahir Elci, a Kurdish human rights lawyer, was killed during a press conference in Turkey Ted Cruz speculates that the person who shot people and killed three at the Colorado Planned Parenthood is "a transgendered leftist activist." Say what you will about Tim Tebow, when he makes a commitment, he keeps it (more worth reading for the hilarious comments section). Bad time to be in the snake oil biz: Federal agencies file criminal, civil cases against more than 100 supplement companies A Wisconsin elementary school has cancelled plans to include a kids' book about a transperson after an anti-LGBT group threatened to sue. Bernie Sanders wants to bring back deported immigrants. Perhaps this is the key to future ocean-based power generators. Apparently, Russia really likes global warming. Same-sex marriage is legal in the U.S. but frequently not on tribal lands. Navajo Nation expressly bans it. Guilty until proven innocent in the UK: Men must prove a woman said 'Yes' under tough new rape rules. Apparent ongoing shooting incident in Colorado at a Planned Parenthood clinic. Israel meets with Google and YouTube to discuss censoring Palestinian videos. Videos of the IDF executing Palestinians have been going viral since the bombardment of Gaza in 2014. Swedish ISP Bredbandsbolaget was sued by Warner, Sony, Universal et al, who wanted them to block Pirate bay and similar sites. The verdict is in: Bredbandsbolaget won, and Warner and their cohorts have to pay Bredbandsbolaget's legal costs, 1,4 miljoner kronor (~$160k). Armed mosque protesters publish names and home addresses of Irving, TX Muslims and their supporters. (List now down.) As Anonymous continues to hack and play with ISIS and ISIS-supporting sites, at one such it has now replaced the call to murderous atrocities with a Viagra advert. Are you tired of standardized testsTM and boring teachers? This is for you. Saudi Arabia will sue any Twitter user who compares the Kingdom’s recent decision to execute a poet to punishments handed down by Daesh. You know what to do. Grand Mosque in Brussels, Belgium faces anthrax scare from discovering envelopes of strange white powder (thankfully just flour and talc). Daraprim's price won't actually decrease, but instead be discounted to hospitals. Salt Lake City, of all places, elects a gay mayor. UK government makes 'Error of law' by excluding atheism from religious studies “The last bastion of humanitarianism has fallen.” Not sure if real or The Onion... Trump puts up a plaque at a golf club he owns near the Potomac river, commemorating the "Many great American soldiers, both of the North and South, [that] died at this spot", and that they were so many that the river got called "The River of Blood". Problem is, it never happened. Trump responds: "“How would they know that?” Mr. Trump asked when told that local historians had called his plaque a fiction. “Were they there?”". White phosphorous is being used in Raqqa air strikes. Uganda's Gay Community Has High Hopes For Pope Francis's Visit Teacher suspended after condom demonstration #ExMuslimBecause: Thousands of Former Muslims Are Speaking Out After Paris -- and It's Amazing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy urge calm as they prepare to release a video of a white officer fatally shooting a black teenager. The released video strongly looks like cold-blooded murder. No one even tries to help the young man afterward. The City of Montreal, Canada, introduces a plan to adapt to climate change. Don't you want shorter winters? Federal court declares Wisconsin's abortion law "unconstitutional." The battle shall continue at the Supreme Court. A computer simulation suggests that conversion to 100% renewable energy is not only possible and desirable, but also more affordable than many expect. Also noteworthy is that each country would be largely, if not entirely, energy independent, thus reducing the chances of conflict. Genesis II Church still leaching off the gullible and the desperate with Miracle Mineral Solution. At a Black Lives Matter protest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, three white gunman open fire, injuring five people. Armageddon? The Turks have shot down a Russian warplane. Alabama public school employee hands out literature about the evils of homosexuality. For bonus lulz, some sources have suggested it is a copyright violation. 50 analysts accuse of fabricating intelligence on ISIL Russian court orders Scientology's Moscow branch dissolved on the argument that the term "Scientology" is a registered US trademark. Now that those dark days are over, Alberta, where the Keystone XL Pipeline would have originated had it been approved, has laid out detailed plans to tackle global warming and climate change. Canadian web design company Vestra Inet posts a "job available" notice on linkedin, for the position of SEO Specialist & Content Writer. The job posting ends with: "Please note that the Position requires filling in the responsibilities of a receptionist, so female candidates are preferred.". When asked to comment on it, Vestra Inet's receptionists say they've been instructed "not to comment on the matter or forward calls about the posting to management.". Update: They've now taken to Facebook and explained that "we did not mean to discriminate against any particular gender or group". Commenters seem somewhat unconvinced. Apparently, now welfare makes people work. It must be a conspiracy of welfare queens, I guess. Good news for sceptics and critics as Youtube steps up defence of Fair Use against malicious copyright claims. Democrat John Bel Edwards beats David Vitter in the Louisiana governor's race. BSA asked politely to move into at least the 20th century Scientists found part of brain that links to religious beliefs and group prejudice. It's unlikely to pass, but still surprising: A proposal for single-payer healthcare has made it onto the ballot in Colorado. SÄPO, the Swedish Security Service, on Wednesday the 18th arrested a terrorist "in absentia". They caught him Thursday the 19th. And by Sunday the 22nd the "terrorist" was cleared, with SÄPO, as per usual, having shown amazing incompetence (the former suspect having made no effort whatsoever to hide and having been active on Facebook). Bonus: all the major media outlets in Sweden put up his full name and a photograph immediately. Responsible and competent behaviour all 'round! File under "what is this, 2002?": two Southwest Airlines flights see Muslim passengers get kicked off at the gate because bigoted assholes didn't want to fly with them. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has issued an ultimatum to local non-profits "asking" them to stop providing help to Syrian refugees. Multiple organizations have complied in fear of losing state funding. Saudi Arabian court sentences Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh to death for apostasy. After appealing his initial jail term sentence, the poor bastard was then sentenced to death Coming soon to an overpriced sushi bar near you, GMO salmon approved for human consumption. And it only took 20 years! Donald Trump looks to make a national database of Muslim Americans. No word yet on demanding they wear green crescents in public. Gunmen in Mali have taken 170 people hostage in the Radisson hotel. The NIH will no longer conduct experiments on chimpanzees and will retire its remaining chimpanzees. The US House of Representatives votes to impose draconian restrictions on Syrian and Iraqi refugees. While Obama is expected to veto the bill, Democrats can't be too smug, as "dozens" of Dems voted for the measure. The 289 votes in favor are one short of being two-thirds of the House. According to a Gallup poll of 148,000 Americans, those who get healthcare plans from their secret Santa the government are the most satisfied while the uninsured are the least satisfied. Gallup's latest poll of 1,000 participants indicate that half (and rising) of Americans now believe in evolution. Analysis of a survey of 800 Texan women indicate an estimated 100,000 to 240,000 women in Texas have attempted to self-induce an abortion. Australia's stolen generation will be given $11 million in reparations. Antibiotic defences against serious diseases under threat, experts warn Trinity Health, one of the largest US Catholic hospital systems, will refuse women emergency care because of their religious beliefs. Labour MP,, says he has no problem with reintroducing blasphemy laws. Terrorists from Boston to Paris were already known to authorities, yet Western intelligence agencies claim they need expanded surveillance powers. New Snowden/NSA revelation: NSA collected communications of top officials of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela. Ben Carson tweets a beautiful map of the US. When you see it, you will shit bricks. Catholic bishops revise voter guide after debate over ‘Pope Francis agenda’ Up to 240,000 Women Have Tried to Give Themselves Abortions in Texas Kasich Proposes New Government Agency To Promote Judeo-Christian Values Suspected mastermind of Paris attacks a non-religious druggie, petty thief, apparent sociopath. Not only is the UK behind its own schedule for transitioning to renewable energy, but off-shore wind farms will also be delayed. To make up for that, now it plans to shut down all remaining coal power plants and replace them with those that run on gas and nuclear reactions. The US and China battle for influence at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Philippines. President Obama took the opportunity to promote renewable energy in front of business leaders. More shooting in Paris as police raiders and the French Army fight three suspects in an apartment building. In discouraging news, a new WHO survey found that misinformation about antibiotics is widespread. 64% of respondents thought antibiotics are effective against flu and colds. Note the survey was international and included countries where antibiotic misuse is a severe problem. Jindal gone. 3 down, 13 to go. Incredible face transplant procedure for firefighter at NYU Langone Medical Center. A must see. U.S. government bringing criminal charges against companies that sell bogus dietary supplements; "federal agencies are alleging that companies were either selling dietary supplements that contained ingredients other than what was listed on the label — or products that made claims that weren't supported by scientific evidence." Israel bans northern branch by decision of the cabinet. So, remember that time when Cruz, Huckabee, and Jindal appeared at a conference where the organizer talked about executing homosexuals? Don't worry though, he's not that extremist. They'll be given a chance to repent and become Christians first. New from Pew: "[A]theists are more likely than U.S. Christians to say they often feel a sense of wonder about the universe (54% vs. 45%)." They're more liberal, more white, more educated, and younger than population at large. The Senate Chairman is demanding that the NOAA turn over emails that will once and for all prove that climate change is only a myth! Sen. Ted Cruz says he'll be introducing a bill to ban Syrian refugees from entering the U.S. Though Cruz and Jeb Bush have proposed an exception (see the issue?) for Christian Syrians. Wikileaks releases the #SourceAmerica tapes, over three hours worth of tapes and transcripts that implicate the Obama administration in a scandal whereby money meant for disabled employees was fraudulently handed over to defense contractors instead. It is estimated that ten of Obama's Presidential nominees assisted giving federal funds "to corruptly favoured placement organisations that recruit the able bodied or the mildly disabled instead of the mandated 75% severely disabled". Three of Bush's nominees have also been implicated, and Wikileaks claims that the revelations can be linked directly to the current Administration. Fascinating, uplifting account of how Megan Phelps-Roper evolved out of Westboro, hatred and especially anti-semitism. Online and face-to-face interactions with Jews played a large role. She doesn't believe Bible is God's word any longer and is living in sin. The governors of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Arizona, North Carolina and Mississippi 31 states have stated they will refuse to accept Syrian refugees. But they don't actually have authority to do so. Michigan prosecutors and cops are dictating to scientists, "playing politics with science," to make felons out of medical marijuana users.

An interesting case study in how wrong information spreads: Numerous news organizations reported that the lights on the Eiffel Tower were turned off as a tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks. Except the Tower's lights are turned off every day at 1 AM. Guess who reported this first. Someone saw this and repeated it on their obvious parody Twitter account, and other news outlets then repeated the information, sourced to the tweet. Israel's defense minister says that the Europeans should disregard human rights in order to fight ISIS. Poland will no longer take any refugees according to their new Minister. Goats are fighting crime in Richmond, CA. The new defense spending bill will kill the which works to help create technology that would find and destroy IEDs. "Conspiracy theories originating on the extreme right have invaded American political life". Bullshit makes its way into American politics, as once noted by Richard Hofstadter. Marco Rubio believes that a war with ISIS is a clash of civilizations while Ted Cruz believes we should accept more dead civilians in our airstrikes. The king of oops! wants to use "every resource known to man" to destroy Daesh and friends. No, it's not Roe v. Wade all over again. Yes, it is somewhat important, though. French President Francois Holland was in the stadium that was subjected to 3 suicide bombs; he was safely evacuated. French police have stormed the Bataclan music hall, where multiple witnesses say the gunmen shouted: “Allahu akbar.” AP is tweeting -- and CNN has also reported -- French officials confirm at least 100 118 dead in music hall. CNN is reporting the Deputy Mayor of Paris says the attacks appear to be over, but could start again. "Five explosions heard at Bataclan music hall where hostages held after French president says police assault is underway." (Live Reuters reporting at link.) Journalist who fled the hall says unmasked attackers are "very young." Unconfirmed Twitter reports say hostages in hall want police to storm it, because they are being shot one-by-one. CNN just reported yet more explosions and shootings. Shootings, explosions and a hostage situation in Paris. 26 At least 60 dead, attackers shooting with AK-47 automatic weapons, at least six shootings took place and three explosions. 100 people have been taken hostage in 7 different locations. The borders of France have been closed. Associated Press tweets: "French police official confirms 2 suicide attacks, 1 bombing near Paris stadium." No information about who and why yet. Daesh loses Sinjar, Iraq, apparently without putting up much of a fight (large-scale desertion is believed cause). An end to homeopathy on the NHS is being considered. Will big altmed be able to hold back the tide? Daesh claims responsibility for bombing civilians through two suicide blasts in a crowded residential district in Beirut's southern suburbs. Western media sensitively responds to the victims....by calling the suburb a "Hezbollah stronghold" and more or less justifying Daesh's terrorist acts as a legitimate act of defiance against Hezbollah. Welsh town moves 'offshore' to avoid tax on local business. "It’s jolly clever," local business owner says. Israeli commandos stormed a hospital in the occupied West Bank and shot a 28-year-old Palestinian to death, leaving him to bleed out on the floor while while they arrested his cousin, a patient in the surgical ward. Much of the raid is captured on CCTV video. Meanwhile, back in Missouri, a state senator wants to block a Ph.D. student's dissertation about abortion. The US proposes a ban on smoking in public housing. 44 oil executives and truck drivers have been arrested for persistent oil heating fraud in New York. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/11/12/utah-judge-removes-foster-child-from-lesbian-couple-saying-shell-be-better-off-with-heterosexuals/ Being homosexual apparently disqualifies one from fostering children. Who knew?] The law didn't. UPDATE: The order has been rescinded, and the couple expresses forgiveness. If it happens to dogs, why let it happen to humans? Ben Carson hates it when people check those pesky facts contradicting his Bible babble autobiography babble. A 19-year-old sophomore at Missouri Science and Tech and another Missouri college student have been arrested for allegedly making terrorist threats to kill black people. These threats, coming in the face of student protests about campus racism, caused black students to avoid classes, leading to one professor resigning after backlash for refusing to cancel an exam. The university seems to have refused to accept his resignation, however. Massive hack of a major provider of inmate phone service at U.S. prisons and jails. They've apparently been recording confidential and privileged legal communications between prisoners and their attorneys. 11-year old girl with same-sex parents who appeared on an American Girl cover fires back at A Few Thousand One Million Morons Moms for attacking the magazine and her family instead of using their energy helping people. The EU wants to label products from Israeli settlements outside the 1967 lines. Scientist have created genetically modified algae that can kill 90% of cancer cells in a petri dish without harming healthy ones. those feminazi SJWs get everywhere. Monkey sues man for copyright infringement. Thanks PETA, this is really the most pressing animal welfare issue at this moment! In case you haven't seen it yet, gaze upon Ben Carson's temple to himself. Come for the misspelled Bible quote; stay for the portrait of him hanging out with Jesus. Probably the worst part is that he allowed the photos to be taken and released, which indicates he thinks this is all totally normal. A physicist stumbles upon a well-known infinite product for pi while solving a problem in quantum mechanics. Do we wait one or two days before checking for "this is proof of God's design" woo? Some fast-food workers simply have too much free time. Now they want higher wages and 'union rights'. As of 2014, half of all new power plants run on renewable energy. There is also a transition away from coal. Boston to ban handguns in public spaces. Replica handguns, that is. During continued protests in University of Missouri, a video of protesters clashing with press goes viral. Rubionomics; how Marco Rubio's math will help the hard-pressed yacht owners. Jeb Bush pledges that if he could, he'd use a time machine to go back and kill Baby Hitler. Finally someone explains the why of conflict in Israel. Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party wins the Burmese elections in a landslide. The Catalan Parliament approves a plan for independence. Madrid says from its cold dead hands. 200-Year-Old Homeopathy “Cures” May Face Modern Medical Testing Sen. Ted Cruz: Atheists Aren’t “Fit to Be Commander-in-Chief of This Nation” God hates IHOP!!! Crane, TX high schools are rather suddenly in the process of re-evaluating its abstinence-only sex-ed policy when tests revealed 20 students in a school of 300 tested positive for chlamydia, gaining epidemic status from the CDC. Ben Carson and the failures of black conservatives. On the while, Ben Carson denies the lies he wrote in his autobiography. What's the police doing in schools? Healing Crystal advertorial banned by New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority for "failing to prove any benefits". TV station says "it would appreciate some direction on its problematic areas so they could be addressed" - feel free to give them some direction in the comments! Chelsea Manning has written a bill that would abolish the FISA court system. New York is investigating Exxon Mobil for misleading the public about climate change. A UFO Flew over Los Angeles! Everyone put on your tinfoil hats! New Jersey's State Assembly turns yet bluer; Jon Bramnick, the head elephant in that body, all but quotes Bernie Sanders on the influence of money in elections... minus the actual proposals to do anything about it, of course. Ireland will decriminalize small amounts of heroin, cocaine, and cannabis for personal use. Bernie Sanders has brought two bills into Congress: one that would decriminalize marijuana and another that would ban new energy leases for fossil fuels. California's ongoing drought leaves migrating birds with fewer places to land, and threatens their health as they crowd in on one another looking for food and shelter. Far from bolstering generosity, a religious upbringing diminishes it Ben Carson: Humans walked on the moon because America was founded on God MSF has released their damning report about the hospital bombing in Afghanistan. World chemical weapons watchdog determines that mustard gas was used over two months ago in Syrian town of Marea. The report does not assign blame for who used mustard gas as a weapon. US President Obama finally rejects the Keystone XL Pipeline project. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau is disappointed but looks for a fresh start. Reactions from some other politicians are equally "disappointing but not surprising." Ben Carson admits fabricating West Point scholarship. The future of sex ed Mexico’s Supreme Court rules that smoking pot is a fundamental human right. Currently the ruling only applies to 4 people, but that may change soon.

Police union acts like bullies in a 90s kids movie towards a 90s Hollywood director. 11 times God intervened directly in Ben Carson’s life, according to Ben Carson Ben Carson calls many Americans "stupid." If he isn't referring to Democrats he's in deep shit. The full text of the TPP has been released by New Zealand. (See the full text here.) The White House follows suit. Transparency after the fact. Suspect of university stabbings in California faces the consequences of police brutality Ben Carson is many things, including a major presidential candidate. We can add archaeologist to the list: "The Pyramids were for grain storage and built by Joseph". Meet the Coywolf - a hybrid canine that may or may not be a new species, but which is certainly transitional and has evolved in quick smart time! Sad and horrific: 19-year old Afghan woman stoned to death for adultery in Taliban-controlled village in central Afghanistan. Hillary Clinton takes to pages of American Zionist publication to enthuse over Israel, to oppose BDS, and to declare she will be very welcoming of Benjamin Netanyahu. Welcome to the 21st century, Canada! A gender-balanced cabinet looks good on you. Welcome to the 21st century, Costa Rica! The first gay marriage has happened in Central America. (link in Spanish) Other countries in the region range from wishing to ban gay marriage to having de jure banned male gay sex More women own game consoles than men, according to a survey. Yet, the sexism continues even in e-sports, where women hardly ever make it to the finals; male competitors refuse coaching from a female and disrespect women participants. If you leave your tablet in your unlocked car in New Haven, Conn., the cops will take it -- to "teach you a lesson." Bitcoin price jumps from $250 to $450, because of a Ponzi scheme in China that requires you to buy some Bitcoin to join. Major North American city favours basic math over superstition. We're terribly sorry, but your lamb sacrifice has been rejected. Uh oh: In an attempt to reconcile quantum theory and relativity, a researcher suggests that black holes do not exist. Nobody tell Andy. In a non peer-reviewed paper on arXiv. Suicide, drugs & alcohol are reversing the longevity trend in the US: Rising deaths among white middle-aged Americans Ben Carson is now beating Donald Trump in the Republican competition for stupidity (paywall, dumbed down Yahoo! version here). The president has jokes. The fight to homeschool your kids about the Rapture is being waged in Texas. No word on whether Andrew Schlafly will be a defendant. Ben Carson wasn't actually the first to compare slavery to abortion, but either way he ignores history and insults African American Heritage. Northern Ireland assembly votes to legalise same-sex marriage, but the (mainly Protestant) Democratic Unionist Party have exercised their veto. Headline: Gunman kills student, wounds another at North Carolina university. The guns obviously had nothing to do with this killing of course. Jeb Bush launches retooled 'Jeb Can Fix It' campaign. Fashionable malnutrition for the children of nutcases! Paleo diet for babies book published. Erdogan's AK Party "wins" back their majority in Turkey.