RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/October 2011

October 2011
UNESCO accepts Palestine into its ranks, US goes into crybaby mode. In the state that brought you Silicon Valley, science teaching gets an F. In true powerful male style, Herman Cain appears to be a sex-pest. Following countless failed predictions Harold Camping finally admits that he's full of shit. Former denier now denies denialism I, for one, welcome our new Lego overlords. God botherers @ St Paul's know which side their bread's buttered In a possible sign of things to come, Ireland has elected its first Labour President in over 20 years. What's the equivalent of you finding 20 bucks in your old backpack for a state? Finding 78 billion dollars in a bad bank. That's it, we're all moving to fucking Germany. Faux News either really, really hate Obama, or they have no clue about statistics. The succession laws for the United Kingdom's Royal Family finally enter the 21st 20th century. Science says: BE TROLLDAD. The Onion channels Paul Krugman for Halloween trolling. Krugman's response: "In the long run we are undead and all that." Joe da Plumber gets ambitious.

Fail of the Week: Remember the recent spate of high-profile right-wing, homophobic toe-tappers and Rentboy.com renters? Remember how some people marveled that conservative women weren't getting caught in similar situations? Meet Linda Wall, right-wing independent (because the GOP is too pinko commie for her tastes) candidate for the 59th District of the Virginia House of Delegates. In 2006, Ms. Wall reluctantly admitted to having a lesbian affair with a student while teaching P.E. at a junior high school. (In her deposition, she gave an incorrect name for the school). If it was the local junior high, we're talking about 13 to 15 year olds. If it's the local middle school, we're talking 11 to 13 year olds. Oh, and she also claims to be ex-gay. There goes another rhino species. <vote poll=world4207 closed="yes">An Occupy Oakland protester, a veteran who survived two tours of Iraq, could now die after being hit in the head by a police projectile. <vote poll=world4206 closed="yes">More No Shit Sherlock, this time coming from Hillary Clinton. <vote poll=world4205 closed="yes">Toronto's mayor is Fat Bastard in the literal sense of the term. <vote poll=world4204 closed="yes">If the Supreme Court uses the Fred Phelps card on this one... <vote poll=world4203 closed="yes">Yes, oh Legohead, BUILD MORE PRISONS! MC Hammer is creating his own search engine -- named WireDoo! No, seriously! <vote poll=world4201 closed="yes">Capitalizing off OWS has already begun. <vote poll=world4200 closed="yes">Oh my god! They killed investigated Kenny! Well guess what, you bastards! Tom Cruise is still in the closet! <vote poll=world4199 closed="yes">Americans seem to have a really weird case of Stockholm syndrome. <vote poll=world4198 closed="yes">Zimbabwean man claims prostitute turned to donkey. You know, as you do... <vote poll=world4197 closed="yes">As the "Occupy" protests extend to London, a Taxpayers Alliance spokesman proves that the organisation really isn't there to represent actual taxpayers and gets smacked down with some fact by Polly Toynbee. <vote poll=world4196 closed="yes">Alleged medium James Van Praagh doesn't talk to the dead - even when a horde of undead from the JREFvturn up on his doorstep. <vote poll=world4195 closed="yes">So Anonymous launched an attack on 4Chan then? <vote poll=world4194 closed="yes">US gas-guzzlers can't use their "oh, China does it too" excuse anymore. <vote poll=world4193 closed="yes">The Herschel telescope spots a cloud of water vapour orbiting a star - a strong indication that Earth-like planets covered in water may be quite common. <vote poll=world4192 closed="yes">Shakespeare authorship is explored in a new fictional film. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust decides to throw the toys out of the pram and protest over such an audacious act. <vote poll=world4191 closed="yes">How 9/11 ruined the Mile High Club. <vote poll=world4190 closed="yes">John McCarthy dies. <vote poll=world4189 closed="yes">Pat Robertson is the voice of reason. <vote poll=world4188 closed="yes">Now you can play with your holographic balls. <vote poll=world4187 closed="yes">Canada planning its own Guantanamo? <vote poll=world4186 closed="yes">Demand is increasing for the production of in vitro meat. <vote poll=world4185 closed="yes">And that's just great: Wikileaks is slowly dying. Now we have two important websites to try and continue funding. <vote poll=world4184 closed="yes">If you thought Time-Warner was bad before... <vote poll=world4183 closed="yes">Libya is liberated and is now the land of the free and happy and totally peachy... or not, as you can get summarily executed for being on the wrong side. <vote poll=world4182 closed="yes">From the Department of No Shit Sherlock, comprehensive statistics reveal that looters in the UK summer riots were poor, young and less educated. <vote poll=world4181 closed="yes">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15412205 Who's the dumbest regulator in the whole world? You are! Yes you are!] <vote poll=world4180 closed="yes">Tories apparently enjoy pilots dying in the Arctic. <vote poll=world4179 closed="yes">Is there anything more depressing than someone with lung cancer saying "...some drugs I couldn't afford, so I gave them up." <vote poll=world4178 closed="yes">Steven Segal hunts down "The Foreigner <vote poll=world4177 closed="yes">First Steve Jobs' woo-meisting, now his 180 degree turn on progressive beliefs and sudden fear of (almost nonexistent) unions. What the hell happened to him in his final days? <vote poll=world4176 closed="yes">Andrea Rossi's proposed cold fusion device to be demonstrated on the 28th! Gosh, I wonder if it'll work. <vote poll=world4175 closed="yes">Herman Cain comes out as pro-choice. Wing-nuts have kittens. Seems he has a few more problems with the Right too. <vote poll=world4174 closed="yes">Clarence Thomas: [http://www.buffalonews.com/city/politics/article576548.ece Oh? You mean I had to declare my wife's income?] <vote poll=world4173 closed="yes">I've seen enough hentai to know whe-wait, what the... <vote poll=world4172 closed="yes">The story of how humans came to North America is unsettled by new evidence. <vote poll=world4171 closed="yes">Teacher under investigation for swearing on social media sites. Head teacher's response: We encourage teachers not to use Twitter, because it's always taken out of context by twats trying to sell newspapers. <vote poll=world4170 closed="yes">Harold Camping is wrong again. His revised prediction of an October 21 apocalypse was disproved as the day began on October 22, perfectly normally, in some far-east territories such as Japan. More lulz to come once Camping's new new new prediction comes out soon. UPDATE: No new prediction, just a request for more money. <vote poll=world4169 closed="yes">Mobile phones and health - good news and, er, well, ewww. <vote poll=world4168 closed="yes">About time, Rupie. <vote poll=world4167 closed="yes">A soldier burns a set of Papa Bear's books sent out to his outpost in Afghanistan, here is Dr. Rev. Stephen T. Colbert, DFA's response. <vote poll=world4166 closed="yes">Penguins are human too! <vote poll=world4165 closed="yes">WTF of the Day: Another independent study confirms man-made climate change, as expected. But here's the kicker - they're funded by the Koch brothers. <vote poll=world4164 closed="yes">We are the 53 percent and we have bad photoshop skills. <vote poll=world4163 closed="yes">Newt Gingrich says no-one without Faith should be trusted with power in Presidential debate (but then again, it's Newt Gingrich). <vote poll=world4162 closed="yes">Gaddafi is reportedly dead - Now confirmed. <vote poll=world4161 closed="yes" closed="yes">Fox News is getting frisky. The Wall Street Journal makes it official: Worldwide, all households with a net worth of at least $1 million (US) make up "less than 1 percent" of the world's population, while controlling about 38.5 percent of the world's wealth (about $89 trillion).  (BTW, that "less than 1 percent" claim could be called an "inverse exaggeration."  Actually, at 29.7 million people worldwide, the wealthy make up about 0.424 percent-- i.e., less than one-half of one percent -- of the world's population.) <vote poll=world4160 closed="yes">What historians do on their spare time. <vote poll=world4159 closed="yes">GOPers like Eric Cantor on the Occupy Wall Street movement: "Now is not the time to pit Americans against Americans." Interesting perspective considering the millions of Americans they want to pit Republican voters against. <vote poll=world4158 closed="yes">Government transparency? What's that? <vote poll=world4157 closed="yes">Hey South Korea, stop being computer nerds. <vote poll=world4156 closed="yes">If you're on the autistic spectrum, you're much more likely to identify as atheist or agnostic. <vote poll=world4155 closed="yes">Spock makes the logical choice. <vote poll=world4154 closed="yes">Now here's something you don't see everyday: Members of the 1% are now supporting the Wall Street protesters online, apparently. <vote poll=world4153 closed="yes">A bishop is finally indicted for covering up priest's child abuse. About fucking time. After years of pure bullshit from Goldman Sachs, it seems they finally produced at least one good guy. Rick Perry's mindless zombies try and trim all references to climate change from a scientific report on Galveston Bay. The scientists who authored it say, "Fuck you! Take our names off it!" An interview with Sir Terry Pratchett. <vote poll=world4152 closed="yes">Renaming your party to Forza Italia? No, too boring. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/07/berlusconi-go-pussy-quip-outrage?newsfeed=true How about Forza Pussy? Hell, Mussolini's granddaughter likes it too!] (and please don't read his Thatcher comment, we beg of you). <vote poll=world4151 closed="yes">An Amish with a 'tude? You know that's unheard of. <vote poll=world4150 closed="yes">American and British political hacks unite!

<vote poll=world4148 closed="yes">A collection of OWS protest signs. See #22 and 48. Update: Check this one out. <vote poll=world4147 closed="yes">And after eight years of "Mission Accomplished," Iraq is finally deemed royally fucked. <vote poll=world4146 closed="yes">Denmark retains its position as the happiest country on Earth NO WAIT. THeyre socialists. Gummint is da problem. Donnt liten to therm! <vote poll=world4145 closed="yes">Occupy Wall Street has become larger than anybody expected - Rome is on fire. Update: Hello Silvio. <vote poll=world4144 closed="yes">Bachmann: "I'm going to tax the rich!" [http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/bachmann-i-want-to-adopt-the-reagan-tax-plan-psstthose-taxes-were-higher.php?ref=fpblg Only because she hasn't done her homework... again.]

<vote poll=world4143 closed="yes">Apparently Massachusetts likes Romneycare very much, and he's now using it as a campaign platform. <vote poll=world4142 closed="yes">The best way to fight conservative hysteria on public broadcasting will always be satire. <vote poll=world4141 closed="yes">Couple has sex while skydiving, upsets the FAA. <vote poll=world4140 closed="yes">Another person with logic, but yet again it's coming from the wrong central bank. <vote poll=world4139 closed="yes">Steve Jobs shunned modern medicine and instead relied on special diets. <vote poll=world4138 closed="yes">Don't like reality? Well, on Rick Parry Perry's watch, you can censor clear scientific evidence on climate change. <vote poll=world4137 closed="yes">President Obama sends in 100 soldiers to combat the Lord's Resistance Army <vote poll=world4136 closed="yes">Topeka, Kansas, decriminalizes domestic violence. <vote poll=world4135 closed="yes">[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/06/bill-oreilly-creationism_n_997812.html Dawkins: ""How can it possibly help to postulate a divine intelligence to explain something complicated like the origin of existence?" O'Reilly: "Here's how it can help. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, or Buddha, or someone like that who wants people to be peaceful and to love each other, that is a good thing." Dawkins: "Yeah but what's that got to do with the origin of the moon?"] [http://www.christianpost.com/news/bill-oreilly-argues-with-atheist-richard-dawkins-57493/ O'Reilly: "Well, Stalin was an atheist! Na-na-nana-na!"] <vote poll=world4134 closed="yes">Faster-than-light neutrinos: Might be solved. - You know that thing we have to do with satellites to adjust their clocks? Yeah, apparently that. Just don't tell Jim Al-Khalili though. <vote poll=world4133 closed="yes">BANNED! Streaking through the Olympics - unless you're NOT violating advertiser's exclusivity rights, then that's okay. <vote poll=world4132 closed="yes">"Let's show a strong hand to Iran's atrocious actions by obliterating them with bombs since we're peaceful like that " "No." <vote poll=world4131 closed="yes">Reuters is obviously rolling in Soros Bucks.  Because every "anti-capitalist" movement needs to be funded by an anti-communist billionaire. <vote poll=world4130 closed="yes">Dennis Ritchie dies aged 70 <vote poll=world4129 closed="yes">You won't see an article like this in the United States. (and in a moderate newspaper!) Update: And another. <vote poll=world4128 closed="yes">Frank Kameny, one of the fathers of the modern gay rights movement has passed away.

<vote poll=world4127 closed="yes">U.S. authorities have charged high-ranking members of Iran's Quds Force branch of the armed forces of attempting to hire members Mexican drug cartel (actually DEA agents) to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington, D.C. This is the only thing anyone should be talking about. <vote poll=world4126 closed="yes">Humanists and atheists are looking for a greater global impact starting with Switzerland. <vote poll=world4125 closed="yes">Glenn Beck on the "Occupy Wall Street" protestors "Marxist radicals:" Capitalists, "they will come for you and drag you into the streets and kill you...they'll kill everybody." <vote poll=world4124 closed="yes">Think all those vitamins you take are doing you well? Think again... <vote poll=world4123 closed="yes">God didn't make man; man made gods. <vote poll=world4122 closed="yes">Fact-checking Occupy Wall Street claims: all correct so far. But no, no, it's all socialist drivel, don't listen to those commies. <vote poll=world4121 closed="yes">And more Afghan torture is confirmed. Fuck off, Senator! <vote poll=world4120 closed="yes">Orthodox Jews just aren't Orthodox enough for some; girls attending school in long sleeved shirts and ankle length skirts (ooh, sexy...) suffer a barrage of protests, which include hurling abuse, eggs and feces. (ooh, double sexy...) <vote poll=world4119 closed="yes">Facebook decides to keep a controversial rape joke fan page - victory for freedom of expression or displaying too much tolerance of unacceptable humour? <vote poll=world4118 closed="yes">Right-wingers infiltrate "Occupy Wall Street" in order to discredit it. <vote poll=world4117 closed="yes">First the resigning of the PATRIOT Act, and now this. To that we say, Mr. President... <vote poll=world4116 closed="yes">Herman Cain is a fucking idiot. <vote poll=world4115 closed="yes">Values Voter organizer accuses Paulbots of stuffing the ballot boxes. Should we be surprised at all? <vote poll=world4114 closed="yes">Medical research just got trippy again. <vote poll=world4113 closed="yes">Um, Iraq we're propping up your regime for what reason? <vote poll=world4112 closed="yes">Someone chose the wrong (or right?) attire for the Values Voters Summit <vote poll=world4111 closed="yes">You know The Simpsons' recent budget dispute? Harry Shearer, who voices the good old Mr. Burns, offered to take a 70% pay cut to help save the show, yet Rupert Murdoch still gave him the finger. <vote poll=world4110 closed="yes" closed="yes">Good news for Canadians worried about Harper: 6/10 provinces are now run by center-left governments, including in Alberta, where Red Tory yeah, we don't believe it too Alison Redford is now premier-designate (and it could be seven with the NDP and British Columbia in the coming months). Louisiana politicians cancel the lieutenant-governor and goober gubernatorial debates. Apparently, Jindal doesn't even feel the need to address his opponents. <vote poll=world4109 closed="yes">The latest Ig Nobel awards celebrate research into, amongst others, yawning in tortoises, the wasabi alarm, and why we sigh. <vote poll=world4108 closed="yes">Nobel Peace Prize 2011 honours women, democracy in Africa and the Arab Spring. <vote poll=world4107 closed="yes">It's official, Mitt Romney may be less sane than Michelle Bachmann. Taking gunboat diplomacy to a freakish new level (is the "American Century" comment even enough to break Godwin's Law?) <vote poll=world4106 closed="yes">100 years after killing half the Hereros, Germany sends a bag of skulls to Windhoek with a sorry note. <vote poll=world4105 closed="yes">Jon Stewart pulls out all the stops once again on the New York protests. <vote poll=world4104 closed="yes">Jumping fish and the evolutionary process. <vote poll=world4103 closed="yes">"It now appears that on top of all of the other potentially catastrophic, costly, damaging, or dangerous impacts of human-caused climate change, there is a very serious risk that it will threaten the production of chocolate." <vote poll=world4102 closed="yes">The humble rainbow just got a little bit more interesting as the "fourth" bow is photographed for the first time. <vote poll=world4101 closed="yes">Theresa May: "A judge admitted an illegal immigrant because he had a pet cat. I'm not making this up!" Judge: "Yes you are." <vote poll=world4100 closed="yes">Schectman wins the Nobel for discovery of quasicrystals. <vote poll=world4099 closed="yes">Steve Jobs dead. Apple's memorial. <vote poll=world4098 closed="yes">Sarah Palin not running for President, you betcha <vote poll=world4097 closed="yes">Tony Blair is of 'no use at all' says Palestinian leadership. Tell us something new! <vote poll=world4096 closed="yes">Poverty-stricken Muppet to appear on Sesame Street. We can hear the wingnuts coming a mile away. <vote poll=world4095 closed="yes">Canada's National Post runs an anti-gay and anti-transgender advert telling people not to confuse little girls by making them think they're little boys. UPDATE: They (sort of) apologize. <vote poll=world4094 closed="yes">And that's the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, all the children are above average, and all the CEOs are horribly over compensated. <vote poll=world4093 closed="yes">Are you ready for some football Godwin?! So how do you translate "Bend over and grab your ankles" from Chinese to Zulu?

<vote poll=world4090 closed="yes">An "unprecedented" ozone hole [http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/10/03/arctic-ozone-hole.html? pops up in the Arctic], right at the same time the Harper Tories plan to make massive cuts to Environment Canada. <vote poll=world4089 closed="yes">To show that every religion has its wacko nuts... <vote poll=world4088 closed="yes">Oh dear; a homeopathy seller shuts down: Due to the implementation of the European Union Traditional Medical Directive on 1st May 2011, GoHerbal (Guernsey) Ltd has ceased trading. <vote poll=world4087 closed="yes">There's nothing like opening day: the first Monday in October. A time to sneak out of work and watch the local nine -- as they reinterpret our rights (you thought I was talking about baseball?) <vote poll=world4086 closed="yes">Here's an even better reason to permit Palestinian statehood: The Ayatollah hates it on the fact that a two-state solution will allow the continuing existence of Israel. <vote poll=world4085 closed="yes">Rick Perry's private hunting camp has an...interesting name. <vote poll=world4084 closed="yes">The US is winning the future in science... as the Tevatron shuts down due to lack of funds. (Number crunching: Requested annual funding to keep the Tevatron operational for three years: million, or about $56 million American. Estimated daily cost of the war in Iraq: $400 million.)