RationalWiki:What is going on in the blogosphere?/March 2010

March 2010
The intellectual dishonesty of the "vaccines didn't save us" gambit Incompatible couples used to stay together for the kids. Or were they just staying together for the health insurance? Two NPR Commentary pieces, one calling for the Pope to (temporarily) step aside and another arguing he should not (yet) In the last days of the Bush administration, Goldman Sachs received TARP funds -- i.e., American taxpayers' money -- to keep the economy from collapsing. Did some of that money get funneled to Chinese auto maker Geely so it could buy Volvo from Ford? Sean Hannity says that 100% of the donations to Freedom Concerts, his "charity" to fund scholarships for children of fallen soldiers, goes to the scholarship fund. Really? [http://www.debbieschlussel.com/6938/sean-hannitys-freedom-concert-scam-only-7-of-charitys-money-went-to-injured-troops-kids-of-fallen-troops-g5s-g6s-for-vannity/ Would you believe 20%? How about 12% in 2008? Or 7% in 2007? How about as low as 3.68% in 2006?] (And this was discovered by a right-wing blogger.) What's funnier: That the GOP now seems to be [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/29/voyeur-west-hollywood-mic_n_516903.html the Party of ''YES! YES! OH, GOD! YES''!]; or that they kept detailed financial records of it? (No doubt for tax purposes.) "Welcome to Glennbeckistan." Was God a volcano? Facebook leads to syphilis; O RLY? Discussing all the important aspects of the new UK Space Agency, like how do you pronounce "UKSA"? Looks like the Republican Party is done being so helpful. UPDATE: Republicans decide to start happy hour early James Randi: "I'm gay." "Sin isn't the problem with the world, theology is." Jon Stewart does a long-form skewering of Glenn Beck. Charlie Brooker writes on a bizarre combination of existentialism, philosophy, Tralfamadorians and putting LSD in the water to save the world. Run for your lives! Texas Republican says that Demos demons have invaded the U.S. Capitol! ONOZ!!!!! <vote poll=blog905 closed="yes">Mikhail Gorbachev: Post-communist economic "shock therapy" completely ruined Russia's economy. <vote poll=blog904 closed="yes">God doesn't work on the Internet <vote poll=blog903 closed="yes">Figure skater Johnny Weir "is putting his younger brother through college, and supports the family financially because his father's disability prohibits him from working." Although Weir won't confirm or deny it, people are sure he's gay in part because of his flamboyant skating wardrobe. For Stars on Ice, the latter point outweighs the former. Therefore, he is not family friendly and they won't hire him. You read that correctly -- they think he's TOO GAY to be a PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATER. <vote poll=blog902 closed="yes">The logical absurdities of God. <vote poll=blog901 closed="yes">President Obama has gone into campaign mode to get health care reform passed. Faux News counters by running anti-reform attack ads. This combined with their usual snark has prompted Jon Stewart to call the Fox Propaganda Channel "the meanest sorority in the world." <vote poll=blog900 closed="yes">Richard Dawkins: In claiming that Haiti's earthquake was divine retribution, Pat Robertson was true to his religion. Dawkins should try to read before he shoots. <vote poll=blog899 closed="yes">Yet more for the best of the Daily Fail - as it pretty much outright lies about child grooming happening on Facebook. <vote poll=blog898 closed="yes">Self stalking and the end of anonymity. <vote poll=blog897 closed="yes">Ronald Reagan's "big tent" model of the GOP is shrinking. Theodore Roosevelt is being tossed aside by the wingnuts for being a "socialist" (a mere 91 years after his death), while Liz Cheney is being upbraided by the moderates for shooting her mouth off like some Tailgunner Joe wannabe in high heels. (Who will win this tug-of-war for the hearts and minds of the GOP? Whoever has raise the most cash, of course!) <vote poll=blog896 closed="yes">After blathering on about socialized medicine and death panels, Sarah Palin now thinks it's "ironic" that her family used to cross into Canada for health care. There is, of course, another word for it. <vote poll=blog895 closed="yes">Pimp daddy Stephen Colbert tries to convince Sean Hannity to be a prostitute for an upcoming "hardware" convention. (Video included.) <vote poll=blog894 closed="yes">A Democrat found a 72-page Republican National Committee document discarded at a hotel after a private strategy meeting. It seems that the GOP intends to make this year's campaign look like one long Teabagger convention. Oh, and they think their donors are a bunch of idiots. <vote poll=blog893 closed="yes"> Jim Bunning was like this during his Major League career. Still, senator you've made thousands of newly minted Louisville Cardinals and Tennessee Volunteers fans. <vote poll=blog892 closed="yes">Introducing the New Apostolic Reformation who wish to exorcise the demons ruining America. And among its proponents? Sarah Palin.