RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/January 2010

January 2010
Cyberbrains are one step closer. Maybe. Gay dating sites and the Super Bowl just don't mix, it seems. The little robot that could finally comes to rest. Added "ahhh" here.  GOP formally rejects purity test. How are they going to stop liberals from infiltrating the party now?UPDATE Instead the GOP will screen candidates and deny funding to those too-far to the left. Action taken against Homeopathy websites for misleading advertising. Justice is served. Scott Roeder, the murderer of Dr. George Tiller, is convicted and imprisoned for life. G spot a myth? Bollocks your study say the French. Who just know better, because they are French, and the English are (a gynecologist actually said this) Protestant, liberal, Anglo-Saxon, pragmatic totalitarians. Only in America? No, now the UK is suffering from creeping creationism A blogger calls Apple products consumeristic status symbols and a way to show classism. Careful, there; you might get mobbed — those Mac-toting radicals don't like being called out! Apple releases a product called the "iPad." Menstrual jokes ensue, putting the usual suspects in the usual tizzy. Literary legend JD Salinger dies, aged 91; bunch of phonies mourn. Andrew Wakefield (of the MMR vaccine hoax) is charged with unethical conduct. Good, he did do a lot of things wrong. But why are they still referring to his research as if it was ever valid? You can't "discredit" research that was never credible to begin with.  Why? Conservapedia did not proudly present: Just "about 70 years late"? The Republicans give their response to Obama's State of the Union: "Arggg.... No can afford government.  Tax cuts better." PETA thinks that Punxsutawney Phil is being mistreated, and suggests replacing him with a robot. The head of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club thinks PETA is trolling for attention. |main|dl9|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicsdaily.com%2F2010%2F01%2F26%2Fpoll-fox-news-most-trusted-tv-network%2F Fox News is the most trusted TV 'news'! Pollsters say viewers are "turning more toward the outlets that tell them what they want to hear." <vote poll=world1349 closed="yes">Marxist historian Howard Zinn dies at 87 of a heart attack. <vote poll=world1348 closed="yes">Political correctness gone mad. You can't advertise for reliable workers, because you'll discriminate against the unreliable workers. <vote poll=world1347 closed="yes">Republican Party sends out campaign donation requests masquerading as the US Census. <vote poll=world1346 closed="yes">Even if you think you might need an abortion for medical reasons, don't! Your son will be a Heisman Trophy winner and mediocre NFL prospect

<vote poll=world1344 closed="yes">Coal River Wind - Support wind, save a mountain. <vote poll=world1343 closed="yes">Former CIA man retracts his endorsement of waterboarding. <vote poll=world1342 closed="yes">Twilight fan-girl-ism goes too far <vote poll=world1341 closed="yes">Conservatives say that the recent Republican wins in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts indicate a widespread backlash against President Obama's "socialist" anti-rich, anti-business policies. Oh, really? Then why did Oregonians just vote for two ballot measures that upheld earlier tax hikes on the rich (by a 54-46 margin) and on corporations (by a 53-47% margin)? <votecp poll=world1340 closed="yes">In unsurprising but nonetheless depressing news, 78% of Fox News website voters think the US is "falling apart". Fox News readers in Haiti, Somalia or Afghanistan can vote "I don't know". <vote poll=world1339 closed="yes">In an ironic turn of events, a filmmaker who took undercover videos trying to expose ACORN as encouraging lawbreaking has himself been arrested for breaking into a Louisiana senator's office to tap the phones. UPDATE: The first rule of felonious crime: don't brag about your actions before you do them <vote poll=world1338 closed="yes">Chair of the IPCC tells global warming denialists to shove it regarding stepping down over... I suppose we could call it "glaciergate"? <vote poll=world1337 closed="yes">Hugo Chavez is at it again. Television station won't air Chavez's speeches, or put on enough soap operas in the afternoon? Television station gets removed from cable. <vote poll=world1336 closed="yes"> A well deserved victory for the city of New Orleans (in other news the Saints are in the Super Bowl? Last year it was the Cardinals, this year the Saints, whose next the Lions!?). <vote poll=world1335 closed="yes">Climate change alert #3: "NASA reports 2000-2009 was warmest decade on record."  On 8 December 2009, the Fox News website carried an Associated Press story that predicted this outcome, which prompts the question:  Do Fox News viewers -- or reporters, for that matter -- ever look at their website? <vote poll=world1334 closed="yes">Climate change alert #2: "Warm weather closes Vancouver Olympic ski venue."  Although workers at Olympic venues have stockpiled snow (much of it artificial) at high elevations, the ski events could be in jeopardy. <vote poll=world1333 closed="yes">Climate change alert #1: A few weeks ago, a snowstorm -- in Minnesota in the winter -- had the global warming deniers shouting at full volume. Now, still in the depths of winter, the Saint Paul Winter Carnival is melting because of "unseasonably warm weather." <votecp poll=world1332 closed="yes">Congratulations, Conservapedia, for taking over the Texas State Board of Education! US history will omit Ted Kennedy and Sonia Sotomayor, but will teach about Phyllis Schlafly <votecp poll=world1331 closed="yes">Facts that the anti-abortion lobby really don't want you to know about. (On the other hand, they could quote-mine the abortion doctor saying that unwanted offspring are "cancer cells.") <votecp poll=world1330 closed="yes">Remember those Big Nasty Corporations? The ones that are about to flood campaign coffers with so much money as to make flesh-and-blood people politically insignificant? Well, some of them are getting tired of paying for campaigns and want the government to fund campaigns instead. <votecp poll=world1329 closed="yes"> Stock markets crash like it's 2009. <vote poll=world1328 closed="yes">The threat level in the UK is raised from "substantial" to "severe." <vote poll=world1327 closed="yes">Vanity Fair visits Ham's Creation Museum; says "This tacky, risible, and rational tableau defies belief, beggars faith," amongst other similar comments. <vote poll=world1326 closed="yes"> Who is Rome to tell these women that they're not priests? (And before you say anything, "the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ" is not an answer.) <vote poll=world1325 closed="yes"> On the day that Obama had promised Gitmo would be closed by, US panel recommends that 47 men be sentenced to life in prison without a trial. Fuck you, habeas corpus! <vote poll=world1324 closed="yes">Man argues that private schools should be banned. Critics respond, and miss the point. Man bans and censors critics Man responds to critics. Critics still largely miss the point. <vote poll=world1323 closed="yes">The ADE-651 - the glorified dowsing rod being sold to security forces in Iraq - comes to the attention of the international media, as lives have started to be lost. (The good news, however, they're not going to get away with it.) <vote poll=wprld1323 closed="yes">The first Tea Party Convention is held and is protested by...members of the Tea Party, claiming that the convention is wasting money! <votecp poll=world1322 closed="yes">Someone in the real world is finally noticing Harun Yahya. <votecp poll=world1321 closed="yes">The victim in the Roman Polanski rape case makes another attempt on Polanski's behalf to have the prosecution dropped. UPDATE: Well, that didn't work. <vote poll=world1320 closed="yes">Finally, the Bishop who denied children were being abused in his church has been suspended, "pending investigation". <vote poll=world1319 closed="yes"> Supreme Court: Money can now (legally) buy anything, including public officials. <vote poll=world1318 closed="yes"> Depressing news for Democrats - Massachusetts wants a Republican. <votecp poll=world1317 closed="yes">Depressing news for Sarah Palin - no-one wants you to be President. <vote poll=world1316 closed="yes">Food, water, medicine, shelter? No: ...We want to equip short-term groups, disaster relief teams, church teams and other ministries with the Word of God in a format the people can use,...(courtesy PZ Myers) <vote poll=world1315 closed="yes">Oh Lord, bless the bullets that are targeted in this sight. UPDATE: These bullets will have to fly straight without help from Jesus in future <vote poll=world1314 closed="yes">To all the populists and majoritarians, we can only say, Brother, you asked for it. We eagerly await the upcoming landmark trial, Texas State Board of Education vs. Reality. <vote poll=world1313 closed="yes">The beatific, peaceful world of the monks of Buckfast Abbey, whose marvellous honey and delicious tonic wine bring peace to the... oh, this just in... that wine ain't so peace-bringing. <vote poll=world1312 closed="yes">Liberal churches talk about the environment, go green, pay taxes. <vote poll=world1311 closed="yes">Jason Lanier: Web 2.0 engenders a digital Maoism of the hive mind. Sometime he should try editing Conservapedia and getting blocked by a batshit crazy very independent-thinking individual. <vote poll=world1310 closed="yes">A major catastrophe strikes, so who does President Obama call on to help? The X-Presidents of course, this time with a new member. <vote poll=world1309 closed="yes">Hospital officials get court order to force a pregnant woman to submit to anything to preserve the life and health of her unborn child. Anything. The fetus-worshipping movement now has a good solid example of where their 'logic' inevitably leads. I hope they like it. <vote poll=world1308 closed="yes">A labor dispute in Belgium threatens the beer supply. People are urged not to panic. <vote poll=world1307 closed="yes">6 Minutes to Midnight - The Doomsday clock adjusts for a hopeful state of world affairs.

<vote poll=world1305 closed="yes">Pat Robertson:The earthquake is Haiti's own fault, they made a pact with the Devil when they were trying to get loose of Napoleon III, who came to power over 40 years after Haitian independence. Oh, and don't ask Rush Limbaugh to donate - He already gave. <vote poll=world1304 closed="yes">The GOP claims to have found their version of Obama for 2012. Wait, didn't they do this already with Steele? <vote poll=world1303 closed="yes">Meet Elysia chlorotica, the fauna that is also part flora. <vote poll=world1302 closed="yes">Haiti needs your help. Contribute here. <vote poll=world1301 closed="yes">I stalked an abortion doctor and murdered him while he was at church. Because I was saving all those unborn babies, it's unfair that the they are trying me for premeditated murder and not justifiable homicide voluntary manslaughter. <vote poll=world1300 closed="yes">Oh to be a banker now that bonus time is near. <vote poll=world1299 closed="yes"> RIP Miep Gies, you did your best and thank you for your courage. <vote poll=world1298 closed="yes">Fox nailin' Palin, "Palin will provide some type of commentary for Fox News." <vote poll=world1297 closed="yes">Portugal allows gay marriage and declares war on creation. Well, according to his Poopiness the Hole anyway. <vote poll=world1296 closed="yes"> Finally, I get to ride the Metro the way I want to ride the Metro <vote poll=world1295 closed="yes"> Oh come on China haven't you learned anything! <vote poll=world1294 closed="yes"> Clearly God wanted Obama to win. <votecp poll=world1293 closed="yes">It is a well known fact that the morals of the puritanical and spiritual are much, much better than those of the Godless. In Northern Ireland especially, evangelicals live a life of devotion to their family, financial probity and political purity that engenders the respect of the entire world. UPDATE: Collateral damage!

<votecp poll=world1292 closed="yes">When majority leader Trent Lott exuded praise for a fellow senator who happened to have a racist past (similar to Democratic Senator Robert Byrd) at his 100th birthday party, he lost his post as majority leader. When majority leader Harry Reid says the President is electable because he does not have a Negro dialect??? <vote poll=world1291 closed="yes">Ohh look a white Britain. Nick Griffin will be pleased! <vote poll=world1290 closed="yes">Dracula lives but now he's making a profit. <vote poll=world1289 closed="yes">Pilgrims flock to Graceland to celebrate the birth of the King (maybe he will return soon) <vote poll=world1288 closed="yes">Editors at The Nation fail to recognize the difference between an actual threat and wingnut paranoia. <vote poll=world1287 closed="yes">Think globally, whine locally. (We are still waiting for the global thinking part.) <vote poll=world1286 closed="yes">A new study probably did not take RationalWiki into account, as it concludes that readers of political blogs overwhelmingly favor bloggers they agree with. <votecp poll=world1285 closed="yes">Another day, another Timothy Geithner scandal. Geithner told AIG to limit swaps disclosure. <vote poll=world1284 closed="yes">Oh noes! What real men knew all along - G-Spot a myth, say scientists. <vote poll=world1283 closed="yes">It appears that increasing numbers of U.S. Latinos are converting to Islam. No doubt this will add fuel to the fire of those who want to deport illegal immigrants as a "terrorism threat." <vote poll=world1282 closed="yes">Mary ("I'll Resign Before I Let a MAN in My Class!") Daly has gone to whatever hell is postulated by the Big Religion of Patriarchy. <vote poll=world1281 closed="yes">Mother Nature catches up with the man who survived two atomic bombings. <vote poll=world1280 closed="yes">The Ark was circular - according to the Sumerians. <votecp poll=world1279 closed="yes">Maybe not such a bad year after all for Democrats. Probable loser Chris Dodd (D-AIG) is retiring. To make matters even worse for CT Republicans, WWE CEO Linda McMahon has now taken the lead in a poll for the primary over former Representative Rob Simmons. Well, then again, Jesse Ventura won, right? <vote poll=world1278 closed="yes">It's starting to shape up to be a bad, bad year for Democrats. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) opts not to run for reelection. <vote poll=world1277 closed="yes">2003: Supreme Court rules in favor of 2 homosexuals arrested by Houston deputies for sexual relations. Flash forward 7 years later: Lesbian sworn in as Houston mayor!!! <vote poll=world1276 closed="yes">Brit Hume and Fox News wants Tiger to know about Christianity. <vote poll=world1275 closed="yes">Dolphins? More like "Non-human [[person]s".] <vote poll=world1274 closed="yes">Update regarding that bill to impose the death penalty for gays in Uganda: The bill came about because of a conference led by three not-so-wise-men American reparative therapy advocates. One says he feels "duped" because they advocated "healing" homosexuals, not executing them. Right. They told the Ugandans to act biblically, then feel "duped" when the Ugandans made literal interpretations of the Old Testament and the post-Jesus parts of the New Testament. <vote poll=world1273 closed="yes">Europe is starting to adopt secular policies after the Turkish model. This apparently constitutes anti-Muslim rules masquerading as "secularism." <vote poll=world1272 closed="yes">Woohoo! Partying like it's 1310, Ireland makes blasphemy a crime. <vote poll=world1271 closed="yes"> Traveling from an Islamic country? Expect to receive a full body patdown courtesy of Uncle Sam. Remember, just because a few people are terrorists, everyone traveling from a nearby location automatically is. <vote poll=world1270 closed="yes">"These parties are trying to leave an impression among the uneducated and the simple-minded people that they are the guardians of religion and proper behavior" and guess where <vote poll=world1269 closed="yes">An effigy of Obama was hanged in Jimmy Carter's hometown in Georgia. <vote poll=world1268 closed="yes">Police shoot a man who had broken into the house of the Danish Muhammad cartoon guy with malicious intent. <vote poll=world1267 closed="yes">Charges against Blackwater employees have been dismissed