RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/September 2014

September 2014
An independent researcher does our due diligence for us and confirms that over 100 contemporary historical texts contain no mention of Jesus Oh, dear God. (Summary: An oddly depressing piece on Mitt Romney, which may be just an attempt at garnering sympathy. Regardless, he still manages to launch not-so-subtle ad-hominems against other politicians, but what else is new?) People now have one less excuse in case they are caught red-handed attacking/killing a gay person in California. Must-see TV for Sept. 30, 2014: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on C-SPAN. It might pay to check those terms and conditions just in case you're signing over your first born for eternity! "It seems increasingly clear that China has entered a period of 'thickened history' ...in which national politics will remain more eventful and less certain for some time to come." Whatever else can be said of Uri Geller, he doesn't just give up.

Misinformation about the Ebola crisis: it gets worse. American professor, Dr. Cyril Broderick, published a wildly speculative and conspiratorial article in a very popular Liberian paper claiming the epidemic was caused by the US Military, WHO/CDC/Doctors Without Borders, and Big Pharma. Congressman urges generals to quit as a protest of Obama's foreign policy. Eugene V. Debs went to prison for less. Espanola, New Mexico police claim to have caught a ghost on camera. Because history is always full of wildcards: Kim Jong-un is apparently ill with something. Ill enough to be mentioned in state propaganda.

Google: Okay, okay, we won't be evil. (Facebook and Microsoft also said their goodbyes to ALEC.) Dinesh D'Souza sentenced to probation and light custody. Oh, and do beware the comments section of that page; talk of re-education camps and Obamablame abound. (This may be relevant.) Take us down the slippery slope, part umpteen: Now the aftermath of the Hobby Lobby decision now extends to allowing the refusal of subpoenas due to violation of religious beliefs. Much bigger news than you would expect: The Rockefellers (who, lest we forget, built their fortune in the oil industry) start saying goodbye to fossil fuel, divesting from coal and the Alberta tar sands. Minnesota's GOP candidate for their Supreme Court says the Bible trumps the Constitution. Pennsylvanian teenager aged 14 simulates oral sex with Jesus statue. Then he faced the possibility of up to 2 years in prison for violating a little-known 1972 state law that prohibits actions "that the actor knows will outrage the sensibilities of persons likely to observe or discover the action." The prosecutor was in trouble for real adultery, possibly non consensual while the kid just messed with an inanimate statue. There have been protests over violation of the teen's First Amendment rights. The police failed to protect protestors including the boy and his mother, many were at risk of physical injury. The kid's been put on probation with multiple conditions including 350 Hours Community Service and not using social media for 6 months. The kid also had the threat of juvenile detention hanging over him for over a month which is a harsh punishment in itself. Let's hope that very long community service won't interfere with the kid's school work. Not so happy now, are you? Scottish referendum results: Not a single constituency announced and Alex Salmond is already cancelling his appearances. Update: The evil BBC is calling it — Scotland will not separate from the United Kingdom. (Time to save the union.). Update II: Salmond resigns. China and India are starting to snuggle up to each other on a tiger-skin rug. Traditionalists of a feather flock together... Nadine Dorries: "Why are we paying them to eat deep-fried Mars Bars?" Yeah, thanks Nad. Air Force: 'So help me God' in oath is optional How to Win Friends and High Fives in the Oklahoma GOP Being Black in Public claims another victim in the US. Of course, the thug was dressed as an anime character and carrying a toy sword. He was apparently shot in the back while running away. If only he'd been an "open carry" nutter. And white. The Prophet didn't see this coming... Bonus: TB Joshua goes full conspiratard. Guess who don't like evolution either. Another "isolated incident" is still at large in Pennsylvania, a "sharpshooting survivalist" who attacked a state trooper barracks. FUCK! The Professional Standards Authority has accredited the Society of Homeopaths as a holder of an approved voluntary register of health-care practitioners. (UK) What is this country coming to? Of all the countries to ask for asylum, North Korea is a pretty shitty choice. Russia sets the bar for hypocrisy impossibly high. Oh, did you head back to the Appalachian Trail, Sanford? Part 3 of Atlas Shrugged has been drop-kicked into 242 US theaters. Critics at The Hollywood Reporter, io9.com, and The Arizona Republic are underwhelmed. Reason offers a 29-minute video by the producers. The producer previewed the movie at a Florida art school -- then complained that critics have judged the trilogy on its shitty production values instead of its message, because "attacking its underlying message...would be unethical." Please describe Ted Cruz and his followers with one adjective. This couple had to travel out of state to marry. One of them dies in a car accident. Do you think the mother of the deceased is gracious and accepting of her son? Eff no, she's fighting the widower every way she can, because Jesus: "I am a devout Christian and I am deeply disturbed that the death of my son David is being used by Dr. Paul Hard to advance the cause of same-sex marriage. I did not agree with all of the decisions that my son made, but I loved him very much and we always had a good relationship. It is wrong for David’s death to be used in this manner." A gay kid harassed and bullied by his Catholic school in Bogotá, Colombia takes his life. Bullying includes the school stealing his phone, where they discovered some "boy kiss boy" (no more naughty than that) pictures. Putin's days are now limited. (Time to start thinking about the unintended consequences.) Effective immediately, the mods at r/UpliftingNews have bannned all HuffPo links because "a few of the Huffington Post Good News Editors have been sourcing stories from this subreddit for quite a while without any attribution to r/UpliftingNews, to reddit.com and in some cases, even to the original journalists or bloggers whose stories were shared here (and in other subreddits)." Crazification factor alert: Der Crack-Bürgermeister drops out of the 2014 Toronto election due to severe health concerns, leaving his even nuttier brother to run for him at the last minute. (There will be no Canadian Marion Berry.) The reverend Ian Paisley dies. Well, gosh: crocoduck just showed up. Guess evolution must be true, then. Truthers blow big money on ad space in Times Square to promote their "controlled demolition" conspiracy theory One consolation to gun control inaction in the United States: Amusing failures of NRA logic. President Obama authorises the usage of airstrikes in Syria to combat ISIS.

CALM launch suicide awareness #ManDown campaign in Liverpool

We're in the middle of the worst Ebola outbreak ever. Three guesses what the Republicans' knee-jerk response is, when the White House asks for more funding... Republican Senator from Georgia complains about excessive black voting, stating his preference for "educated voters". First Donald Sterling, now Ray Rice: Who would ever think that TMZ would make discriminatory sports organizations cower in fear? The LA Times, now AP, reporter who cleared all his CIA stories with the CIA.

Recent controversial DNA analysis not peer reviewed "reveals the possible identity of Jack the Ripper." There were previous claims DNA evidence pointed conclusively to a different suspect. "...I just wonder if by allowing these children to run rampant and post whatever they feel will cause the most collateral damage." The New York Times: "Hello, Brookings Institution, Atlantic Council, CSIS, CGD and other think tanks. Goodbye." Atheist Airman rejected for reenlistment because he won't swear "so help me god" oath. CSIRO (Australia's national science body) is only 99.999% certain that global warming is caused by humans. Still not a 100% consensus! Brooklyn man arrested under suspicion of threatening to decapitate Arab-Americans as retribution over recent executions. Homeopathic Ebola drugs to be supplied at no cost to Liberia The CDC just nuked some of the more frequent MRA claims. RIP Joan Rivers. Paleontologists have uncovered what they are calling Dreadnoughtus schrani, quite possibly the largest dinosaur discovered to date. [http://time.com/3268581/rand-paul-i-am-not-an-isolationist/ Rand Paul, Philosophiser. ] It's life Jim, but not as we know it. Virginia "family values" governor McDonnell guilty of corruption What's not the matter with Kansas? A Democrat attempts to drop out of the Senate race to prevent the GOP from winning control of Congress. The RNC flips a table. South Africa refuses Dalai Lama visa for Nobel summit for the third time in five years, under pretext of not making China pissy. China says, "Thanks!" Two North Carolina black brothers have been released after rotting over 30 years on death row for a crime another man did. The police bullied them into making false confessions. Their father thanks Jesus they are out. Oh, BTW, Justice Scalia previously used this case as an argument for capital punishment.