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

← Previous archive Next archive →

November 2011[edit]

14

Engineering the avian flu into a death machine? Probably not a good idea.

23

In a mere 19 words Rick Perry makes two major gaffes.

12

Anders Behring Breivik is declared batshit insane.

14

A co-author of the recent Schmitter et al study on climate sensitivity says that if the study is correct, sensitivity will likely be greater than current models predict, not lower. Oops.

8

How just one neoconservative government north of the 49th parallel can brainwash the minds of a vast sector of the civilian population. The stupid, it burns.

6

One of the Republicans' favorite boogeymen, Bawney Fwank, is leaving.

8

Everyday I'm ~~shuffling~~ stalling.

7

Sam Brownback: I'm a conservative, and I hate political correctness.

10

Durex apologises for cock up.

15

Australian MP desperately warns the populace that Australians are unknowingly being converted to Islam by eating Halal meat.

10

NATO kills 24 Pakistan soldiers with a flying robot.

18

The Mars Science Laboratory, the largest and most capable rover yet built is on its way to Mars.

12

Just in time for Christmas, US retailer Sam's Club pulls the Brick Bible off of its shelves.

14

Anonymous finally challenges SOPA/PROTECT IP. Hack! Hack! Hack!

13

A new climatology study (don't worry, it's from Science) suggests that we might have a little bit more time to stop the effects of AGW than previously thought. Unfortunately, almost every news outlet that publishes the story provide titles for their articles that will make deniers go wild.

9

Egypt meets the new boss. Worse than the old boss?

1

~~At least it wasn't a firearm.~~ Gunshots confirmed.

9

Lynn Margulis dies aged 73.

16

Gabrielle Giffords well enough to serve Thanksgiving dinners to Air Force personnel stationed in her district.

8

In March, J.P. Morgan-Chase bought $400 million worth of Twitter stock. So, is it a coincidence that the Occupy Wall Street movement has noticed what seems to be strange treatment regarding OWS-oriented tweets?

14

Australian families told: Immunise, or lose your family tax benefits.

4

Cyborg insects.

10

The Occupy movement protests have cost Americans approximately $13 million during its first two months. (That's about 20-25 minutes worth of war in Iraq, since you asked.)

-25

Wait... WHAT?! Department: The EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration.

11

VIDEO: Run for your lives, all ye starfish and anemones! The icy finger of god known as the brinicle cometh, and striketh dead all in its path!

11

Truth is stranger than fiction: A heretical Amish sect have been arrested for hate crimes after they forcibly de-bearded some local orthodox Amish.

9

Ok RW, hyperdrive systems on.

10

Someone is attempting to make Climategate II: The Sequel

3

It seems that drones are starting to put themselves out of business.

18

Oregon's governor says "no more executions on my watch".

18

You know the Casually Pepper Spray Everything Cop? Megyn Kelly just made it 50 times funnier.

12

Stephen Harper's Environment Minister doesn't know what ozone is. Oh, excuse me...

11

South Africa's "democratic" government borrows from apartheid and passes the Secrecy Act. The Protection of Information Bill means that any government department can declare any information a "state secret" and possession of that information can result in a 5-year prison term. Of course, it has nothing to do with corruption.

23

Any fool knows that Fox News is worse than any other news source out there. But did you know it's worse than paying no attention to the news at all?

8

The only thing that both parties of US Govt can agree on is that they disagree about everything.

7

Russia creates its own monetary union, reportedly to piss off the EU.

15

Parents of 'Adolf Hitler' Lose Custody of Newborn

2

Respect the Bird!

14

There's water under Europa's ice... a LOT of water.

11

Well, conservatives, Occupy Wall Street won't be going away for a loooooong time.

7

Saif al-Islam Gadaffi arrested for real this time.

18

Tonight on Fox News: is Richard Branson a socialist?

8

That's it, Jim Al-Khalili, we've got you now. Update: He's now getting bombarded with boxer tweets.

21

It seems that SOPA and the PROTECT IP Act might actually have enough support to pass through both houses. The survival of the Internet now rests on the hope that Obama has the balls to use the veto hammer.

20

America - Greatest Country on Earth™, Land of the Free, Home of the Brave®, where everyone can live their American Dream©! And more than one in five children lives in poverty.

12

Apparently it now takes an all-out Twitter swearfest for Canadians to notice that their current government has completely shut down debate on five major bills in a little more than a month, the worst abuse of such a tool in the country's history.

8

This is your brain on sex.

11

Virgin Money buys back Northern Rock from the UK government - Well, only the useful and profitable part of it. For about half of what the government effectively paid for it. While the government still retains all the debt. George Osborne calls this a "good thing".

18

McGill Scientist gets 5 million big ones to promote science awareness and to fight woo.

13

VIDEO: Because Victoria Jackson's bigotry and fondness for teh stoopid cannot be contained, she has created a TV web-based talk show that has been called a homophobic, Islamophobic, et cetera version of The View.

25

Herman Cain: "I'm not supposed to know anything about foreign policy. Just thought I'd throw that out."

43

Obama on his re-election campaign strategy: "We may just run clips of the Republican debates verbatim."

7

Ever just want to get away from your wireless devices and traffic when you're on vacation? Well, North Korea might just be the place for you. You will have a good time (or else!)

12

WTF of the Day: Just read the goddamn article.

9

Mayor Quan co-ordinates with other cities a crackdown on Occupy movements and then talks out of her ass saying that Occupy has been infiltrated by anarchists and completely misses the point of the Occupy movement.

10

Rick Perry's great new idea: "Lets privatize Homeland Security!" Wait, WTF?

8

Randroids rising.

8

The next great threat to animals according to PETA? Super Mario! Hope no one tells them about Sonic the hedgehog.

1

Ian Paisley sets off into the sunset with a no doubt lucrative book deal on the horizon.

10

The first on the chopping block by the US bi-partisan deficit reduction committee: the entire F-35 fighter program. Guess this blockhead won't be happy.

1

Bloomberg orders ~~Zuccotti Park~~ Liberty Plaza to be cleared out.

6

Tobacco -- Leading the way for a green future?

1

Co-founder of the fledgling social network site Diaspora found dead at the age of 22.

6

The Supreme Court will review the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; it'll hear five hours of oral argument next March for an end-of-June decision.

6

After a Russian Soyuz crash almost crippled the ISS in August, manned flights resume again, fingers crossed. Make sure you see 0.21 for lulz.

6

Darn job ~~killin'~~ ~~creatin'~~ neutral regulations.

31

Atlas Shrugged: "Ayn Rand's timeless novel of courage and self-sacrifice," says the newly released DVD of the miserable film. Oops.

18

Perry, Cain, Bachmann, and aides of Mitt Romney openly admit that they would violate the Geneva Conventions if elected. Only Huntsman and Paul disagree.

14

Ford's Theater deputy superintendent on Bill O'Reilly's "history" of the Lincoln assassination: This is a National HISTORIC Site. We don't sell propagandistic bullshit books in our bookstore!

8

University has a course on "Homosexuality as Gateway Drug". That the university is located in Waco, Texas is surely a coincidence.

2

Occupy Portland channels Joe Paterno.

12

District court judge calls bullshit on anti-gay groups' persecution complex.

7

Ok guys. Who farted out radioactive isotopes?

8

After weeks of attacks on the CBC, the people have responded: fuck off. Those who were more likely to want funding decreased/eliminated were, not surprisingly, Conservative men in Alberta over the age of 50 (aka. those who would vote Republican if they had the chance).

6

Mittens "Me Mormon? - look over there!" Romney would have a better chance of winning GOP'ers over if he was black.

15

OWS spawns a fledgling third party in Ohio. Just give it a better name, guys.

20

"Watch Rick Perry's campaign end before your eyes." "Ah done my lernin' from th'excellent Texas Board of Education textbooks ah did yessir let's BURN DOWN EDUCASHUN an' sum'n else which wun hangon ooops.

14

Big warning from the International Energy Agency (which, since 2007, has been headed by centre-right politicians): If we can't establish a comprehensive renewable energy agreement by 2017, we're fucked. Update: More commentary from Joe Romm.

19

Last week, a French publication was firebombed for criticising Islam - rather than shut up shop and give in, they respond brilliantly.

7

The first approved set of exoskeleton legs go on sale for a mere £95,000!

15

Ohioans repeal Governor Kasich's attempt to strip collective bargaining rights for public sector unions.

23

Fertilized eggs are not people in Mississippi.

10

Bush's Stepford Wife wants a third party to be formed, to "reform the tax code, so many of these large corporations that paid no taxes last year...maybe they would." Wait, what?

39

Bye Bye Berlusconi! Update: "A chorus of Handel's 'Alleluia' rang out Saturday as Silvio Berlusconi resigned."

15

Australia finally drags itself into the real world.

13

Who cares if France banned the burka, Sarkozy is a Hamas-loving anti-Semite! /sarcasm

7

Just what Mississippi needs, higher rates of teen pregnancy

17

And that's number four.

14

After a week-long clusterfuck of stupidity, The Paps still remains as Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic. And it doesn't help that this retard is the head of the next country needing massive austerity measures to keep the Euro afloat; as usual, his mind is on how nice Helle Thorning-Schmidt's ass is. Update: Never mind, Mr. Referendum will leave as a unity government is being formed.

-5

Occupy Vancouver to be shut down after woman dies.

6

Herman Cain caught sucking Koch.

-2

RIP one cranky old man.

15

Archdiocese of Boston: Homosexuality is caused by Satan interfering with pregnant women. Oh yes, and he's responsible for natural disasters too. Update: Avila tenders his resignation.

7

Robert Schuller: "My wife is ill. Please put food into limos to be delivered to her.

9

Remember the (imaginary) "war on light bulbs"? Now there's a sequel.

5

Ireland closes its Vatican embassy.

7

What is the world coming to!!! Scottish Conservative Party elects a new leader: young (32), female and gay.

5

Got screwed over by ~~Screws~~ News of the World? Click here.

14

The institution of heterosexual marriage is the cornerstone of strong families and a normal society, unlike what teh gayz would do.

12

Again, China?

10

Lowest corporate tax rates in Canadian history, largest job loss since the recession. Keep signing the tax cut blood oath...

12

Orly Taitz is running for the United States Senate. O RLY?

25

A Texas court refuses to grant a DNA test that could exonerate a death row inmate. At this point, Texas should just drop the pretense of being a civilized state concerned with administering justice and simply hold a lottery to determine which innocent person, whether or not he's a child or mentally retarded, to execute to more efficiently sate its bloodlust.

14

Science's next brilliant idea - ~~build the Death Star~~ tearing a hole in the very fabric of space.

20

Would Republicans leave the United States' infrastructure to rot, just to oppose Obama? The answer, no surprise, is... happily so!

10

Germany/France to Greece: If you don't take the money, GTFO the EU. Watching the world economy crumbling to the ground is now getting strangely entertaining.

14

America is a country of deep income divisions, divided into two classes - the 99% of us who aren't millionaires, and the filthy rich teachers of America who lord it over the rest of society. Their only goal? To live in Luxembourg.