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General & Hellos
May 1, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKAstrobiologists In Search of a Breakthrough Researchers consider the frontiers of life at an annual conference in Berkeley. Read more at
FTA: Benner went on to present a new, far-reaching hypothesis claiming that the first life form on Earth probably originated as an RNA-based cell about 4.36 billion years ago, because only at that time did Earth’s atmosphere have the right chemistry for life to originate. [youtu.be]
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General & Hellos
May 4, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos: Climate-Change Protests Around the World - The Atlantic
Protesters look the same the world over.
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General & Hellos
May 4, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKDr. Hector Garcia—How Evolutionary Science Makes Sense of Our Political Divide (SCIENCE SALON 63) - YouTube
Through the lens of evolutionary science, Dr. Garcia offers a novel perspective on why we hold our political ideas, and why they are so often in conflict. Drawing on examples from across the animal kingdom, Garcia reveals how even the most complex political processes can be influenced by our basic drives to survive and reproduce—including the policies we back, whether we are liberal or conservative, and whether we are inspired or repelled by the words of a president.
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General & Hellos
May 10, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKXiahe jaw - How We Found an Elusive Hominin in China - SAPIENS
FTA: The Xiahe mandible is complete enough to now revisit the rich Chinese hominin fossil collection and identify other fossils as Denisovan, even without DNA evidence. I have no doubt that in the future the sequencing of ancient proteins will complement these morphological analyses. But the most extraordinary aspect of our findings, in my opinion, is the demonstration that such archaic hominins could successfully live in this challenging high-altitude environment, more than 120,000 years ...
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Religion & Spirituality
May 12, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKTrump Finds God in the Foxhole - The Atlantic
FTA: By this point it’s banal to note the mismatch between Trump—the coarse, libertine sexual harasser—and the American evangelical movement. It’s a marriage of convenience: Trump gets support he needs, and evangelicals get a champion of their causes, even if that champion is not especially Christlike in his bearing. But Trump’s statement that he leaned on God during the Mueller probe is notable because it’s practically unheard of for Trump to speak of God in a personal way like ...
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Politics
May 13, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKAndrew Seidel: The Founding Myth - YouTube
TheThinkingAtheist Streamed live on May 10, 2019 Andrew Seidel is author of the new book, The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American ([amzn.to]. He speaks with Seth Andrews and takes listener calls.
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General & Hellos
May 15, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKProsanta Chakrabarty: Four billion years of evolution in six minutes | TED Talk
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General & Hellos
May 19, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKSystematic Classification of Life - ep40 Catarrhini - YouTube
AronRa Published on May 12, 2019 Here is the link to the full playlist: [goo.gl] My wife, Lilandra asked me to do this series, based on our first interaction--back when she was a creationist. I often say that phylogenetic taxonomy is the strongest argument for evolution. After we talked about a couple dozen clades, she was convinced, and suggested I do something similar for the public.
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Philosophy & Meaning
May 24, 2019May 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKDr. Christian List — Why Free Will is Real: Response to Harris, Coyne, and Other Determinists - YouTube
FTV: Philosophers have argued about the nature and the very existence of free will for centuries. Today, many scientists and scientifically minded commentators are skeptical that it exists, especially when it is understood to require the ability to choose between alternative possibilities. If the laws of physics govern everything that happens, they argue, then how can our choices be free? Believers in free will must be misled by habit, sentiment, or religious doctrine. Why Free Will is Real ...
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General & Hellos
Jun 1, 2019Jun 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos of the Week: Swan Song, Eiffel Climb, Porcelain Starlings - The Atlantic
My favorite link to post. Please enjoy.
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General & Hellos
Jun 7, 2019Jun 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKConnect : Server Error 500
06/07/2019 6:00 AM PDT 2019 Annual Conference - Day 1 Live streaming now
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Silly, Random & Fun
Jun 12, 2019Jun 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKCreationists Are Mocking Flat Earthers for Not Understanding Science | Hemant Mehta | Friendly Atheist | Patheos
FTA: Ham also says people now ask him if he believes in a Flat Earth “all the time!” He doesn’t seem to realize it’s because when you promote fiction as science, you’re bound to draw in an audience that’s susceptible to bad arguments and distorted facts. When real scientists give talks, I assure you people don’t waste their time inquiring about the dumbest possible conspiracy theories. If one sneaks through, they’re roundly mocked. It’s just not surprising that the Venn ...
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General & Hellos
Jun 15, 2019Jun 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos of the Week: Jupiter Vortex, Sika Deer, Big Air - The Atlantic
The first one was my favorite one this week.
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General & Hellos
Jun 21, 2019Jun 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKBBC - Future - How modern life is transforming the human skeleton
"Feeling that something might be up, Shahar decided to investigate. Together with his colleague, he analysed over a thousand X-rays of skulls from people ranging from 18 to 86 years old. They measured any spikes and noted what each participant’s posture was like. What the scientists found was striking. The spike was far more prevalent than they had expected, and also a lot more common in the youngest age group: one in four people aged 18-30 had the growth. Why could this be? And should we ...
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General & Hellos
Jun 28, 2019Jun 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKSohrab Ahmari and the Rise of America's Orbánists - The Atlantic
FTA: The rapidity of that cultural shift, though, should not obscure the contours of the society that the religious right still aspires to preserve: a world where women have no control over whether to carry a pregnancy to term, same-sex marriage is illegal, and gays and lesbians can be arrested and incarcerated for having sex in their own homes and be barred from raising children. The religious right showed no mercy and no charity toward these groups when it had the power to impose its will, but...
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General & Hellos
Jul 5, 2019Jul 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKWorker threw exception | | Cloudflare
FTA: They hope to cleanse their membership of theological diversity, and assert top down control of conscience questions, replenishing their membership with anti-feminist, pro-natalist policies and proselytizing in the Southern hemisphere. But the more they resort to strict authoritarianism, insularity and strict interpretation of Iron Age texts, the more people are wounded in the name of God and the more people are outraged. By making Christian belief an all-or-nothing proposition – they ...
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General & Hellos
Jul 7, 2019Jul 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos of the Week: Mermaid Parade, Scarlet Sails, Moss Man - The Atlantic
Some more photos from around the globe.
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General & Hellos
Aug 12, 2019Aug 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKAtheism in America: misunderstandings, explained - Vox
FTA: The number of people who do not believe in any god has been on the rise in recent decades. According to the Pew Research Center, close to a quarter of the population identifies as a so-called “none,” up 7 percent from 2007 to 2014. About 10 percent of all Americans say they are atheists, although this estimate may be on the low side. Given our growing numbers, it’s important for non-atheists to understand what it means for someone to not believe in any god. Here are just a few things ...
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General & Hellos
Aug 20, 2019Aug 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKShura interview: ‘God can’t hate the gays – I was blessed by the Pope’ | The Independent
FTA: God can’t hate the gays. Both me and my twin brother are raging homosexuals.” Ever since that holy encounter, the 28-year-old has been fascinated by religion. She even considered, despite being a “staunch atheist”, studying theology at university, “It’s all being interested in humans and how we f things up,” she shrugs. “Oh great, let’s create a perfect image of a woman who also happens to be a virgin and a mother, which is physically impossible, and then for all ...
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General & Hellos
Aug 25, 2019Aug 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKOn a Kentucky Train Track, a Union Protest without the Union - TheHumanist.com
From The Article: FTA: By making it harder for workers to form and join unions, corporate interests keep the scales tipped in their favor. Without an effective union, it’s nearly impossible to collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, or working conditions. Due to these long-term union-busting efforts, by 2017 there was not a single unionized miner in Harlan County, a trend matched (albeit to lesser extremes) around the country.
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Sam Harris Fans
Aug 29, 2019Aug 2019

Posted by zblaze
167 - A Few Thoughts on White Supremacy
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Sam Harris Fans
Sep 12, 2019Sep 2019

Posted by zblaze
168 - Mind, Space, & Motion A Conversation with Barbara Tversky
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General & Hellos
Sep 12, 2019Sep 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKHouse Democrat calls it 'unconstitutional' to cite God in hearing oaths | TheHill
FTA: Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) said this week that requiring witnesses testifying before Congress to affirm an oath to God is “unconstitutional.” “It’s unconstitutional to require a witness in congressional testimony to affirm an oath to a deity they may not even believe in or to affirm an oath to a singular deity when you might be a polytheistic Hindu for example,” Huffman said during an interview on The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s “Freethought Matters” ...
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General & Hellos
Sep 16, 2019Sep 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKAtheism vs illogic - YouTube
AronRa This is a response to a couple of videos made by the Christian channel, Atheism vs Logic. By the way, here is another headline I forgot to add: "Life’s First Molecule Was Protein, Not RNA, New Model Suggests"
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Silly, Random & Fun
Sep 21, 2019Sep 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe Comics Section: The Universe is Ours - TheHumanist.com
How arrogant can you be??? LOL
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Sam Harris Fans
Sep 21, 2019Sep 2019

Posted by zblaze
In this episode of the Making Sense podcast, Sam Harris speaks with Kathleen Belew about the white power movement in the United States. They discuss white supremacy, white nationalism, white separatism, the militia movement, “The ...
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Music, Movies & Books
Sep 22, 2019Sep 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKRichard Dawkins and Reverend Richard Coles debate 'Outgrowing God'
FTA: From The Article: Here is the God I don’t believe in: a supernatural creator who has enough scientific and mathematical intelligence to design the cosmos, plus enough bandwidth left over to listen to the thoughts and prayers of all the beings in the world (even the universe?), who cares about their good deeds and their sins, and who rewards or punishes them posthumously. If that is not the God you believe in, I have no quarrel with you. But I’m then left wondering why you bother to go ...
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Silly, Random & Fun
Sep 29, 2019Sep 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos of the Week: Giant Penguin, Forest Tower, Glacier Battlefield - The Atlantic
Some great photos of our changing world. I liked 10, 12, and 32
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Politics
Sep 29, 2019Sep 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKImpeachment-Themed Cocktails - TheHumanist.com
FTA: It’s been quite a week here in Washington, DC, as news broke of POTUS, a phone call with Ukraine, a whistleblower complaint, and what appears to be a concerted effort to bury it. To keep spirits up during this troubled time—because even if you feel impeachment proceedings are a long time coming, this is a grave state of affairs—DC bars will soon be announcing their themed cocktails. Here are our suggestions, just in time for happy hour! The Whistleblower: straight ...
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Sam Harris Fans
Oct 3, 2019Oct 2019

Posted by zblaze
In this episode of the Making Sense podcast, Sam Harris speaks with Andrew McAfee about the history of human progress and the modern uncoupling of our prosperity from resource consumption. They discuss the pitfalls and hidden virtues...
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Silly, Random & Fun
Oct 4, 2019Oct 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe Comics Section: Protesting Blasphemy - TheHumanist.com
LOL
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Sam Harris Fans
Oct 22, 2019Oct 2019

Posted by zblaze
October 21, 2019 In this episode of the Making Sense podcast, Sam Harris speaks with Andrew Marantz about his book Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation. They discuss the ...
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Philosophy & Meaning
Oct 26, 2019Oct 2019

Posted by zblaze
LINKSuch a Voice Is Needed: The Humanist Interview with Salman Rushdie - TheHumanist.com
I found this very interesting.
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Silly, Random & Fun
Mar 11, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
The Comics Section: Feminism in Strange Places - TheHumanist.com
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Health & Happiness
Mar 11, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
The Moral Responsibility of Dying - TheHumanist.com
Accepting Jahi as legally dead is the most ethical approach to this case, and perhaps the most difficult for the family. Providing continuing care to a patient who is brain dead, as it is defined in the Uniform Determination of Death Act, benefits no one. It impacts other patients who have a chance of recovery and are in need of medical staff, treatment, and resources. Beyond the accommodation period of life support, continuing care may encourage “folie a famille,” a shared psychosis of ...
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Politics
Mar 12, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Pro-Trump Pastor: ‘Thou Shalt Not Have Sex With A Porn Star’ Doesn’t Apply Here | HuffPost
Jeffress, who has been a guest in the Trump White House, has a history of inflammatory comments. Last year, he said NFL players who kneel to protest racial injustice should “be thanking God” they haven’t been “shot in the head.” He also said Trump has God’s support if he wants to “take out” North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. He’s also directed intolerant rants against gays, Muslims, Catholics, Mormons and more. He is the head pastor of the First Baptist Dallas megachurch.
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Religion & Spirituality
Mar 12, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Kevin Swanson Warns That God May Destroy America Over 'The Shape Of Water' | Right Wing Watch
Earlier this year, extremist anti-LGBTQ pastor Kevin Swanson voiced his disgust over the existence of the film “The Shape Of Water,” fuming that it represented “the end of civilization as we know it” because it promoted “cross-species mating” in direct defiance of the Bible. Now that the film has won Oscars for best picture and best director, Swanson has returned to warn that God may destroy America because of it.
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General & Hellos
Mar 12, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Feminists have slowly shifted power. There’s no going back | Rebecca Solnit | Opinion | The Guardian
It happened because the test case in California went before what appeared to be a conservative judge – federal judge Vaughn Walker, appointed by George Herbert Walker Bush – who had been in the closet himself at the time of his appointment, but was gay, and whose own attitudes toward his orientation must have evolved as the culture around him evolved. He found in favor of marriage equality and set up the case to be clear and thorough when it reached the supreme court. When judges rule on ...
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Music, Movies & Books
Mar 12, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Tom Nichols, "Death of Expertise" author, is profiled | Harvard Magazine
From the beginning, discussion of The Death of Expertise was inextricably bound up with Donald Trump. The book appeared less than six months after the upheaval of the 2016 election, and barely three months into the new presidency, and it seemed to have been composed with Trump in mind: a man, Nichols wrote, who quoted The National Enquirer as a reliable source of news, traded in conspiracy theories, and remained willfully and persistently uninformed about basic issues of public policy. Nichols ...
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Philosophy & Meaning
Mar 13, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
119 - Hidden Motives A Conversation with Robin Hanson
Sam Harris
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Politics
Mar 13, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Airman, husband hire attorney after wedding picture used in poli - WSMV News 4
Morgan said that's why he was shocked to see a political attack ad mailer featuring a wedding picture of the couple with Gayle Jordan, who's running for State Senate District 14. Jordan officiated the wedding. The mailer features the picture. Above it, it says, "Liberal Gayle Jordan will 'destroy the fabric of American society.' Take her word for it." The picture was lifted from Jordan's Facebook page without permission. Both of the men's faces are blurred, but Morgan said their faces can...
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Love & Relationships
Mar 14, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
A Federal Court Just Ruled For Gay Rights In A Major Discrimination Case
The Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ruled Monday, “We now hold that sexual orientation discrimination constitutes a form of discrimination ‘because of . . . Sex,’ in violation of Title VII.” In doing so, the court overruled a lower court — and a precedent from two previous court cases — and remanded the case to be litigated in light of their reading of Title VII. The decision holds national implications due to its high tier in the judicial system, and because it’s seen as a...
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Philosophy & Meaning
Mar 14, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
What secularism means for African women’s rights and citizenship - National Secular Society
I would like to define French secularism, or laïcité, because Senegal and many former French colonies in West and Central Africa have inscribed laïcité as a basic principle in their constitutions. Without a doubt, laïcité refers to the separation of politics from religion. The concept of laïcité arose from French history. The secularization process in France since the French Revolution was "an emancipation movement confronted with a church that the tumultuous history of France had made ...
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Religion & Spirituality
Mar 16, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Why I Left an Evangelical Cult | Dawn Smith | TEDxNatick - YouTube
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Religion & Spirituality
Mar 16, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
The ‘exorcism’ that turned into murder - BBC News
There was no doubt, he said, that the case was one of demonic possession. “The devil exists. Demons exist,” he said, declaring them responsible for many of society's problems. For psychiatrist José Miguel Salmerón, who has followed the Vilma Trujillo case closely, this is an instance of what he calls “a dangerous understanding of the world that dates back to the Middle Ages”. He says that though no-one can diagnose Vilma posthumously, her symptoms - including talking about the...
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General & Hellos
Mar 16, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Photos of the Week: Oscar Night, Iraqi Bear Release, Paralympics in Pyeongchang - The Atlantic
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Politics
Mar 17, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
On the Hill: FADA Reintroduced on Capitol Hill - TheHumanist.com
Humanists and other Americans who care about religious freedom should be upset by the continuation of an effort by some Republicans in Congress to use religious freedom as an excuse to participate in bad behavior towards other Americans, either because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual history, or other unimportant factors. At the end of the day, these Republicans still have yet to learn the fundamental lesson that can be gleaned from America’s religious diversity and ...
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Family & Parenting
Mar 17, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
New Uniform Parentage Act Becomes Law in Washington State - TheHumanist.com
But it’s the provision of the law that allows compensation to a surrogate beyond strictly medical and other pregnancy-related expenses that has gotten the law’s opponents (mainly Christians) whipped into a frenzy. What supporters see as Washington State allowing what is already legal in other states, including nearby California, religious right groups see as monetizing wombs and legalizing so-called baby-selling. Some have even gone so far as to say the law encourages child trafficking. ...
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Religion & Spirituality
Mar 17, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Rethinking Oklahoma House Chaplaincy Program - TheHumanist.com
This controversy begs the question: Why are there prayers at the beginning of government meetings at all? This isn’t a church, it’s a government building. Legislators don’t need to restore their faith in God; they need to restore people’s faith in democracy by working together and being productive. Instead of religious prayer, they could have a moment of silence, an uplifting song, an inspiring quote, or even a motivational statement. Anything that helps attendees wake up and focus on ...
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Silly, Random & Fun
Mar 18, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
The Comics Section: The Intelligence of the House - TheHumanist.com
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Philosophy & Meaning
Mar 18, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Fighting Post-Truth - TheHumanist.com
If the word “schadenfreude” did not already exist, it is at this point that progressives probably would have had to invent it … except for the fact that we are all in the same boat—or soon will be—and cannot afford to indulge in the feeling of self-righteousness. Even if you are prepared to deny the facts, they have a way of asserting themselves. When the water creeps up on their $5 million houses or their businesses are affected, people will eventually listen. But does this mean that ...
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Academic (e.g., Science)
Mar 19, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Study uncovers how brain damage increases religious fundamentalism
Previous research had suggested that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which is situated in the frontal lobe of the brain, was a “critical hub” for belief systems. The new study found damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex appeared to cause an increase in religious fundamentalism by reducing cognitive flexibility – meaning the ability to update our beliefs in light of new evidence – along with lowering the personality trait of openness. The researchers examined 119 veterans...
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Philosophy & Meaning
Mar 20, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Waking up podcast SamHarris
120 - What Is and What Matters A Conversation with Rebecca Goldstein and Max Tegmark
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Health & Happiness
Mar 21, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
NHS homeopathy ending in London - BBC News
The Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine has a long history with homeopathy. It was founded as the London Homoeopathic Hospital in 1849 by one of the first doctors to practise homeopathy in Britain. But now patient leaflets say: "From 3 April 2018, the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine (RLHIM) will no longer be providing NHS-funded homeopathic remedies for any patients as part of their routine care." The hospital is run by University College London Hospitals NHS Trust....
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General & Hellos
Mar 23, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Photos of the Week: the Sydney Skinny, a Glacial Arch, Pelicans at Play - The Atlantic
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General & Hellos
Mar 25, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Ahead of the Curve: The Cryptocoin Conspiracy – Part 2 - TheHumanist.com
Some governments are waking up to the dangers of cryptocurrencies in their present free-for-all form. Vietnam has banned payments in cryptocurrencies, South Korea has banned initial coin offerings and anonymous accounts, and China is cracking down in numerous ways. Other governments, including ours, are urgently studying cryptocoin regulation, which may be on the G20 agenda in Argentina next month. My fear is that the bigger cryptocurrency gets, the more legislators (and their backers) will own ...
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Health & Happiness
Mar 25, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Humanist EDge: Humanist Activism Takes Many Forms - TheHumanist.com
Here are a few sites we host to support the secular community: [JustGottaBE.org] – BE. Orlando’s main page and blog [positivepostcardproject.wordpress.com] – a DIY secular on-site service project [seculargratitutde.wordpress.com] – a repository of secular graces, reflections, and prayers [stem4youth.wordpress.com] – a central place for information on collaborative philanthropic efforts of local secular groups such as STEM-themed book and toy ...
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Family & Parenting
Mar 25, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
Are You Kidding? Child Welfare Agencies that Discriminate Don’t Deserve Government Funding - TheHumanist.com
The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) offers a guide that highlights the problem of religious exemptions and adoption discrimination, noting that diverse families comprised of single parents, unmarried couples, and LGBTQ parents are key members of the foster and adoptive world. Same-sex couples are four times more likely than heterosexual couples to raise an adopted child and six times more likely to raise foster children, according to the Williams Institute.
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Silly, Random & Fun
Mar 25, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
The Comics Section: No-Platforming, Dictatorships, and Lung Transplants - TheHumanist.com
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Philosophy & Meaning
Mar 26, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
121 - White Power A Conversation with Christian Picciolini
In this episode of the Waking Up podcast, Sam Harris speaks with Christian Picciolini about his experience as a neo-Nazi skinhead. They discuss how Christian got out of the movement, the limits of shame and forgiveness, the cult-like dynamics of white supremacy, the alt-Right, Russian support for white supremacy in the US, “fake news”, the significance of Charlottesville, the SPLC, and many other topics.
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Religion & Spirituality
Mar 29, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe death of Christianity in the U.S. – Baptist News Global
The beauty of the gospel message — of love, of peace and of fraternity — has been murdered by the ambitions of Trumpish flimflammers who have sold their souls for expediency. No greater proof is needed of the death of Christianity than the rush to defend a child molester in order to maintain a majority in the U.S. Senate. Evangelicals have constructed an exclusive interpretation which fuses and confuses white supremacy with salvation. Only those from the dominant culture, along with their...
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Silly, Random & Fun
Mar 29, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKWill convert for evidence.
0 comments
Politics
Mar 31, 2018Mar 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKRules Are for Schmucks: The Apology Double Standard - TheHumanist.com
Was she exaggerating, or is it true that our vice president thinks Jesus tells him to say things? If so, what are the specific things Jesus has told him to say? It would be helpful for Manigault and/or Pence to clarify this. There have in fact been politicians who claimed they “heard voices” from God. Most notable, perhaps, is Mohandas Gandhi, whose campaign to turn what should have been a normal political transition to Indian independence into a religious proselytizing opportunity helped ...
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General & Hellos
Apr 1, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKHumanist Women in History: Eleanor Smeal - TheHumanist.com
In 1994 the Freedom From Religion Foundation honored her with its Freethought Heroine Award. “We went to church every Sunday,” she said in her acceptance speech, recalling her childhood. “And every Sunday my father’s habit was to count how many times they passed the hat. Frankly, I think I learned in that period the importance of separation of church and state. Discrimination on the basis of ethnicity and religion is a very serious quarrel with me.” The Feminist Caucus of the American ...
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Silly, Random & Fun
Apr 1, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe Comics Section: Praising Abraham and a Disgusting Trip Back in Time - TheHumanist.com
LOL
0 comments
Health & Happiness
Apr 2, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKFinding Clara Barton - TheHumanist.com
“Sensitive by nature, refined by culture, she has nevertheless taken unaccustomed fields of labor, walked untrodden paths with bleeding feet, and opened pioneer doors with bruised fingers, not for her own aggrandizement but for that of her sex and humanity.” Who wrote those immortal words about Clara Barton? She did. Was this any way to build a permanent organization to pursue aims as noble as those set forth in the Red Cross treaty? Of course not. But the more she heard that complaint, ...
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Academic (e.g., Science)
Apr 3, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKA Misconception About Science - YouTube
0 comments
General & Hellos
Apr 3, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos of the Week: Spring Equinox, World Water Day, Dracula the Pterosaur - The Atlantic
0 comments
Silly, Random & Fun
Apr 4, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKDan Barker Ripping God Apart - YouTube
0 comments
Philosophy & Meaning
Apr 5, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKSean Carroll - Layers Of Reality - The Complexity of The Universe - YouTube
0 comments
News & Links
Apr 6, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKLinda Brown obituary | Education | The Guardian
0 comments
General & Hellos
Apr 6, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos of the Week: Holy Week Rodeo, Volkswagen Graveyard, Soccer on an Ice Floe - The Atlantic
0 comments
Religion & Spirituality
Apr 7, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKKentucky’s Day of Prayer: Another Version of Thoughts and Prayers Instead of Gun Control? - TheHumanist.com
“Given all that our students are facing,” notes the bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Regina Huff, “ need to know that we are standing with them. We all need to embrace this and be united in an effort of support in each individual’s manner of prayer for our schools, students and administrators.” It’s not clear what “all that our students are facing,” denotes, but whether Huff was referring to drugs or active shooters or pregnancy or bullies, prayers are not going to help...
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General & Hellos
Apr 7, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINK“Like a Wildfire”: Red-State Teacher Strikes Spread - TheHumanist.com
What all these states have in common is Republican leadership that has slashed education funding in recent years, along with important mid-term elections on the horizon that could change the make-up of Congress. Sabrina Singh, deputy communications director of the Democratic National Committee (which is registering voters at all the rallies) called the walkouts “a real rejection of the Republican agenda that doesn’t favor working-class people. Republicans aren’t on the side of teachers. ...
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Politics
Apr 7, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKMichigan Civil Rights Group Seeks Removal of Seventy-Year-Old Cross on Public Land - TheHumanist.com
Those who tire of these cases or wonder if these fights are really worth it would do well to remember the mission statement of the Michigan Association of Civil Rights Activists (MACRA): “to support and defend the Bill of Rights in an ongoing effort to end government discrimination wherever it is found.” Sometimes that place happens to be a public park in the shadow of a big white Christian cross.
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General & Hellos
Apr 8, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKAhead of the Curve: Antitrust for the Information Age - TheHumanist.com
The Humanist Manifesto says that humanists “are committed…to making informed choices in a context of freedom.” We can’t do that without broad access to information. I suspect there is little precedent in traditional antitrust law for treating business combinations in the information industry more strictly than others. That’s unfortunate. For better or worse, we live in the Information Age, and we’d all be better off with greater diversity of information options to choose from, ...
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Silly, Random & Fun
Apr 8, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe Comics Section: Staying Dead and Entrance Requirements - TheHumanist.com
Meme is on a more serious note.
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Religion & Spirituality
Apr 9, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKIraqi courts seeking out atheists for prosecution
“Inaccurate and misused labels are being used to describe incorrect behaviors by the political authority in light of the security mentality prevalent in both society and state,” Khalaf concluded. “The authorities are comfortable with this illiteracy because it immensely aids them in oppressing any opposed view, especially if it challenges religion, clerics or practices that interfere with public freedoms.” Indeed, atheism has always been on the radar of Islamic parties' leaders in ...
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Religion & Spirituality
Apr 9, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe ’Splainer: The YouTube shooter’s Baha’I faith - Religion News ServiceReligion News ServiceThe ’Splainer: The YouTube shooter’s Baha’I faith - Religion News Service
When news broke that an assailant had shot several people at YouTube’s San Bruno, Calif., headquarters this week, speculation abounded on social media about the alleged shooter, Nasim Aghdam — including her faith. Some were quick to label the suspect — a prolific YouTube creator, vegan and animal-rights activist — as Muslim or Jewish. But evidence soon emerged that Aghdam, a San Diego resident, was affiliated with the Baha’I faith — a smaller tradition whose leaders confirmed that...
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Health & Happiness
Apr 13, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKCognitive Dissonance Theory: A Crash Course - YouTube
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General & Hellos
Apr 13, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos of the Week: Great Bustard, Shinmoedake Volcano, Ghost Mushrooms - The Atlantic
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Health & Happiness
Apr 14, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKIf Coffee Needs a Cancer Warning, Then Houses Need a Ghost Warning | American Council on Science and Health
At issue in the coffee case is the presence of trace amounts of chemicals such as acrylamide. Acrylamide is an accidental byproduct of cooking. Any food that is baked, fried, or roasted probably contains trace amounts of it. Acrylamide has always been in our food, but the tools of chemistry are now so sensitive that they can detect it. However, as first stated by Paracelsus, the 1 principle in toxicology is, “The dose makes the poison.” At the dose found in our food, acrylamide is not ...
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Philosophy & Meaning
Apr 14, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINK12 Cognitive Biases Explained - How to Think Better and More Logically Removing Bias - YouTube
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Politics
Apr 15, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe Vatican’s Secret Lobby - TheHumanist.com
Picture, say, China or Iran controlling one sixth of US hospitals, with power to decide which patients and medical procedures they will or will not handle. Picture them spending millions—maybe hundreds of millions—on a decades-long campaign to win taxpayer funding for brainwashing American children into believing how wonderful the value systems of China or Iran are. Then picture that same country demanding an exemption from the foreign disclosure laws, simply because it promotes unprovable ...
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Religion & Spirituality
Apr 15, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKKen Ham Can’t Find Enough Creationist Employees, So He’s Loosening Restrictions – Friendly Atheist
We are a Christian organization, and as a Christian organization, we employ people who are Christians. We actually, for the seasonals, we actually have a more abridged Statement of Faith, the fundamentals of Christianity, not our detailed one for all of our full-time managers and others. So for seasonals, I know there’s a lot of young people who still aren’t necessarily mature in all their thinking in lots of areas, but if they can sign the tenets of the fundamentals of the Christian ...
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Family & Parenting
Apr 16, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKHumanist Voices in Verse: Stephen Perry - TheHumanist.com
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General & Hellos
Apr 16, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKYet Another Dead Whale Is Grave Reminder Of Our Massive Plastic Problem
A sperm whale was found washed ashore dead after swallowing 64 pounds of plastic debris. The male sperm whale was found on the Murcian coast in southern Spain in late February, reminding us how critical plastic waste in the oceans has become. After investigating, the El Valle Wildlife Rescue Center determined that the sperm whale was killed by gastric shock to its stomach and intestines after ingesting 64 pounds of plastic. The autopsy found plastic bags, nets, ropes, plastic sacks, and even ...
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Academic (e.g., Science)
Apr 17, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKNautilus | Science Connected
Over the past decades, engineers have taken inspiration from the brain to improve computer design. The principles of parallel processing and use-dependent modification of connection strength have both been incorporated into modern computers. For example, increased parallelism, such as the use of multiple processors (cores) in a single computer, is a current trend in computer design. As another example, “deep learning” in the discipline of machine learning and artificial intelligence, which ...
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General & Hellos
Apr 17, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKWas There a Civilization On Earth Before Humans? - The Atlantic
. Once the civilization reaches truly planetary scales, there has to be some feedback on the coupled planetary systems that gave it birth (air, water, rock). This will be particularly true for young civilizations like ours still climbing up the ladder of technological capacity. There is, in other words, no free lunch. While some energy sources will have lower impact—say solar vs. fossil fuels—you can’t power a global civilization without some degree of impact on the planet. Related ...
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Politics
Apr 17, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKMuslims find Jews standing behind them in opposition to Pompeo's confirmation - Religion News ServiceReligion News ServiceMuslims find Jews standing behind them in opposition to Pompeo's confirmation - Religion News Service
This is not the first time in recent years that Muslims and Jews have joined together to advance a shared public policy aim or come to one another’s aid when either has been the victim of a hate crime. In addition to opposing some of the Trump administration’s appointments, they have also united around the travel ban policy as well as the administration’s crackdown on undocumented residents. “It’s been really heartening to see that there have been so many different groups coming ...
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General & Hellos
Apr 18, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKBlack atheists matter: how women freethinkers take on religion | Big Think
As the black atheist Sincere Kirabo posits of BLM: ‘There’s a social activist movement underway continuing the unfinished business of the Civil Rights movement era. Want to make a difference? What we need is grit and involvement in the struggle, not a tribe satisfied with the empty promises of scriptural white noise. Please, for the sake and love of our own futures: abandon your fabled white messiah. Wake up. We are our own salvation.’
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Health & Happiness
Apr 18, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKAnti-vaccine reviewers target children’s books on Amazon - The Washington Post
“All of a sudden,” she said, “I had one-star reviews.” Anti-vaccination reviewers tried to sink the book's rating in a coordinated, 48-hour campaign a month before Hanukkah. Reviewers called her story “extremely disturbing and franky inaccurate” and repeated falsehoods about “vaccines that are not at all safe.” Years of careful scientific study have thoroughly disproved any link between autism and vaccines, including the one for measles, mumps and rubella. The 1998 ...
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Academic (e.g., Science)
Apr 19, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe March for Evidence - Scientific American Blog Network
What is the significance of the March for Science? It is scientists and friends of science saying they can, they should, and they will step into the public square. Previously that was unheard of. It is scientists in large numbers demonstrating to themselves and to others that engaging in public discussion is both appropriate and necessary. They are speaking up for science and evidence like never before.
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General & Hellos
Apr 20, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKThe Psychology of Progressive Hostility - Quillette
Imagine that you are standing in a small clearing in the middle of a vast forest, and that this forest represents your ignorance of the world. The clearing you stand in represents your knowledge. As one gains knowledge, the clearing expands and the forest of ignorance recedes. But as the clearing expands, so does its circumference and so the area of contact between knowledge and ignorance also grows, and our knowledge of the extent of our ignorance grows with it. So, paradoxically, the wiser we ...
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General & Hellos
Apr 20, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKWhy incompetent people think they're amazing - David Dunning - YouTube
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Academic (e.g., Science)
Apr 21, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKGiants in genomics: John Sulston | Stories | yourgenome.org
It took John and his team over 12 years to map? and sequence the nematode genome, but, finally, the first DNA sequence of an animal was published for all the world to see in 1998. This work on the nematode worm formed a crucial model for sequencing the human genome and in 2000, a draft sequence of the human genome was published in Nature. It was the result of over 50 years of DNA and genetic science, and the collaboration of 20 scientific centers around the world. [youtu.be]
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General & Hellos
Apr 21, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINK124 - In Search of Reality A Conversation with Sean Carroll
In this episode of the Waking Up podcast, Sam Harris speaks with Sean Carroll about our understanding of reality. They discuss consciousness, the many worlds view of quantum mechanics, the arrow of time, free will, facts and values, and other topics.
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General & Hellos
Apr 21, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKPhotos of the Week: Walls, Whales, the Pope and a Llama - The Atlantic
I hope you enjoy.
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Religion & Spirituality
Apr 23, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKChurches Fight Atheist Lawsuit that Could Result in $1B in Taxes on Church Leaders | CBN News
For nearly six decades, religious leaders have enjoyed a housing tax exemption from the IRS. But one atheist organization says no more. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is fighting to strip that tax break in a move that would mean churches across the country would be socked with almost $1 billion in new taxes. Supporters say the provision, known as the "parsonage exemption," allows pastors, rabbis and others to live in the communities they serve.
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General & Hellos
Apr 24, 2018Apr 2018

Posted by zblaze
LINKA Life of Pretending: Being Egyptian and Atheist - Quillette
Apostates towards the latter end of this spectrum have severed ties with religion completely. There are also “mild” and “transformative” forms of apostasy. While apostates towards the mild end are more or less indifferent towards the topic, most having never been particularly religious to begin with, those towards the transformative end have most often been raised to be religious. For them, the process of apostasy has often involved “massive psychological reorientation from a ...
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