January 2012
77 posts
FAQ with Alain de Botton on ‘religion for... →
“I really disagree with the hard tone of some atheists who approach religion like a silly fairy tale. I am deeply respectful of religion, but I believe in none of its supernatural aspects.”
Arkansas Democratic Campaign Manager Comes Home To... →
This is absolutely horrible. The worst of humanity, indeed.
Democracy Index →
Of the 25 countries ranked as “full democracies”, 12 are constitutional monarchies. The Philippines is a “flawed democracy” at 75.
Aldrin: Gay beauty pageants and early morning... →
Girl reportedly guarded by lions; cats chased off... →
What is the difference between the Arabic Language... →
It is a common practice for people to use “Arabic language” terminology to identify all of the Semitic languages of the Middle East that use Arabic letters for writing. The Lebanese who were raised in Lebanon master both the Lebanese language and the Arabic Language. Refraining from distinguishing between the two languages has begun to have negative effects on people who want to learn Lebanese...
Woman singer's tomb found in Valley of Kings →
In a rare find, Egyptian and Swiss archaeologists have unearthed a roughly 2,900-year-old tomb of a female singer in the Valley of the Kings, an antiquities official said Sunday.
It is the only tomb of a woman not related to the ancient Egyptian royal families ever found in the Valley of the Kings, said Mansour Boraiq, the top government official for the Antiquities’ Ministry in the city...
Global Warming May Make Reptiles Smarter →
As climate change alters the temperatures of reptile habitats around the globe, tests of one lizard species suggests warmer nests could make some reptiles smarter.
When researchers incubated the eggs of Bassiana duperreyi, a mountain-dwelling Australian skink, at warmer-than-usual temperatures, they grew up to perform especially well on a learning task.
Prepare yourselves for our future...
Virginia lawmaker: Children with disabilities are... →
“The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children,” said Marshall, a Republican.
“In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord. There’s a special punishment...
Kabir Ahmed, 28, Defends Calling For Execution Of... →
A 28-year-old man from Derby has told a court he felt he was doing his duty as a Muslim by handing out leaflets that are alleged to be threatening and frightening to homosexuals.
Kabir Ahmed said he handed a leaflet called “Death Penalty?” to a passing policeman and put them through people’s letterboxes around the Madeley Street area of Derby in July 2010 because he was...
Aldrin: Adorations to Hera →
Bill's Story →
“I intend to fight, and I ask you all to join me, until no one has to walk the streets afraid, until no one has to live in fear of persecution or assault no matter what their race, religion or sexuality.”
Are you brave enough to join us?
In Love Wars, gay Stormtroopers chafe under Don't... →
Lame Poetry, False Dichotomies, and Bad Theology →
Thus, rather than discounting religion, he is just discounting other religions, or even just other manifestations of his own religion.
This sums up pretty much what I feel about this.
Spot The Fake Smile →
Most interesting.
Bishops to meet, map campaign to support Pope’s... →
Philippine Catholic bishops will convene soon to map out a campaign to bolster Pope Benedict XVI’s stand against same-sex marriages.
“It is expected of us … to likewise oppose any plan to legalize same sex ‘marriage’ in this country,” said Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Jose Palma in an article posted Wednesday night on the...
Undercover audio tape proves Andaman ‘human... →
A secret recording of a tour operator in the Andaman Islands telling an undercover journalist to provide 10-15,000 rupees (£120-180/ $180-275) to pay off the police proves that the now notorious ‘human safaris’ are still happening, and provides fresh evidence of police involvement in the scandal.
I didn’t know this could happen, but now I do, this has got to stop! We’ve raped our...
Loggers 'burned Amazon tribe girl alive' →
The child was said to have wandered away from her village, where around 60 members of the Awá tribe, who live in complete isolation from the modern world, and fallen into the hands of the loggers.
Luis Carlos Guajajaras, a local leader from a separate tribe, told a Brazilian news website that they tied to her a tree and set her alight as a warning to other natives, who live in a protected...
Al-Muqaddas: Arabian Blog →
Let the pre-Islamic religion(s) of the Arabs interest you through this blog. A nice read!
Spanish bishop legitimates rape →
The Archbishop of Granada, Javier Martinez, said in his Christmas sermon that it was acceptable for women who have had an abortion to be raped.
Behold, laity, your self-proclaimed “men of god”. But, if you disagree with him, why do you still pay these horrible people your respects?
Infertile people can't marry says Catholic Church →
Not directly, but that’s what they’re basically saying; that because marriage is solely for procreation that infertile people cannot marry. Oscar Cruz is such an adorable pea-brain.
PNoy and the Power Distance Index →
Maria Ressa speaks of the unspoken obvious: how the lot of us really are just sheep to authority here in this country.
We must all be reminded that when the boss is wrong — and this applies not only to CEOs but also to parents, teachers, and especially religious leaders — we should let them know. Politely, of course — as we should all initially be to everyone — but with a...
Stephen Fry joins calls to end ‘gay panic’ →
Fantastic to get this international support from Stephen Fry.
It is also a big surprise to learn that it is a Catholic priest, no less, who has recently launched this petition.
The counter-intuitive fact is, the greatest support for LGBT rights from any religion comes from the Catholic faithful, right under the Pope’s nose in effect. By a huge margin, more Catholics support marriage equality...
Gay marriage a threat to humanity's future: Pope →
What this evil old man needs to do is to stop being stupid. Human stupidity is the real threat to our future, evil old man.
Also, corruption, human rights abuse, and intolerance, all of which the Vatican is rank with.
Netherlands to close prisons for lack of criminals →
Because it’s more fun in the Netherlands.
Wrath of the Titans →
As if the first movie wasn’t horrible enough, they’ve apparently already made a sequel. My eyes roll to no end.
