Sunday, October 31, 2021

The Atheist Experience 25.43 10-24-2021 with Matt Dillahunty and Dave Warnock

In today’s episode of the Atheist Experience, Matt Dillahunty is joined by Dave Warnock!

First up today is Mark from OR who has a question about the difference between the scientific consensus and a fallacious appeal to authority.

Next is GB from CA who wants to argue that the bible argues for divine hiddenness. How can we differentiate between God’s desire to remain hidden, or whether they exist at all.

Up next is Andre from MI believes that there is something greater than us and claims they can prove it. The caller’s interpretation of how the universe around them functions, (i.e. the need to breath & and squirrels killing one another), indicates to them that there is a greater will/

Next up is DJ from Canada who claims to have made contact with a soul. How do we know that the electrical feeling experienced by the caller is actually dead people, let alone a specific soul. As of right now we have no evidence to support the idea that consciousness carries forward after death.

Drew in CA wants to correct Matt’s assertion that the Bible says that “life is like dirty rags” when it does not. The caller gets one win token and immediately starts preaching.

Charlie from TX believes that beliefs are supernatural because they don’t exist tangibly. Just because they cannot currently be tested individually by science does not mean that they won’t ever be, or that they are in any way unnatural.

Next up is Ronald from MO who claims to have found the fabled third possibility for the divine hiddenness argument. The caller did not find it.

Next is Josh from NJ who is struggling to come out as an atheist, for the wellbeing of both themselves and their family. The caller has noticed that anytime their lack of belief is referenced that their mother doubles down on their theism, and fears that this is indicative of what the future reaction will be if the caller fully comes out.

Last up is Peter from Australia who is wondering if there are any legal ramifications for people who spew false prophecies or similar predictions.
Interview: 


Creation Today - Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus (Paulogia podcast)

Would Eric Hovind's hour-long webinar be enough to convince me that a man named Jesus rose from the dead? Not just observing, I was on-hand to ask questions of Eric and his special guest Tim Chaffey.

More importantly, were my emotional heart-strings pulled and stroked and sung to in just the right way to drop $89 on a set of DVDs designed to make me feel exactly the same on the other side?

How could I, with SciStrike hogging all the attention?
Interview: 


The Reckoning by Mary L. Trump E6 (the last chapter) (Allison Gill; MSW Book Club)

Allison and Dana finish up the book in the penultimate episode of the series.
Interview: 


The World‘s Largest Wink (Allison Gill; Cleanup on Aisle 45 podcast, Episode 41)

This week: 
Andrew and Morgan will be covering:
  • Manchin, Sinema, and the Biden agenda;
  • Hunter Walker’s piece in Rolling Stone about the planning of January 6; 
  • plus Comings and Goings.
Interview: 


Opinion | How Trump and the Republicans let a government agency leave Americans in danger - The Washington Post

…How could an agency designed to promote consumer safety instead deliberately leave Americans in danger? Thank former president Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, of course. Two Republican commissioners, appointed by Trump, ran roughshod over established procedure…


With the Charlottesville trial, white supremacists try again to “unite the right.”

…However, the defense's general strategy is clear. They are attempting to position themselves as victims: victims of antifa, victims of anti-white racism, and victims of "cancel culture" by the left. They seek a jury vulnerable to anxieties about the "great replacement" and the declining numerical dominance of white people in America. They will be arguing a different case in a different court: the case for white supremacy, fought in the court of public opinion. Defendants have been successful in striking potential juror after juror with pre-formed beliefs that neo-Nazis are evil or that white supremacy is bad…


No, Atlanta did not lose two-thirds of its police force - PolitiFact

…Atlanta has seen more than 300 employee departures since 2020 but they weren't "en masse" resignations and, even if calculated at its most liberal interpretation, does not equate to anywhere near 75% of the department…


Navy SEALs still haven’t arrested Hillary Clinton - PolitiFact



Danger is Fun (feat. Peter Strzok) (Allison Gill; Mueller, She Wrote podcast)

This week: 
  • a Gaetz investigation update; 
  • Chris Steele and the pee tape are back in the news; 
  • we have a roundup of foreign straw donations to Trump and Trump PACs from Open Secrets; 
  • have federal raids on Manafort’s Russian handler Oleg Deripaska - I’ve dusted my murder board off for that; 
  • I welcome Russian spy hunter and author of the book Compromised, Peter Strzok to the show today to discuss the implications of the Deripaska raid AND we speculate a bit together on what it could mean; 
  • plus some Sabotage and the Fantasy Indictment League. 
Our Guest: Peter Strzok https://twitter.com/petestrzok https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/Compromised/9780358237068

Interview: 


The repeated claim that Fauci lied to Congress about ‘gain-of-function’ research - The Washington Post

… "This testing is intended to determine whether strains discovered in the field can infect humans and how efficiently, not to create super viruses," he said...

‘A roadmap for a coup’: inside Trump’s plot to steal the presidency

A startling memo, a surreal Oval Office encounter – just some of the twists in the unfolding story of Trump's bid to cling to power, which critics say was no less than an attempted coup…


Covid bioweapon claims ‘scientifically invalid’, US intelligence reports

…The theory that the virus, known as Sars-CoV-2, was a bioweapon, which was propagated by Senator Tom Cotton and other hardline Republicans, is rejected at the start of the ODNI report. 
"We remain skeptical of allegations that SARS-CoV-2 was a biological weapon because they are supported by scientifically invalid claims, their proponents do not have direct access to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), or their proponents are suspected of spreading disinformation," the study said…


The Republicans’ racial culture war is reaching new heights in Virginia

…Youngkin well understands the inflammatory atmosphere in Virginia in which he is dousing gasoline and lighting matches. The violence and murder at Charlottesville are still a burning issue. The trials of racist neo-Nazis have just begun there. Prominent Lost Cause statues of Robert E Lee have been removed within the past few months. Branding Beloved as sexually obscene was always an abstracted effort to avoid coming to terms with slavery, especially its sexual coercion. Parental control is Youngkin's abstract slogan for his racial divisiveness…

Opinion: The problem with Ted Cruz's defense of a Nazi salute - CNN

… The question here is not about free speech and what it allows. The issue is whether Americans and their political leaders will act on the basis of a higher principle than political point-scoring, and ultimately be able to douse the flames of hatred and division that are weakening the country. Ted Cruz, it seems, doesn't get it...


The 1619 Project still has historians fighting.

… some historians who support the 1619 Project, including Holton, have begun calling the five historians who criticized it in 2019 and 2020 personally responsible for the political attacks on Hannah-Jones; for the rejection of the 1619 curriculum by school districts; and for some states' moving to ban from the classroom, by legislation, honest discussion of race and racism in American history. From this angle, criticism of the project has become, in itself and on its face, illegitimate regardless of intention, because of the effect: right-wing seizure of the historians' criticisms in enacting bans on the free exchange of ideas. Liberal criticism of the 1619 Project, from this point of view, has enabled the rise of Trumpian authoritarianism...


"Where Myths go to Die" by Shelley Segal (Studio Version) - YouTube

Shelley Segal wrote a fantastic original song for the Mythicist Milwaukee team. We know they are all myths, and who will be the next to die?

The Rittenhouse Trial Instructions, Explained (Opening Arguments podcast OA538)

Yet another packed episode! Our main story is what’s really going on with the Rittenhouse Trial Instructions. You might have seen the coverage stating that the victims can’t be called victims but can be called rioters and looters. Is reality as bad as the coverage? Andrew explains! Then in what is our co-main segment, Andrew gives us his initial thoughts on the hot off the presses Build Back Better Plan and what Sinema and Manchin have cost us.
Interview: 


Saturday, October 30, 2021

The News Roundup — Domestic (The 1A) 2021-10-29

Reports indicate that the Biden administration has privately told interested lawmakers that the portion of the social spending bill devoted to climate will amount to $500 billion. If true, the climate portion of the bill will be its biggest slice.

The Virginia gubernatorial election, touted as one of the year’s most important, is heating up as it reaches its final stretch. President Joe Biden has made statements concerning what a Republican takeover of the state would mean for the GOP and potentially for Donald Trump. Polls indicate the race is in a dead heat.

State and local authorities continue to resist federal vaccine mandates. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued an executive order to state agencies to resist the mandate where possible. The police union in New York City is filing a lawsuit against the city over the municipal government’s mandate.
Interview: 


The News Roundup — International (The 1A) 2021-10-29

It’s been a big week for the Vatican. President Joe Biden is meeting with Pope Francis as both are being targeted by conservative members of their respective structures. The pope has also agreed to visit Canada following revelations concerning the Church’s role in the deaths of thousands of native children.

Following rising tensions with China, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen confirms U.S. troops have been training the Taiwanese military.

Australian soccer player Josh Cavallo came out this week as gay, making him the only out player in a top-flight professional soccer league.
Interview: 


What It Means to Be an Evangelical Today (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Athiest podast #398)

— A school district will no longer ban “Satanic” clothing after a Satanist complained. (1:32)

— Liberty University’s “think tank” was just a cover to elect Republicans. (6:05)

— A GOP official said society’s problems are all a result of not following God’s laws. (12:44)

— Liberty U. still isn’t taking sexual assault seriously. (15:15)

— Being an evangelical basically means worshiping Trump now. (23:12)

— A U.S. Senate candidate (guess which party) says church/state separation doesn’t exist. (35:30)

— Christian pseudo-historian Tim Barton says dads only need a “couple days” off after mom gives birth. (38:53)

— Most Americans want church/state separation… but don’t know what it means. (49:44)

— What is going on with the Chicago Blackhawks? (53:11)

— These Sikh men took off their turbans to save two hikers, putting decency over dogma. (1:08:36)
Interview: 


Hundreds of Scientists Weigh in on a High-Stakes U.S. Abortion Case - Scientific American

… Finally, the economists supply evidence to counter Fitch's argument that abortion is no longer necessary because support is available from the state. The United States is alone among wealthy nations in not mandating paid maternity leave, the brief points out. It also provides figures indicating that a single parent earning the minimum wage would need to spend more than two-thirds of their income on childcare, with care for the average infant costing about US$10,400 per year. These figures matter, the researchers argue, because two main reasons that women give for seeking abortions are concerns about money and caring for existing children. About 75% of women who choose to have abortions are in a low-income bracket, and 59% already have children, according to the economists' brief...


Add verifiable COVID-19 vaccination information to Apple Wallet and Health - Apple Support

Add verifiable COVID-19 vaccination information as a vaccination card in Wallet and download and store verifiable vaccination and test result records in the Health app...


The dangerous way Ted Cruz is undermining U.S. foreign policy

… "He is not the secretary of state. The people of this country did not elect him or his party to represent us abroad. And what he's asking for is to control American foreign policy."…


America’s Food Safety System Failed to Stop a Salmonella Epidemic. It’s Still Making People Sick. — ProPublica

…The next day, on Aug. 16, 2019, Arthur Sutton died. The cause was severe blood poisoning and acute organ dysfunction brought on by salmonella… 
… ProPublica found that many plants have repeatedly violated the agency's standards without being shut down or facing any recent public sanction. According to the most recent data, more than a third of the plants producing ground chicken are violating the USDA standard. And many large companies — including Tyson, Pilgrim's Pride, Perdue, Koch Foods and the processors that produce chicken for Costco and Whole Foods — currently have plants with high rates of the types of salmonella most likely to make people sick…

Texas shocked by killing of Muslim motorist who pulled into man’s driveway

…Thompson added: "It's customary to drive into people's driveways without it being considered trespass … There are other reasonable steps a concerned homeowner could take, like calling the police."…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/oct/29/texas-man-san-antonio-stand-your-ground-murder-charge


Friday, October 29, 2021

Tucker Carlson draws bipartisan backlash for ‘false flag’ claim about Jan. 6 in new documentary - The Washington Post

…in which one subject appears to float a baseless conspiracy theory that the Capitol riot was covertly orchestrated by the government…


White Supremacists Use Racist Slurs In Opening Statements For Charlottesville Trial

…Wearing a blue shirt without a tie or jacket, he proceeded to name-check Mein Kampf, drop the n-word, plug his far-right radio program, call himself "good-looking" and a "professional artist," and blast antifascist activists all in a matter of minutes. Surprising nobody in the courtroom, Cantwell, who prepared for this moment with help from two other neo-Nazis in prison and spending evenings watching Tucker Carlson, said "I'm not a lawyer … [but] I'm the best attorney I could afford."…


House Democrats reintroduce Social Security reform bill | TheHill

…"The Social Security 2100 Act will keep this vital lifeline solvent and ensure our nation's bedrock social insurance program provides current and future beneficiaries with a quality standard of living," he added…https://thehill.com/homenews/house/578696-house-democrats-reintroduce-social-security-reform-bill



The dirty dozen: meet America’s top climate villains | Georgia Wright, Liat Olenick and Amy Westervelt | The Guardian

Few are household names, yet these 12 enablers and profiteers have an unimaginable sway over the fate of humanity…


Opinion | The White House just announced a pretty good reconciliation deal, but we’re not there yet - The Washington Post

… there's a lot of good in the emerging framework…


Apple device security checkup: 10 tips to use now - 9to5Mac

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month …


Opinion: Trump's ridiculous falsehood-filled letter to the Wall Street Journal - CNN

…When Philip Bump of the Washington Post checked the facts, he found the letter rife with deception. For example, Trump cites the election analysis from a group called Audit the Vote PA that actually has no record of auditing anything…


Biden Administration Tightens Rules Around The Tipped Minimum Wage | HuffPost Latest News

The Labor Department is reversing a Trump-era policy that made it easier to pay tipped workers less for their time...


Texas lawmaker Matt Krause targets 850 books he says could make students uneasy : NPR

The list includes an Amnesty International book…


Thursday, October 28, 2021

Texas lawmaker says 850 books ranging from race to sexuality could cause 'discomfort'

…Isabel Wilkerson's book "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents," which, among other things, made the case that Nazi Germany modeled its anti-Semitic policies on the segregation of Black people in the United States, also made Krause's list…


More than 12 million global deaths are associated with environmental risks every year - CNN

…Earlier this month, the World Health Organization called for governments and policymakers to "act with urgency" on the climate and health crises. The report described climate change as the "single biggest health threat facing humanity," and outlined 10 recommended climate and health actions…


2 officers are indicted in the death of man who was shot 76 times : NPR

… Robinson's family said their son, who suffered from mental illness, was at his girlfriend's house when 16 officers broke down the door. 
"Over 90 rounds were fired at my son, flash-bang grenades were thrown at him, landed on him burning him. Somebody walked up the stairs, stood over him, and shot down into his body two more times. After that he was handcuffed and drug down a flight of stairs," Monteria Robinson said at a news conference in June 2020...




Opinion | Blame GOP elites, not the grass roots, for the party’s descent into madness and sedition - The Washington Post

…Where is the next generation of Powells, Bushes, Shultzes, Scowcrofts, McCains? They don't exist. Those who try to uphold their values — e.g., Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — are outcasts in their own party. The GOP is now led by unprincipled opportunists, such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who have allowed their party to be captured by the crazies...


BLM demands resignation of white sheriff charged with lying about Black news carrier

"What he did was malicious," Remmu said. "It's clear: This sheriff was trying to get an innocent man killed. This is basically a case of swatting, where you are intentionally calling the police and lying, saying that your life is under threat so that the police respond ready to use excessive or deadly force."…


Liberty U president says on tape that ‘getting people elected’ is his goal - POLITICO

Liberty University's new president, Jerry Prevo, told a top university official this year that he wanted the large Christian school to become a more effective political player with the goal of helping to influence elections, according to a call recording shared with POLITICO…


Billionaires Income Tax: What's in the Senate Democratic plan : NPR

"Giant corporations have been exploiting tax loopholes for too long," Warren said. "It's about time they pay their fair share to help run this country, just like everyone else."


These Trump fans were at the Capitol on 6 January. Now they’re running for office

Bridge Michigan reported that five people who were at the insurrection are now running for various positions in the state, including Jason Howland, who photos show entered the Capitol…


Wednesday, October 27, 2021

How 4 Weeks of U.S. Paid Leave Would Compare With the Rest of the World - The New York Times

The U.S. is one of six countries with no national paid leave. The Democrats have cut their plan to four weeks, which would still make it an outlier...


Yes, There Has Been Progress on Climate. No, It’s Not Nearly Enough. - The New York Times

"The pathway is extremely narrow," said Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency. "We really don't have much time left to shift course."


GOP lawmakers were ‘intimately involved’ in Jan. 6 protest planning, new report shows | PBS NewsHour

…I think the key thing here is that Trump himself was the major player. They framed the moment that the president said, let's march to the Capitol, sort of encouraged the crowd to march, as a key turning point, where this went from the planned airing of objections to a charge toward the Capitol Dome...


Charlottesville ‘Unite the Right’ rally trial begins today. Here’s what you need to know. - The Washington Post

…They have more than five terabytes of evidence, including a leaked trove from the communication platform Discord, where planners messaged about the rally using slurs against Black and Jewish people and sharing violent fantasies of cracking skulls and driving into crowds…
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/10/25/charlottesville-unite-right-rally-lawsuit/


Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen calls for urgent external regulation

…Addressing a group of MPs and peers on Monday, Haugen said much of the blame for the world's increasingly polarised politics lay with social networks and the radicalising impact of services such as Facebook Groups...


The racist theory that is animating some Trump backers (opinion) - CNN

… A recent poll by the Public Religion Research Institute found White evangelical Protestants, who form a significant portion of Trump's base, are particularly open to the idea that America is for people like them. Slightly more than half agreed with the notion "God intended America to be a new promised land where European Christians could create a society that could be an example to the rest of the world" and most of them agreed today's immigrants are "replacing our cultural and ethnic background."

Opinion | This is how the anti-democratic right wins - The Washington Post

…This is how the anti-democratic right wins: Every time a public spirited elections worker decides that helping to administer democracy in good faith is too personally dangerous to carry out, the threats are achieving precisely their desired end…


Opinion | Pity the billionaire, so sensitive and oppressed - The Washington Post

… But there is precisely zero evidence to suggest that's true. Like almost everything Republicans say about taxes, it's essentially a religious belief, one that's immune to refutation by the facts...


Billionaires Soros and Hoffman backing new effort to battle disinformation | TheHill

"We are seeing unparalleled threats to our country's democracy and a free press today—threats so grave that the long-running fight against misinformation seems almost quaint as we confront outright disinformation from people preying upon Americans fears and anxieties to push their own agenda or profit margins," Kreitlow said…

Intersex people have been challenging 'gender-normalizing surgery.' Doctors are starting to listen.

…While rare, at least 1 in 2,000 people are born with a genital difference caused by an intersex trait, according to Human Rights Watch, an international research and advocacy group…https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-health-and-wellness/intersex-people-challenging-gender-normalizing-surgery-doctors-are-sta-rcna3815










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