NBC News said its lack of in-depth reporting in 2020 on the laptop was due to people in Trump's circle trying to limit access to the information. That's not the same as covering up the story…
Thursday, May 5, 2022
PolitiFact | Elon Musk’s false claim that NBC News covered up Hunter Biden laptop story
NBC News reported in 2020 that its reporters attempted to cover the laptop story but were not given the kind of access that would have allowed them to verify the authenticity of the documents from the laptop. NBC News said it was not among the select few news organizations that had been given access to key documents.
Ron Johnson takes his anti-vaccine rhetoric to a weird new place - The Washington Post
Johnson expressed openness to Callender's idea that maybe the coronavirus vaccines are a conduit for deliberately giving people AIDS...
How to Pick a Solar Panel and Battery Backup System | Reviews by Wirecutter
For homeowners, multi-kilowatt batteries that charge from rooftop solar panels promise resilience in the event of a natural disaster—a reliable, rechargeable, instantaneous source of electricity to keep important devices and appliances running until the grid comes back online. For utilities, such installations promise a more stable and lower-carbon electrical grid in the near future. Here's how you can set it up for your home. (Just brace yourself for sticker shock.)…
Randy Rainbow (The Mary Trump Show podcast)
Mary Trump celebrates MI State Senator Mallory McMorrow and how she’s demonstrated what it looks like when Democrats fight back against attacks from the Right. She’s then joined by the brilliant creator of political parody songs, Randy Rainbow, to talk about the inspiration for his work and how he built his career. They also discuss why political satire is so important and the role of comedy in breaking through our echo chamber politics to reach the other side.
Interview:
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Too many White parents don’t understand the true purpose of public schools - The Washington Post
…But the truth is that while laws banning this teaching might shield children from potential unease, they also will help to dismantle American democracy...
Now is a good time to buy this inflation savings bond - The Washington Post
You can put up to $10,000 a year in a Series I Savings Bond as a hedge against inflation. It's paying 9.62 percent.
Colorado clerk accused of voting system breach faces court order | Reuters
A Republican county clerk, accused by Colorado authorities of leading an unauthorized breach of voter data with activists who back former President Donald Trump's stolen election falsehoods, was ordered by a judge to hand over the copied data by Wednesday…
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/DVG3M5FG6BK57L5LEPYVYFYSDM.jpg)
Satanic Temple to Sue Pennsylvania School District Over Rejection of ‘After School Satan Club’
…the Satanic Temple has long used their 'After School Satan Clubs' to promote "free inquiry and rationalism" in schools, as their website states, often as an alternative to evangelical organizations that run faith groups after school hours…
Heat wave sends temperatures to 120F in South Asia : NPR
"Due to intense heat, the grain we're harvesting is shriveled," a Punjabi farmer named Major Singh told local TV. …
Trump Settles Suit Over Payments to Hotel for 2017 Inauguration - The New York Times
…the payment amounted to nearly three-quarters of the $1.03 million that the lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Karl Racine of Washington, said had been paid to Mr. Trump's hotel by the nonprofit inaugural committee to rent out space at what Mr. Racine asserted was an above-market rate and then use it in part to host a private reception for Mr. Trump's children on the evening he was sworn in as president…
My Debate with Ray Comfort: Can Moral Facts Exist without a God? • Richard Carrier
"Value only comes from us; we decide what we want from ourselves and the world. This would be true even if there were a God: we ourselves still have to choose to value anything that God says. Values come from our nature. And God or not, we are cognitive and social beings. If we wish to live as fulfilled as possible, we must cultivate empathy to share the joys of others, else we lose a whole dimension of happiness; and we must cooperate and get along with each other as much as reasonable, so we can manifest by that cooperation a functioning social system, that we all benefit from. Only moral systems that create rather than destroy human happiness have any value to us, and as such, only they are "true," in the sense that we have sufficient reason to obey them. Accordingly, we as humans have decided to label evil everything conducive to our misery; and good, everything conducive to our happiness. And moral good and evil, as a subset of all, is that which derives from human decisions, which can be changed through reason, persuasion, education, and self-reflection. This standard comes from nothing outside of us. It comes from us. Moral facts are facts about us, about what will most likely lead us each to a better life."
Meet Abortion Bans’ New Best Friend—Your Phone – Mother Jones
…Another extreme bill in Oklahoma's legislature would establish a statewide government database of all people seeking abortions. Each person would be assigned a "unique identifying number" and connected with a "pre-abortion resource" assistant who is legally barred from referring actual abortion services…
US foreign aid restrictions and maternal and children’s health: Evidence from the “Mexico City Policy” | PNAS
" Although family planning services are crucial for global health and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, their funding remains controversial. We document the health consequences of the "Mexico City Policy" (MCP), which restricts US funding for abortion-related activities worldwide. Since its enactment in 1985, the MCP has been enforced only under Republican administrations and quickly rescinded when a Democrat wins the presidency. Our analysis shows that the MCP makes it harder for women to get information on and support for reproductive health and is associated with higher maternal and child mortality rates and HIV rates worldwide. We estimate that reinstating the MCP between 2017 and 2021 resulted in approximately 108,000 maternal and child deaths and 360,000 new HIV infections."
All 5 building blocks of DNA, RNA found in meteorites from Canada, U.S., Australia | CBC News
Researchers have found all nucleobases needed to make DNA and RNA in meteorites…
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Republican Hutchinson, at odds with Trump, eyes 2024 U.S. presidential run | Reuters
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said on Sunday he is considering a run for the 2024 Republican U.S. presidential nomination, making clear that he is "not aligned" with former President Donald Trump, another potential candidate…
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/W6FWVZ6ALFKXFBDPGTXXV34UMQ.jpg)
Evidence mounts of GOP involvement in Trump’s attempt to stay in power | PBS NewsHour
...When the results of the panel's investigation come out, Raskin predicted, "America will see how the coup and insurrection converged."
Global heating risks most cataclysmic extinction of marine life in 250m years
…This means the oceans are overheated, increasingly gasping for breath – the volume of ocean waters completely depleted of oxygen has quadrupled since the 1960s – and becoming more hostile to life. Aquatic creatures such as clams, mussels and shrimp are unable to properly form shells due to the acidification of seawater...
Transcript: Rep. Adam Kinzinger on "Face the Nation," re: Select Committee on the insurrection -- May 1, 2022 - CBS News
The following is a transcript of an interview with Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois that aired Sunday, May 1, 2022, on "Face the Nation."...
Judge upholds Jan. 6 committee subpoena for RNC records - POLITICO
U.S. District Court Judge Tim Kelly said the select committee had demonstrated its need for the party's data on its fundraising emails...
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/subpoena-rnc-records-capitol-riot-00029265
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/subpoena-rnc-records-capitol-riot-00029265
Stopping climate change could mean sucking carbon from the air : NPR
…No matter the path that countries choose on climate change, the IPCC report emphasizes that carbon dioxide removal will never be the main strategy to combat climate change. Cutting emissions is...
Student-Loan Forgiveness at Risk From Servicers' Bad Behavior, Advocates Say
…While the plans are intended to give borrowers affordable monthly payments with the promise of full forgiveness after 20 or 25 years, "harmful servicing practices" have ensured very few borrowers got the relief they deserved, the letter said…
Judge smacks down the RNC’s case against the Jan. 6 committee
Republicans have spent months arguing that the Jan. 6 committee's investigation isn't legitimate. Even Trump-appointed judges aren't buying the claim...
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/judge-smacks-rncs-case-jan-6-committee-rcna26887
Opinion | Election craziness and the threat to democracy reaches even Minnesota - The Washington Post
… All this puts Democratic governors in a key position. Beyond acting as a check on more voter suppression, they could prevent the worst case scenario in 2024. By contrast, a GOP governor in a key swing state could theoretically certify presidential electors for the GOP candidate even if he lost the state's popular vote...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/05/02/election-craziness-threat-to-democracy-minnesota/
Former US police officer charged with murder in death of 12-year-old - BBC News
Authorities say that Edsaul Mendoza, 26, engaged in a "tactically unsound" foot chase of Thomas "TJ" Siderio and shot him despite knowing he was unarmed...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61301916
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61301916
The GOP is literally making Americans pay for their cruel political stunts
… These kinds of taxpayer-subsidized stunts have become routine among Republicans. Ironic, isn't it? The self-proclaimed pro-business, pro-capitalist party sure is finding a lot of ways to harm individuals and industries with its policies…
Katie Couric (The Mary Trump Show)
Mary Trump calls out the danger of guns and their outdated culture and welcomes esteemed journalist Katie Couric. In their conversation they tackle the critical importance of honesty in reporting and the need to learn from your mistakes. They also look at the danger of media polarization, the legacy of racism in the country, and how audiences are creating silos of information through their preferences just as much as corporations.
Interview:
Monday, May 2, 2022
I’d Rather Be Woke Than a Fascist with Wajahat Ali, Dr. Allison Gill & Bob Cesca (The Mary Trump Show)
Mary Trump goes on offense against the insurrectionists still running for office, then welcomes Wajahat Ali, Dr. Allison Gill, and Bob Cesca for a powerful midterm strategy session covering the fight against enduring racism, taking mainstream media to task for ignoring fascism, and giving back to the Democratic base. They also break down how susceptible our institutions are to bad actors, and call on us to be the change instead of waiting for help from those in charge.
Interview:
Opinion | Barack Obama’s smart way to change the disinformation debate - The Washington Post
…That's where Mr. Obama's ideas come in. His diagnosis is on target. The Internet has given us access to more people, more opportunities and more knowledge. This has helped activists drum up attention for overlooked causes. It has also enabled the nation's adversaries to play on our preexisting prejudices and divisions to sow discord. On top of that, "an instant, 24/7 global information stream," from which audiences can pick and choose material that confirms their biases, has deepened the social divides that bad actors seek to exploit…
New government maps show nearly all of the West is in drought and it's not even summer yet: "This is unprecedented" - CBS News
"The problem with climate change is that it takes all the historical patterns and kind of shifts them," NASA scientist Dr. JT Reager told CBS News' Ben Tracy…
Interview with Dr. Katie Gaddini, author of "The Struggle to Stay: Why Single Evangelical Women Are Leaving the Church (Hemant Mehta, The Friendly Atheist podast #423)
"We talked about purity culture, the mixed messages sent to Christian women, and whether their churches do more harm than good.
In this solo episode (Jessica will be back next week), I spoke with Dr. Katie Gaddini, a sociologist at the Social Research Institute, University College London and a research associate at the University of Johannesburg, Department of Sociology.
She recently released her debut book, The Struggle to Stay: Why Single Evangelical Women Are Leaving the Church, which is based on over four years of in-depth ethnographic research with single evangelical women in the US and the UK.
We talked about purity culture, the mixed messages sent to Christian women, and whether their churches do more harm than good."
Interview:
Fox Employee Said Network Execs Have a Goal to 'Get People Boiled up'
…The driving narrative, the employee suggested, was one that made viewers believe they're in danger. "They're coming for you, the Blacks are coming for you, the Mexicans are coming for you," the employee told The Times…
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Textual Healing (Allison Gill and Andrew Torrez; Cleanup on Aisle 45)
This week: Welcome to Allison and Andrew’s Text Talk. Your hosts have kind of a textual get-together and talk about the possible implications of the coup group chats supplied by Mark Meadows to the January 6 Committee.
Interview:
Musk Buys Twitter, Part 2! (Opening Arguments podcast OA591)
We continue the fascinating deep-dive into the NOT FINAL deal for Musk to buy Twitter. This part goes more into the financing and highlights even more ways the deal might not go through. Then, we’ve got some updates in key stories! Trump has been held in contempt! And briefs for the MTG case are due today.
Interview:
Truth Wanted 05.14 with ObjectivelyDan and MD Aware
00:00 Intro
21:58 Tymm - WA | Florida Man Says "Gay", Conservatives Faint
41:00 Andrew - ME | What is Age-Appropriate Sex Ed?
1:01:53 Jon - CA | Canadian Condom Clash
1:18:56 Biblical - (?) | Biblical Babble
1:29:32 Outro
Interview:
21:58 Tymm - WA | Florida Man Says "Gay", Conservatives Faint
41:00 Andrew - ME | What is Age-Appropriate Sex Ed?
1:01:53 Jon - CA | Canadian Condom Clash
1:18:56 Biblical - (?) | Biblical Babble
1:29:32 Outro
Interview:
This Christian Show's Ad Campaign Backfired (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #424)
— A Christian show's viral "persecution" marketing campaign backfired. (2:15)
— The Supreme Court is about to fumble a simple church/state separation case. (15:05)
— An atheist in Florida says if controversial books are banned, then the Bible needs to go too. (35:15)
— An Alabama couple can't adopt a kid because they're non-religious. (40:46)
— Christians sang worship music on an airplane. (49:06)
— A Christian "health insurance" ministry left families high and dry because it was all a grift. (58:09)
— Canadians say evangelicals hurt society more than any other religious group. (1:09:18)
Interview:
— The Supreme Court is about to fumble a simple church/state separation case. (15:05)
— An atheist in Florida says if controversial books are banned, then the Bible needs to go too. (35:15)
— An Alabama couple can't adopt a kid because they're non-religious. (40:46)
— Christians sang worship music on an airplane. (49:06)
— A Christian "health insurance" ministry left families high and dry because it was all a grift. (58:09)
— Canadians say evangelicals hurt society more than any other religious group. (1:09:18)
Interview:
Parker Molloy : Elon Musk’s Twitter meme shows he's out of touch he with reality
…If you spent the summer of 2020 being inundated by Fox News footage of Black Lives Matter protests, you might genuinely think that the left is out of control. This perception, however, simply doesn't match reality…
The Real Basis of a Moral World • Richard Carrier
…Thus, before we invented better ways of doing things, when we acted simply as we evolved to be, as savages and ignorant primitives, we invented a Biblical God to tell us all sorts of things were right and good, like slavery, that we later realized were not. Since then we have empirically discovered we are not happy endorsing or allowing slavery, or women's inequality, that we need democracy and human rights to reduce our personal risk of conflict and misery, that things go better for everyone when we cultivate respect for personal autonomy and individualism, and pursue the minimization of harm, all to generating good will, and contented neighbors. That's all an empirical fact. And remains a fact whether gods exist or not…
https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/14879
https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/14879
Michigan Republicans divided after party nominates DePerno and Karamo for top jobs - The Washington Post
"If you had any shred of experience, if you had any shred of competence, that was an immediate disqualifier," said Jason Watts, a former secretary of the Allegan County Republican Party, who was a convention delegate. "The Michigan GOP just nominated two people that have no broad-based appeal."…
Donald Trump investigations: Where they stand - The Washington Post
Donald Trump is facing historic legal and legislative scrutiny for a former president, under investigation by U.S. lawmakers, local district attorneys, a state attorney general and the FBI. Authorities are looking into Trump and his family business for a medley of possible wrongdoing, including his actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol and how he valued his various assets for loan and tax purposes...
Oklahoma ban on nonbinary birth certificate designations marks new front in anti-LGBTQ battle - The Washington Post
…In a letter last month to governors, the AMA said that "empirical evidence has demonstrated that trans and nonbinary gender identities are normal variations of human identity and expression." The groups note that studies have shown that suicide rates drop when trans people are recognized by their accurate gender identity by friends, family and government officials…
These are books school systems don’t want you to read, and why - The Washington Post
The Post counted 10 common rationales for book bans, alongside prominent examples of each…
Secular Compassion (Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freethought Radio podcast)
Guest: Phil Zuckerman. After reporting on victories and challenges regarding governmental prayer, we parse the Supreme Court oral arguments in the case involving a praying high-school football coach. Then we hear sociologist and author Phil Zuckerman, a pioneer in secular studies, making the case for why secular Americans, as a group, are more moral than religious Americans.
Interview:
Musk Buys Twitter. The Deal Is Done. Or Is It? (Opening Arguments podcast OA590)
The answer may surprise you! When it was announced that Elon Musk bought Twitter, I had a billion and one questions for Andrew about it. Andrew being Andrew, he commenced deep-diving and turned up a ton of interesting info about this deal and the legality around deals like this. And to his surprise… it’s FAR from a done deal! Listen in for the dive so deep that it actually will require a surprise bonus episode! This is part 1, part 2 will be out as soon as thomasly possible to edit and release it!
Interview:
The Atheist Experience 26.17 with Matt Dillahunty and Everyday_Atheist
00:00 Intro
02:54 Dane-KS | Dane-KS | 14 BCE Bracelet Proves The Bible
1
9:24 Jamaal-CA | Consciousness Is The Soul
48:58 James-SC | Animals Living In Original Sin
58:01 Jelmer-(NL) | Remove The Word Existence
1:08:39 Jack-FL | Transcendental Argument For God
1:22:58 Jon-(CA) | BLM Is Harming Black People
1:28:10 Vanamali-IL | Difference Between Religion And Death Cults
Interview:
Saturday, April 30, 2022
The News Roundup – Domestic and International (The 1A) 2022-04-29
A COVID-19 vaccine for some children is now a step closer to being authorized by the Food and Drug Administration. Moderna has asked U.S. regulators to authorize low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under six. When can we expect a decision from the F.D.A.?
Meanwhile, the top infectious disease expert in the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, was forced to clarify remarks he made earlier in the week about the pandemic. On Tuesday, Fauci told the PBS NewsHour “we are out of the pandemic phase”. On Wednesday, he told 1A he misspoke and that “the pandemic is not over.”
Also this week, new audio of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was obtained and reported on by The New York Times. It reveals concerns McCarthy had about far-right House Republicans inciting violence against other lawmakers in the aftermath of January 6, 2021.
Interview:
Meanwhile, the top infectious disease expert in the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, was forced to clarify remarks he made earlier in the week about the pandemic. On Tuesday, Fauci told the PBS NewsHour “we are out of the pandemic phase”. On Wednesday, he told 1A he misspoke and that “the pandemic is not over.”
Also this week, new audio of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was obtained and reported on by The New York Times. It reveals concerns McCarthy had about far-right House Republicans inciting violence against other lawmakers in the aftermath of January 6, 2021.
Interview:
https://the1a.org/segments/the-news-roundup-domestic-3/
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called war in Ukraine both “evil” and “unacceptable” after seeing for himself the damage done by Russia on the outskirts of Kviv.
Earlier in the week, the U.N. chief met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, just hours before the Kremlin decided to cut off gas to Poland and Bulgaria.
Also this week, Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the West not to underestimate the possibility of a nuclear confrontation… and President Biden requested another $33 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine during a speech on Thursday.
Interview:
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called war in Ukraine both “evil” and “unacceptable” after seeing for himself the damage done by Russia on the outskirts of Kviv.
Earlier in the week, the U.N. chief met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, just hours before the Kremlin decided to cut off gas to Poland and Bulgaria.
Also this week, Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the West not to underestimate the possibility of a nuclear confrontation… and President Biden requested another $33 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine during a speech on Thursday.
Interview:
Oath Keeper emotional as he accepts 2nd plea deal in Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy case - ABC News
"Do you agree with that statement [in your plea agreement] that you agreed with Mr. Rhodes and others to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power?" Mehta asked Ulrich Friday.
"Yes, your honor," Ulrich answered...
Ron Watkins, QAnon-linked Arizona candidate, faceplants during debate
…Speaking to his horde of far-right followers from behind a computer screen, Watkins could pitch himself as someone deeply attuned to politics. That image shattered in hilarious fashion the moment he was actually forced to explain his stances in the real world…
Extremists Are Lying to Undermine America’s Public Schools | Time
…As Rufo made clear, the assaults on public schools in state after state are part of a nationally orchestrated and funded campaign. The goal is to destabilize public education and replace it with a universal, unregulated voucher system which would increase segregation and exacerbate already wide gaps between the rich and the rest of us…
Former CDC chief says Trump appointees blocked his agency from briefing public on COVID-19 - ABC News
In closed-door testimony to House investigators released on Friday, Dr. Bob Redfield, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, former President Donald Trump appointees repeatedly blocked his public health experts from briefing the American public…
Liberty University’s Handling of Sexual Assaults Under Investigation by Department of Education — ProPublica
Last October, ProPublica revealed how the school, which was founded by evangelist Jerry Falwell, had discouraged students who tried to report being sexually assaulted. Some students who came forward were encouraged to sign forms acknowledging they might have broken Liberty's moral code of conduct, "The Liberty Way." Others described being encouraged to pray instead of reporting their cases...
With comments about the church, Greene creates a new test for GOP
Marjorie Taylor Greene said Catholic church leaders aren't protecting children from pedophiles and their support for immigrants reflects Satanic control.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has entered the Church Militant Catholic culture wars.
…Many ultra-conservative Catholics who chafe under Francis' papacy have adopted Q-Anon-style conspiracy theories about church infiltration to explain the actions from the Vatican; to Voris, Greene's comments about Satan simply support his story of a corrupted church in need of an overhaul...
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