Monday, December 23, 2024
Missouri's abortion ban partially blocked by judge
In his Friday preliminary injunction, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Jerri Zhang wrote that the state's abortion ban is "directly at odds" with Amendment 3, which voters approved last month, and the statute is "therefore presumptively invalid."…
First Mover Backed By Science? (Atheist Experience call-in show)
Caller thinks he can prove the existence of God to a scientist, a software engineer, and a lawyer, by resorting to the "first mover" argument. The program's hosts don't agree, and they show him the flaws in his reasoning.
Interview:
My Dad Became a MAGA Power Broker (w/Julia Tucker) (Conspirituality podcast)
Jeffery Tucker is the founder of the MAGA thinktank Brownstone Institute. In 2020, Brownstone published The Great Barrington Declaration, with lead author Jay Bhattacharya—now the nominee for head of the NIH.
Jeffrey’s daughter, Julia, joins Matthew to discuss her dad’s rise through the punditocracy, after his conversion to an extreme form of Catholicism, through decades of fringe libertarian publishing, working for Ron Paul, boosting anarcho-capitalism and crypto, writing for the Epoch Times, and asking such daring questions as: “What’s so wrong about child labour?”
Interview:
Jeffrey’s daughter, Julia, joins Matthew to discuss her dad’s rise through the punditocracy, after his conversion to an extreme form of Catholicism, through decades of fringe libertarian publishing, working for Ron Paul, boosting anarcho-capitalism and crypto, writing for the Epoch Times, and asking such daring questions as: “What’s so wrong about child labour?”
Interview:
Trump and allies are waging campaign against media to stifle dissent – experts
Lawsuits against Iowa paper and settlement with ABC signal beginning of aggressive legal action to silence critics…
Sunday, December 22, 2024
'Stunningly unqualified’ diplomatic team shapes up at breakneck speed
'Their lack of credentials has prompted one experienced foreign policy analyst to label them a "diplomatic clown car" – and a deliberate affront to the countries hosting them…
US Senate approves funding proposal that does not include Trump’s demand to raise debt limit
Passage of the funding bill, which extends federal funding at current levels through and adds $100bn in disaster aid and $10bn in assistance to farmers, capped a week of turmoil that offered a preview of the internal clashes to come when Trump returns to power on 20 January…
Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, called the House's passage of the government funding bill "a victory for the American people". In the House vote, Democrats provided more support than Republicans to advance the measure.
"The House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy and hurting the working class Americans all across the nation," he said…
He’s anti-democracy and pro-Trump: the obscure ‘dark enlightenment’ blogger influencing the next US administration
As JD Vance put it in a 2021 podcast interview with far-right influencer Jack Murphy: "There's this guy Curtis Yarvin who's written about some of these things. One has to basically accept that the whole thing is going to fall in on itself."
Vance added: "The task of conservatives right now is to preserve as much as can be preserved and then when the inevitable collapse comes you build back the country in a way that's actually better."…
"no one online has shaped Vance's thinking more". The growing parallels between the incoming administration's actions – especially Vance's views – and Yarvin's suggestions raise questions about his influence…
In 2022 Vox called Yarvin the "person who's spent the most time gaming out how, exactly, the US government could be toppled and replaced"…
"He didn't fall out of a coconut tree. He emerged into a rightwing media space where they had been talking about the evils of liberal media and corrupt academic institutions for decades," he said.
"He has influenced a lot of people in the incoming administration and a lot of other influential people on the right. But a lot of the stuff he advocates is the same windmills Republicans have been tilting at for a while," Evans continued.
"What's unique is his way of rebranding or repackaging old reactionary ideas in a way that appealed to libertarian-minded kids in the tech industry, and in eventually getting some of them to embrace a lot of far-right ideas," he said…
It’s in the Code Ep 127: “The Purpose of Sex (Part 3)?” (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast) (It's in the Code, Episode #127)
In this episode, Dan takes on the “design argument” that the purpose of human sex is procreation.
Here’s how the argument goes: If God created human beings, and therefore human sexuality, this means that the purpose of sex is procreation, because this is God’s intended purpose.
But does the argument work?
Dan argues that even if we presuppose human beings and their sexuality as a direct creation of God, the idea that the purpose of sex is procreation is STILL not compelling.
Human sexuality is so ineffective at bringing about procreation that it is implausible to suggest that this is its “design.” Check out this week’s episode to hear more!
Interview:
Weekly Roundup: Elon Isn’t King and So Many Other Reasons for Hope (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)
In the final SWAJ weekly roundup of the year, Brad and Dan discuss the motivations behind Donald Trump’s actions and the shadow influence of Elon Musk. They highlight the ongoing struggle against the emerging oligarchy and emphasize the importance of hope and resilience in 2024.
The episode covers topics such as political messaging, government shutdown threats, the consequences of Republican dysfunction, and the rise of diverse representatives in the coming Congress. Brad and Dan call for strategic action and finding joy as means of sustaining the fight for a better future.
Interview:
Happy Winter Solstice (Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freethought Radio podcast)
The Winter Solstice (December 21 this year) is the real reason for the season.
We celebrate this festive time of year with music and freethought humor, including songs and performances by Kristin Lems, Dan Barker, Tim Minchin, Roy Zimmerman, Irving Berlin, Trey Parker, Tom Lehrer, the London Humanist Choir, Ken Lonnquist and Brent Michael Davids.
Interview:
Saturday, December 21, 2024
The News Roundup – Domestic and International (The 1A) 2024-12-20
Domestic
Just hours before federal funding for the government runs out, Congress is left scrambling to find a way to keep the government open after midnight tonight.
Meanwhile, a New York judge has decided that Trump can’t use his presidential immunity to shed his felony conviction.
Luigi Mangione, alleged killer of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, was charged with murder as an act of terrorism.
Interview:
Meanwhile, a New York judge has decided that Trump can’t use his presidential immunity to shed his felony conviction.
Luigi Mangione, alleged killer of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, was charged with murder as an act of terrorism.
Interview:
International
Following the fall of the Assad regime, prosecutors, aid workers, and journalists are learning more about the atrocities committed under Syria’s former president. Mass grave sites have been uncovered in the days since rebels took control of the capital and Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia.Israeli attacks on hospitals in northern Gaza have left the medical facilities barely able to provide basic care and no longer capable of surgical procedures or maternal services.
Canada’s embattled prime minister, Justin Trudeau, saw his position as the country’s leader weaken this week after the resignation of his finance minister. Chrystia Freeland had been helping to formulate a plan for their government’s response to the incoming Trump administration.
Interview:
Predictable Fury Over Satanic Displays (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #562)
— After vandalism, a new Satanic display is up outside the New Hampshire Capitol. (0:28)
— Iowa officials ban Satanic event over made-up claim that it’d be “harmful to minors.” (5:52)
— California Bible college vows to remain open after state orders it to shut down. (15:30)
— Democrats didn’t “weaponize” the government to “target” Christian schools. (33:50)
— Supreme Court to decide if Catholic-aligned group deserves tax exemption. (53:25)
— Citing legal concerns, two Florida districts vote against allowing school chaplains. (1:02:22)
— Catholic group unveils anti-atheist holiday billboard: “THIS IS OUR SEASON—NOT YOURS.” (1:11:28)
Interview:
— Iowa officials ban Satanic event over made-up claim that it’d be “harmful to minors.” (5:52)
— California Bible college vows to remain open after state orders it to shut down. (15:30)
— Democrats didn’t “weaponize” the government to “target” Christian schools. (33:50)
— Supreme Court to decide if Catholic-aligned group deserves tax exemption. (53:25)
— Citing legal concerns, two Florida districts vote against allowing school chaplains. (1:02:22)
— Catholic group unveils anti-atheist holiday billboard: “THIS IS OUR SEASON—NOT YOURS.” (1:11:28)
Interview:
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