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I’ve been reading Richard Dawkins’ new book The Greatest Show On Earth: The Evidence For Evolution. In the United States, a surprising number of people still don’t accept that evolution explains the origin of complex life. Dawkins wrote this book as a way of bringing science to laypeople who haven’t ...

Last night’s controversial Question Time with BNP leader Nick Griffin went something like this: Dimbleby: “Good evening. I’d like to welcome our panel tonight. Well, all of them bar one of course” [audience laughs nervously] Griffin: “I ..” [audience boos, ecstatically] Dimblebore: “That’s really quite enough from you, Mr Griffin” ...

So a gay boy band member dies after he and his partner bring a stranger back to their hotel room and, without knowing the precise details of the incident, a columnist for the Daily Mail comments. In her piece she implies that the singer’s lifestyle, involving what she implies is ...

In response to the evangelical Christian suggestion that people choose to reject God’s offer of love and thus have made a choice to go to hell: This belief is held as though the Christian God has made the truth of his existence and his character easily and readily available, extending ...

This is my response to a lecture by Jean Kilbourne, made into a video documentary called ‘Killing Us Softly 3’ on the subject of women in advertising. She’s since produced another called ‘Generation M: Misogyny in Media and Culture’ and is a regular speaker at universities on these issues. The ...

This is a reply to Shane Magee of Fake Republic, who wrote a post about continuing sexism in the world, the pay gap between men and women in the workplace, and his baby daughter growing up in such a world. In response to some who wondered how to tackle such ...

On HBO’s Real Time this week, Bill Maher mentioned a little brouhaha he created on CNN by declaring that America is a stupid country, a sentiment Bill O’Reilly takes great offense at on his show (which may be an effort in proving Maher’s point). I’m not too concerned with the ...

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This is my reply to Brian McClinton of Humanism Northern Ireland, here: The assertion: Most of the world endures American cultural imperialism. The truth: Most of the world chooses the products of American culture. Nobody forces anybody to wear T-shirts which iconize American culture, or to watch Hollywood films, or ...

Human rights are the most important component of a sensible conclusion on a political topic; not cultural sensitivity, religious history, civil privilege, nor any of the other complicated contributing factors to a controversial issue. There are two reasons we need to ensure that our politicians come to believe this: a) ...

I understand that people think this pastor and his church are utterly bonkers. But this action must be seen in the context of the wider debate it represents. I support him. I don’t expect this story to translate well to those outside the U.S., but it makes perfect sense and ...

This past week I’ve watched a movie almost every night, three at the theater and three on DVD. That’s ridiculous enough that I have to comment on them. Saturday: The Hangover It’s true what they say – this movie is hilarious. What could be funnier than a bunch of idiots ...

For recent generations, Michael Jackson is synonymous with embarrassing headlines. But while I was growing up, the man was an idol, a hero of pop music that everyone I grew up with knew. We admired his artistry, his talent and loved his music. He was the definition of a ‘superstar’. ...

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says the burqa is not welcome in France. I understand his concern. The head-to-toe covering worn by some Muslim women is considered by most of us in the West as an element of religious oppression. Muslim women who wear the burqa have traditionally been subjugated and ...

If the alleged connections to terrorism, killing of animals and fallacious arguments don’t provoke mocking of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), this should. President Obama, in the middle of an MSNBC interview, killed a fly with his hand saying, “That was pretty good, wasn’t it? I got ...

Over the past year or more, people have been calling on satellite radio provider Sirius XM to release an app for the Apple iPhone that would allow people to listen to its exclusive content on the device. A small company called NiceMac devoted themselves to building such an app. They ...

This week, members of the largest Christian denomination in Northern Ireland are disagreeing about the role of capitalism in their lives as they debate the collapse of their Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS). The PMS was set up to help churches borrow and to help members save, by offering a higher ...

I didn’t think the world was going to end if I continued driving my SUV. I didn’t think my SUV driving was significantly contributing to any environmental strife, or that the climate was warming because people like me were driving them. I didn’t think my SUV was intimidating to other ...

In this video clip I react to the news that North Korea has conducted another nuclear weapons test with three short range missiles:

2727 BC • China begins using marijuana as medicine 500 AD • Cannabis reaches Europe by way of India and Africa 1492 • Christopher Columbus brings cannabis sativa to the new world 1619 • Jamestown colony law: all settlers required to grow cannabis Circumstances Behind Sondras 1797 • George Washington’s ...