Priests brawl at Jesus' birthplace

The cradle of Christianity was rocked by an unholy punch-up when Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests came to blows in a dispute over how to clean Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity.

Muslim Aids Jews Attacked On N.Y. Subway , Thugs Beat Jewish Group Who Wished Them A "Happy Chanukah"; Student Comes To Their Aid - CBS News

Muslim Aids Jews Attacked On N.Y. Subway , Thugs Beat Jewish Group Who Wished Them A "Happy Chanukah"

State science curriculum director resigns

This is why Johnny can't get a 21st century education.

"The state's director of science curriculum has resigned after being accused of creating the appearance of bias against teaching intelligent design."

Saudis defend punishment for rape victim - Yahoo! News

The Saudi judiciary sentenced a 19-year-old victim of a gang rape to six months in jail and 200 lashes.

Christians in Jerusalem want Jews to stop spitting on them - Haaretz - Israel News

"A few weeks ago, a senior Greek Orthodox clergyman in Israel attended a meeting at a government office in Jerusalem's Givat Shaul quarter. When he returned to his car, an elderly man wearing a skullcap came and knocked on the window. When the clergyman let the window down, the passerby spat in his face."

Talking Points Memo | Stop Saving Social Security

"We need to remember that now and for at least a decade into the future Social Security is actually subsidizing the rest of the federal budget. The program brings in much more than it pays out. As we all remember from the voluble debates two years ago, the surplus is being used to buy US government bonds which go into the Trust Fund. And that socked away money will keep the program solvent through the middle of this century as the baby boomers retire, and revenues in no longer cover promised payments out. We've been doing that for about a quarter of a century. The problem on the political side of the equation is that the enemies of Social Security have spent a couple decades arguing that the Trust Fund doesn't exist or that it is simply a bookkeeping device with no true financial meaning. If that's true, it means that Americans workers have spent the last twenty-five years using their payroll taxes to subsidize general revenues and make it easier to float big tax cuts for upper-income earners without getting anything in return."

H. L. Mencken

All successful newspapers are ceaselessly querulous and bellicose. They never defend anyone or anything if they can help it; if the job is forced on them, they tackle it by denouncing someone or something else.

Laurence J. Peter

The man who says he is willing to meet you halfway is usually a poor judge of distance.

Ann Coulter on CNBC Show: Jews Need 'Perfecting'

"Appearing on Donny Deutsch's CNBC show, "The Big Idea," on Monday night, columnist/author Ann Coulter suggested that the U.S. would be a better place if there weren't any Jewish people and that they had "perfected" themselves into -- Christians."

The Humpdty-Dumpty administration - Paul Krugman - Op-Ed Columnist - New York Times Blog

A brilliant thought from Paul Krugman...

“This government does not torture people,” the president said

‘When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone,’ it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less.’

‘The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’

‘The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master - that’s all.’

The Rise of Christian Nationalism

"Christian nationalism basically holds that America was founded as a Christian nation, that the founders never intended to separate church and state, and that church/state separation is a lie and a fraud perpetrated by secularists in the last 100 years, which has to be undone so America can reclaim its "former glory." This is a movement that seeks to Christianize all the institutions of American life, from the schools to the judiciary to the federal government, the presidency, the Congress, etc."

PressThink: Karl Rove and the Religion of the Washington Press

This is an absolutely spot-on description of how the Washington Press corps works. (And has since at least the days of FDR.)

'Hamas forced professor to convert' | Jerusalem Post

"Professor Sana al-Sayegh, who teaches at Palestine University in Gaza City, was kidnapped by Hamas militiamen who forced her to convert to Islam against her will."

Thomas Jefferson's Dream

Thomas Jefferson's Dream: "In 1788 Jefferson wrote about his concerns to several people. In a letter to Mr. A. Donald, on February 7th, he defined the items that should be in a bill of rights: “By a declaration of rights, I mean one which shall stipulate freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of commerce against monopolies, trial by juries in all cases, no suspensions of the habeas corpus, no standing armies. These are fetters against doing evil, which no honest government should decline.”"

On February 12th, 1788, he wrote to Mr. Dumas about his pleasure that the US Constitution was about to be ratified, but also expressed his concerns about what was missing from the Constitution. He was pushing hard for his own state to reject the Constitution if it didn’t protect people from the dangers he foresaw. “With respect to the new Government,” he wrote, “nine or ten States will probably have accepted by the end of this month. The others may oppose it. Virginia, I think, will be of this number. Besides other objections of less moment, she [Virginia] will insist on annexing a bill of rights to the new Constitution, i.e. a bill wherein the Government shall declare that, 1. Religion shall be free; 2. Printing presses free; 3. Trials by jury preserved in all cases; 4. No monopolies in commerce; 5. No standing army. Upon receiving this bill of rights, she will probably depart from her other objections; and this bill is so much to the interest of all the States, that I presume they will offer it, and thus our Constitution be amended, and our Union closed by the end of the present year.”

Father guilty of daughter's 'honour' murder | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

Islamic fanaticism at work.

"The father and uncle of a young woman who 'besmirched their honour' by becoming involved in a relationship with someone they considered to be the wrong man were today convicted of her murder."

The Cure

Its simple, the only known cure for religious extremism is economic prosperity. You certainly can't defeat it by trying to shoot it out of existence - bullets are the fare on which extremism feeds.

Americans United: Military Support For Evangelical Rally Raises Constitutional Issues, Says Americans United

If we are not involved in a war of religion in the Middle East, why are American Armed Forces increasingly aggressively evangelical?

The Assault on Reason

Al Gore is right on as he skewers the American political environment.

The late Jerry Falwell

It wasn't about abortion, it was about keeping blacks in their place.

Jerry Falwell's hit parade

Remember, the Christian political leadership in American is intolerant, ignorant, and bigoted.

Navy vet: Chaplains tried converting me

Another Jewish vet being mistreated by the military for the crime of being Jewish.

Extremist taunts his victims from prison - Yahoo! News

Christian terrorists.

"Victims of Eric Rudolph, the anti-abortion extremist who pulled off a series of bombings across the South, say he is taunting them from deep within the nation's most secure federal prison, and authorities say there is little they can do to stop him."

Stoning to death of girl provokes wave of killings - Independent Online Edition > Middle East

Yes Virginia, they still stone people in Iraq.

NRA: Don't Ban Gun Sales to Suspects | The Huffington Post

NRA: Even terrorists have the right to bear arms in America!

SquareState.net:: Holocaust Jokes, Apocalypse Powerpoints at the USAF Academy

Why was the most popular joke here at the Air Force Academy in 2004 "Why do Jews make the best magicians ?" Anyone know ? Show of hands ? We make the best magicians, apparently because we have the magical ability to walk into a red brick building and come out the smokestacks in a puff of smoke."

Kaleidoscope (US band)

Keep Your Mind Open - very trippy song.

Posada Carriles Case: How US Deals with Terrorism

Its only terrorism when we disagree with cause.

Bomb found at Texas abortion clinic

When will the Global War on Terrorism mean going to war against the radical Christian right in America?

Limbaugh’s racism.

If Imus was fired, why doesn't Rush?

http://www.crooksandliars.com/Media/Download/16705/1/rush-barak.mp3

Bush's Blackwater, an armed and deadly mercenary Christian army | Capitol Hill Blue

Our Christian army in Iraq. Still believe that the US is a "secular" democracy?

"This secretive army is said to have as many as 20,000 mercenaries trained by a company started by a Christain fundamentalist fighting and killing in Iraq."

Good programs vs. bad apples - The Boston Globe

This article creates a really nice linguistic meme for how the Democrats should appoach government social programs:

Society rightly wants to improve the chances of people who have drawn a bad ticket in life's lottery ("bad draws"), yet the government often spends substantial resources on the wrong people. We need to avoid "bad bets" and remove the "bad apples," so our dollars go further and better serve those who will benefit the most.

The Wall of Separation � Blog Archive � Prayerful Forum: Pa. City Council Comes Up With Plan To Keep On Praying

Why do Christians feel so compelled to drag others into their prayers?

Shas seeks harsher punishment for missionaries - Israel News, Ynetnews

"Led by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, party proposes bill to completely forbid proselytism in Israel, sentence violators to one year in prison."

"Whether it's Christians coming from abroad or Jewish converts working in Israel, they all have the same agenda – to destroy every trace and memory of the people of Israel, and they plan to do this by converting Jews."

Priests to Purify Site After Bush Visit - Newsday.com

"Mayan priests will purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday"

Revisiting evolution

How do these people get through Med school?

"A Tennessee lawmaker proposes to use the legislative process to get an answer to the question of whether the universe was created by a 'Supreme Being.'"

Jews are a detriment to Europe, Polish politician says

"A Polish member of the European Parliament has published a booklet suggesting that Jews are unethical, are obsessed with separateness and are a "tragic community" because they don't accept Jesus as the messiah."

Female Pakistani minister shot dead for 'breaking Islamic dress code'-News-World-Asia-TimesOnline

"A Pakistani minister and woman’s activist has been shot dead by an Islamic extremist for refusing to wear the veil."

Scientists offered cash to dispute climate study | The Guardian | Guardian Unlimited

"Scientists and economists have been offered $10,000 each by a lobby group funded by one of the world's largest oil companies to undermine a major climate change report"

Right Wing Watch: 'Patriot Pastor' Call to Imprison Adulterers Could Thin Presidential Primary

"Televangelist and Ohio “Patriot Pastor” leader Rod Parsley’s Center for Moral Clarity is urging the revival of long-dormant laws against adultery in states such as Michigan, where adultery is technically a felony... [A] Michigan statute criminalizing sex involving commission of a felony, when combined with the law making adultery a felony, could lead to life in prison."

The Evangelical War on Science

Alexandra Pelosi's "Friends of God" documentary.

Gore Film Sparks Parents' Anger - washingtonpost.com

Another example of Christian extremists crusading against the teaching of scientific facts in science classes.

"No you will not teach or show that propagandist Al Gore video to my child, blaming our nation -- the greatest nation ever to exist on this planet -- for global warming... The 43-year-old computer consultant is an evangelical Christian who says he believes that a warming planet is "one of the signs" of Jesus Christ's imminent return for Judgment Day."

Alcona Co. treasurer charged with stealing county funds

So this is why we still have spam.

"The longtime treasurer of Alcona County in northeast lower Michigan has been removed from his job and charged with nine felonies for allegedly stealing county money to invest in the notorious online Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud Scheme, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox announced today. "