Hard news, low priority

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  Erich Vieth on Time to take a wide open look at U.S. policy regarding Israel
  Naomi Klein discusses proposal of a highly influential Israeli think tank:"[T]he Reut Institute, arguably Israel's most influential think tank, published a very controversial report about "hubs of delegitimization." It attempted to equate tactics of non-violent resistance—like the growing movement to use Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) to ... »
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  Erich Vieth on Geoffrey Miller’s “Spent”: an evolutionary psychology romp through marketing and consumerism
  Double display product:"So, here's the worst idea I've heard all week: Lip gloss that lets everyone around you know you're horny. 'The saucy slap changes from clear to deep crimson as the wearer feels frisky,' reports The Sun. 'It works by reacting with a girl's body chemistry. And each £12 tube comes with a colour chart so men can work out how ran... »
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  Erich Vieth on Amy Goodman talks health care and wars with Ralph Nader and Dennis Kucinich
  From the Independent:"Five years of occupation have destroyed Iraq as a country. Baghdad is today a collection of hostile Sunni and Shia ghettoes divided by high concrete walls. Different districts even have different national flags. Sunni areas use the old Iraqi flag with the three stars of the Baath party, and the Shia wave a newer version, adopt... »
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  Erich Vieth on Another anti-gay reaction formation
  From the Daily Dish:"It's not exactly startling to see that Karl Rove has denied he was aware his own father was gay, even as he guided the GOP into anti-gay wedge politics in the last decade (the Christianists, he coolly calculated, had potentially way more votes for the GOP than gays and their families). But it is important to note that it is unt... »
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  Erich Vieth on New graphically illustrated book is filled with sex and violence.
  "'Much to my surprise, the Islamic scriptures in the Quran were actually far less bloody and less violent than those in the Bible,' Jenkins says. Jenkins is a professor at Penn State University and author of two books dealing with the issue."http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124494788 »
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  Erich Vieth on Wikileaks struggles to stay alive
  "To the list of the enemies threatening the security of the United States, the Pentagon has added WikiLeaks.org, a tiny online source of information and documents that governments and corporations around the world would prefer to keep secret."http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/us/18wiki.html »
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  Erich Vieth on Using the U.S. census as a teachable moment
  Tim: My census arrived today (as you can see from my photos above). I did laugh at the note that accompanied the census:"Your answers will only be used for statistical purposes, and no other purpose."Understood, I think. But then tell me, U.S. government. How will those STATISTICS be used? As if a statistic is an end in itself . . . They trul... »
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  Erich Vieth on Using the U.S. census as a teachable moment
  My parakeet was apparently trying to tell me that much of the census form was for the birds.I think my parakeet was most distressed by the "race" question. Me too. If the government can present even one thoughtful scientist who can explain that "race" is a meaning concept, I would be willing to enter some information. Until then, the "race" que... »
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  Erich Vieth on It’s time to break the taboo and to talk frankly about human overpopulation
  Public service announcement run by GPSO: »
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  Erich Vieth on The so-called interview
  Check how Bret Baier interviewed President George W. Bush compared to the way he interviewed Barack Obama. Dramatic contrast.http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/18/baier-bush-obama/ »
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  Brynn Jacobs on Climate and Conspiracy
  Niklaus, I couldn't agree with you more. The worst of the impacts of climate change are projected decades into the future. We have already begun to feel the impact of the end of cheap energy, and it's quite painful. These effects are here now, and by solving the energy problem, we will most likely have automatically solved the climate quandary. »
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  NIklaus Pfirsig on Morning Smoke
  Are you guys talking about my sainted great-great-great... uncle Nick? »
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  NIklaus Pfirsig on Climate and Conspiracy
  Here is a great illustration outlining the problem with the cap and trade concept. Dan, I have tracked medical research concerning autism since 1995 when my son was diagnosed. I've seen all types of unproven hypotheses and bogus "cures", but I have seen a very specific social dysfunction in research that is driven by corporate profit. Most medic... »
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  Mark Tiedemann on Climate and Conspiracy
  Dan,Karl seems to be suggesting that because grants are being handed out to people who research climate change (and global warming) their results are automatically suspect because they will fudge their research to guarantee continued grantflow.Unless one is a hermit on a hill doing research, money makes all conclusions self-serving and suspect. »
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  Dan Klarmann on Climate and Conspiracy
  Karl, is there any connection between my question and your answer? I can't figure it out.Have you bothered to peruse the evolution of climatological understanding over the last three decades during which global warming oozed from an odd idea that explains all the observations to a near certainty? »
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  KennyCelican on My disorientation
  A few quick things. First, a minor correction; while viruses accelerate evolution, the last texts I read on the subject were firmly in the camp that viruses evolved from simple organisms. What's fascinating to me is that a system evolved a way to speed its own evolution.Second, Pratchett said it best in 'The Science of Discworld'; Evolution progr... »
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  Tim Hogan on Morning Smoke
  Guys, Ben still believes in Santa Claus. Santa has brought Ben stuff he wants (Legos Star Wars, etc.). Mom and Dad get Ben stuff he needs (clothes, books, science stuff).Bella figured out we were Santa at 7 when she was rooting in my basement closet and noticed the wrappimg paper she sees on hers and Ben's presents every Christmas was there.I admit... »
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  Erich Vieth on Hypocrisy award goes to “children advocacy” center
  This is not the first time Disney has tried to privatize "the commons" with its money and power. »
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  Erich Vieth on An inside look at Reverend Billy Talen’s Church-of-Not-Shopping
  In this March 6, 2010 sermon, Reverend Billy preaches that the biggest purchases that we make here in American is war. "Bombing Baghdad is shopping. And there is no solution to this that isn't radical. It's time to be a radical American again right not. Think of the extraordinary things that radical Americans have done!"We can't figure out what th... »
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  Tucker Chapin on Boys’ Toys
  to respond bionicles have been sadly discontinued but can still ve found in toys r us and targets nationwide along with lego stores worldwide. i have been playing with legos and bionicles for almost fourteen years now, almost my entire life. my parents are very incredibly anti violence, guns, war etc. but bionicle especially and constrluction sets ... »
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