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Quote"},{"term":"Crime"},{"term":"TV"},{"term":"Social Issues"},{"term":"Assholes"},{"term":"Free Speech\/Censorship"},{"term":"Random"},{"term":"Sexism"},{"term":"Cute"},{"term":"History"},{"term":"Criminal Justice"},{"term":"Sexuality"},{"term":"Healthcare"},{"term":"Child Abuse"},{"term":"Internet"},{"term":"Military"},{"term":"Doggycide"},{"term":"Marriage"},{"term":"Friday Canine"},{"term":"Skepticism"},{"term":"Badass"},{"term":"Schadenfreude"},{"term":"Feminism"},{"term":"Movies"},{"term":"Secularism"},{"term":"AGW\/CC"},{"term":"Sad"},{"term":"Legal System"},{"term":"Research\/Studies"},{"term":"Evolution"},{"term":"Hypocrisy"},{"term":"Creationism\/ID"},{"term":"Animal abuse"},{"term":"Discrimination"},{"term":"Terrorism"},{"term":"Administrative"},{"term":"Personal"},{"term":"Websites\/Blogs"},{"term":"Evil"},{"term":"Big Brother"},{"term":"Polls\/Surveys"},{"term":"Music"},{"term":"Culture\/Society"},{"term":"Civil 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Reviews"},{"term":"Overregulation"},{"term":"Paleontology"},{"term":"Zero Tolerance"},{"term":"Civil liberties"},{"term":"Doomsday"},{"term":"Faith healing"},{"term":"Pareidolia"},{"term":"Philanthropy"},{"term":"Reviews"},{"term":"Celebrities"},{"term":"Feedback"},{"term":"Headline of the Day"},{"term":"Language"},{"term":"Watching Watchers"},{"term":"MRAs\/PUAs"},{"term":"My Comics"},{"term":"Paranormal"},{"term":"Sex work"},{"term":"Sexting"},{"term":"Cons\/Frauds"},{"term":"Creativitas"},{"term":"Libertarianism"},{"term":"Retracted"},{"term":"Slavery"},{"term":"Writing"},{"term":"Zon"},{"term":"Adopt an Atheist"},{"term":"Architecture"},{"term":"Dinosaurs"},{"term":"Energy"},{"term":"Help Me"},{"term":"Liberalism"},{"term":"Mailbag"},{"term":"Mental Illness"},{"term":"Photography"},{"term":"Police Militarization"},{"term":"Prostitution"},{"term":"Rightists"},{"term":"Stem cell research"},{"term":"Taxes"},{"term":"War on Terror"},{"term":"Agriculture"},{"term":"Anthropology"},{"term":"Chemistry"},{"term":"DADT"},{"term":"Evo psych"},{"term":"Fakery"},{"term":"Goodwill"},{"term":"Math"},{"term":"Moral Panic"},{"term":"Poetry"},{"term":"Seismology"},{"term":"Space"},{"term":"Voter Fraud"},{"term":"Afterlife"},{"term":"Aliens"},{"term":"Andy"},{"term":"Anti-Intellectualism"},{"term":"Asset forfeiture"},{"term":"Astrology"},{"term":"Blasphemy Laws"},{"term":"Deatherism"},{"term":"Earthquakes"},{"term":"Ex-gay"},{"term":"Healthcare Reform"},{"term":"Holocaust"},{"term":"Homeopathy"},{"term":"In Memoriam"},{"term":"Leftists"},{"term":"Moon landing hoax"},{"term":"My misc. works"},{"term":"Nudism"},{"term":"Oh dear"},{"term":"Open Thread"},{"term":"Promotional"},{"term":"Reprint"},{"term":"Revisionism"},{"term":"Sex ed"},{"term":"Spoiler Alert"},{"term":"Style\/Fashion"},{"term":"Transphobia"},{"term":"War on Christmas"},{"term":"Welfare"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Preliator pro Causa"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"Random news, views \u0026amp; quirkiness from a young liberal atheist"},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default?alt=json-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=26\u0026max-results=25"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"4188"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-3293229380867302140"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-15T17:17:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-15T17:17:18.314-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Abortion"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Hoi Polloi"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Polls\/Surveys"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Predictable poll: Nonreligious most likely to be pro-choice"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EHere’s \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/162548\/americans-misjudge-abortion-views.aspx\" title=\"Americans Misjudge U.S. Abortion Views [by Lydia Saad @ 05\/15\/13] | Gallup.Com\"\u003Emore\u003C\/a\u003E of that “being on the right side of history” thing to make you proud:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"mainImg\" align=\"center\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/162548\/americans-misjudge-abortion-views.aspx\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"Chart: “Americans' Own Views on Abortion -- by Major Subgroups” showing “No religion”, “Liberal” and “Democrat” groups with highest “Pro-choice” scores and “Catholic”, “Conservative” and “Republican” groups with highest “Pro-life” scores [May 2-7, 2013 by GALLUP]\" alt=\"Chart: “Americans' Own Views on Abortion -- by Major Subgroups” showing “No religion”, “Liberal” and “Democrat” groups with highest “Pro-choice” scores and “Catholic”, “Conservative” and “Republican” groups with highest “Pro-life” scores [May 2-7, 2013 by GALLUP]\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/Y196tci.gif\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThat’s good company at the top.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EInterestingly, the rest of the poll focuses on the curious tendency of Americans to overestimate just how many of their fellow countryfolk are pro-choice, when the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/162374\/americans-abortion-views-steady-amid-gosnell-trial.aspx\" title=\"Americans' Abortion Views Steady Amid Gosnell Trial [by Lydia Saad @ 05\/10\/13] | Gallup.Com\"\u003Eresearch shows\u003C\/a\u003E that the country is actually split pretty much evenly on the issue, with a slight majority favoring abortion rights with certain restrictions. (Better yet, the “legal under any circumstances” group is still more numerous – albeit barely – than the “unborn babies are sacred” camp.)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhy, it’s almost like removing objections rooted in religious dogma leaves people with few remaining reasons to argue against women’s right to bodily autonomy.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/friendlyatheist\/2013\/05\/15\/gallup-poll-finds-nones-most-likely-to-be-pro-choice\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFriendly Atheist\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/3293229380867302140"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/3293229380867302140"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/15-Predictable-poll-Nonreligious-most-likely-to-be-pro-choice-4188.html","title":"Predictable poll: Nonreligious most likely to be pro-choice"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-2093241169536783265"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-14T19:29:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-14T19:29:44.999-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Astronomy"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Religion"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"This (non)religious Universe"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EHow silly is it when theists (particularly Bible-thumpers) claim that the fledgling inhabitants of one single little blue marble floating around in the unimaginably massive void of existence is the center of the entire Universe? \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.myconfinedspace.com\/2013\/05\/11\/the-religious-universe\/\" title=\"the religious universe [by tiki god @ 05\/11\/13] | My[confined]Space\"\u003EThis silly\u003C\/a\u003E (large image below the fold):\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n\n\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"mainImg\" align=\"center\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/Y0hWWa6.jpg\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"“the religious universe” (Jesus presiding over the entire known Universe and proclaiming to the tiny people of Earth: “Don’t masturbate”)\" alt=\"“the religious universe” (Jesus presiding over the entire known Universe and proclaiming to the tiny people of Earth: “Don’t masturbate”)\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/Y0hWWa6.jpg\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003E[\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/Y0hWWa6.jpg\"\u003Efull size (800×7200)\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHumanity’s myopic egocentrism knows no bounds. (Then again, if religionists are to be believed, the same can be said for their cosmic creator’s preoccupation with \u003Cem\u003Ehomo sapiens\u003C\/em\u003E’s sexual proclivities.)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/pharyngula\/2013\/05\/14\/perspective-2\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPharyngula\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/2093241169536783265"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/2093241169536783265"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/14-This-nonreligious-Universe-4187.html","title":"This (non)religious Universe"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-7659297620116836044"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-13T20:36:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-13T20:36:58.865-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Assholes"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bullying"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Kooks\/Cranks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Stupid"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Weird"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Daily Blend: 05\/13\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/05\/13\/canada_and_science_nrc_will_now_only_do_science_that_promotes_economic_gain.html\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"Monetized “NRC-CNRC Canada” logo (modified by Phil Plait)\" alt=\"Monetized “NRC-CNRC Canada” logo (modified by Phil Plait)\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/PtsOYUT.jpg\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EI’m usually proud of my country, but less so when my government \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/05\/13\/canada_and_science_nrc_will_now_only_do_science_that_promotes_economic_gain.html\" title=\"Canada Sells Out Science [by Phil Plait @ 05\/13\/13 11:11 AM] | Bad Astronomy | Slate Magazine\"\u003Edecides to sell out science\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Csup\u003E[pictured]\u003C\/sup\u003E (Doesn’t \u003Cem\u003Eall\u003C\/em\u003E research eventually lead to “social or economic gain”?)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ESo much for the idea that dropping from the blogosphere will remove Jen McCreight from the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/pharyngula\/2013\/05\/12\/justicarintegralmath-wretched-skeevy-piece-of-internet-offal\/\" title=\"Justicar\/Integralmath: Wretched skeevy piece of internet offal [by PZ Myers @ 05\/12\/13 1:49 PM] | Pharyngula\"\u003Efocus of obsessed slimeballs\u003C\/a\u003E. How brazenly douchey does one have to be to lecture someone about safety whilst deliberately exposing their location?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EIt’s sad when a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/townhall.com\/columnists\/johnhawkins\/2013\/05\/11\/25-reasons-to-dislike-liberals-n1592873\/page\/full\" title=\"http:\/\/townhall.com\/columnists\/johnhawkins\/2013\/05\/11\/25-reasons-to-dislike-liberals-n1592873\/page\/full [by John Hawkins @ 05\/11\/13] | Townhall\"\u003Esilly screed against “liberals”\u003C\/a\u003E is too inane to even be worth fisking for the lulz.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rightwingwatch.org\/content\/right-wing-leftovers-51313\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERight Wing Watch\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"4\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAnd finally, I am reaffirmed in my belief that \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cracked.com\/article_20419_5-terrifying-things-nobody-tells-you-about-newborns.html\" title=\"6 Terrifying Things Nobody Tells You About Newborns [by Tracy V \u0026 Rebecca Schaefer @ 05\/13\/13] | Cracked.com\"\u003Ebabies are freaking weird\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/p\/contact-me.html\" title=\"Contact Me | Preliator pro Causa\"\u003Esend them in\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7659297620116836044"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7659297620116836044"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/13-Daily-Blend-05-13-13-4186.html","title":"Daily Blend: 05\/13\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-6554026569120189177"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-13T17:41:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-13T17:44:32.761-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Equality"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marriage"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Minnesota passes gay marriage!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Same-sex marriage\" alt=\"Same-sex marriage\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/zkc8e.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EHow’s this for a glorious turnaround? The same state that only months ago was \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.hastingsstargazette.com\/event\/article\/id\/28703\/\" title=\"Minnesota becomes first state to reject constitutional gay-marriage ban [by Don Davis @ 11\/07\/12 5:12 PM] | The Hastings Star-Gazette\"\u003Edeciding whether to impose a constitutional ban\u003C\/a\u003E atop its existing laws against same-sex marriage now \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.startribune.com\/politics\/statelocal\/207231321.html\" title=\"In historic vote, Minnesota Senate approves same-sex marriage bill [by Rachel E. Stassen-Berger @ updated 05\/13\/13 12:14 PM] | Hot Dish Politics | StarTribune\"\u003Ehas the bicameral vote\u003C\/a\u003E – and the governor’s promised signature – to grant marriage equality to LGBT folk:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith deafening cheers and overwhelming emotion, the Minnesota Senate voted 37-30 to legalize same-sex marriage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E[…]\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe measure next moves to Gov. Mark Dayton, who will welcome it with his signature in a celebratory ceremony at 5 p.m. Tuesday.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOnce it is signed, Minnesota will become the twelfth state to legalize same sex-marriage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EYet one more state joins the right side of history. How long before the rest of the country – and someday, the civilized world at large – does the same?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/breakingpol\/status\/334056266617995264\"\u003E@breakingpol\u003C\/a\u003E; RT: \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/BreakingNews\"\u003E@BreakingNews\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/6554026569120189177"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/6554026569120189177"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/13-Minnesota-passes-gay-marriage-4185.html","title":"Minnesota passes gay marriage!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-7743591530458955666"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-11T20:34:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-11T20:37:50.338-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Creativitas"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"My Music"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"This Week in Creativitas: 05\/11\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Creativitas\" alt=\"Creativitas\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/T8BNV5Q.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EThings are rolling in the revisions department! Here are links to updated songs over at my art blog, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/\" title=\"Creativitas\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECreativitas\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EUPDATE: ‘\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/2012\/03\/Dark-Horizons.html\" title=\"Dark Horizons | Creativitas\"\u003EDark Horizons\u003C\/a\u003E’: Re-recorded and remixed with improved sounds, modified instrumentation, and various smaller tweaks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EUPDATE: ‘\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/Death-of-Innocence.html\" title=\"Death of Innocence | Creativitas\"\u003EDeath of Innocence\u003C\/a\u003E’: Re-recorded and remixed with improved sounds (especially piano) and minor tweaks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EUPDATE: ‘\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/Dreams.html\" title=\"Dreams | Creativitas\"\u003EDreams\u003C\/a\u003E’: Fixed a couple minor issues (equalized violin \u0026 flute volumes \u0026 fixed timpani).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"4\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EUPDATE: ‘\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/2011\/01\/Guitar-Rhapsody.html\" title=\"Guitar Rhapsody | Creativitas\"\u003EGuitar Rhapsody\u003C\/a\u003E’: Re-recorded and remixed with various minor edits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERemember, folks: Feedback nourishes me. (Hence the name.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7743591530458955666"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7743591530458955666"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/11-This-Week-in-Creativitas-05-11-13-4184.html","title":"This Week in Creativitas: 05\/11\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-8676148632227325876"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-11T17:01:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-11T17:01:40.518-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"AGW\/CC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Climate\/Weather"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Atmospheric carbon dioxide reaches new record high"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/05\/11\/atmospheric_carbon_dioxide_levels_at_all_time_high_for_past_several_million.html\"\u003E\u003Cimg width=\"136\" title=\"Keeling Curve graph: “Carbon dioxide concentration at Mauna Loa Observatory” showing current peak of 400 ppm\" alt=\"Keeling Curve graph: “Carbon dioxide concentration at Mauna Loa Observatory” showing current peak of 400 ppm\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/Jk6qeoB.jpg\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003EThe Keeling Curve graph\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n[\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/keelingcurve.ucsd.edu\/\"\u003Esource\u003C\/a\u003E | \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/Jk6qeoB.jpg\"\u003Efull size (568×318)\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EHow’s this for a cheery, not-at-all-foreboding \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/05\/11\/atmospheric_carbon_dioxide_levels_at_all_time_high_for_past_several_million.html\" title=\"400 [by Phil Plait @ 05\/11\/13 8:00 AM] | Bad Astronomy | Slate Magazine\"\u003Emilestone\u003C\/a\u003E?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOn May 9, 2013, atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide hit a new record high. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/researchmatters.noaa.gov\/news\/Pages\/CarbonDioxideatMaunaLoareaches400ppm.aspx\" title=\"Carbon Dioxide at NOAA’s Manna Loa Observatory reaches new milestone: Tops 400 ppm [@ 05\/10\/13] | Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\"\u003EAnnounced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\u003C\/a\u003E, the levels of CO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E in the air on that day* reached a daily average of 400 parts per million (ppm). \u003Cstrong\u003EThis is the highest level of atmospheric CO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E in human history\u003C\/strong\u003E, and in fact the highest level for at least 800,000 years. It gets worse: the amount of CO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E in the air likely hasn’t been this high since the Pliocene Epoch, \u003Cem\u003Emore than three million years ago\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E[…]\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ECO2 levels are rising, and they’re rising far faster than any time in human history (and at least for the past 11,000 years).\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ECO2 is for real and for sure tied to rising heat content of the Earth. For quite some time that heat has been going into the air, and we’ve seen rising temperatures around the world. At the moment, a lot of that heat is going into warming the oceans, but climatologists expect to see air temperatures increasing rapidly again soon.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThis has direct impacts, like increased temperatures in the air and water, melting ice, and more severe weather. It also has indirect impacts, like fluctuating weather patterns. This makes it difficult to tag any freak storm to climate change, but it does mean that over time, we’ll see more and more. Worse droughts and floods, more forest fires, increased ocean acidification, and more are all expected due to increased carbon dioxide in the air.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EAll this is happening on a timescale hugely accelerated over natural cycles. The Earth tends to changes over millions of years; we’re doing this to it in just a century. Without time to adapt, this will have a profound impact on life around the globe.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EB-b-but it’s \u003Cem\u003Ecold outside\u003C\/em\u003E where I live at the moment!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/8676148632227325876"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/8676148632227325876"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/11-Atmospheric-carbon-dioxide-reaches-new-record-high-4183.html","title":"Atmospheric carbon dioxide reaches new record high"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-4712135324727766159"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-10T23:01:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-10T23:01:40.806-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Atheism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Clerical child abuse"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cons\/Frauds"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Daily Blend"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Drug War"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Police\/Law Enforcement"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Psychism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Religion"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Skepticism"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Daily Blend: 05\/10\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/news\/nationworld\/world\/la-fg-africa-catholic-abuse-20130505,0,6575458,full.story\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"Fr. Anthony Musaala\" alt=\"Fr. Anthony Musaala\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/EWFBHyv.jpg\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003EFr. Anthony Musaala\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EObama administration \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/dispatches\/2013\/05\/09\/dea-ramping-up-marijuana-enforcement-again\/\" title=\"DEA Ramping Up Marijuana Enforcement. Again. [by Ed Brayton @ 05\/09\/13 12:59 PM] | Dispatches from the Culture Wars | Freethought Blogs\"\u003Eworsens their crackdown\u003C\/a\u003E on state-legal marijuana.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EUgandan priest \u003Csup\u003E[pictured]\u003C\/sup\u003E: “The Catholic Church is still covering up clerical child abuse.” Catholic Church: “You made us look bad! \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/news\/nationworld\/world\/la-fg-africa-catholic-abuse-20130505,0,6575458,full.story\" title=\"Uganda priest ostracized for publicizing sexual abuse [by 05\/04\/13 6:10 PM] | Los Angeles Times\"\u003EYou’re suspended\u003C\/a\u003E.”\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/dispatches\/2013\/05\/10\/ugandan-priest-suspended-for-revealing-child-abuse\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFreethought Blogs\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/articles\/news_and_politics\/explainer\/2013\/05\/psychic_sylvia_browne_said_amanda_berry_was_dead_why_do_police_consult_psychics.html\" title=\"Investigative Intuition [by Brian Palmer @ 05\/09\/13 12:54 PM] | Slate Magazine\"\u003EWhy do police consult “psychics”\u003C\/a\u003E? Because people are gullible and prefer false hope to realistic desperation.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/radleybalko\/status\/332864702038294528\"\u003E@radleybalko\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"4\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAnd finally, PZ Myers \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/pharyngula\/2013\/05\/09\/testable-claims-is-used-as-a-religious-exemption\/\" title=\"“Testable claims” is used as a “religious exemption” [by PZ Myers @ 05\/09\/13 8:12 AM] | Freethought Blogs\"\u003Eschools movement skeptics about science\u003C\/a\u003E and why their mindless dismissal of atheism as “unscientific” is decidedly \u003Cem\u003Eunskeptical\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/p\/contact-me.html\" title=\"Contact Me | Preliator pro Causa\"\u003Esend them in\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/4712135324727766159"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/4712135324727766159"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/10-Daily-Blend-05-10-13-4182.html","title":"Daily Blend: 05\/10\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-7462625988972702957"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-10T17:54:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-10T17:54:16.678-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Schools\/Education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sports"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Why are school coaches the highest-paid public employees?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EHere’s a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/deadspin.com\/infographic-is-your-states-highest-paid-employee-a-co-489635228\" title=\"Infographic: Is Your State's Highest-Paid Employee A Coach? (Probably) [by Reuben Fischer-Baum @ 05\/09\/13 2:23 PM] | Deadspin\"\u003Erather damning illustration\u003C\/a\u003E of one of the main problems with the US educational system:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"mainImg\" align=\"center\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/deadspin.com\/infographic-is-your-states-highest-paid-employee-a-co-489635228\"\u003E\u003Cimg width=\"560\" title=\"Highest-paid public employees by US state (most states = “Football coaches”; some states = “Basketball coaches”; few states = “Not coaches”)\" alt=\"Highest-paid public employees by US state (most states = “Football coaches”; some states = “Basketball coaches”; few states = “Not coaches”)\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/qZQzU18.png\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003E[\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/qZQzU18.png\"\u003Efull size (970×546)\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMaybe those Right-wing\/Libertarian cranks whinging about overpaid teachers have a point after all. They just need to specify they’re talking about those who teach \u003Cem\u003Esports\u003C\/em\u003E, that sacred cow that no official or administrator apparently has the fortitude to gut in order to preserve resources better spent on proper academic instruction.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/pharyngula\/2013\/05\/10\/what-is-your-states-highest-paid-public-employee\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPharyngula\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7462625988972702957"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7462625988972702957"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/10-Why-are-school-coaches-the-highest-paid-public-employees-4181.html","title":"Why are school coaches the highest-paid public employees?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-5988530846987666678"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-08T22:39:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-08T22:39:02.835-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"AGW\/CC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Animals"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Assholes"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cons\/Frauds"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cute"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Daily Blend"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Denialism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"History"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Humor"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Kooks\/Cranks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Psychism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sexism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Skepticism"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Daily Blend: 05\/08\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/friendlyatheist\/2013\/05\/06\/in-2004-psychic-sylvia-browne-told-amanda-berrys-mom-her-daughter-was-dead\/\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"Sylvia Browne\" alt=\"Sylvia Browne\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/DDijDxo.jpg\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003ESylvia Browne\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EIn case you needed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/friendlyatheist\/2013\/05\/06\/in-2004-psychic-sylvia-browne-told-amanda-berrys-mom-her-daughter-was-dead\/\" title=\"In 2004, Psychic Sylvia Browne Told Amanda Berry’s Mom Her Daughter Was Dead [by Hemant Mehta @ 05\/06\/13] | Friendly Atheist\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Emore\u003C\/em\u003E evidence\u003C\/a\u003E that “psychics” \u003Csup\u003E[pictured]\u003C\/sup\u003E are bullshit-peddling vultures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EVox Day \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/voxday.blogspot.ca\/2013\/05\/halfway-to-reality.html\" title=\"Halfway to reality [by Vox @ 05\/07\/13 1:08 PM] | Vox Popoli\"\u003Esays\u003C\/a\u003E the whole idea of “warrior women” is totes ridiculous ’cause what woman would stand a chance against a dude, anyway? (Pay absolutely no attention to all these \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Woman_warrior#Historical_examples\" title=\"Woman warrior [#Historical examples] | Wikipedia\"\u003Ereal-life\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.spike.com\/articles\/e4ukwt\/the-top-10-warrior-women\" title=\"The Top 10 Warrior Women [by nathanbloch @ 12\/07\/09 10:00 AM] | SPIKE\"\u003Ewarrior women\u003C\/a\u003E who \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Grace_O%27Malley\" title=\"Grace O'Malley | Wikipedia\"\u003Ebecame legends\u003C\/a\u003E for kicking [mostly dude] ass.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EHere’s a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.skepticalscience.com\/oneliners.php\" title=\"Skeptic Rebuttal One Liners | Skeptical Science\"\u003Ecollection\u003C\/a\u003E of 154 common global warming denialist claims and their easy refutations.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/pharyngula\/2013\/05\/08\/ooh-handy-shortcuts-against-climate-change-denialists\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPharyngula\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"4\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EOh, noes! The awesome Eugenie Scott, scourge of Creationists everywhere as the head of the National Center for Science Education, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/05\/08\/genie_scott_retiring_from_the_ncse.html\" title=\"Genie Scott Retires [by Phil Plait @ 05\/08\/13 3:22 PM] | Bad Astronomy | Slate Magazine\"\u003Eretires\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"5\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAnd finally, here’s a dog who \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TX_7HwVa-0A\" title=\"Pitbull Really Wants That Branch [by forestwoll @ 05\/05\/13] | YouTube\"\u003Etries so hard\u003C\/a\u003E to make that branch into his stick:\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/radleybalko\/status\/332149130359078912\"\u003E@radleybalko\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/TX_7HwVa-0A\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/p\/contact-me.html\" title=\"Contact Me | Preliator pro Causa\"\u003Esend them in\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/5988530846987666678"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/5988530846987666678"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/08-Daily-Blend-05-08-13-4180.html","title":"Daily Blend: 05\/08\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-5081052137189457618"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-08T19:25:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-08T19:25:04.598-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Assholes"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Badass"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dishonesty"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Current TV’s Fugelsang rips into Sanford and South Carolina"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003ESo, South Carolina voters \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/world\/story\/2013\/05\/07\/south-carolina-mark-sanford-busch.html\" title=\"Former scandal-scarred governor Mark Sanford wins seat [by The Associated Press @ 05\/07\/13 10:49 PM ET] | CBC News\"\u003Erevealed\u003C\/a\u003E just where their “family values” lie yesterday when they took Mark Sanford, their disgraced adulterous former Governor, and made him their Congressional Representative instead. John Fugelsang of Current TV’s \u003Cem\u003EViewpoint\u003C\/em\u003E tears him and the state’s long, sad history of political duplicity to tiny pieces in this wonderful rant:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe src=\"http:\/\/current.com\/bc\/2363813478001?linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fcurrent.com%2Fshows%2Fviewpoint%2Fvideos%2Fjohn-fugelsang-on-mark-sanford-its-ok-to-be-a-bad-christian-as-long-as-youre-a-good-liar%2F\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003C!-- flooble Expandable Content box start --\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #b6bbc2; padding: 0px; \"\u003E\u003Ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" width=\"100%\" style=\"background: #dee1fa; \"\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ETranscript: \u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(click the [+\/-] to open\/close →)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd align=\"right\"\u003E\n[\u003Ca title=\"show\/hide\" id=\"exp1368059625_link\" href=\"javascript: void(0);\" onclick=\"toggle(this, 'exp1368059625');\"  style=\"text-decoration: none; \"\u003E−\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv id=\"exp1368059625\" style=\"padding: 3px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003ETranscript via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/current.com\/shows\/viewpoint\/videos\/john-fugelsang-on-mark-sanford-its-ok-to-be-a-bad-christian-as-long-as-youre-a-good-liar\/\" title=\"John Fugelsang on Mark Sanford: It’s OK to be a bad Christian, as long as you’re a good liar [@ 05\/07\/13] | Viewpoint | Current TV\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECurrent TV\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJOHN FUGELSANG: Here’s a message from the South Carolina Board of Tourism: From the foothills of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains to the cobblestone streets of historic Charleston, the Palmetto State is waiting for you.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESo maybe it’s time you explored South Carolina’s greatest tourism attraction: our bottomless supply of duplicitous, double-talking, political tea-bags.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom our beloved and racist senator Strom Thurmond, who fought for segregation while secretly fathering a child he had with the family’s black maid — I’m sure it was consensual — to our beloved homophobe and longtime bachelor Sen. Lindsey Graham. From politician Joe Wilson screaming “You lie!” at America’s first black president during a State of the Union address to Sen. Jim DeMint opposing the Matthew Shepard \/ James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act before quitting his post to be a lobbyist to Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, comparing starving poor Americans to stray animals that breed too much.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn South Carolina, we’ve got a proud heritage of putting our faith in soulless fascists who feed us empty lines about the Bible, patriotism and fiscal responsibility, and that pride flies as high as the flag of the anti-American, enemy nation that rests majestically atop our state’s capitol.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd nowhere are our values more evident than in the political resurrection of former governor and newly elected congressman — and deeply repentant Christian — Mark Sanford, who South Carolina voters have returned to the House of Representatives, where he previously served three terms, in a special election tonight.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, lots of politicians commit adultery. But only one voted to impeach Bill Clinton while he was in Congress, then became governor and abandoned his post to visit his Argentine girlfriend using taxpayer funds to subsidize the trip while lying about his whereabouts to his staff, his wife and the entire state. Talk about a multitasker.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd after, he was charged with breaking 37 state ethics laws, was unanimously censured in lieu of being impeached, violated his court orders and child support agreement, publicly humiliated the mother of his children, and trespassed into her home to watch the Super Bowl.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EYes, this man brought sleaze to public life and remained faithful and true to it in the private sector too.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis same governor did all he could to keep federal stimulus funds from helping South Carolina’s unemployed folks and our crumbling public education system and then used taxpayer funds to pay for family vacations and book-signing travel. All this while we ranked No. 2 in unemployment and No. 11 in child homelessness.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBut he did the right thing. He told us that Jesus forgave him and said mean things about Nancy Pelosi and Obamacare, proving that it’s OK to be a horrible Christian as long as you’re a good Christian.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESo, come on down to South Carolina. And if you’re a lying, cheating, swindling, heartless, hypocrite, political empty suit who tells us what we want to hear, we just might elect you to office too.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd if you ever make a real mistake — like working with Democrats — well, we’ll give you a chance to mend your ways. Take Lindsey Graham, America’s sweetheart. Lindsey used to work with the Democrat Party on issues like immigration and climate change, so we censured him twice as public humiliation. And now he’s like an obedient, right-wing Tennessee Williams heroine who can’t stop screaming, “Benghazi!”\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd while we may be ranked the fifth-worst state to make a living, ninth-lowest median household income, ninth-highest percentage of residents living below the poverty line, second-worst graduation rate, second-worst in women killed by men and worst in the so-called union at reprimanding bad doctors — we’ll never hold our Republicans responsible because they tell us who to blame and hate the same people we do.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause from being the first state to quit America so we could keep slaves to cutting our state’s entire HIV\/AIDS budget, we’ve got a breathtaking history of being manly men with a manly devotion to man’s inhumanity to man.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOur politicians believe Darwin was wrong, and we here in South Carolina are here to prove it.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cnoscript\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.flooble.com\/scripts\/expand.php\"\u003Ethis expandable content box is made using a free javascript from flooble\u003C\/a\u003E\n\u003C\/noscript\u003E\n\u003Cscript language=\"javascript\"\u003Etoggle(getObject('exp1368059625_link'), 'exp1368059625');\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003C!-- flooble Expandable Content box end --\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EYou know when people wryly lament how “these people vote”? This is what they’re talking about.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/politicalirony.com\/2013\/05\/08\/its-ok-to-be-a-bad-christian-as-long-as-youre-a-good-liar\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPolitical Irony\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/5081052137189457618"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/5081052137189457618"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/08-Current-TVs-Fugelsang-rips-into-Sanford-and-South-Carolina-4179.html","title":"Current TV’s Fugelsang rips into Sanford and South Carolina"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-7020024689787508818"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-07T17:38:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-07T17:38:32.856-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Equality"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marriage"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Delaware reaches same-sex marriage equality"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EComing less than a week after the last US state \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/02-Rode-Island-passes-same-sex-marriage-4171.html\" title=\"Rhode Island passes same-sex marriage [by Joé McKen @ 05\/02\/13] | Preliator pro Causa\"\u003Epassed gay marriage\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"mainImg\" align=\"center\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/chrisgeidner\/delaware-senate-passes-marriage-equality-bill-will-be-law\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"Headline: “Delaware Senate Passes Marriage Equality Bill, Will Be Law: The vote was 12-9. Gov. Jack Markell will sign the bill into law, making Delaware the 11th state, plus DC, to allow same-sex couples to marry. [@ 05\/07\/13 5:07 PM EDT]”\" alt=\"Headline: “Delaware Senate Passes Marriage Equality Bill, Will Be Law: The vote was 12-9. Gov. Jack Markell will sign the bill into law, making Delaware the 11th state, plus DC, to allow same-sex couples to marry. [@ 05\/07\/13 5:07 PM EDT]”\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/688b5g6.png\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003E(\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/chrisgeidner\/delaware-senate-passes-marriage-equality-bill-will-be-law\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBuzzFeed\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EZoom, zoom, zoom!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BuzzFeedAndrew\/status\/331878363629236225\"\u003E@BuzzFeedAndrew\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7020024689787508818"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7020024689787508818"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/07-Delaware-reaches-same-sex-marriage-equality-4178.html","title":"Delaware reaches same-sex marriage equality"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-6007175012504060009"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-07T17:02:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-07T17:02:14.982-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Clerical child abuse"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Catholic Church still covering up child abuse in New Jersey"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"New Jersey Archbishop John J. Meyers\" alt=\"New Jersey Archbishop John J. Meyers\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/fK0yTfh.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003EAbp. John Meyers\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Rev. Michael Fugee (in court in 2007)\" alt=\"Rev. Michael Fugee (in court in 2007)\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/kUCHNVO.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003ERev. Michael Fugee\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EThe popular excuse by defenders of the Catholic Church is that, \u003Cem\u003Esure\u003C\/em\u003E, there might have been \u003Cem\u003Esome\u003C\/em\u003E priestly misconduct around minors, but that all happened \u003Cem\u003Edecades\u003C\/em\u003E ago and the Church hierarchy has been really super good about stopping it ever since. Except, of course, when it hasn’t.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECase in point: The Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, which is still quietly \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nj.com\/news\/index.ssf\/2013\/04\/with_approval_of_archbishop_pr.html\" title=\"Newark archbishop allows priest who admitted groping boy to continue working with children [by Mark Mueller @ 04\/28\/13 4:15 PM] | The Star-Ledger \/ NJ.com)\"\u003Eshuffling child-abusing priests around\u003C\/a\u003E without doing anything to punish them, much less turn them over to the proper authorities:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESix years ago, to avoid retrial on charges that he groped a teenage boy, the Rev. Michael Fugee entered a rehabilitation program, underwent counseling for sex offenders and signed a binding agreement that would dictate the remainder of his life as a Roman Catholic priest.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFugee would not work in any position involving children, the agreement with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office states. He would have no affiliation with youth groups. He would not attend youth retreats. He would not hear the confessions of minors.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBut Fugee has openly done all of those things for the past several years through an unofficial association with a Monmouth County church, St. Mary’s Parish in Colts Neck, The Star-Ledger found.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHe has attended weekend youth retreats in Marlboro and on the shores of Lake Hopatcong in Mount Arlington, parishioners say. Fugee also has traveled with members of the St. Mary’s youth group on an annual pilgrimage to Canada. At all three locations, he has heard confessions from minors behind closed doors.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat’s more, he has done so with the approval of New Jersey’s highest-ranking Catholic official, Newark Archbishop John J. Myers.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETell me again, dear apologists, how “the Catholic Church \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.catholicleague.org\/assessing-the-dallas-reforms\/\" title=\"ASSESSING THE DALLAS REFORMS [by Bill @ 06\/12\/12] | Catholic League\"\u003Ehas the best record\u003C\/a\u003E of any institution” in dealing with child abuse within its own ranks? Or does that just mean they’re the most experienced at keeping it out of sight while victims continue to suffer in their “care”?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the end, the Church didn’t need to do anything, as the Internet promptly \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nj.com\/news\/index.ssf\/2013\/05\/newark_archbishop_monmouth_cou_1.html\" title=\"Priest at center of Newark Archdiocese scandal quits ministry [by Mark Mueller @ 05\/02\/13 8:54 PM] | The Star-Ledger \/ NJ.com\"\u003Edid the job for them\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Roman Catholic priest at the center of a public furor enveloping Newark Archbishop John J. Myers has resigned from ministry, a spokesman for the archdiocese said tonight.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E[…]\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFugee, 52, remains a priest but no longer has authority to say Mass, perform sacramental work or represent himself as an active priest, Goodness said. It was not immediately clear if Fugee or Myers would petition the Vatican to remove him from the priesthood altogether, a process known as laicization.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOne possible silver lining to the Church’s continuing shielding of child-diddling priests is that it certainly works wonders towards undermining their continued pretenses of possessing any kind of moral high ground. It’s just like with any other vast, crime-ridden institution: the impetus for righting their very many and blatant wrongs comes entirely from public pressure rather than any supposed sense of moral responsibility.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/dispatches\/2013\/05\/07\/catholic-coverup-of-child-abuse-continues\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDispatches from the Culture Wars\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/6007175012504060009"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/6007175012504060009"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/07-Catholic-Church-still-covering-up-child-abuse-in-New-Jersey-4177.html","title":"Catholic Church still covering up child abuse in New Jersey"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-481407589960524385"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-06T20:44:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-06T20:44:13.862-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Assholes"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bullying"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Crime"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Hoi Polloi"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Kooks\/Cranks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Military"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Personal"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Police Militarization"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Police\/Law Enforcement"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Polls\/Surveys"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rape Culture\/Patriarchy"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Religion"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TV"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Daily Blend: 05\/06\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/thinkprogress.org\/security\/2013\/05\/06\/1970361\/air-force-officer-sexual-battery\/\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"USAF Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski\" alt=\"USAF Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/8PAjC6i.jpg\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003ELt. Col. Jeff Krusinski\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EI’m too bored\/lazy\/busy reading\/excited about \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joemcken\/status\/331150845620142081\" title=\"Tweet: “Decided on the Samsung Galaxy Note II. Will obtain it in a couple days. #DisGunnaBeSweet” [by Joé McKen (@joemcken) @ 05\/05\/13 3:59 PM] | Twitter\"\u003Etomorrow\u003C\/a\u003E\/tired from “work” to blog much, so here’re some links.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EUS Air Force officer \u003Csup\u003E[pictured]\u003C\/sup\u003E in charge of responding to sexual assaults \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/thinkprogress.org\/security\/2013\/05\/06\/1970361\/air-force-officer-sexual-battery\/\" title=\"Air Force Officer In Charge Of Sexual Assault Prevention Arrested For Sexual Assault [by Hayes Brown @ 05\/06\/13 4:05 PM] | ThinkProgress\"\u003Earrested for drunken sexual assault\u003C\/a\u003E, underlines the US Military’s generally appalling handling of sex crimes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E“\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/tv\/good-riddance-fox-cancels-long-running-drug-war-glorifying-abuse-excusing-reality-series-cops\/\" title=\"Good Riddance: Fox Cancels Long-Running, Drug War-Glorifying, Abuse-Excusing Reality Series COPS [by Andrew Kirell @ 05\/06\/13 6:16 PM] | Mediaite\"\u003EGood Riddance: Fox Cancels Long-Running, Drug War-Glorifying, Abuse-Excusing Reality Series COPS\u003C\/a\u003E”\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AndrewKirell\/status\/331533518331064321\"\u003E@AndrewKirell\u003C\/a\u003E; RT: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/radleybalko\"\u003E@radleybalko\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EThose who slime together, stay together: Anti-\u003Cem\u003EFreethought Blogs\u003C\/em\u003E\/Atheism Plus hater \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/butterfliesandwheels\/2013\/05\/a-new-way-to-stir-up-trouble\/\" title=\"A new way to stir up trouble [by Ophelia Benson @ 05\/06\/13 4:24 PM] | Butterflies and Wheels | Freethought Blogs\"\u003Eencourages\u003C\/a\u003E Westboro Baptist Church to picket upcoming Women in Secularism conference.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/pharyngula\/2013\/05\/06\/bringing-trolling-to-new-depths\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPharyngula\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"4\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAnd finally, how much do you know about \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/quiz\/science-knowledge\/\" title=\"Science and Technology Knowledge Quiz | Pew Research Center\"\u003Escience\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/features.pewforum.org\/quiz\/us-religious-knowledge\/\" title=\"U.S. Religious Knowledge Quiz | The Pew Forum\"\u003Ereligion\u003C\/a\u003E? (I scored in the 15\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E and 13\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E percentiles, respectively. Which is probably more of an implicit condemnation of the US educational system than anything else.)\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/05\/02\/science_and_religion_viral_pew_surveys_yield_surprising_results.html\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBad Astronomy\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/p\/contact-me.html\" title=\"Contact Me | Preliator pro Causa\"\u003Esend them in\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/481407589960524385"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/481407589960524385"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/06-Daily-Blend-05-06-13-4176.html","title":"Daily Blend: 05\/06\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-886171802172049481"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-04T17:09:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-04T17:09:35.562-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Creativitas"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"My Music"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"This Week in Creativitas: 05\/04\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Creativitas\" alt=\"Creativitas\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/T8BNV5Q.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EBelow are links to new, revised and updated works over at my art blog, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/\" title=\"Creativitas\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECreativitas\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ESITE: I changed my file hosting service from FileDen \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/28-Changing-to-Google-Drive.html\" title=\"Changing to Google Drive [@ 04\/28\/13 12:09 AM ET] | Creativitas\"\u003Eto Google Drive\u003C\/a\u003E … and then \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/28-Changing-away-from-Google-Drive.html\" title=\"Changing away from Google Drive … [@ 04\/28\/13 6:59 PM ET] | Creativitas\"\u003Eto Dropbox\u003C\/a\u003E. Seems to work dandy for now.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EUPDATED: ‘\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/2012\/01\/Climax.html\" title=\"Climax | Creativitas\"\u003EClimax\u003C\/a\u003E’ – Re-recorded and remixed with improved instrument sounds (especially for brass), added tubular bells, and made various minor edits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EUPDATED: ‘\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemcken.blogspot.com\/2012\/03\/A-Morning-by-the-Sea.html\" title=\"A Morning by the Sea | Creativitas\"\u003EA Morning by the Sea\u003C\/a\u003E’ – Re-recorded and remixed (again) with improved panning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERemember, folk: Feedback feeds me. (Hence the name.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/886171802172049481"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/886171802172049481"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/04-This-Week-in-Creativitas-05-04-13-4175.html","title":"This Week in Creativitas: 05\/04\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-3650883529260309354"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-04T16:56:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-04T16:56:58.078-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Animal abuse"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Doggycide"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Police\/Law Enforcement"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Doggycide Roundup: 05\/04\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Dog chalk outline\" alt=\"Dog chalk outline\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/W9Mpg.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ECrystal Falls, CA (04\/14\/13): Highway Patrol officer approaches a home, then immediately \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.uniondemocrat.com\/News\/Local-News\/CHP-investigates-dog-shooting-incident\" title=\"CHP investigates dog shooting incident [by Christina O’Haver @ 04\/22\/13 11:28 AM] | The Union Democrat\"\u003Eshoots \u0026 kills\u003C\/a\u003E Osa the rottweiler when she allegedly “lunge[s] at his legs”. Includes a blatant lie by a Highway Patrol spox about how a dog wouldn’t be incapacitated when Tased or pepper-sprayed.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DogsShotbyPolice\/posts\/559478974074471\"\u003EDogs Shot by Police | Facebook\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EToledo, OH (04\/22\/13): Police \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.toledoblade.com\/Police-Fire\/2013\/04\/24\/Toledo-police-shoot-kill-dog-who-bit-4-North-Toledo-residents.html\" title=\"Police shoot, kill dog who bit 4 North Toledo residents [by Tanya Irwin @ 04\/24\/13] | Toledo Blade\"\u003Eshoot \u0026 kill\u003C\/a\u003E a family bulldog after it escapes its chain and bites four assholes who were allegedly throwing bricks at him in his yard.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DogsShotbyPolice\/posts\/559481770740858\"\u003EDogs Shot by Police | Facebook\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ESan Lorenzo, CA (04\/27\/13): Deputies searching for a suspect approach a home, then immediately \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ktvu.com\/news\/news\/crime-law\/deputies-shoot-kill-3-pit-bulls-pursuit-drug-deali\/nXZm9\/\" title=\"Deputies shoot, kill 3 pit bulls in pursuit of drug dealing suspect [@ 04\/27\/13 7:01 PM] | KTVU.com\"\u003Eshoot three pitbulls\u003C\/a\u003E that allegedly “c[a]me at the[m]”, killing one immediately and one later; animal control finished off the third. Family says dogs had never attacked anyone before.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DogsShotbyPolice\/posts\/559977890691246\"\u003EDogs Shot by Police | Facebook\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cp align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStatistics:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cu\u003EShootings:\u003C\/u\u003E 3 · \u003Cu\u003EVictims:\u003C\/u\u003E 5 · \u003Cu\u003EDeceased:\u003C\/u\u003E 5 · \u003Cu\u003ESurvivors:\u003C\/u\u003E 0 · \u003Cu\u003EPower Breeds\u003Ca title=\"Click to show\/hide note\" onclick=\"if(document.getElementById('breedsNote') .style.display=='none') {document.getElementById('breedsNote') .style.display=''}else{document.getElementById('breedsNote') .style.display='none'}\" style=\"cursor:pointer;\" class=\"hiddenNoteClick\"\u003E*\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan id=\"breedsNote\" class=\"hiddenNoteText\" style=\"display:none;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;(dogs stereotypically maligned as “aggressive”: pitbulls, rottweilers, dobermans, etc.)\u003C\/span\u003E:\u003C\/u\u003E 5\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/3650883529260309354"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/3650883529260309354"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/04-Doggycide-Roundup-05-04-13-4174.html","title":"Doggycide Roundup: 05\/04\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-8562434962652537340"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-04T15:33:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-04T15:37:36.024-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Energy"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Environment"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Research\/Studies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rightists"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Study: Conservatives actively prefer wasteful tribalism"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Compact florescent light bulb\" alt=\"Compact florescent light bulb\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/otj69Rh.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EI neglected to blog about this when I first heard about it earlier this week, but an interesting and revealing (if not entirely surprising) \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.motherjones.com\/blue-marble\/2013\/04\/why-do-conservatives-waste-energy\" title=\"Why Do Conservatives Like to Waste Energy? [by Tim McDonnell @ 04\/29\/13 12:34 PM PDT] | Blue Marble | Mother Jones\"\u003Enew study\u003C\/a\u003E seems to confirm that not only do more hardline conservatives care little about preserving the environment, they’ll actively go for the more wasteful and inefficient route in order to spite ’em some \u003Cem\u003Etree-huggerin’ librulz\u003C\/em\u003E, even if it means paying more out of their own pocket for it:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2013\/04\/26\/1218453110\" title=\"Political ideology affects energy-efficiency attitudes and choices [by Dena M. Gromet, Howard Kunreuther \u0026 Richard P. Larrick @ 04\/09\/13] | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS)\"\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E out today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences examined attitudes about energy efficiency in liberals and conservatives, and found that promoting energy-efficient products and services on the basis of their environmental benefits actually turned conservatives off from picking them. The researchers first quizzed participants on how much they value various benefits of energy efficiency, including reducing carbon emissions, reducing foreign oil dependence, and reducing how much consumers pay for energy; cutting emissions appealed to conservatives the least.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study then presented participants with a real-world choice: With a fixed amount of money in their wallet, respondents had to \"buy\" either an old-school light bulb or an efficient compact florescent bulb (CFL), the same kind Bachmann railed against. Both bulbs were labeled with basic hard data on their energy use, but without a translation of that into climate pros and cons. When the bulbs cost the same, and even when the CFL cost more, conservatives and liberals were equally likely to buy the efficient bulb. But slap a message on the CFL's packaging that says \"Protect the Environment,\" and \"we saw a significant drop-off in more politically moderates and conservatives choosing that option,\" said study author Dena Gromet, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E[…]\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EGromet said she never expected the green message to motivate conservatives, but was surprised to find that it could in fact repel them from making a purchase even while they found other aspects, like saving cash on their power bills, attractive. The reason, she thinks, is that given the political polarization of the climate change debate, environmental activism is so frowned upon by those the right that they'll do anything to keep themselves distanced from it.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\"When we're given an option where the choice is made to represent a value that we don't identify with or that our ideological group doesn't value,\" she said, \"this can turn the purchase into something undesirable. By making [the environment] part of the choice, even though they might see the economic benefit, they no longer want to put their money toward that option.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt may seem unreal to some that a group of people (however broadly defined) would deliberately impact their bottom line (not to mention the natural world) just to sneer at imaginary ideological opponents, but the far-Right’s contempt for energy efficiency is well documented and even \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article.cfm?id=not-so-conservative-saving-energy\" title=\"Not So Conservative When It Comes to Saving Energy [by Debra Kahn \u0026 Climatewire @ 05\/11\/10] | Scientific American\"\u003Ebacked by research\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a study published last month on the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nber.org\/\" title=\"The National Bureau of Economic Research\"\u003ENational Bureau of Economic Research\u003C\/a\u003E website, Dora Costa and Matthew Kahn concluded that providing feedback on energy use can actually backfire with some conservatives.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECosta and Kahn merged utility data from 80,000 homes with corresponding voter registration and donation records. The economists found that a Democratic household with green bona fides -- paying for electricity from renewable sources, donating  to environmental groups and living in a neighborhood of fellow liberals -- will reduce its consumption by 3 percent in response to feedback.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, a Republican household that doesn't adhere to environmental behaviors will actually increase its consumption by 1 percent. The households that received home energy reports reduced their consumption by about 2 percent overall, but the Republican subset of this group reduced their energy use by 0.4 percent.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd as Ed Brayton \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/dispatches\/2013\/05\/04\/some-conservatives-turned-off-by-helping-environment\/\" title=\"Some Conservatives Turned Off by Helping Environment [by Ed Brayton @ 05\/04\/13 10:38 AM] | Dispatches from the Culture Wars | Freethought Blogs\"\u003Enotes\u003C\/a\u003E, the environment is one area where conservatives, particularly the far-Right media, are anything but \u003Cem\u003Econservative\u003C\/em\u003E in their thinking:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn 2011, the conservative blog Red State actually \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.redstate.com\/dannyhuddleston\/2011\/03\/26\/celebrate-earth-hour-by-turning-on-the-lights\/\" title=\"Celebrate Earth Hour by turning on the lights [by Danny Huddleston @ 03\/26\/11 12:27 PM] | RedState\"\u003Eurged people\u003C\/a\u003E to celebrate “earth hour,” when people all over the world were encouraged to turn their lights off, by turning more lights on. In 2009, Rush Limbaugh \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamatters.org\/research\/2011\/04\/22\/right-wing-media-celebrate-earth-day-by-mocking\/178962\" title=\"Right-Wing Media Celebrate Earth Day By Mocking Conservation [by Fae Jencks @ 04\/22\/11 8:50 AM EDT] | Media Matters for America\"\u003Esaid\u003C\/a\u003E he planned to make sure all his cars are driven more on Earth Day and that his plane takes a long trip for no reason too. And Glenn Beck said he wanted to hear from people who planned to cut down trees on Earth Day. The next year Beck announced that he would celebrate Earth Day by burning styrofoam in his back yard. The one thing conservatism clearly does not represent today is any desire to engage in conservation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, as Andrew Sullivan \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/dish.andrewsullivan.com\/2013\/05\/01\/rejecting-conservation\/\" title=\"The Climate Change Culture War [@ 05\/01\/13 2:37 PM] | The Dish\"\u003Esummarizes\u003C\/a\u003E, the sad but obvious reality is that the Right has become all about posturing and gimmickry over actual pragmatic policies, even \u003Cem\u003Eat their own expense\u003C\/em\u003E if it means spending more of their money for the fleeting chance of annoying some faceless liberal.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIsn’t it sad what mindless ideology and runaway spite can do to people?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/8562434962652537340"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/8562434962652537340"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/04-Study-Conservatives-actively-prefer-wasteful-tribalism-4173.html","title":"Study: Conservatives actively prefer wasteful tribalism"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-1259670893035595076"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-03T15:56:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-03T15:56:17.504-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Animals"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cute"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Easter Bunny: Origins"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EResearchers have finally identified the birthplace of the Easter Bunny:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"mainImg\" align=\"center\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Small rabbit in an eggshell\" alt=\"Small rabbit in an eggshell\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/N7GWLVa.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E(What? A slow blogging day, you say? \u003Cem\u003EHow dare you.\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmergencyPuppy\/status\/330380756671139840\"\u003E@EmergencyPuppy\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/1259670893035595076"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/1259670893035595076"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/03-Easter-Bunny-Origins-4172.html","title":"Easter Bunny: Origins"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-1927135883257368721"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-02T17:56:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-02T17:56:11.943-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Equality"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marriage"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Rhode Island passes same-sex marriage"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Same-sex marriage\" alt=\"Same-sex marriage\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/zkc8e.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EAnd Li’l Rhody \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/news.providencejournal.com\/breaking-news\/2013\/05\/rhode-island-house-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill-56-to-15.html\" title=\"Rhode Island House passes same-sex marriage bills, 56 to 15 [by Randal Edgar @ 05\/02\/13 5:26 PM] | Breaking News | The Providence Journal\"\u003Emakes ten\u003C\/a\u003E (for now):\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECapping a battle that began 16 years ago, the Rhode Island House of Representatives \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/webserver.rilin.state.ri.us\/HVotes\/votereport.asp?id=10153\" title=\"[votes for 2013-H 5015 same-sex marriage bill] | State of Rhode Island General Assembly\"\u003Evoted 56 to 15 Thursday\u003C\/a\u003E to pass legislation to legalize same-sex marriage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E[…]\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the bills headed to the south steps of the State House for a public signing by Governor Chafee, Rhode Island joins its five New England neighbors in legalizing same-sex marriage and becomes the 10th state in the nation to do so.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMy upcoming weekend plans now include making a beat from all the exploding heads on the homophobic Right. How about you?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/breakingpol\/status\/330072514711670785\"\u003E@breakingpol\u003C\/a\u003E; RT: \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/BreakingNews\"\u003E@BreakingNews\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/1927135883257368721"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/1927135883257368721"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/02-Rode-Island-passes-same-sex-marriage-4171.html","title":"Rhode Island passes same-sex marriage"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-8553313327219947977"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-01T21:09:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-01T21:09:26.537-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Animal abuse"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Animal Rights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Assholes"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cool"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Criminal Justice"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Daily Blend"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Extremism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Injustice"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Schools\/Education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Skepticism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Stupid"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TV"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Zero Tolerance"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Daily Blend: 05\/01\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/blogs.miaminewtimes.com\/riptide\/2013\/04\/florida_teen_girl_charged_with.php\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"Kiera Wilmot (16)\" alt=\"Kiera Wilmot (16)\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/rKmec1p.jpg\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003EKiera Wilmot\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EHow the hell can it be this hot this early in the year? This can’t bode well.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAnimal liberation activists in Milan, Italy, heroically \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nature.com\/news\/animal-rights-activists-wreak-havoc-in-milan-laboratory-1.12847\" title=\"Animal-rights activists wreak havoc in Milan laboratory [by Alison Abbott @ 04\/22\/13] | Nature\"\u003Esabotage\u003C\/a\u003E years’ worth of mental health research by releasing scared and helpless lab animals that cannot survive on their own.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/pharyngula\/2013\/04\/30\/animal-rights-activists-are-the-danger-to-animals\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPharyngula\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EWho made the “bad choices” here: the model high-schooler \u003Csup\u003E[pictured]\u003C\/sup\u003E who created a tiny pop in a bottle by mixing chemicals in an experiment\u003Ca title=\"Click to show\/hide note\" onclick=\"if(document.getElementById('4170-1') .style.display=='none') {document.getElementById('4170-1') .style.display=''}else{document.getElementById('4170-1') .style.display='none'}\" style=\"cursor:pointer;\" class=\"hiddenNoteClick\"\u003E*\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan id=\"4170-1\" class=\"hiddenNoteText\" style=\"display:none;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;(To be fair, not generally a good [or safe] idea unless you know what you’re doing, which it didn’t sound like she did)\u003C\/span\u003E, or the dumbass school and police officials who got her \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/blogs.miaminewtimes.com\/riptide\/2013\/04\/florida_teen_girl_charged_with.php\" title=\"Florida Teen Girl Charged With Felony After Science Experiment Goes Bad [by Kyle Munzenrieder @ 04\/26\/13 11:59 AM] | Miami New Times\"\u003Eexpelled, arrested\u003C\/a\u003E and are dragging her to court for “possession\/discharge of a weapon”?\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/radleybalko\/status\/329442036493209600\"\u003E@radleybalko\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cul class=\"contd\"\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EBetter yet: The school then \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/reason.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/01\/zero-tolerance-watch-teen-faces-felony-c\" title=\"Zero Tolerance Watch: Teen Faces Felony Charges for Science Experiment [by Jesse Walker @ 05\/01\/13 9:45 AM] | Hit \u0026 Run | Reason.com\"\u003Erespond to criticism\u003C\/a\u003E by declaring that “there are consequences to actions”. Indeed, and those consequences are that students will refrain from ever exhibiting any curiosity or scientific interest at Florida’s Bartow High School in order to avoid violating their ridiculous zero-tolerance policy.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/pharyngula\/2013\/05\/01\/when-science-is-criminalized-only-criminals-will-do-science\/\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPharyngula\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"4\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EWait, hydrogen peroxide \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cracked.com\/article_20426_5-ridiculous-health-myths-you-probably-believe.html\" title=\"5 Ridiculous Health Myths You Probably Believe [by Emmanuel Mueke @ 04\/30\/13] | Cracked.com\"\u003Edoesn’t work\u003C\/a\u003E? Dammit, \u003Cem\u003ECracked\u003C\/em\u003E, stop exploding my beliefs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"5\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAnd finally, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/04\/30\/mythbusters-top-10-moments_n_3187209.html\" title=\"'MythBusters' 10th Anniversary: The Hosts Remember The Show's 10 Most Memorable Moments [by Maggie Furlong @ 04\/30\/13 5:13 PM EDT] | TV | The Huffington Post\"\u003Ehappy decaversary to MythBusting\u003C\/a\u003E! Even though I only started watching in 2005 (“\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mythbustersresults.com\/episode42\" title=\"Episode 42: Steel Toe-Cap Amputation, Bottle Rocket Blast-off | MythBusters Results\"\u003ESteel Toe-Cap Amputation, Bottle Rocket Blast-Off\u003C\/a\u003E”)\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MythBusters\/status\/329362555854266368\"\u003E@MythBusters\u003C\/a\u003E; RT: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JamieNoTweet\"\u003E@JamieNoTweet\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/8553313327219947977"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/8553313327219947977"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/Daily-Blend-05-01-13-4170.html","title":"Daily Blend: 05\/01\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-7832408567029051017"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-01T20:21:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-01T20:21:58.414-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Birth Control"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Courts\/Lawsuits"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Justice Dept. to appeal FDA order on morning-after pill"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Birth control\" alt=\"Birth control\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/zz1fK7I.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003ELess than a month after a federal judge tried to rectify the US government’s pointless mucking by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/05-Federal-judge-strikes-down-age-limits-for-morning-after-pill-4131.html\" title=\"Federal judge strikes down age limits for morning-after pill [by Joé McKen @ 04\/05\/13 1:47 PM ET] | Preliator pro Causa\"\u003Estriking down age restrictions\u003C\/a\u003E on the morning-after pill, the meddlesome fools \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2013\/05\/02\/health\/us-will-appeal-order-on-morning-after-pill.html\" title=\"U.S. Will Appeal Order on Morning-After Pill [by Pam Belluck @ 04\/01\/13] | The New York Times\"\u003Eare at it again\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Justice Department said on Wednesday that it would appeal a federal judge’s order to make the most common morning-after contraceptive available without a prescription for girls and women of all ages.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe announcement came a day after the Food and Drug Administration said that one well-known morning-after pill, Plan B One-Step, would be made available without a prescription for girls as young as 15 — instead of only to girls ages 17 and over, as has been the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Justice Department’s action will not affect that F.D.A. decision. Rather, the department is seeking to overturn a much broader order by the judge that removed restrictions for all ages and for generic versions of the pill, not just Plan B One-Step.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is ridiculous. The FDA first advised that the pill should be made available for all ages in 2011 after declaring it safe and effective. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius apparently took exception this, as she then overruled the FDA because “the pill had not been studied for safety in girls as young as 11”. Not yet clear is why Sebelius apparently finds fault with the findings from the government branch strictly dedicated to studying and certifying the safety of ingestible substances, nor why a pill that has \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/ec.princeton.edu\/questions\/ecsideeffects.html\" title=\"Side effects of emergency contraceptives (the morning after pill) | Emergency Contraception | Princeton University\"\u003Eno serious or lasting side-effects\u003C\/a\u003E would somehow be perfectly safe for 15-year-olds but not 11-year-olds, nor why a drug that’s already been in use around the world for years with zero reported casualties of any kind suddenly requires further testing before we can finally be certain of its safety.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThere’s a fine line between security-conscious pedantry and playing politics under the guise of medical rigor. Does anyone else detect a whiff of ideological resistance, here?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BreakingNews\/status\/329738881673084928\"\u003E@BreakingNews\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7832408567029051017"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/7832408567029051017"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/Justice-Dept-to-appeal-FDA-order-on-morning-after-pill.html","title":"Justice Dept. to appeal FDA order on morning-after pill"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-9134763332904806187"},"published":{"$t":"2013-05-01T15:54:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-01T15:54:58.279-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Courts\/Lawsuits"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Equality"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marriage"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Same-sex marriage sweeps across three more Brazilian states"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Same-sex marriage\" alt=\"Same-sex marriage\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/zkc8e.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EThough the Brazilian government already allows same-sex couples to marry through a two-step process that involves entering a “stable union” and then petitioning a judge, a rapidly growing number of states are \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomtomarry.org\/blog\/entry\/marriage-moves-forward-in-brazil-two-additional-states-pass-the-freedom-to-\"Marriage moves forward in Brazil: Two additional states pass the freedom to marry [by Adam Polaski @ 04\/30\/13 11:15 AM] | Freedom to Marry\"\u003Edoing away with the needless complication\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYesterday, marriage continued moving forward in Brazil when the Corregedor Geral de Justiça in two additional states - \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/cofemac.com.br\/index.php?option=com_content\u0026task=view\u0026id=9474\u0026Itemid=9999\" title=\"Justiça aprova casamento gay na Paraíba [by Fábio Barbosa @ 04\/30\/13 8:12 AM] | COFEMAC\"\u003EParaíba\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/g1.globo.com\/sc\/santa-catarina\/noticia\/2013\/04\/cgj-autoriza-casamento-entre-pessoas-do-mesmo-sexo-em-sc.html\" title=\"CGJ autoriza casamento entre pessoas do mesmo sexo em SC [@ 04\/29\/13 5:55 PM] | G1\"\u003ESanta Catarina\u003C\/a\u003E (Articles in Portuguese) - authorized marriages between same-sex couples. Now, fourteen of the 27 jursidictions in Brazil (13 states and the Federal District) have approved the freedom to marry. Earlier this month, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomtomarry.org\/blog\/entry\/rio-de-janeiro-becomes-the-latest-state-in-brazil-to-pass-the-freedom-to-ma\" title=\"Rio de Janeiro becomes the latest state in Brazil to pass the freedom to marry [by Adam Polaski @ 04\/19\/13 2:00 PM] | Freedom to Marry\"\u003ERio de Janeiro\u003C\/a\u003E and Rondônia saw similar developments.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E[…]\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn these states (and the federal district), couples can marry in Brazil without the two-step process: Alagoas (December 2011), Sergipe (July 2012), Espíritu Santo (August 2012), Bahía (November 2012), the Brazilian Federal District (December 2012), Piauí (December 2012), São Paulo (December 2012), Ceará (March 2013), Paraná (March 2013), Mato Grosso do Sul (April 2013), Rio de Janeiro (April 2013), Rondônia (April 2013), and now Paraíba and Santa Catarina (April 2013).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, nearly 60% of the population of Brazil live in states where same-sex couples can marry without the two-step process.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAn increasingly large part of the rest of the world is looking at you, “Land of the Free”.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/joemygod.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/brazil-adds-three-more-marriage-states.html\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJoe. My. God.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/9134763332904806187"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/9134763332904806187"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/05\/01-Same-sex-marriage-sweeps-across-three-more-Brazilian-states-4168.html","title":"Same-sex marriage sweeps across three more Brazilian states"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-379041705362438539"},"published":{"$t":"2013-04-30T16:54:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-05-01T00:19:48.245-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Culture\/Society"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Equality"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Feminism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Libertarianism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rape Culture\/Patriarchy"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sexism"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Vox Day: Women should rely on daddy to choose their husbands"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"“JUST (FORCED TO GET) MARRIED”\" alt=\"“JUST (FORCED TO GET) MARRIED”\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/tRnSapZ.png?2\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EOur ol’ pal Theodore “Vox Day” Beale, who’s never encountered a form of misogyny he didn’t take to and spin as a means of preserving (his grotesque ideal of) society, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/voxday.blogspot.ca\/2013\/04\/mailvox-that-which-cannot-survive-wont.html\" title=\"Mailvox: that which cannot survive won't [by Vox @ 04\/29\/13 6:46 PM] | Vox Popoli\"\u003Ehas a suggestion\u003C\/a\u003E for stripping women of their most basic autonomy:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWho Nose asks a pertinent question:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\"If you want to understand why women are not permitted serve in Church leadership, and why human societies do not survive more than a few generations of young women being permitted to choose their own spouses\"\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt begs the question: Who ought to choose their spouses?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Church?\u003Cbr\/\u003E\nThe Father?\u003Cbr\/\u003E\nThe Mother?\u003Cbr\/\u003E\nThe State?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe question is further begged: What kind of law would need to be passed to enforce the choosing of a spouse.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFinally, another question is begged: What would you do with the 99% of women who responded to the suggestion or the law with, \"F*ck Off\"?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Col\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThe Father, with the advice of the Mother.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ENo law is necessary. Simply informing their daughter that a woman who is capable of choosing her own spouse is clearly also capable of paying for her own college education and supporting her own lifestyle decisions will suffice for most parents. If a woman is independent enough to insist on paying her own way in order to pursue a career, she's probably not wife-and-mother material anyhow and would likely end up a reproductive dead end regardless the options she is afforded.  We can always hope that instead of children, such a woman will contribute some revolutionary Powerpoint slideshows to society, produce a cure for cancer, or introduce some truly ground-breaking HR policies that will change the world for the better.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EI would simply wish them the best of fortune in their future endeavors.  But the number won't be anywhere nearly that high because women are, first and foremost, the practical sex.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ol\u003E\n\n\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDemographic patterns make it perfectly clear that societies where women are not only permitted, but encouraged, to make their own mating choices are not sustainable.  I find it deeply ironic that so many people who claim to firmly believe in evolution by natural selection demonstrate that they do not understand the basic concept of fitness as soon as the issue of societal demographics is raised.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFirst off, if you’re going to try and mock those who reject your hideous way of thinking, you probably shouldn’t do it by mentioning how they rightfully refuse to shoehorn a biological mechanism into a social science, and not only because they believe there are better ways to measure a society’s health and prosperity than merely by its birthrate.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Col\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI’d like to know what Vox thinks makes men so uniquely qualified for deciding women’s future, even including their relationships. If his usual puffy rhetoric about “the survival of society!” can be dismissed by noting how the majority of nations that allow women to make their own partnership choices (\u003Cem\u003Eie.\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Cem\u003Emost of the world\u003C\/em\u003E) are \u003Cem\u003Enot\u003C\/em\u003E disappearing into the sea (or, if landlocked, being obliterated by volcanoes) as we speak – and, in most cases, are in fact flourishing both economically and demographically – then what’s his reasoning? Surely, a self-proclaimed “superintelligence” like Vox wouldn’t \u003Cem\u003Edream\u003C\/em\u003E of making a proposal rooted solely in rank prejudice, right?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EStill, though, it’s nice of him to allow the mother a vague, cursory place at her husband’s examination of the various pigs offered to him by suitors asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage (livestock-based bride pricing being standard in the bygone era of antiquated social mores that lives on in Vox’s mind).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExactly how does a young adult’s right to choose who she pairs up with indicate her financial solvency? Or does Vox have that little issue with dropping any pretense at logic and reasoning (not that his grasp on them is notable to begin with) in favor of blatant emotional manipulation and economic coercion? Any parents who would opt to cut their offspring off outright in protest of them having the gall to choose who they wish to be romantically involved with aren’t people whose advice said offspring should heed in the first place.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYes, women are so “practical” that they apparently need daddy’s say in who should be their life partner. And they’d apparently all be quite fine with this arrangement, at least in whichever alternate reality this would happen to be true.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ol\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of two things will happen. The society will collapse or be overrun, or the government will pass laws to prevent the demographic collapse from taking place. There are no other alternatives; if Who Nose or anyone else should like to suggest one, I'm quite willing to add it to the list.  It should be kept in mind that a government which has the power to conscript men to die for the security of the nation quite clearly has the power to force women to marry and bear children for the same purpose.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause places like \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.statisticbrain.com\/arranged-marriage-statistics\/\" title=\"Arranged \/ Forced Marriage Statistics | Statistic Brain\"\u003EIndia, South Asia, parts of Africa and the Middle East\u003C\/a\u003E are obviously role models whose cultures the rest of the world should seek to emulate. (Never mind all that perpetual warring, societal struggles and governmental tyranny stuff. “Demographic stability” before all!)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd then, he wrecks this same argument with the very next paragraph:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMany would-be critics here don't seem to understand the implications of my being a libertarian. I don't believe that laws are the answer to undesirable human behavior, not because they are wrong or evil, but because they are ineffective. Customs and traditions are much more powerful; laws only tend to function if they are reasonably in line with them. Laws don't shape society, they tend to follow it instead.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESo, countries should pass laws to force women into loveless and unhappy marriages in the name of demographic stability, except they shouldn’t, because laws are useless and we should rely on tradition, instead, which totally works, except that cultures where arranged and forced marriages are an accepted norm are also seeing \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.ca\/publicdata\/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_\u0026ctype=l\u0026met_y=sp_dyn_tfrt_in\u0026hl=en\u0026dl=en#!ctype=l\u0026strail=false\u0026bcs=d\u0026nselm=h\u0026met_y=sp_dyn_cbrt_in\u0026scale_y=lin\u0026ind_y=false\u0026rdim=region\u0026idim=region:SAS:MNA\u0026idim=country:BGD:NER:KAZ:KGZ:IND\u0026ifdim=region\u0026hl=en_US\u0026dl=en\u0026ind=false\" title=\"World Development Indicators [showing “Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people)” for “Niger”, “Kyrgyz Republic”, “Middle East \u0026 North Africa”, “South Asia”, “Kazakhstan”, “India” \u0026 “Bangladesh”] | Google Public Data Explorer\"\u003Elower birth rates\u003C\/a\u003E, so ….\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAt any rate, it’s amusing to see Vox try to uphold the mantle of libertarianism, an ideology that promotes personal freedom and liberty above all else, while simultaneously explaining how parents and society itself should prohibit women from exhibiting the slightest agency and instead push them into predetermined unions without a single care for their thoughts on the matter. Because women just don’t count, you see, even when acting in their stead to try and preserve a population that they inherently comprise an entire half of.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENo, you probably shouldn’t try to understand that sort of reasoning, either.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEDIT:\u003C\/strong\u003E 05\/01\/13 12:19 AM ET – Added “(\u003Cem\u003Eie.\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Cem\u003Emost of the world\u003C\/em\u003E)”.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/379041705362438539"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/379041705362438539"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/30-Vox-Day-Women-should-rely-on-daddy-to-choose-their-husbands-4167.html","title":"Vox Day: Women should rely on daddy to choose their husbands"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-8861786752879506680"},"published":{"$t":"2013-04-29T19:17:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-04-29T19:17:55.033-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Big Brother"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Civil liberties"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cons\/Frauds"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Daily Blend"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Kooks\/Cranks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Pseudoscience"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RW Media"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Skepticism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sports"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Terrorism"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Daily Blend: 04\/29\/13"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/04\/29\/dowsing_for_bombs_maker_of_useless_bomb_detectors_convicted_of_fraud.html\"\u003E\u003Cimg title=\"James McCormick\" alt=\"James McCormick\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/hsn6AzU.jpg\"\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003EJames McCormick\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ECanada is apparently eager to show that it can pass \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/story\/2013\/04\/25\/pol-eight-things-to-know-anti-terrorism-bill.html\" title=\"8 things to know about the new anti-terrorism bill [by Leslie MacKinnon @ 04\/25\/13 2:18 PM ET] | CBC News\"\u003Ehorrible and repressive laws\u003C\/a\u003E in the name of “national security”, too.\u003Cbr\/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(via \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ioerror\/status\/327569965467181059\"\u003E@ioerror\u003C\/a\u003E; RT: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ggreenwald\"\u003E@ggreenwald\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"2\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EA win for reality: James McCormick \u003Csup\u003E[pictured]\u003C\/sup\u003E, who made millions by selling completely useless “dowsing rod”-style bomb detectors, is finally \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/04\/29\/dowsing_for_bombs_maker_of_useless_bomb_detectors_convicted_of_fraud.html\" title=\"Maker of Useless Dowsing Rod for Bombs Convicted for Fraud [by Phil Plait @ 04\/29\/13 11:47 AM] | Bad Astronomy | Slate Magazine\"\u003Econvicted of fraud\u003C\/a\u003E (\u003Cem\u003Eafter\u003C\/em\u003E hundreds have already perished).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"3\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ELGBT history milestone: NBA center Jason Collins becomes first active US big-league sports player to \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/sportsillustrated.cnn.com\/magazine\/news\/20130429\/jason-collins-gay-nba-player\/\" title=\"Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now [by Jason Collins \u0026 Franz Lidz @ 04\/29\/13 11:01 AM] | Sports Illustrated (SI.com)\"\u003Ecome out as gay\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\"4\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAnd finally, Glenn Beck tragically \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/friendlyatheist\/2013\/04\/29\/guess-who-won-the-charles-darwin-award-from-the-tribeca-film-festival\/\" title=\"Guess Who Won the ‘Charles Darwin’ Award from the Tribeca Film Festival? [by Hemant Mehta @ 04\/29\/13] | Friendly Atheist | Patheos\"\u003Ewins wrong kind of Darwin award\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/p\/contact-me.html\" title=\"Contact Me | Preliator pro Causa\"\u003Esend them in\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/8861786752879506680"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/8861786752879506680"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/29-Daily-Blend-04-29-13.html","title":"Daily Blend: 04\/29\/13"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-4866350908572039373"},"published":{"$t":"2013-04-27T16:28:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-04-27T16:28:46.732-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Antivaccination"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Health"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vaccines"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Wales measles epidemic traced to antivaccination lunacy"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"cornerImg\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Cimg title=\"Vaccines\" alt=\"Vaccines\" src=\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/0Y8nlHs.jpg\"\/\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003EIt looks like the antivaccination movement has \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/04\/27\/measles_epidemic_outbreak_in_wales_tied_to_andrew_wakefield_s_discredited.html\" title=\"Measles Epidemic in Wales Has Roots in Antivax Movement [by Phil Plait @ 04\/27\/13 8:00 AM] | Bad Astronomy | Slate Magazine\"\u003Eyet another cause to celebrate\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMore than 800 people have been diagnosed with measles in Swansea[, Wales] in this recent outbreak. People are lining up to get their vaccinations, and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk\/society\/2013\/apr\/25\/vaccination-campaign-mmr-measles\" title=\"Vaccination campaign launches with hope of halting measles outbreak [by Sarah Boseley \u0026 James Meikle @ 04\/25\/13] | The Guardian\"\u003Ea campaign has been started to get more people vaccinated\u003C\/a\u003E, which is a good thing; I just hope it’s in time. But with so many people contracting the illness, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.itv.com\/news\/wales\/update\/2013-04-19\/a-measles-epidemic-death-is-inevitable-says-doctor\/\" title=\"A measles epidemic death is 'inevitable' says doctor [@ updated 04\/25\/13] | ITV News\"\u003Eserious repercussions are almost inevitable\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.wales.nhs.uk\/sites3\/page.cfm?orgid=457\u0026pid=54144\" title=\"National immunisation uptake data | Health Protection Division | Public Health Wales\"\u003EWales has had low Measles\/Mumps\/Rubella (MMR) vaccination rates for some time\u003C\/a\u003E … since about 1998, in fact, when \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/bad_astronomy\/2013\/04\/14\/vaccine_and_autism_uk_measles_outbreaks_and_andrew_wakefield.html\" title=\"Andrew Wakefield Tries to Shift Blame for UK Measles Epidemic [by Phil Plait @ 04\/14\/13 8:00 AM] | Bad Astronomy | Slate Magazine\"\u003EAndrew Wakefield published his bogus study in the \u003Cem\u003ELancet\u003C\/em\u003E falsely linking the MMR vaccine to autism\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOnce again, he, Jenny McCarthy and the various Orwellianly-named vaccine “safety” groups out there must be \u003Cem\u003Eever\u003C\/em\u003E so proud.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/4866350908572039373"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/4866350908572039373"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/27-Wales-measles-epidemic-traced-to-antivaccination-lunacy-4165.html","title":"Wales measles epidemic traced to antivaccination lunacy"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225674102713772644.post-2857480255831322070"},"published":{"$t":"2013-04-26T20:38:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-04-27T00:49:06.248-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Culture\/Society"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gun Rights\/Control"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Politics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"TV"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"‘The Daily Show’ compares gun control in US and Australia"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp class=\"lead\"\u003ENothing brings the US’s struggles with adopting even the most rudimentary gun safety measures into perspective better than taking a gander at other countries that have already enacted sensible gun control. Here’s a very revealing three-part series from \u003Cem\u003EThe Daily Show\u003C\/em\u003E where John Oliver heads goes Down Under for one heck of a study in contrasts, both societal and political:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ctable width=\"50\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" class=\"videoEmbed\" align=\"center\"\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd\u003E\n      \u003Ciframe src=\"http:\/\/media.mtvnservices.com\/embed\/mgid:cms:video:thedailyshow.com:425593\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n      \u003Ciframe src=\"http:\/\/media.mtvnservices.com\/embed\/mgid:cms:video:thedailyshow.com:425738\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n      \u003Ciframe src=\"http:\/\/media.mtvnservices.com\/embed\/mgid:cms:video:thedailyshow.com:425827\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n    \u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n  \u003Ctr\u003E\n    \u003Ctd class=\"imgFooter\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENon-U.S. readers:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/p\/how-to-watch-comedy-central-videos-from.html\" title=\"How to watch Comedy Central videos from outside the U.S. | Preliator pro Causa\"\u003EClick here\u003C\/a\u003E to learn how to enable Comedy Central videos (Firefox only)\u003C\/td\u003E\n  \u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\n\u003C!-- flooble Expandable Content box start --\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #b6bbc2; padding: 0px; \"\u003E\u003Ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" width=\"100%\" style=\"background: #dee1fa; \"\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ETranscript: \u003Cspan class=\"smallText\"\u003E(click the [+\/-] to open\/close →)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd align=\"right\"\u003E\n[\u003Ca title=\"show\/hide\" id=\"exp1367024315_link\" href=\"javascript: void(0);\" onclick=\"toggle(this, 'exp1367024315');\"  style=\"text-decoration: none; \"\u003E−\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv id=\"exp1367024315\" style=\"padding: 3px;\"\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVIDEO 1\/3: “Gun Control Whoop-de-doo” [@ 04\/18\/13]\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJON STEWART: Welcome back! For more on the gun debate, we bring you the first part of a three-part series with John Oliver.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJOHN OLIVER (V.O.): Yesterday, Americans watched in shock as even watered-down gun legislation died on the floor of the Senate. But that is exactly where it belongs, according to gun lobbyists like Philip Van Cleave of the Virginia Citizens Defense League.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EPHILIP VAN CLEAVE: The Second Amendment is sacrosanct.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Ehands Van Cleave “2nd AMENDMENT” stop sign\u003C\/em\u003E] You hold up this sign whenever I make a suggestion that you think is infringing upon your Second Amendment rights, okay?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Okay.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Assault weapons ban?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVan Cleave raises the sign.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Boom, there it is. Increased background checks?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVan Cleave raises the sign.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Really?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Yeah.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Just for background checks?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: We don’t do background checks for the First Amendment.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Okay, so let’s just try this one. Nice and easy. A mandatory one-hour waiting period if you buy a gun?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVan Cleave hesitates briefly, then raises the sign.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Why a mandatory –?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Are you [fucking] kidding me?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Unless I can see a reason, no. I can’t think of anything that I support. Because at the end of the day, none of it works.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Exactly. Gun control does not work.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: What if – hypothetically speaking – what if gun control \u003Cem\u003Ecould\u003C\/em\u003E work? Which obviously it can’t, so we know that it won’t, so that’s not a problem. But what if it could, due to that time that it did?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Okay, when was that?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Australia.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Yes, Australia. In 1996, a conservative prime minister, John Howard, instituted sweeping gun control laws following a mass shooting that shocked the nation. So, should we be learning from this effective example? Of course not.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: I guess if we’re gonna go to Planet X and say it’s not the United States, it’s some other planet, different people, different everything – yeah – but in the real world, with human beings, it’s not gonna work. Gun control isn’t gonna work.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Unfortunately, not only is Australia in the real world, even their animals can holster weapons. So, who was right about gun control? There was only one way to find out: confront the man responsible.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Mr. Prime Minister, let’s begin in the formal Australian way: G’day.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFMR. PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD: How do you do?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Obviously, gun control doesn’t work, it can’t work, it will never work. So, how was your scheme a failure?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHOWARD: My scheme was not a failure. We had a massacre in a place called Port Arthur seventeen years ago, and there have been none since.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): \u003Cem\u003EZero\u003C\/em\u003E gun massacres? Hold on. Did gun control actually work?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: It stopped one thing! That can also be a statistical anomaly.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Yeah. It was just their mass shootings that disappeared.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: But there was so few of them! Whoop-de-doo!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eincredulous\u003C\/em\u003E] “Whoop-de-doo”?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Yeah.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: “Whoop-de-doo”?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Yes. Mass shootings are rare, anyhow.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Exactly. They probably barely \u003Cem\u003Ehad\u003C\/em\u003E a massacre before 1996!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHOWARD: There were about 13 in the previous 18 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eto Van Cleave\u003C\/em\u003E] In the 18 years before Port Arthur, there were 13 mass shootings. Almost one a year.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: I was unaware they had that many. “Mass” being, what, more than two people at a time?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: More than four.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: More than four. Okay.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: “Whoop-de-doo”!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): But perhaps there were other, non-whoop-de-doo side-effects.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHOWARD: The homicide rate involving the use of guns have declined significantly by factors of up to 50 and 60%, and the incidence of [?youth?] suicides involving the use of guns declined dramatically.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Whoop-de-[fucking]-do.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Help me out here, Philip.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Homicides with guns went down. Suicides with guns also went down. Zero mass shootings.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Australia still has murders, rapes and robberies last time I checked.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Unless you can get rid of 100% of crime, it’s not worth doing at all?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Well, put it this way. It’s illegal to have crack cocaine anywhere in the United States. You think that if someone really wants it, they can get their hands on crack cocaine in America?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: So, unless we can completely get rid of drugs, there’s no point in having drug laws at all?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: [\u003Cem\u003Eawkward pause; sighs\u003C\/em\u003E] Let me think about that for a minute. [\u003Cem\u003Eshorter pause\u003C\/em\u003E] Well, I guess – effectively, it doesn’t work!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): You can’t argue with Philip; even his logic is bullet-proof.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Well, lemme put it to you this way. There are more drownings in backyards where they have pools. They don’t have a pool, there are no drownings in backyards. So, the US has a very high number of guns. Therefore, there is\u003Csup\u003E[sic]\u003C\/sup\u003E going to be more chances for somebody to be killed with a gun.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Right.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Right.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Right. That’s \u003Cem\u003Emy\u003C\/em\u003E point.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Philip might think that living in a society with dramatically reduced gun violence is a “whoop-de-doo”, and people in Australia couldn’t agree with him more.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMONTAGE: Several Australians repeat “whoop-de-doo!”; Oliver is hoisted up by pub clients and shouts “WHOOP-DE-[FUCKING]-DOO!”\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESTEWART: John Oliver. We’ll be right back.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Chr\/\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVIDEO 2\/3: “Gun Control \u0026 Political Suicide” [@ 04\/23\/13]\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESTEWART: Welcome back! Last week, we learned that while our United States Senate was unable to pass even the most basic gun control measures, Australia has had a successful gun control scheme for almost two decades. John Oliver visited our cousins from across a couple of ponds to find out more in part two of our three-part series.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): In 1996, following a massacre, Australia’s conservative government enforced a national buyback of semiautomatic weapons while also heavily regulating the purchase and storage of other firearms. The result was dramatically reduced levels of gun violence. So, why can’t we do that here? To find out, I sat down with long-time aide to Harry Reid, Jim Manley.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EJIM MANLEY: The NRA is still a very powerful force in this country. They have four million members who are very, very determined to get their way.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: And how can a nation of 300 million compete with that?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: It’s difficult to understand sometimes, isn’t it? But the fact of the matter is that you’ve got to think long and hard before you support gun control legislation because taking on the NRA can be political suicide.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): And the Democratic Party is working tirelessly to reduce the rate of political suicide among its members. Surely, Australian politicians weren’t stupid enough to end their political lives for gun control?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFMR. QUEENSLAND PREMIERE ROB BORBIDGE: I did.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: What?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: I did.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: You did what?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: I took the stand. I was prepared to face the political consequences, and we delivered gun control.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Meet Rob Borbidge, former Premier of Queensland, Australia’s most conservative state. In 1996, he was instrumental in enacting gun control, knowing it would cost him his political career in the next election.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: We paid a high political price, but we did the right thing.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOliver looks shocked.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: Look, there are Australians alive today because we took that action. I mean, how much is a life worth?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): But Jim Manley knows that a true public servant has more important concerns.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: What makes a politician successful?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: Getting reelected by his or her constituents.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Estunned\u003C\/em\u003E] Right. Yeah. That’s how you judge success.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: [\u003Cem\u003Eflustered\u003C\/em\u003E] Okay, that’s – well, getting legislation done.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: – Is second.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: Is second, yeah.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: So that is second? Holy [shit], that \u003Cem\u003Eis\u003C\/em\u003E second?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: Uh … If I could rewind this tape, I’d say that getting legislation done, and getting reelected by your constituents.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: But seeing as we can’t rewind the tape, let’s just go with the answer you gave on instinct.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: You don’t get you reelected, you’re just roadkill in the political process. You’re just another loser.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Tragically, not everyone understands this.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eto Borbidge\u003C\/em\u003E] What makes a politician successful? Go.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: Making society a better place.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: \u003Cem\u003ENo\u003C\/em\u003E, no, no, Rob. No. Look, we can, um – we can actually rewind the tape. We rolling? What makes a politician successful?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: It’s your responsibility to govern in the best interest of the people that you serve.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Right – Rob – I mean, I’m going out on a limb, here, I’ve already told someone else that I can’t do this.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: I hope you’ve got a lot of tape.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): True success is a lifelong politician like Harry Reid, whose watered-down gun legislation was carefully designed to protect those who needed it most.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: He has a responsibility as a Democratic to protect the caucus.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Right, the \u003Cem\u003Ecaucus\u003C\/em\u003E needs to be protected. The \u003Cem\u003Ecaucus\u003C\/em\u003E does.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: They need to be protected politically.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: How many political careers have been tragically ended by gun control?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: We’ve lost some good folks over the years because of their view.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Right, you have a perfectly healthy political career, and then – [\u003Cem\u003Esnaps fingers\u003C\/em\u003E] bang.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMANLEY: Just like that.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Which means former Australian Prime Minister John Howard has blood on his hands.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eto Howard\u003C\/em\u003E] Do you ever think about the innocent victims of your gun control?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHOWARD: There were no innocent victims of mine – there were no victims at all.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOliver shows a photo of Rob Borbidge.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHOWARD: Yeah, that’s a photograph of Rob Borbidge. He was incredibly courageous, politically, in supporting our laws.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: But politically, he’s dead. Bang. [\u003Cem\u003Esnaps fingers\u003C\/em\u003E] Just like that.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHOWARD: Well, he lost an election. We all do at some point.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): But Howard is not alone. His Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fisher, also refuses to accept responsibility for these career massacres.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: So, you don’t look at these faces – [\u003Cem\u003Eholds up photographs of four defeated politicians, including Borbidge\u003C\/em\u003E] – and feel guilt?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFMR. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TIM FISHER: Well, they’re alive.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: They’re dead. They’re politically dead.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFISHER: I hope that those who totally veto any move to bring sensible semiautomatic and automatic weapons control to the suburbs of America are also politically dead, but physically alive.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOliver builds a small public shrine with photos of several defeated politicians.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Not if I could help it. Never again will a political career end in a senseless act of meaningful legislation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMAN ON STREET: What is it commemorating?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: It’s just, all of these – all of them are dead, politically.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMAN ON STREET: Okay.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Not physically. Physically, they’re probably safer than they’ve ever been before.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EELDERLY LADY: The world’s a very dicey thing.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: I mean, again, just to reiterate: Physically, they’re absolutely fine.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eto man on street\u003C\/em\u003E] Really makes you think.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMAN ON STREET: Sure does.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Unfortunately, what spending time with several of Australian politicians made me think about was how horribly wrong we have it in America.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eshaking hands with Borbidge\u003C\/em\u003E] Thanks for speaking with me, Rob.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: Pleasure.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: You are a great human being.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: Thank you.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: It’s just, by all American standards, you are a [shitty] politician, and the fact that that is true is why I am now – [\u003Cem\u003Egets up in exasperation\u003C\/em\u003E] – going to walk into the [fucking] ocean.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): In America, we’re told gun control is not possible. But in Australia, they’ve shown it is, providing a fantastic lesson for America to ignore.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESTEWART: John Oliver. We’ll be right back.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Chr\/\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVIDEO 3\/3: “Australia \u0026 Gun Control's Aftermath” [@ 04\/25\/13]\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESTEWART: Welcome back! We continue tonight our series from Australia. John Oliver learned that following a mass shooting in Australia, the country introduced gun control and it worked. So, how can America take this valuable lesson and ignore it? John Oliver finds out in this, our final installment.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Previously, I went to Australia, where I learned that in 1996, their government enacted sweeping gun control laws. The result? Reduced gun violence and zero mass shootings. So, are there any lessons for America, here? Virginia gun advocate Philip Van Cleave has a clear answer.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: We’re not Australia. It’s a very different culture. Different people, different everything.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Right, there’s no similarity with Australia. Australia is a former British colony with a wild frontier that was tamed by brave men who also wiped out almost an entire indigenous population, and we are … [\u003Cem\u003Epauses\u003C\/em\u003E] … not similar to that … right?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Right.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Right, because unlike Australia, we Americans know when the guns are taken away, tyranny inevitably follows.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: The Founding Fathers knew that governments tend to grow beyond their means. In America, we’re stepping in the direction of a police state.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Is that really happening, Philip, or is that some kind of crazy paranoia?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: We have police, they’re now wearing ninja suits, if you will, and you don’t even know they’re police, necessarily, the black masks on and everything.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: So, it really isn’t crazy paranoia; you’re justifiably frightened about ninja police.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Ninja police, yes.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Yeah. Ninja police.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Yes.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Sadly, without access to semiautomatic firearms, Australians wouldn’t know a thing about real freedom.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAUSTRALIAN WOMEN: Bloody [?], we’re free! We’re just sitting here doing whatever we want, everybody’s just hanging out and having a good time.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMAN IN WETSUIT: People don’t have the same concerns anymore about getting gunned down when they’re in a tourist resort.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER; Yeah, but was that worth it?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMAN IN WETSUIT: Yes!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eto woman on beach\u003C\/em\u003E] Was it worth giving up your fundamental freedoms just to not get shot in a gun massacre?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWOMAN: [\u003Cem\u003Eamused\u003C\/em\u003E] What the [fuck] are you talking about?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Australians must now live in this well-regulated nightmare because of ex-politicians like Rob Borbidge, who smugly thinks that his country has something to teach us.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: I hope that they would have a look at what has happened here.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Why would people want to live like this?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: Because they might want a safer society to live in.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): But it’s pointless for us to study the Australian experience, because their fear of gun control back then has no parallels with ours.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: What kind of things were you hearing when you suggested gun control?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: That government was becoming a dictatorship …\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Right, that’s one.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: We were told that people would not have the right to defend their property and their families.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Okay, that’s definitely two.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: That democracy is at stake somehow if government decides there should be a background check.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Yeah, all right, that’s three.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBORBIDGE: That we’re about to be invaded by the Indonesians.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: That’s completely different. No-one in America is afraid of Indonesians. Are they afraid of Mexicans and Muslims coming? Maybe.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Sure, he \u003Cem\u003Eclaims\u003C\/em\u003E Australians were angry, but where is the proof?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMONTAGE: Anti-gun control protestors in 1996\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWOMAN: People’s rights are being taken away from them.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESPEAKER: And I’m not gonna give up any guns if they gonna take off me. Are you gonna give yours up?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe crowd reacts: “No!”\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): Okay, there it is. But how did those angry rural conservatives feel now?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMAN: My immediate reaction was an overreaction. But, as time went on, the regulations were quite manageable.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: So – hold on. You didn’t want to give up your high-powered gun?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMAN: No. But … I felt as if I had a bit of a duty to the rest of our society.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): And if you think that sounds bat[shit] crazy, this effective gun control was enacted by conservative politicians against the will of their own base.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHOWARD: [\u003Cem\u003Eaddressing angry crowd, 1996\u003C\/em\u003E] There is no other way – there is no other way.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): But our politicians are different. They know that …\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): Gun control doesn’t work.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E… or even if it does …\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D-NY): It takes a long time.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E… and to be fair, Jon Howard and his Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fisher, have had since 1996 to enact their sweeping reforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFISHER: It took less than three-and-a-half months.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eshocked\u003C\/em\u003E] What? \u003Cem\u003EWhat?\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFISHER: Port Arthur massacre was on the 28\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E of April 1996. In a 12-week period shortly following that, bulk of legislation was devised, drafted, debated and implemented.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Ebreaking down\u003C\/em\u003E] But … but it doesn’t work.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFISHER: Zero massacres since 1996.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eleaving\u003C\/em\u003E] You keep saying that, but gun control doesn’t work, so …\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): My head was spinning. I had to clear it the traditional Aussie way.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAUSTRALIAN COMMERCIAL ANNOUNCER: Beer!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENo, not that way. A walkabout.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMONTAGE: Oliver roams the Australian wilderness, jumping around and freaking out, while interview snippets are heard (“The Second Amendment is sacrosanct”, “zero massacres since 1996”, Charlton Heston’s “From my cold dead hands!”, etc.). Oliver sheds his clothes, the remaining ones turn shredded; he meets someone in a kangaroo costume; he treks the Outback like an Indigenous man, “training” to fight with a staff. He eventually wakes up on some train tracks.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): After three days in the bush with a guy in a kangaroo suit, it became clear what the real issue with gun control in America is.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: [\u003Cem\u003Eto Van Cleave\u003C\/em\u003E] If guns aren’t the problem, Philip, what is the problem?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: People.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: People are the problem?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Yes.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Do you know what? After spending this amount of time with you, Philip, I’m starting to believe that that’s partially true.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: Good.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: Good?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVAN CLEAVE: I’m glad you understand that people are the problem.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER: That is becoming just painfully obvious.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOLIVER (V.O.): After investigating the issue on opposite sides of the Earth, I discovered that if Americans really do want gun control, there is actually one thing they can do to get it: move to Australia.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESTEWART: John Oliver! We’ll be right back.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cnoscript\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.flooble.com\/scripts\/expand.php\"\u003Ethis expandable content box is made using a free javascript from flooble\u003C\/a\u003E\n\u003C\/noscript\u003E\n\u003Cscript language=\"javascript\"\u003Etoggle(getObject('exp1367024315_link'), 'exp1367024315');\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003C!-- flooble Expandable Content box end --\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt’s no wonder the rabid US gun lobby can’t seem to form any rational argument. There simply isn’t any evidence they can use in support of their inherently indefensible positions, contra the mountains of evidence against them.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are a few little things that nagged me throughout the video, though. Oliver’s point about contrasting US and Australian histories isn’t really valid; we’re talking about the modern effects of modern policies on modern society, and regardless of shared similarities between the two nations’ histories, modern attitudes towards guns and related legislation truly don’t match up. Hence why the US’s rampant gun culture makes it all but impossible to institute the sort of gun control that Australia (among others) currently benefits from.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt was also disappointing to see Van Cleave’s point about police militarization swept aside and ridiculed, even given how very, \u003Cem\u003Every\u003C\/em\u003E clumsily he made it. (“Ninja police”? Really?) No objective observer can look at the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cato.org\/publications\/white-paper\/overkill-rise-paramilitary-police-raids-america\" title=\"Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America [by Radley Balko @ 07\/17\/06] | Cato Institute\"\u003Eincreasing rates\u003C\/a\u003E of warrantless and no-knock \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/tag\/police-militarization\/3\" title=\"Tag search: “Police Militarization” [page 3] | The Huffington Post\"\u003Eparamilitary raids\u003C\/a\u003E (often for offenses as trivial pot possession) and the growing civil police use of military hardware and weaponry thanks to the Pentagon’s \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/program-1033-military-equipment-police-2011-12\" title=\"The Pentagon Is Offering Free Military Hardware To Every Police Department In The US [by Robert Johnson @ 12\/05\/11 11:09 AM] | Business Insider\"\u003E1033 program\u003C\/a\u003E (which was only recently \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/rt.com\/usa\/pentagon-police-program-guns-420\/\" title=\"Pentagon stops giving out free guns to police [@ 06\/08\/12 7:52 PM] | USA | RT\"\u003Ecurbed\u003C\/a\u003E, and only temporarily), not to mention the increasingly commonplace facts like unconstitutional wiretaps and other civil liberties violations, and \u003Cem\u003Enot\u003C\/em\u003E conclude that the United States has decidedly started down a dark path in recent decades. While it’s still premature to dub the country a “police state” by any metric, dismissing concerns about its growing civil use of paramilitary force is foolish bordering on dangerous.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVan Cleave also made a point about people being the problem, and while he was typically gormless about it, he was right to infer (as I presume he meant to) that guns are merely tools to be used by people who may or may not have illicit intentions for them. But this doesn’t change anything, and it only undercuts his own argument. Even while firearms aren’t inherently dangerous on their own, it still makes sense to pass regulations and reforms intended to keep them out of the hands of those who would use them for dangerous ends. Controlling which people can use which guns in which circumstances can only lead to fewer criminal acts with said guns down the line, all the while maintaining the general population’s Second Amendment right to self-defense.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, there is no contradiction between reasonable gun control and the right to bear arms, no matter what the gun nuts love to holler. They are simply, plainly, factually and (increasingly so) \u003Cem\u003Eobviously\u003C\/em\u003E wrong. I believe it’s only a matter of time before the increasingly marginalized pro-gun lobby starts losing its sleeper hold on the US political debate and some slivers of sense are allowed to slip through.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"smallText\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEDIT:\u003C\/strong\u003E 04\/27\/13 12:38 AM ET – Fixed some minor transcript errors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin:15px 0 8px 0;border:1px solid #8594a6;font-size:80%;padding:5px;\" align=\"center\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENOTE:\u003C\/strong\u003E This RSS content provides only basic style and formatting. The appearance of the post above may differ significantly from the original as viewed with a regular Web browser.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/2857480255831322070"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4225674102713772644\/posts\/default\/2857480255831322070"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/preliatorcausa.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/26-The-Daily-Show-compares-gun-control-in-US-and-Australia-4164.html","title":"‘The Daily Show’ compares gun control in US and Australia"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joé McKen"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08037015111554209304"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_Cvya_L2anog\/TD4bJGopPWI\/AAAAAAAAAGs\/l6UFi_sGJTQ\/S220\/13-07-10+%E2%80%93+Portrait+%5B200%C3%97245%5D.jpg"}}]}]}});