The Home Of Free Speech?

Guess it depends on what you have to say:

A journalism professor at the University of Kansas was placed on indefinite administrative leave Friday after he Tweeted about the Navy Yard shooting, saying “blood is on the hands of the #NRA. Next time, let it be YOUR sons and daughters.”

This situation is a case-book illustration of Chris Hedges' thesis in Death of the Liberal Class.

Pope Francis Has His Work Cut Out For Him

As The Disaffected Lib pointed out yesterday, Pope Francis seems to be making a real effort to bring a new tone and substance to the Church. However, if you watch this video, you will see that he clearly has an uphill battle in changing the views of reactionary Catholics:

To Protect And Serve

The police protect and serve - they really do. It's just that we aren't the ones receiving those services:

Barney Frank Asks An Awkward Question

I have a question of my own: why doesn't Canada have someone like Frank willing to speak truth to power?

Guns Don't Kill People - Video Games Do: Pretzel Logic From Fox

I'm sure this makes sense to many Americans:

A Teacher's Truth Costs Her Her Job

It seems to me that any school should feel very lucky to have a teacher of Kristen Ostendorf's character and courage. Totino-Grace Catholic High School in Minnesota is not one of those schools:

Joseph Stiglitz On Income Inequality

Nobel Memorial Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz recently gave a powerful speech at the annual AFL-CIO convention in Los Angeles. Watching this video leaves one little choice but to feel a deep dissatisfaction with the status quo:

What Can You Say?

Today has been a blogging day where I seem to be writing little of my own thoughts but mainly linking to other sites. And I can't think of a single thing to add to this travesty of police work:

Pat Roberston Commemorates 9/11

And he does it in his inimitable way by offering his 'insights' on Islam and the consequences of godlessness:

And Speaking Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction ...

Laurence O'Donnell offers a vital history lesson on the United States' use of napalm:

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H/t The Raw Story

He's Everywhere!

Disclaimer: Despite the fact that this is my third recent posting about him, there is no 'bromance' budding between me and Gordon “Dr. Chaps” Klingenschmitt. It's just that I am fascinated by him, given his seemingly ubiquitous media presence, one that belies both his profound, quite peculiar stupidity and smug self-righteousness.

As reported in The Raw Story, Klingenschmitt recently appeared on The Ed Show to try to explain the unholiness of Obamacare.

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Syria: Iraq Redux

Rachel Maddow is hated by the right and all who peddle propaganda as truth. The following video illustrates why:

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Another Example Of Idiocy That Gives A Bad Name To Religion

Were I still a teacher, I would certainly use the following as a prime example of a reasoning fallacy and sheer idiocy:

Here There Be Dragons

I take it that metaphors are too subtle a concept for the fundamentalist mind:

I Guess This Explains Everything

Like many others, I have been deeply troubled by the Edward Snowden's revelations about domestic spying conducted by the NSA. Watch the following video if you would like to know the true source of the problem.



By the way, Gordon Klingenschmitt, as you will see if you click on the link, has had an interesting career.

Kids, Don't Try This At Home

The multi-talented Pat Robertson offers two solutions to what I am sure is a common household problem:

Humour Amidst The Darkness

I know that it is never seemly to force humour from tragedy. However, owing to my sometimes rather twisted (and sometimes quite puerile) perspective on life, I offer this story and video for your discernment. Without apology, I will admit that I laughed uproariously.

Pat Robertson's Unified Theory

In which the ex-pastor kindly shares his comprehensive 'gay' theory:

I Don't Know About You ...

... but despite our many earth-bound problems, I find this sort of thing absolutely fascinating:

Empirical Evidence Versus Bluster

Although this is just a brief clip, it does, I think, show why the 'right' prefers ideology and 'talking points' to empirical evidence: