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=================================== FEATURED ARTICLES Godless, but not valueless: Blair Scott is new communications director for ... The Huntsville Times - al.com (blog) "If we had indoctrinated her in atheism, we would be no better than others," Scott said. "We raised her to make her own decisions." Like most atheists, as a ... http://blog.al.com/living-times/2010/10/godless_but_not_valueless_blai.html ATHEISM Freethought Convention Not Skeptic About Growth CBS 11 Nearly 300 atheists, agnostics and skeptics from around the state have converged on the Sheraton in Irving for the annual Texas Freethought Convention. ... http://cbs11tv.com/religion/irving.agnostic.atheists.2.1954295.html Irving to host Texas Freethought Convention this weekend Dallas Morning News While local atheist/agnostic groups provide important support, a special event like this buoys spirits in its own way, he added. "My whole motivation is to ... http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/coppell_vr/stories/DN-skeptics_08met.ART.State.Edition1.336ae17.html Secular students share disbeliefs Columbus Dispatch The goal is to "normalize being an atheist or an agnostic or somebody who doesn't have a belief in God," Brunsman said. "It can sometimes be a pretty lonely ... http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/faith_values/stories/2010/10/08/secular-students-share-disbeliefs.html?sid=101 Religious skeptics disagree on how aggressively to challenge the devout Los Angeles Times But the 9/11 attacks and a growing interest in atheism have emboldened the in-your-face wing of the movement and led to internal debate and dissension. ... http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-humanists-20101010,0,2446585.story Atheist activist Rob Sherman to challenge Buffalo Grove clerk Chicago Daily Herald This year, however, Sirabian could face competition from a man known locally as an activist and nationally as an atheist: Rob Sherman. ... http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20101012/news/710129769/ The courage of a deathbed atheist The Australian But Hitchens is weaker on the personal and ethical challenge presented by atheism: of course we can be good without God, but why the hell bother? ... http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/the-courage-of-a-deathbed-atheist/story-e6frg6zo-1225938873174 BOOKS, FILM, THEATRE, TV, YOU TUBE Attention: all you need is science Winnipeg Free Press Most remarkable of all, given the established bad habits of his fellow New Atheists (most notably Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett and Christopher Hitchens), ... http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/fyi/attention-all-you-need-is-science-104625109.html Sam Harris A.V. Club Chicago So if there really is such a thing as the New Atheism, and if the term arose as a result of this series of best-selling books in the last decade, ... http://www.avclub.com/articles/sam-harris,46226/ Modern Mythmaking The Link Montreal author Claude Lalumière knew he was an atheist by age 10, as did graphic artist Rupert Bottenberg. But neither of them quite knew how to reconcile ... http://thelinknewspaper.ca/article/444 EVOLUTION, CREATIONISM, I.D. Christine O'Donnell: My Views on Evolution are "Irrelevant" CBS News Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell refused to say during a debate Wednesday night whether she believes evolution is a "myth," as she ... http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20019562-503544.html Delaware Senate Debate: Christine O'Donnell Refuses To Say Whether Evolution ... Huffington Post EVOLUTION, MARXISM: Blitzer asked O'Donnell whether she still stands by her 1998 comments that evolution is a "myth." "That should be decided on the local ... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/13/delaware-senate-debate-christine-odonnell-chris-coons_n_762025.html SCIENCE Blind Inventors Develop Free Software to Enable the Blind to Use Computers ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2010) — For many blind people, computers are inaccessible. It can cost upwards of $1000 to purchase "screen reader" software, but two blind computer programmers have solved this problem... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101005104450.htm Cassini Catches Saturn Moons in Paintball Fight ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2010) — Scientists using data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have learned that distinctive, colorful bands and splotches embellish the surfaces of Saturn's inner, mid-size moons. The reddish and bluish hues on the icy surfaces of Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione and Rhea appear to be the aftermath of bombardments large and small... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007132608.htm Neighborhoods Can Have Depressing Effect on Health, According to Study ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2010) — The nation's poverty rate climbed to 14.3 percent -- the highest level since 1994 -- according to the Census Bureau's annual report on the economic well-being of U.S. households. That means one in seven Americans now live in poverty, and that may have an especially depressing effect on people living in bad neighborhoods, according to two Iowa State University researchers... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101006141600.htm Thoughts About Time Inspire People to Socialize ScienceDaily (Oct. 8, 2010) — Does thinking about time or money make you happier? A new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that people who are made to think about time plan to spend more of their time with the people in their lives while people who think about money fill their schedules with work, work, and -- you guessed it -- more work... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007145457.htm 'Living Dinosaurs' in Space: Galaxies in Today's Universe Thought to Have Existed Only in Distant Past ScienceDaily (Oct. 8, 2010) — Using Australian telescopes, Swinburne University astronomy student Andy Green has found 'living dinosaurs' in space: galaxies in today's Universe that were thought to have existed only in the distant past... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007145136.htm Hubble Astronomers Uncover an Overheated Early Universe ScienceDaily (Oct. 7, 2010) — If you think global warming is bad, 11 billion years ago the entire universe underwent, well, universal warming... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007131249.htm Real Price of Each Pack of Cigarettes Is Nearly $150, Spanish Study Finds ScienceDaily (Oct. 7, 2010) — Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) estimate that each pack of cigarettes really costs €107 for men and €75 for women, when premature death is taken into account. These figures confirm previous studies, and are of key importance in the cost-benefit analysis of smoking-prevention policies... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007092819.htm Americans' Life Expectancy Gains Continues to Fall Behind -- But Don't Blame Obesity, Smoking, Traffic Fatalities, and Homicide ScienceDaily (Oct. 7, 2010) — The United States continues to lag behind other nations when it comes to gains in life expectancy, and commonly cited causes for our poor performance -- obesity, smoking, traffic fatalities, and homicide -- are not to blame, according to a Commonwealth Fund-supported study published as a Health Affairs Web First... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007092714.htm SEPARATION CHURCH / STATE Iowa pastor preaches politics to oust 3 justices who backed gay marriage USA Today Advocates of the separation of church and state and some religious leaders say Gordon's plan is illegal, immoral and an attempt to falsely frame his dispute ... http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-10-14-iowapastor13_ST_N.htm County looks to non-controversial holiday display this year Wilkes Barre Times-Leader The organizations argued the display violated the constitutional separation of church and state. After public uproar, including protesters carrying nativity ... http://www.timesleader.com/news/County-looks-to-non-controversial-holiday-display-this-year.html Group wants prayer discontinued at council meetings Rowlett Lakeshore Times “Our national organization, which works to protect the constitutional principle of separation of church and state, has written to you previously about ... http://www.lakeshoretimes.com/articles/2010/10/14/rowlett_lakeshore_times/news/8305.txt Tax-exempt status challenged for religious group Kansas City Star The pastors' group — Clergy Voice — describes itself as an organization that supports “safeguarding the separation of church and state, while promoting ... http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/13/2311500/tax-exempt-status-challenged-for.html Federal appeals court upholds Texas pledge wording The Associated Press David Croft had sued, arguing that the words are unconstitutional and violate the separation of church and state. ... http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gONMXZTW6kKSqHOMJAXckvjDFs1gD9IRFF1O0?docId=D9IRFF1O0 MISCELLANEOUS None =============================================== |