News - A Tippling Philosopher (Page 24)

Unpicking Syrian Conflict & Recent Rebel Victories

I was trying to work out what is going on in Syria, and what the implications of rebel victory were, as well as who, exactly, the rebels were in light of media bias. I came across this article from an interesting source called EA WorldView (based in the University of Birmingham, UK).

GOP

Ted Cruz's father is a total idiot

EARLSBORO, Okla. – Rafael Cruz, father of Texas Senator and Tea-Party favorite Ted Cruz, spoke recently against atheism and secular humanism at a gathering of an Oklahoma Second Amendment advocacy group. He claimed that the belief systems are two of the main ills facing our society, that they lead t

gun control

More Guns = More Gun Deaths

The Young Turks do a pretty good and obvious job:

By Adrian Pingstone (talk · contribs) (Self-photographed) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

equality

UKIP Christian group: Manchester Pride is a ‘parade of depravity’

UKIP, The British, but more popular version of the Tea Party, is stooping to new lows, as if that was possible. One of their authorised group, a Christian group whose tag line is "Fighting through Christ for deliverance form EU tyranny", has made declarations about homosexuality and Manchester's ga

capitalism

On the Skepticism of Free Market Economics (part 1)

Free market economics seems to be the cornerstone of both right-wing and libertarian political ideology, broadly espousing that the companies and corporations and consumers of the world arbitrate supply, price and, in some way it is hoped, moral dimensions of product manufacture and consumption. In

Economics

My favourite documentary of all time

This, for me, was a game changer when I watched it. It still has so much to say, perhaps more than ever. When we see lobbyists in the US destroying the fairness of US politics, driven by corporate greed, it is necessary to see what is underpinning the ideal of

atheism

Tory MPs must pretend not to be "atheists and gay"

This is from The Independent, though what is equally as depressing in this day and age, is that the Bill to allow prayers at the beginning of Council meetings seems to have got through the House of Commons unopposed: Tory James Arbuthnot comes out as an atheist, claiming MPs must pretend to be re

atheism

Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents

Saudi Arabia has introduced a series of new laws which define atheists as terrorists, according to a report from Human Rights Watch. In a string of royal decrees and an overarching new piece of legislation to deal with terrorism generally, the Saudi King Abdullah has clamped down on all forms of

capitalism

Does free market capitalism close the inequality gap? No.

I was recently having a debate on You Tube, of all places, with a UKIP supported who refused to take on board any of my points unless the solutions I provided were free market centred. A selection of his comments will follow, this first one was after I pointed out that UKIP are science deniers (and

Australia

Australia bottom of the climate pile

Australia was the worst performing industrial country in terms of climate change in 2014, a new report has said. The report by two non-government organisations said the poor ranking was due in part to policy changes made by the current coalition government.

Featured ATP

Separation of Church and State is Crumbling in the States

One of the core tenets of the United States established by the Founding Fathers was the separation of Church and State — but an expanding Christian Right wants to turn the U.S. into a religious state, where ideology trumps law — and they just succeeded in Michigan.

AGW

House Passes A Bill That Restricts Scientists From Advising The EPA

By a vote of 229-191, the House has just passed a GOP-sponsored bill to ensure that a more "balanced panel of experts" will advise the Environmental Protection Agency. But critics say it will reduce the participation of independent scientists in favor of those with financial ties to industry.

gun control

US: Gun laws. Change 'em.

This meme is surprisingly on the money: The only way in which a gun advocate could complain is if they disagreed with the shoe protocol at airports after the failed attack. But we also had pretty much a war and total airport overhauls after 9/11, and more people have

equality

In the midst of ISIS, Kurdish decree for equality for women

This awesome news comes from CNN: (CNN) -- It's a revolutionary decree. In the midst of the fight against Islamist rebels seeking to turn the clock back to the 7th century, a Kurdish region in Syria has just approved a new law ordering equality for women. Take that, ISIS!

climate change

US elections: the worst news

From i09: All together now: Fucking fuck. Senator Inhofe, who is poised to become the most powerful senator on the environment, is the same man who has compared the scientific consensus over manmade global warming to Adolf Hitler's conception of the Jewish conspiracy.

Islam

Kurdish Oath

I can't vouch for the authenticity of this, but it seems pretty cool. I found it on a comment on a Yahoo News Article: For general interest I copied down the oath given to a new group of fighters with the PKK. The Kurdish YPG fighting in Kobane are a different organization and their oath may be d

News

Your political compass

For a bit of fun and interest, you can take your political GPS reading here. I cam out marginally less authoritarian than I thought I would:

atheism

Are Liberal Democrats the best party for committed humanists?

With the conference season now over and done with, the British Humanist Association has declared it a successful season with good showing at all three major party conferences. However, perhaps the scariest prospect is the dominance of UKIP in recent political discourse. We know they are pretty much very right-wing

Economics

Racism and xenophobia in economic downturns

My previous post talked about the rise of the right-wing UKIP in recent polls and elections in the UK. Part of this phenomena, which is predicated upon the blaming of immigrants and immigration for many social woes, is as a result of the recent economic downturn.

Featured ATP

The UK on brink of sliding into right-wing chaos

The political landscape in the UK is changing, that much is pretty obvious to any onlooker. The rise of UKIP (the UK Independence Party), as I have discussed elsewhere, is incredible in its rapidity (though not so much when it originally formed) in recent years. And now it is the

AGW

New study finds 99.999 percent certainty humans are causing global warming

There is less than 1 chance in 100,000 that global average temperature over the past 60 years would have been as high without human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, our new research shows.

capitalism

Does capitalism promote social mobility?

In debating this topic on another blog post with Geoff Roberts, I came across this book review of a book which seems to deal very much with this question. I think this review makes for a fascinating read. Let me know what you think:

atheists

Rick Wiles: 'Ebola Could Solve America's Problems With Atheism And Homosexuality'

RIGHTWINGWATCH provides this gem: H/T Anonymous Steve [soundcloud]http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-wiles-ebola-could-solve-americas-problems-atheism-and-homosexuality[/soundcloud] Right before chatting with a Republican congressman on his on “Trunews” program yesterday, End Times radio host Rick Wiles said that an outbreak of Ebola in the U.S. might actually be a good

Conservatives

Astrology can help healthcare, says MP on science committee

Oh bloody dear. The BBC: Astrology-loving MP seeks health answers in the stars A Conservative MP has spoken of his belief in astrology and his desire to incorporate it into medicine. David Tredinnick said he had spent 20 years studying astrology and healthcare and was convinced it could work. The

equality

John Oliver does Hobby Lobby

OK, so the controversial ruling sucks big time, but just before it was made, John Oliver did his thing: http://youtu.be/zSQCH1qyIDo Spot on, of course. And while we're at it, income inequality: http://youtu.be/LfgSEwjAeno