History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake

Shermer's open letter

Seeded on Sat Sep 1, 2007 2:45 AM EDT (Sciam)

Michael Shermer's Scientific American column for September is an opne letter to Sam Harris, Daniel Dennet, Christopher Hitchens, and Richard Dawkins.

religion, relighio

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Click | Papers battle online news sites

Seeded on Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:24 PM EST (BBC News)

Not since the internet began has there been so much free quality newspaper content on the web. You will have to make the most of it because the current bonanza might not last forever.

technology, newspaper, internet-news

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Gulf states announce nuclear plan

Seeded on Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:18 PM EST (BBC News)

Six oil-rich Gulf nations have said they are considering seeking nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Officials from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE also urged a peaceful settlement to the crisis over Iran's nuclear programme.

middle-east, world-news, nuclear-proliferation

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Beirut rally attracts huge crowd

Seeded on Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:15 PM EST (BBC News)

Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese are taking part in the latest protest to press the government to cede more power to the opposition or step down. Led by Hezbollah and its pro-Syrian allies, the rally is possibly the largest demonstration Beirut has seen.

lebanon, world-news, hezbollah

BBC NEWS | Africa | Civilians killed in Darfur attack

Seeded on Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:11 PM EST (BBC News)

About 30 civilians have been killed in an attack by gunmen on a convoy carrying medical and relief supplies in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

darfur, sudan, world-news

All we are saying is give peace a chance

Wed Dec 6, 2006 1:40 PM EST

It's difficult to explain to people not of my generation how much of an impact the Beatles had on me. I won't try to explain it very much, but I will say that everything I am is because of the Beatles. That might seem like hyperbole, but it's true.

Continue reading this entry ...

music, peace, yoko, arts, beatles-lennon

Party Switch Gives Democrats Edge in Montana - AOL News

Seeded on Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:10 AM EST (AOL)

Party Switch Gives Democrats Edge in Montana By JENNIFER BYRD, AP HELENA, Mont. (Nov. 18) - A Montana state senator has officially changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat, breaking a tie to give his new party a 26-24 advantage.

politics, election-2006

grammar gorillas

Seeded on Fri Nov 17, 2006 12:02 PM EST (Google)

It's a cute game. Does it have value?

education

Jenny Invert on envelope appears to be fake

Seeded on Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:55 AM EST (linns.com)

I had a feeling that this stamp was a fake. Linn's Stamp News, a philatelic periodical of note, agrees.

odd-news, philately, stamp-collect, upside-down-airplane, inverted-jenny-florida-ballot

My Way News - House Dems Formally Name Pelosi Speaker

Seeded on Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:34 AM EST (apnews.myway.com)

By ANDREW TAYLOR WASHINGTON (AP) - Nancy Pelosi was unanimously named speaker-elect by House Democrats Thursday, the first woman to be ensured the post that constitutionally is second in line of succession to the presidency.

congress, politics, election-2006, pelosi

On Faith: Sam Harris: Faith Won't Heal a Divided World

Seeded on Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:11 PM EST (The Washington Post)

On Faith: A Washington Post / Newsweek Website

religion, atheism, freethought, sam-harris

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Al-Jazeera English hits airwaves

Seeded on Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:07 AM EST (BBC News)

The Arabic television news channel al-Jazeera has launched its new English-language station. Al-Jazeera English began broadcasting from the station's headquarters in Doha, Qatar, at 1500 (1200 GMT).

middle-east, al-jazeera, world-news

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Palestinian rocket kills Israeli

Seeded on Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:04 AM EST (BBC News)

alestinian rocket kills Israeli Israeli rabbis recover human remains after missile attack Sderot's residents have borne the brunt of Qassam missile attacks An Israeli woman has been killed and one man injured in a Palestinian rocket attack on the town of Sderot, Israeli offici …

israel, palestine, world-news

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iraq hostages 'freed by police'

Seeded on Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:58 PM EST (BBC News)

Iraq hostages 'freed by police' An Iraqi police commando (file pic) Iraq's police apparently found the hostages across Baghdad All of the hostages seized in a raid by gunmen on a Baghdad higher education facility have been released, Iraqi officials say.

iraq, world-news

Guantanamo detention cases must be dismissed: U.S. | Top News | Reuters.com

Seeded on Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:46 AM EST (Reuters)

Administration arguments concerning the issue of habeas corpus and the Guantanamo detainees. Why am I thinking about Joseph K?

iraq, human-rights, guantanamo, us-news, patriot-acts

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Vietnam off US religion blacklist

Seeded on Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:32 AM EST (BBC News)

The Bush administration wouldn't recognize reliqious freedom if it bit them.

human-rights, religion, atheism

Bush Faces GOP Ire Over Rumsfeld Timing - AOL News

Seeded on Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:49 AM EST (AOL)

I doubt that firing Rumsfeld before the election would have made much difference. But it's fun to watch the hand-wringing in the aftermath.

election, politics, 2006

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Twelve dead in Iraqi bus ambush

Seeded on Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:25 PM EST (BBC News)

No comment. Just a BBC flash.

saddam-hussein, sunni-arab, world-news, baghdad, iraqi-born-specialist-ahmed-qusai

BBC NEWS | Health | Millions 'hit by toilet phobia'

Seeded on Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:19 AM EST (BBC News)

We have nothing to fear but fear itself. And public toilets.

odd-news, obsessive-compulsive-disorder, national-phobics-society

Molly Ivins

Seeded on Sat Nov 11, 2006 6:06 AM EST (creators.com)

Molly Ivins is a Texas journalist, an old-style Democrat, and a harsh critic of Bush. She's been on his case since he was governor of Texas, and not only is she usually right on the mark, but she's funny as heck too.

politics, columnist