Now, If They All Vote, - - -

It is easy to be discouraged with politics.  However, there really is something happening within society that may lead to more reasonable political thinking.

Two Solvable Problems

If all politicians were science-based thinkers, many problems in society would be solved.  Following are two examples of societal dysfunction and realistic solutions.

1) The Homeless

This article presents another viable "band-aid" for the problem. However, to solve the problem, affordable housing is a solution, along with adequate social services.

2) Ex-Convict Unemployment

This article and this article present ways to help former criminals return to gainful employment.  However, to solve the problem, improving economic mobility is a solution, along with economic equality of opportunity.

 

Thoughts And Prayers Are Useless And Harmful

"Another problem with conveying one’s 'thoughts and prayers' to victims is that it absolves you of your personal responsibility to work to change things that give rise to tragedies. Prayer is not an answer. It is a buck-passing exercise. You want to help cancer victims, take action to find a cure for cancer (support science and modern medical research). You want to save young people from dying in futile and endless wars, don’t support warmongers and fear-mongers and support those who engage in peaceful means to resolve differences. And so on. 'Thoughts and prayers' are an insipid excuse for inaction."

~Jay Feldman

Religion Does Not Deserve Respect

"I do not respect religion. It is a systematic refutation of reason, and fortification and arming of superstition. Beliefs based on faith are by definition not based on evidence or reason. They are absurd, and I cannot respect absurdity. Religion keeps people immature. The good things that have "come from religion" are actually good things that human beings are quite capable of doing for each other *without* any inspiration or prodding from magical spooks or their earthly emissaries. If they were not constantly told that they're no damn good, religious people would be able to mature beyond Kohlberg's lowest stage of moral development, the stage of doing good only to avoid a punishment and to gain a reward. So, even in the good things that religious people do, their religion soils and demeans the motives that they *could* be doing those good things for. Still, I can *treat people respectfully* regardless of what I think of their beliefs, and I try hard every day to do that."

~ Richard Wade

Biblical Interpretation

Given the wide differences of opinion of members of Abrahamic religions and biblical scholars regarding how to interprete the writings found in the Bible, one may legitimately conclude that the Bible is the greatest Ink Blot (Rorschach) Test in human history. After the dawn of science, many religious people began having cognitive dissonance between the findings of science and Biblical writings. (link)

The Book of Genesis in particular presents major problems in its relationship to reality as found through science.  It clearly conforms to the genre of a Creation Myth produced when there was no science and superstitious myths were the only ways of attempting to explain the unexplainable. In other words, I think it was not written as a metaphor but as history, albeit, a false account. The Bible was most probably only created by the imagination of humans. (link)

Every Little Bit Of Activity Helps

Much research on exercise is focused on athletic performance.  However, it appears that, regarding health and longevity, even a few minutes of moderate movement performed several times a day may be quite beneficial.

Those Two-Minute Walk Breaks Add Up

Trump's Finances

Will this line of trouble for Donald Trump be his Waterloo?

Trump’s financial secrecy under siege on 3 fronts

News Media Under Attack By Republicans

" - - - The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers & be capable of reading them."

~ Thomas Jefferson (link)
 
In the Founding Father's time, the only media were essentially newspapers and the above quote indicates the precious nature of media as it relates to government.  As all can clearly see presently, the Republicans routinely attack the press indiscriminately.  However, in recent years, this problem has expanded to include television, with Fox News and Sinclair Broadcast Group being two prominent offenders.  I hope you are at least as angry at this as I am.

(Crux Now)

Putin And Trump: Follow The Paths

Nothing there, folks.  It clearly is an unfounded Witch Hunt 😉😉😉.

All of Donald Trump's Ties to Russia, in 7 Charts

(aol.com)

The Shroud Of Turin

Every year around Easter, the Christian media trots out "the latest" evidence that the Shroud of Turin is not a fake.  The latest "evidence" is that the "blood" on it is from a person who sustained polytrauma (link).

The following links present the best-unbiased evidence on the Shroud of Turin:  it probably is a fake (still).

Image Formation and the Shroud of Turin

Rational Wiki: Shroud of Turin

The latest debunking

(link), (link), (link)

(BBC)

Shame

The word, "shame", has negative connotations. It is painful, humiliating, disgraceful, causes regret, and can lead to censure by others.  Since humans are imperfect, we all have experienced it in some form.  That said, can there be positive results from it? I think that it can be an effective tool for changing poor behavior, as well as in changing one from being a magical thinker to being a science-based thinker, if used in a loving, caring manner. Some psychological research seems to support it also.

Following are other links supporting shame:

Social Media Shaming Is Good (in Moderation)

Why Shame and Guilt Are Functional For Mental Health

(Emirates 24/7)

Evidence For A Historical Jesus

Every year around this time (Easter), Christian apologists talk about the historicity of the events surrounding the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus.  However, outside of the New Testament, where is the evidence?

Challenging The Lies Regarding Gun Control

This article challenges some common objections to reasonable gun control.  Oh, please note, the author is a Republican.

 

(Upfront - Scholastic)

Nostalgia For The Once-Legitimate Republican Party

This editorial is a reminder that the Republican Party was a decent, science-based political party.  I could do without the religious impregnation seen even then, however.  That said, it was nothing like the present hijacking by fundamentalist wackos. To Democrats who disagree with this post, I say NO political party has all the answers.

Let The Mystery Be

The main problem with promoters of religion, alternatives to medicine and all other pseudoscience is that they move past the knowledge provided by science.  This is called The Argument from Ignorance or if it is from the religious, The God of the Gaps Argument.  Why do this?  This article explains the situation quite succinctly and clearly. Wouldn't you think that if one God was real, one religion's claims would be accepted by science and there would be no gaps?

Why not just stay within what we really know and just "Let the Mystery Be?"

Fake News Effecting Medicine

Traditionally, the public puts great trust in medical physicians and assumes, when he or she is in contact with them, that they will be getting science-based medicine from them.  Following is an example of how even physicians can be influenced by fake news.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (T.E.N.S.)

What is the truth about this heavily advertised modality for pain, as well as other applications?

The peculiar popularity of being gently zapped with electrical stimulation therapy

T.E.NS. for Pain Relief: Does it Work?

T.EN.S.: The Evidence Is Not Impressive

(The Fix)

An Outstanding Counter-Apologetic To Religion

"People are afraid of death, of being alone, of living in a dangerous and uncaring universe, and of not knowing what is the right thing to do. They think that only religion can help them cope with these anxieties and solve these problems. But relying on religion may actually prevent them from maturing emotionally and intellectually so that they could find better ways to resolve their fears and solve their problems."

Interview – Richard Wade (Part 2)

Making Stuff Up For 2,000 Years

Anyone who has studied religions knows that one of the most dogmatic religions is the Catholic Church, with its volumes of promulgations concerning do's and don't's, as well as claims on reality.  Following are several examples from YouTube videos produced by a major Catholic apologetic source called "Catholic Answers." As you view this representative collection, please keep one question in mind, "How do they know that is true, where is the evidence?"

"Stupid"

Is it fair to use this word against those who persist in promoting religion, alternatives to medicine and all other pseudoscience in spite of knowledge readily available? In my opinion, yes.  Why? I present the definitions of stupid (given to unintelligent decisions or acts : acting in an unintelligent or careless manner) and ad hominem (appealing to one's prejudices, emotions, or special interests rather than to one's intellect or reason).

Mike Pence Is In The On-Deck Circle

With what is happening with Donald Trump and the White House, I thought it is appropriate and timely to shine a science-based light on the Vice President.

Mike Pence: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Ice And NSAIDs For Acute Soft Tissue Injuries?

Conventional treatment for acute orthopedic injuries may not be as science-based as it should be:

"Even though there are some animal studies supporting the hypothesis that icing may have an effect on various inflammatory events at a cellular level (Bleakley et al 2010), that still does not support the belief that many have that icing is actually beneficial in humans in real clinical settings. In fact clinical trials on the efficacy of RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) have supported the use of compression but have found no value in icing (other than the temporary numbing effect already mentioned) (Hubbard et al 2004)."

Paradigm Shifts: Use of Ice & NSAIDs Post Acute Soft Tissue Injuries (Part 1 of 2)

"- - - sure there are studies supporting the use of NSAIDs on soft-tissue injuries and that is precisely why health care providers support their use, however the studies look at the short-term symptomatic recovery; what they fail to do is look at the long-term effects and recurrence rates with and without NSAIDs. At the expense of faster recovery, what effects do NSAIDs have on the actual quality of the bone, tendon, ligament or muscle repair?"

Paradigm Shifts: Use of Ice & NSAIDs Post Acute Soft Tissue Injuries (Part 2 of 2)

There May Be A Better Way To Communicate Reality

Communicating fact, science and science-based thinking to the public is a frustrating effort.  This article presents some tips, especially to journalists.

(themedianet)

Is There Objective Morality?

Atheists and other secular people are accused of not having objective morality because they reject the God who promulgates morality.  Many responses to this challenge have been less than satisfactory to both theists and non-theists.  This article does a good job is delving into the subject.

• "Broadly speaking, morality appears to serve these related purposes: it creates stability, provides security, ameliorates harmful conditions, fosters trust, and facilitates cooperation in achieving shared and complementary goals. In other words, morality enables us to live together and, while doing so, to improve the conditions under which we live."

(Brett Milam)

Torture Is A Pro-Life Issue

Fundamentalist Christians usually are dogmatic regarding the value of a growing, non-viable fetus and call their view "Pro-Life."  However, how many of the same folks work towards the welfare of the disadvantaged people in society who see few options instead of abortion? (link) In addition, these same folks are more apt to be for torture. (link) This article concerning Trump's nominee for the CIA Directorship position presents the evils of torture.

(Amnesty International)