It's the Jerrymander, Stupid

At its base, the practice of Jerrymandering is the root cause of our US political problems, and it is not new.

The government is open again, but the reason for the shutdown remains
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Yes, Many People Do get Solace From Christianity, However, - - -

"As a secular parent, I believe that we need to talk more openly about the potential harm Christianity can do to kids – not just the potential good. We mustn’t shy away from such skeptical scrutiny for fear of offending people."

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-secular-life/201408/does-christianity-harm-children?utm_content=bufferff5f2&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

It Began About 50 Years Ago

The more extreme the religion, the more harm it inflicts. Google "Nixon's Southern Strategy", it was the beginning. The problem focused on in this 3 minute video actually began about 50 years ago with his actions.

https://www.facebook.com/BigThinkScience/videos/1434061180039335/

It's Not The Religion, It Is the Socialization

"The majority of social science research on religiosity and associated variables has tended to focus on putative beneficial aspects, implying that the absence of religious belief is accompanied by liabilities. However, a closer examination of the literature reveals that the mechanisms of most beneficial associations with religiosity are attributable to factors other than beliefs, chiefly, social engagement and embeddeness in supportive groups. Often, those with the lowest levels of well-being and prosociality are uncommitted or indifferent religious believers, not socially engaged nonbelievers.Therefore, defining individuals who are not committed or engaged in socially supportive groups solely in terms of their lack of religious belief virtually guarantees that atheists and agnostics will appear inferior on a variety of outcome variables. However, nonbelief and secular worldviews can also be practiced in social groups such as atheist, humanist, and freethought organizations. Contrary to prevalent stereotypes, organized nonbelief is also associated with well-being and prosociality equivalent to that seen with organized religious belief. Notable areas of relative advantage for nonbelievers are in the domains of outgroup tolerance and moral universalism.
 

Read more at http://researcherslinks.com/current-issues/Atheism-Wellbeing-and-the-Wager-Why-Not-Believing-in-God-With-Others-is-Good-for-You/9/16/120/html#eqf0pDB1BIxcWBPl.99

"I Am Blessed"

How many times have all of us heard this phrase from the religious? Ya, too many times. That said, there ARE many situations that occur that are very unusual and are positive.  However, there ALSO are many situations that occur that are very unusual and are negative.  Or, many (most) situations that are common and are negative (the fact of most of life).  Folks, I claim that there is no evidence that there is a supernatural "controller", much less one who is benevolent. Show me that I am wrong.
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An Amendment To The US Constitution

Anyone who is reasonable and respects evidence can clearly see that Donald J. Trump is unfit to hold the most important office on Earth.  How do "We, The People" regain our rightful authority and avoid this catastrophe ever again? I propose a 28th Amendment to the US Constitution:

Section 1: Candidates for the President of the United States of America shall accept an evaluation by a panel of psychiatric professionals approved by the American Psychiatric Association, or an equal body, to ensure that the candidate has no significant personality disorders. 

 

Section 2: Candidates for the President of the United States of American shall make public all tax returns and any other significant financial documents.

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How About Administering The Most Appropriate Test To Trump?

One must be careful in accepting the results of Trump's cognitive screening test as reported by the White House physician. The test, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, is quite valid and reliable for "Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Early Alzheimer's disease." However, Trump's issues appear to be more related to OTHER displays of possible mental dysfunction, such as personality disorder(s).

Narcissistic Personality Disorder seems to be high on the list of disorders that may be effecting Trump. 

Speaking of tests for mental dysfunction, this may be the most dangerous flaw in Trump.
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How To Get People to Accept Objective Reality Over Subjective Feelings

This is a basic human trait: accepting perception of reality without assistance from outside ourselves. Early in our history, this basic thinking process served us well in our survival. However, with the advent of science and its methods, we now have tools to look at ourselves from outside of ourselves.  Unfortunately, the vast majority of humanity has not accepted the reality of objective evidence trumping subjective thinking.  Following are some articles that look at ways to get people to prioritize objective evidence over subjective thinking:

• Why We All Need to Accept Reality (And 3 Ways to Do It)

• The Purpose of Life is to Be a Nobody 

• Psychology shows that Democrats and Republicans can’t even agree on objective reality 

• The Perception Bridge: Objective Reality Vs. Perceived Reality -- What Drives Human Activity 

• Objective & Subjective

• In the heat of the political battle, objective reality is having a tough run 

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Relativity 101

An easy way to understand the scientific concept of Relativity in 3 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnJuKXhFaQ8&feature=youtu.be
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Will S&P 500 Prices Ever Revisit Their Mean?

"Richard Russell, an exceptionally well-regarded Dow Theorist, explained that a stock market can do absolutely anything over short periods of time. Yet, over longer periods, the greatest certainty is 'regression to the mean.'"

This article puts in context the several-year Bull Market for stocks.  Especially if you are like me, retired and can't afford a several-year Bear Market to revert back to the mean, one is wise to read this article and ponder the graphs.

The Stock Bull Market Through A Long-Term Lens

This article looks at the "Market Timing" issue from a science-based standpoint and it refutes the above article at least to some degree.

Stock Market Timing?


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The Science Of Meditation

Sam Harris is one of the most thoughtful, educated persons I can think of. Among his long resume, he is known for his personal experience, study and research on the subject of meditation.  This podcasts is an in-depth look at this activity.

Podcast 111: The science of meditation

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Alzheimer's Disease And The Nun Study

Alzheimer's Disease is something I am extremely interested in, as my mother died young (71) with it, and her mother and most of her 7 brothers and sisters also died of it.  Several years ago, there was a study of a Sister Mary and several other Nuns.  In the study, the Nuns agreed to donate their brains to science for analysis.  All has relatively long lives and had no signs of dementia at death.  Interestingly, many had advanced brain plaques as a marker for the disease.  As a science-based thinker, I have to take the results as an indication that much more needs to be known about the etiology of the disease.  THAT is the beauty of being a science-based thinker: go with the evidence, even if it does not comport with present expectations.

Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: Lessons From the Nun Study

USA: Once A Great Country

One of Donald Trump's worst lies is "Make America Great Again."  Thanks for nothing, Republicans.

Foreign Leaders Say US Losing Stature

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Supernaturalism Has Nothing To Stand On

Sean Carroll is one of the best communicators for delineating the differences between the natural and the supernatural, with strong support for the claim that most probably there is no supernatural realm.  In this 10-minute video, he clearly and concisely does so.
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One Essential For A Free, Democratic Society Is Neglected

THIS is a major reason why we have the politicians and politics we have. Sadly, there is no chance for change until the Republicans get out of power.

http://progressive.org/op-eds/we-urgently-need-civics-education-171219/
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You Can't Claim As Evidence Unverified Statements

The New Testament was written from oral statements decades after they supposedly were made by unknown authors in a culture of miracles and superstition well before the advent of science.  There are NO secular historical writings supporting the claims about Jesus, or even the historicity of him. Oh, and, there is no need for a "Savior" from "Original Sin", since science has falsified an historical Adam and Eve.

Anyone wish to dialogue with me on this?

Click here for a short video that the above debunks

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THE Problem in the USA

"When you have people who don't know much about science standing in denial of it, and rising to power, that is a recipe for the complete dismantling of our informed democracy."

"Science is an entire exercise in finding what is true."

"Out of this rising, new emergent truth, science is better than anything else we have come up with as human beings."

"When you have an established, emergent scientific truth, it is true whether or not you believe in it, and as soon as you understand that, the faster we can get on with the political conversation about how to solve the problems that face us."

"Science in America" (Neil deGrasse Tyson)

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Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger

For several decades, the USA has had a problem of growing economic inequality.  This scholarly book written in 2009 is the result of in-depth research into the subject.  It supports the claim that the more economic inequality within a nation, the less well-being experienced by its inhabitants.  It also presents advise on how to change the situation for the better.

The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger

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A Podcast on the progressive look at the history and future of work:

Leisure, Desperation or a Reorientation (The Future of Work)

Prophecy Has A High Bar For Proof

At this time of year, and also Easter, Christians love to talk about the "fulfilled" prophecies in the Bible.  This article sets the record straight on the subject. So does this one.
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Pastry As Speech Is An Unprecedented Legal Claim

"In prior decisions, Colorado held that bakers could refuse to write anti-gay messages on cakes. In the case now before the Supreme Court, baker Jack Phillips refused even to discuss making a cake for a same-sex couple. Phillips did not object to writing particular words – he flatly objected to selling any cake for the occasion."

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article190063034.html#storylink=cpy

A great deal has been written about this case, however, this article looks specifically at the actions of the cake baker:

Pastry as speech? Where does it end?
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The Evils Of Trumpism

This is from a friend, Jay Feldman, and it is a great summary of Donald Trump and his effects on all of us:
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What is Trumpism?

There are two diverse, popular, definitions of Trumpism; first is courtesy of Dictionary.com:

“Trumpism refers to the nontraditional political philosophy and approach espoused by US President Donald Trump and his supporters. The term Trumpism can also be used to directly refer to an outrageous or idiosyncratic statement made by Donald Trump.”
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Republicans Attacking the Justice Department Is Part Of A Pattern

The vicious attack on the Justice Department by the Republicans is just one piece of evidence that they are not interested in evidence but only ideology unsupported by such.

There is a long history of the Republican Party attacking many trusted institutions.  The following links present examples of such:

Republicans burn down one last institution

Trump partisans are attacking America from within

No Institution Is Safe

Republicans and the corporate attack on science 

The Republican War on Education
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Yes, The Infallible And Consistent Word Of God

It's amazing what you see when you read the Bible with science-based thinking instead of magical thinking.
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This Is Why I Call Supply-Side Economics "Tinkle-Down"

"The last four and a half decade has seen an absolutely massive rise in inequality with the top gaining an ever increasing share of the gains from growth. In the last two decades, actually, all economic gains have gone to the top 10%

"This is actually a massive, decades-long economic experiment about the validity of trickle-down economics, and it is difficult to escape the conclusion that it hasn't materially increased business investment nor economic growth."

In detail, and with several historical graphs, the full monty on why this Republican Tax Bill is bogus. 

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I Agree With This Evangelical Christian Apologist

Dr. Thomas Howe from the Southern Evangelical Seminary, in this article, makes the valid difference between a narrative and a parable in supporting the claim that the Genesis account of creation was written as an historical narrative and not an allegory or poetry.  However, he typically assumes that that settles the issue.  Nope, no such luck.

A brief reading of what I have said on this subject (click here) clearly shows that the entire Creation account in Genesis has been falsified.  If it is falsified, then why the need for a "Savior" to redeem us from a "Sin" that never happened?
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