7
POPSRadical right militia threat growing white-hot A bit about the Souther Poverty Law Center ... "The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded in 1971 as a small civil rights law firm. Today, SPLC is internationally known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of hate groups."
4
POPSWho pays for abortions? If persons opposed to abortion do not want their dollars to subsidize abortion under the new health care plan, then they should consider how their money may currently be subsidizing abortions given that 45% to 80% of women currently have health care coverage which includes abortions.
0
POPSWhen gay seeps out the seams I just saw Jesus Camp for the first time this weekend. what struck me the most was the number of times the kids in the movie – kids of 8 or 9 – were shamed into crying. In between being told they were to be the new young warriors of God, they were taught, over and over, how unworthy they were. I take heart in the fact that so many religions are offering a warm welcome to those in the LGBT community, and hope that word gets out that being who you are doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite deity. In fact, it can help you meet a friendlier, more relaxed, and more positive version.
2
POPSThe abusive "ex-gay" movement I tried to become an "ex-gay" for twenty years. I tried it all. It didn't work. And it wasn't for lack of repentance, lack of sincerity, or lack of effort! You can't change your orientation! You may be able to control your behavior, but it is at great cost ... shame, self-hate, depression ... too high of a cost for some ideology that says loving someone of the same sex is sin...
1
POPSBaseball perfection in song yesterday's perfect game pitched by White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle wasn't just a rare feat in baseball history (only 18 have ever been thrown in the majors), it forced one band to rewrite one of its songs
5
POPSThe evolution of religion "Religion arose out of a hodgepodge of genetically based mental mechanisms designed by natural selection for thoroughly mundane purposes," he writes. Those mechanisms include conformist bias (believing what your peers believe, in order to get along), a tendency to explain events in terms of personal agency (since our mental machinery for thinking about causality evolved in the context of social interaction), and interest in remote control (a bias toward beliefs that promise influence over predators, diseases, and bad weather). Given these biases, we're prone to believe in powerful, jealous, tempestuous personal deities.
9
POPSOK, so who speaks with an accent around here? My WV friend brought up the humorous phenomenon of regional American accents. Anyone who sounds like us has no accent; anyone who sounds different does. Well, not to be a bitch about it, but consider this ;-) And, just FYI, I hail from Iowa City, IA - right in the big orange spot of General American English!
10
POPSThe Sonoran Hot Dog Having lived in Chicago for six years, I thought Chicago-style dogs were the ultimate in massive amounts of toppings ... but this permutation seems a worthy rival!
1
POPSGoodbye Paula! One of my vices is American Idol. What can I say? And I LOVED PAULA on there!
3
POPSevidence-based sex education ... finally! yes, values are important ... but research has indicated that the values based abstinence education isn't working! in fact, teens who come from religious backgrounds and make pledges to abstain from sex until they are married are some of the least likely to use contraceptives and engage in safe sex, but engage in sex none-the-less ..
5
POPSHomosexuals killed at gay club in Tel Aviv Now lesbian and gay leaders and youth workers are planning damage-control exercises, amid fears that many young homosexuals who have been brave enough to openly declare their sexuality would be too scared to return to gay bars, nightclubs and centers, and that some of them would even go back to living a double life and keep their sexuality a secret.
4
POPSSotomayor not getting Grassley's vote As a native Iowan, this really is disappointing from someone who has always struck me as a reasonable senator. This article makes it sound like Grassley can't set aside his person biases either - like feeling burned by Souter - whatever the hell that has to do with Sotomayor! Come on Chuck! You can do better!
5
POPSA Way out of the Fundamentalist Divide Last week Jim Wallis, Sojourners founder and contributing editor, wrote about the importance of funding the common ground as the only hope for navigating a constructive path out of the chasm created by opposing fundamentalist positions. Reading about the bill in one of the great social chasms of our time, it is clear to see that common ground is key.
4
POPSDear Jon Stewart - Please Change Your Name Back to Leibowitz This is a great opinion piece! If you read the whole article, you'll even get a nod to Michael Jackson and the author's affirmation of the importance of making our external image line up with our internal self-identity. Our bigotry as a society will subside only when those of us who don't subscribe in one way or another to the majority have the courage to be ourselves. This is fundamental to queer theory, diversity, and multi-culturalism...but the costs of facing social ostracization are steep. Be brave everyone! The world needs to be a place where individuals can be themselves at every level!
2
POPSA City without Major Grocery Stores What the story doesn't say is whether there is good access to affordable quality nutritious goods - That limited access is a huge contributor to the poor nutrition and consequent health issues in urban areas. Hopefully Detroit will come up with some creative solutions.
1
POPSAmateur Astronomer Credited with Jupiter Finding
Take a listen to this story. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106913242 Here's what happened to me. I realized that much of my curiosity about space has been stifled because for the past 40 some years I've bought into a simple biblical understanding about creation and my place in the universe. The wonderment of the earth being the only planet currently hospitable to life may have caused me to worship god more, but it didn't stimulate any intellectual ponderings that might cause me to learn about the universe, life forms, the mystery that is around us. Nope, the answers were neatly packaged. And that is the problem with the certainty of modern religious expression - fundamentalism does not push one to question. The creation myth made me safe in my little god cocoon, disinterested in questions like where did all of this come from. In like fashion, the christian nation myth held by so many fundamentalists in our nation makes them safe little xenophobes who hav
0
POPSDiana Krall: Jazz Singer/Method Artist this makes nice reading, but even better listening - check out the interview on npr because you'll be soothed by both her voice and piano interpretations .... http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106899902
2
POPSPat Buchanan and Revisionist History Ratings aside, I can't believe that Pat Buchanan is allowed to speak in public. What is worse is that people espouse his opinions as if they are thoughtful and informed.
2
POPSWe Operate With Impunity The inability of the Bush administration to see their arrogant attitude of moral superiority underlying their anything goes approach to national security is ridiculous! And right-wingers who would be outraged if other nations did the sorts of things we have done yet cannot bring themselves to have any questions about the Bush admin's actions need to wake up!
4
POPSOh Roundabout How I Love Thee Having lived abroad and navigated many a roundabout in several countries, I have long had a love for the roundabout. No more left turns. No more waiting at stop lights. Come on America! It is an undervalued and misunderstood gold mine of driving bliss!
6
POPSweed helps a boy with autism This little boy is getting help by smoking pot - less aggression, more thoughtful interactions with others, more peaceful expressions. Maybe if the big drug companies could make bajillions off of pot it would become legal!
4
POPSThe Old Double Standard I'd bet all of my earthly possessions that this question would NEVER be asked of a man! Sadly, the gender role bias that says a woman cannot be opinionated, strong, forceful in arguing her point is alive and well. I'm pissed!
5
POPSConfronting the anglo white male dominance Looks like Judge Sotomayor is going to pass through. She deserves it. But the whole process is shedding light, once again, on the inability of our national power structures to welcome perspectives that are not in the majority. The burden is always on the outsider to learn to navigate the dominant structure. I sure wish that would change.
1
POPSAnd the tail wags the dog Finally a President and administration that has the wisdom, common sense, and determination to confront the great military industrial complex.
2
POPSKeep Bessie Off the Needle I guess money makes some things hard to change. Bigger faster has too long been the motto in agriculture, though it is certainly being increasingly challenged. Just another area where the dollar drives decision making at the expense of the best interest of the public.
1
Clips
Latest Pops
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Tags
Print
Save
Turn on live update