I normally wouldn't bother writing about a new law firm setting up in London, but this particular firm, Anderson Olivarius I think might be of relevant interest.The Independent has an article on it. Here's a the first two paragraphs

For much of the past 25 years, Jeff Anderson has been the American Catholic Church's bête noire. Working out of a small office in St Paul, Minnesota, the 63-year-old US attorney has spearheaded more than 1,500 lawsuits against the Church, winning millions of dollars for his clients and forcing open the doors of one of the world's most secretive institutions.

From Confessions of a skeptic
http://scepticalthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/02/theres-new-lawyer-in-town.html
2/3/2011 9:54:00 PM
Search rank: 403

Before joining Scienceblogs.com, I blogged independently at "Evolution ... not just a theory anymore." That was a cool name for a blog, but I didn't transfer the name to Scienceblogs because there were already a whole bunch of blogs with "Evolution" in the name. There was a lot of stuff on that blog, mostly not worth saving but a few items of possible interest. Also, I've kept a number of things on that site that don't really fit here at the scienceblogs.com site, such as lots of links to books I like, a few downloadable research papers, and so on.

Over recent months, "Evolution ... not just a theory anymore" has been increasingly vulnerable to nasty attacks from the usual suspects, even though it is just sitting there minding its own business. It turns out that upgrading the very old wordpress installation is tricky, and transferring the database to a new installation is a fool's errand, especially given that half the junk on the old site is junk. More than half. [...]

From Greg Laden's Blog
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GregLadensBlog/~3/4TstqjvBrss/my_new_old_blog.php
8/14/2011 12:35:54 PM
Search rank: 403

I’ve been offered a most excellent gig by those lovelypeople at The Skeptic Magazine.
A while ago I cobbled together an Alt-Med flowchart toenable the budding Alt Med junkie to select an appropriate pointless therapy.

Anew and improved version of this diagram now nestles proudly in the centre ofthe latest issue of the Skeptic magazine, where you can rip it out and stick iton your wall, if your so [...]

From Science, Reason and Critical Thinking
http://crispian-jago.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-am-centrefold.html
1/13/2012 5:58:00 AM
Search rank: 384

It seemed like such a simple transaction.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation in Madison wanted to send a bouquet of roses to Jessica Ahlquist, a 16-year-old atheist in Cranston, R.I., who had just won a court battle with her school district over a Christian prayer banner.

The foundation quickly learned there are some things you can't say with flowers, at least not in Cranston.

Four floral shops declined to deliver flowers to the teen, according to the foundation. The foundation now has filed complaints against two of the stores with the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights, alleging illegal discrimination based on religion.

"I'm totally flummoxed," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, foundation co-president. "I couldn't believe [...]

From RichardDawkins.net - All Aggregated News Content
http://richarddawkins.net/articles/644939-in-the-spirit-some-florists-won-t-deliver-to-atheist
2/14/2012 10:29:53 AM
Search rank: 378

My personal opinions about the proposed health care reform notwithstanding, it makes me really worried, when I see what we all could be paying for if we have a universal health care system in the US.
I open today's (3/18/2010) St. Petersburg Times, and the front page has an article entitled "Here's what non-politicians think" (pdf). Among the "non-politicians" is a Christian Science practitioner Robert Clark, who believe in healing through prayer, which is basically a form of wishful thinking.
What's even worse, this article is continued inside the paper (sorry, they don't seem to have an on-line version), under a big, bold heading "Pros' take on health care bill"!!!
PROS??? Since when Christian Science (why is it called science anyway?) "practitioners" are called "Pros"? Pros [...]

From Pete's Wicked Blog
http://blog.linuxblast.com/feeds/3135723402085406415/comments/default
3/18/2010 11:46:00 PM
Search rank: 377

My personal opinions about the proposed health care reform notwithstanding, it makes me really worried, when I see what we all could be paying for if we have a universal health care system in the US.
I open today's (3/18/2010) St. Petersburg Times, and the front page has an article entitled "Here's what non-politicians think" (pdf). Among the "non-politicians" is a Christian Science practitioner Robert Clark, who believe in healing through prayer, which is basically a form of wishful thinking.
What's even worse, this article is continued inside the paper (sorry, they don't seem to have an on-line version), under a big, bold heading "Pros' take on health care bill"!!!
PROS??? Since when Christian Science (why is it called science anyway?) "practitioners" are called "Pros"? Pros [...]

From Pete's Wicked Blog
http://blog.linuxblast.com/2010/03/health-care-reform.html
3/18/2010 11:46:00 PM
Search rank: 377

Carmen has posted a thought provoking blog asking 'are skeptics racist?', the answer, she makes clear, is 'no'.  However, she does raise very important and under discussed issues regarding outreach.  As an educated person, white of skin and gifted with both an X and a Y chromosome at conception, I'm not often appreciative enough that my society is generally more welcoming to the likes of me than to them that isn't like me.  Of course there are traits that I hold and afflictions I suffer that society neither understands nor appreciates.  Yet I can look around, I can see MPs, professors, doctors, captains of industry and comrades in unions that look like enough like me and have enough of my background to emphasise with the difficulties I face, if I am to be reduced to sobs by the frustrations of life there are people in positions of power to feel my pain and to provide me with [...]

From gimpyblog's posterous
http://gimpyblog.posterous.com/skeptics-in-the-coffee-shop
7/29/2010 11:45:58 PM
Search rank: 375

Freethinkers FSU

 

We meet every Wednesday, but there is NO MEETing this Wednesday due to ... Spring Break!

If you'll be back in town sometime Sunday, or are chillin' in Tally, come out and relax with us  ...

Railroad Square's 2nd Annual Interfaith Day, with tabling, discussions, and more from the businesses of the Art Park and the Tallahassee community.

Official times:  NOON to 5pm

Inivite anyone and their peeps'.

Some groups there will be:

Freethinkers FSU

Tallahassee Atheists

Buddhist Society of Tallahassee

Intervarsity Christian FSU

Pagan Student Union FSU and Red Hills Pagan Council

And More..

Together with the Tallahassee Atheists, there will be [...]

From Skeptics upcoming events
http://www.meetup.com/FreethinkersFSU/events/16848777/
3/9/2011 8:08:10 AM
Search rank: 374

Created page with "An Introduction to Trading On Forex The origins of the Forex market that we all know at the moment came about following the transfer away from fastened foreign money exchanges t..."

New page

An Introduction to Trading On Forex

The origins of the Forex market that we all know at the moment came about following the transfer away from fastened foreign money exchanges to new 'floating' foreign money rates within the early 1970's. Since this time the market place has steadily grown, with interest fueled by advances in expertise resembling telephone dealing and of course computers. These have allowed for ever extra individuals to enter the market.

International Exchange shouldn't be one central market. As a substitute it is comprised of a network of a number of thousand trading institutions comprised of Central Government banks, Worldwide banks, private and business firms and devoted brokers. While there isn't [...]

From SkeptiCamp - Recent changes [en]
http://skepticamp.org/w/index.php?title=BriannaBaeza650&diff=3808&oldid=prev
3/3/2012 10:58:30 PM
Search rank: 369

Created page with "An Introduction to Trading On Forex The origins of the Forex market that we all know at the moment came about following the transfer away from fastened foreign money exchanges t..."

New page

An Introduction to Trading On Forex

The origins of the Forex market that we all know at the moment came about following the transfer away from fastened foreign money exchanges to new 'floating' foreign money rates within the early 1970's. Since this time the market place has steadily grown, with interest fueled by advances in expertise resembling telephone dealing and of course computers. These have allowed for ever extra individuals to enter the market.

International Exchange shouldn't be one central market. As a substitute it is comprised of a network of a number of thousand trading institutions comprised of Central Government banks, Worldwide banks, private and business firms and devoted brokers. While there isn't [...]

From SkeptiCamp - Recent changes [en]
http://skepticamp.org/w/index.php?title=User:BriannaBaeza650&diff=3809&oldid=prev
3/3/2012 10:58:35 PM
Search rank: 369

Australian Skeptics

Leo Igwe is the founder of the Nigerian Humanist Movement, the Nigerian Skeptics Society and former director of the Center for Inquiry/Nigeria.  Leo currently works for the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) as its director in West and Southern Africa.  He also represents IHEU at the African Commission on Human and People's Rights in Banjul, Gambia.

In the past few months, Leo has spent much of his time rescuing alleged witch children in Akwa Ibom state in Southern Nigeria.  He has been arrested, detained and beaten up several times by police and local gangs in the course of his work, campaigning against superstition, injustices and religious fanaticism.

On 20 August, as part of a speaking tour of Australia, Leo will be in Sydney to talk about how science and [...]

From Events - Australian Skeptics
http://www.meetup.com/AustSkeptics/events/23647471/
6/27/2011 7:34:09 PM
Search rank: 369

Ever since civil unions became legal in Illinois, Catholic-run, partially-state-funded adoption agencies have been closing shop because they refuse to put children in the homes of loving, gay couples. Now, the Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley, a secular agency, is stepping in to help out the children that the Catholic charities don’t seem to [...]

From Friendly Atheist by @hemantsblog
http://friendlyatheist.com/2011/07/06/secular-adoption-agency-takes-in-children-the-catholic-church-doesnt-care-about/
7/6/2011 8:00:14 PM
Search rank: 361

If there were a parallel universe, and in that universe medicine, instead of being based on science, was simply a gemisch of various folkways and superstitions, medicine in that universe would be called "naturopathy".

"Remember.
Hey, how come this never works with water?"

I've discussed the absurdity of naturopathy nux vomica ad nauseum, but a loyal reader mentioned hearing that naturopathy might be good for allergies. This will require a bit of science to start off (unless, of course, Spock's rocking the goatee).

Seasonal allergies are caused by a pathophysiologic process called "type I hypersensitivity". For those of us with a genetic susceptibility to seasonal allergies a normally harmless [...]

From White Coat Underground
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/scienceblogs/whitecoatunderground/~3/Izrtz9CKmU0/if_there_were_a_parallel.php
5/20/2010 5:28:15 AM
Search rank: 361

They text or tweet, they poke or wink
They live their lives online
They post or like or blog or link
And, virtually, they’re fine.

With laptops, tablets, phones or more
It’s pure online enmeshment
Now Pepsi gives a chance to pour
A “Random Act of Refreshment”

With Social Vending, you can send
A drink to quench the thirst
Of real-life, human, meatspace friends…

You’ll have to make some, first.



Pepsi (you may remember them from ScienceBlogs) have announced a Social Vending Machine. When I say "a" SVM, I mean there is only one, at present. Right now, it's at [...]

From The Digital Cuttlefish
http://digitalcuttlefish.blogspot.com/2011/04/hacaasastfu.html
4/29/2011 6:52:00 AM
Search rank: 360

Created page with "If you're a college scholar, you understand how expensive things can be. The common price of tuition for school annually at a 4 12 months personal college is round $35,000 these ..."

New page

If you're a college scholar, you understand how expensive things can be. The common price of tuition for school annually at a 4 12 months personal college is round $35,000 these days. Many times college students have to pay for lots of that out of pocket; monetary assist only covers so much and not a lot of dad and mom can foot the whole bill.

College students additionally face other needed bills, one of many greatest of which is their textbooks. Faculty textbooks aren't cheap both - they'll run into the hundreds per book. Luckily the web has created an avenue the place it's fairly easy to search out cheap textbooks for college college students - however you need to know the place to look.

Only a decade in the [...]

From SkeptiCamp - Recent changes [en]
http://skepticamp.com/w/index.php?title=User:MountsSundberg636&diff=3799&oldid=prev
3/9/2012 5:57:50 PM
Search rank: 352

Created page with "If you're a college scholar, you understand how expensive things can be. The common price of tuition for school annually at a 4 12 months personal college is round $35,000 these ..."

New page

If you're a college scholar, you understand how expensive things can be. The common price of tuition for school annually at a 4 12 months personal college is round $35,000 these days. Many times college students have to pay for lots of that out of pocket; monetary assist only covers so much and not a lot of dad and mom can foot the whole bill.

College students additionally face other needed bills, one of many greatest of which is their textbooks. Faculty textbooks aren't cheap both - they'll run into the hundreds per book. Luckily the web has created an avenue the place it's fairly easy to search out cheap textbooks for college college students - however you need to know the place to look.

Only a decade in the [...]

From SkeptiCamp - Recent changes [en]
http://skepticamp.com/w/index.php?title=MountsSundberg636&diff=3798&oldid=prev
3/9/2012 5:57:39 PM
Search rank: 352

What better way to resurrect my blog than with a band like Better Than Ezra. Forming in 1988 with an enigmatic and yet unexplained name, the band suffered an early setback when lead guitarist Joel Rundell killed himself in August of 1990.

The band took a few months off, but reunited before the end of 1990 and continued touring the South. In 1993, they released their first nationally available, after several cassette-only releases sold out of their van or to local record shops. This album ended up in the hands of music executives, who signed the band in 1995. Within a few months, they released another album and had top-charting single, “Good.”

Their success is described by bassist Tom Drummond as taking “seven years to get signed, and then seven months to get to #1.”

From Anything But Theist
http://anythingbuttheist.blogspot.com/2011/02/music-monday-better-than-ezra.html
2/15/2011 12:41:00 PM
Search rank: 350

The coffee shop was already loud. The walls, floor, and ceiling of the Caribou are all made of sound-bouncy materials. The equipment behind the counter is loud to begin with and is not muffled by any structure. The barista has developed the typical barista habit of banging shit on other shit as loud as he can and as often as he can.

Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post...

From Greg Laden's Blog
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GregLadensBlog/~3/X4vj1XVe5LI/the_loudness_of_coffee_shops_1.php
7/4/2010 1:15:03 AM
Search rank: 345

I need to buy a few dozen of these shirts to prop up my self-esteem.

Probably a better question, but one that does my self-esteem no good at all, is to ask what they heck they're for? I know they're not actually for me — is there a place called PZ?

Read the comments on this post...

From Pharyngula
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/scienceblogs/pharyngula/~3/_J0OvAW23JE/hey_who_knows_where_this_gift.php
6/25/2011 6:44:16 AM
Search rank: 344

The story of two Canadian parents who decided to keep the gender of their baby a secret was actually making the rounds a few months ago, but I've decided to blog about it because gender issues have been annoying me recently. The debate is still going even now about whether the parents should have chosen this for their child, and it'll be an interesting social experiment to see how it pans out... And yet I can't help feeling that it's a bit, well... wrong (read about it here).

From Scepteen.
http://scepteen.blogspot.com/2011/08/its-storm-in-teacup.html
8/19/2011 9:12:00 AM
Search rank: 341

Walmart: A Christian institution? Image:Consumerist.com

Wal-Mart is the biggest US supermarket chain, with a controversial anti-union policy and low-wage policy. So you might think that the people least happy with the business might be those at the bottom of the social pile.

In fact it turns out that the opposite [...]

From Secular News Daily
http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2011/01/25/evangelists-love-wal-mart-even-the-ones-who-should-know-better/
1/26/2011 4:05:00 AM
Search rank: 341

Consider this the post wherein I channel my Inner ERV. During the last week, I've come across a couple sensationalist article about E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus being found on common surfaces. Here's one article about shopping carts and E. coli:

Researchers from the University of Arizona swabbed shopping cart handles in four states looking for bacterial contamination. Of the 85 carts examined, 72 percent turned out to have a marker for fecal bacteria.

The researchers took a closer look at the samples from 36 carts and discovered Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E. coli, on 50 percent of them -- along with a host of other types of bacteria.

"That's more than you find in a supermarket's restroom," said Charles Gerba, the lead researcher on the study [...]

From Mike the Mad Biologist
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/scienceblogs/KsPC/~3/Ulk7hbK_n-g/zomg_e_koli_r_everywherz_or_so.php
3/10/2011 2:03:10 AM
Search rank: 340

... Well, it could happen ...

Intelligent Life Detected by SETI: A radio signal which is too narrow to be natural, changes frequency in an interesting way, and changes amplitude in an interesting way was detected by SETI while gazing at Kepler-discovered planets a great distance away. When SETI pointed the same radiotelesope in a different direction, however, the signal was still there, indicating that it came not from a distant galaxy but rather, from earth or an earth-launched satellite. ET is home. Phil Plait has an excellent discussion of what happened.

In a related story, a secret US spy rocketship is supposedly tracking the Chinese spacelab.

The US Air Force's second mysterious mini-space shuttle, the X-37B, could be spying on China's space laboratory [...]

From Greg Laden's Blog
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GregLadensBlog/~3/wt-VmfL3ruk/large-headed_supersoldier_monk.php
1/8/2012 2:41:10 AM
Search rank: 338

From Encyclopedia of American Loons
http://americanloons.blogspot.com/2012/02/302-gary-null.html
2/25/2012 4:54:00 AM
Search rank: 337

Blanked the page

? Older revision Revision as of 06:12, 6 October 2011 Line 1: Line 1: -Most consumers who use food [http://www.nicebag4u.com/ Cheap Chanel Handbags] your own reusable grocery bags from three to six. These buyers are finding their politeness used in the school of art represent the duration of their fellowships. For example, the seller is likely to have occurred a couple of two liter bottles in [...]

From SkeptiCamp - Recent changes [en]
http://skepticamp.com/w/index.php?title=User:Tao&diff=3534&oldid=prev
10/6/2011 6:12:55 AM
Search rank: 335