The big thing, which should appeal to us skeptic-secular types as well as normals, is that @NASAPersevere has persevered, landing safely on Mars and snapping photos. LOOK HOW HAPPY THESE PEOPLE ARE. cnn.com/2021/02/18/wor…
.@SusanGerbic has a new takedown of a fake psychic at @SkeptInquirer. One James Higgins, part of a kind of lineage of phony mediums.
(Yes, I know they’re all *fake* psychics, but if I don’t say “fake” someone will skepti-splain to me that “actually, they’re not really psychics,” and then I’ll lose my will to live.)
That light at the end of the tunnel? Don’t go toward it. Life expectancy in the U.S. dropped by one year, according to the CDC. cnn.com/2021/02/18/hea…
Our COVID response is now like Count Rugen’s machine in The Princess Bride.
Fauci says weather delays mean that the U.S. needs to work “double time” to get the vaccines out to people. I’d say triple time, given that we’re all expected to be dead sooner. cnn.com/2021/02/18/hea…
.@corystieg at NBC News has tips on how to figure out if the N95 masks you bought are fake. Because of course there’s a lot of fakes. cnbc.com/2021/02/18/how…
Health care workers in Africa are being treated, as Falstaff might put it, as food for powder; unprotected from COVID and dying at dizzying rates. @kakape at @ScienceMagazine reports, “not a single country in sub-Saharan Africa has started immunizations.”
Bill Gates (who was obviously in the middle of some Fred Rogers cosplay when interviewed for this article by @kkOttesen) reflects on being the center of conspiracy theories with Dr. Fauci.
Check out this new take on a 2D map of Earth from Princeton University: It’s like a vinyl record. Now I bet there will be arguments about which is the B-side.
"Prophetess" Kat Kerr says if someone comes after her for her support of Trump she will be protected by her phalanx of bodyguards made up of 150-ft angels. friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2021/02/18/chr…
Whatever, let’s see what they can do up against MC 900 Ft. Jesus.
Finally, @MisterABK presents every episode of Popular Science Show™. “I’m at a weird angle!”
The end for today. Have a good Friday, a good weekend, and try your best to make up for that year of life we all just lost.
(Get all the news relevant to the secular, skeptic, and reality-based communities delivered to your inbox every weekday at centerforinquiry.org/newsletter/?ut…)
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On Skeptical Inquirer Presents at 7pm ET we have the four-star general of the climate wars, Michael Mann. Register free right now. centerforinquiry.org/news/winning-t…
(About three hours before that, you can find out if Perseverance made it to Mars.)
Welcome to Odin’s Day, heretics. Shall we go forth with our news roundup for secular-skeptic types? We shall. Today's Morning Heresy episode, "A Fiction Created By Some People." Thread! centerforinquiry.org/blog/a-fiction…
First, a reminder that tomorrow at 7pm ET on Skeptical Inquirer Presents we have the climate warrior himself, Michael E. Mann, who’s going to tell us how to win the new climate war. Get thyself registered!
On February 23 on CFI Insider, we get to meet CFI’s director of libraries Tim Binga! (I mean I’ve met him already, but maybe you haven’t.) He’ll be talking about the wealth of skeptic-secular-humanist materials he curates and cares for. Register for that!
Welcome back to the work week, heretics, unless of course your workplace gives you President’s Day off, in which case you might be sleeping in, in which case good afternoon. Let’s see what’s up in the news. Thread ahoy. centerforinquiry.org/blog/an-unusab…
More drama from our lawsuit on behalf of Secular Celebrants in Texas: an appeals court dismissed the case on some nitpicky, technical grounds about standing and redressability, so we’re just going to come right back.
“We remain determined and enthusiastic to continue the fight in Texas,” said our legal director Nick Little. “Nonreligious couples in Texas deserve the same rights as the religious—a principal so obvious is should hardly need stating, let alone litigated. centerforinquiry.org/press_releases…
With a 2-for-1 $50,000 match for #GivingTuesday, it seems like a good time for a reminder of the many, many, MANY ways CFI is working to advance reason, science, secularism, and humanist values. centerforinquiry.org/giving-tuesday/
We're working to get religion and pseudoscience out of government and policy, fighting discrimination, religious privilege, and science-denial on issues like climate, science education, vaccines, and COVID. centerforinquiry.org/our-issues/#GivingTuesday
It's not just Tuesday, heretics, it's #GivingTuesday, something you'll no doubt be reminded of many times today! Let's kick off today's Morning Heresy news roundup, "Cheeky and Terrible." centerforinquiry.org/blog/cheeky-an… 1/13
You already know that the kind of good we’re doing at CFI is more important than ever, you know, what with the infodemic and rise of theocracy and whatnot. We’ve got a 2-to-1 match going on for #GivingTuesday, so your help will go a really long way. centerforinquiry.org/giving-tuesday… 2/13
.@seculardotorg, which counts CFI among its member organizations, releases a “Secular Agenda for the 117th Congress & Biden Administration.” Our own Jason Lemieux, CFI Director of Government Affairs, is quoted for the announcement. secular.org/2020/11/secula…
3/13