Atheists at West Point band together despite religious culture

The West Point Secular Student Alliance (SSA), including more than 40 prospective members, are seeking official recognition from Academy officials. The Academy claims lack of funding for cadet clubs and is currently reviewing over 100 cadet clubs to find room for more. MAAF spoke at West Point’s November 2011 Diversity Leadership Conference to advocate for change and supports cadet and Midshipman groups in a similar situation at the Air Force, Coast Guard, and Naval Academies. Despite not yet receiving command support, nontheist future officers are coming together.

MORE: http://blog.militaryatheists.org/2012/05/atheists-at-west-point-band-together-despite-religious-culture/

Services, parades top Memorial Day celebrations

An out-of-state atheist group claims the war memorial on Cumberland Hill Road is offensive because of the cross it bears, and the fact that it sits on municipal land.

MORE: http://www2.turnto10.com/news/2012/may/28/wreath-laying-parades-top-memorial-celebrations-ar-1051829/

Pastor's comments about gays draw protesters

(CNN)–Hundreds of protesters gathered this weekend in Maiden, North Carolina, to voice their displeasure with a pastor's statement that gays and lesbians should be rounded up behind electric fences.

MORE: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/28/pastors-comments-about-gays-draw-protesters/?hpt=us_t2

Teacher Terminated: University Prof Who Complained About Crosses Is Out Of A Job

Bradford risked her job to stand up for religious liberty, and instead of getting a gold medal, she ended up with a pink slip. That's just plain wrong.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/teacher-terminated-university-prof-who-complained-about-crosses-is-out-of-a

Religious freedom celebrated by Atheists

The Albany Georgia Atheists, a new group that started in January, met Sunday afternoon at the Parks at Chehaw for a Memorial Day barbeque.

MORE: http://www.mysouthwestga.com/news/story.aspx?list=~%5Cnews%5Clists%5Clocal%20and%20state&id=758942

It Took Earth Ten Million Years to Recover from Greatest Mass Extinction

The end-Permian crisis, by far the most dramatic biological crisis to affect life on Earth, was triggered by a number of physical environmental shocks -- global warming, acid rain, ocean acidification and ocean anoxia. These were enough to kill off 90 per cent of living things on land and in the sea.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153810.htm

See also...

Mars 'has life's building blocks'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18196353

Vatican scandal could further grow

(CBS News) LONDON - A scandal that has rocked Vatican City threatened to expand Monday. So far, the only person under arrest is Pope Benedict XVI's butler. But few believe that he is the sole source of the leaks that have exposed corruption and double-dealing inside the leadership of the Catholic Church.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57442557/vatican-scandal-could-further-grow/?tag=stack

Security concerns prompt Lady Gaga to cancel Indonesia concert

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- Lady Gaga has canceled her concert in Indonesia, her management said Sunday, citing security concerns after Islamic hardliners denounced her costumes and dance moves as too risqué.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/27/showbiz/indonesia-gaga-concert/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

Girl brides abducted as fabled HIV cure

Complicating the matter is a chilling, modern belief, as Nombasa explains: "There is a myth that if you sleep with a young girl who is a virgin and as a man you are HIV positive then HIV can be cured. That is why they are focusing on these young girls."

MORE: http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/27/girl-brides-abducted-as-fabled-hiv-cure/?hpt=iaf_c2

Mali rebel groups join forces, vowing an Islamic state

(CNN) -- Two key rebel movements in Mali have agreed to join forces, saying together they will rule an independent Islamic state.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/27/world/africa/mali-rebel-groups/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

Violence flares after Egypt election results

The second round pitting Shafiq, who was ousted President Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, against Morsi, backed by the country's most powerful Islamist movement, is a nightmare scenario for the thousands of Egyptians who took to the streets last year to demand regime change, freedom and social equality.

Many of the so-called revolutionaries say they want neither a return to the old regime nor religious rule.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57442566/violence-flares-after-egypt-election-results/?tag=stack

Pilgrims wounded in Iraq bombing

Since the U.S-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, thousands of Shiite pilgrims -- many of them Iranians -- have been killed or wounded by suicide bombers, car bombs, roadside bombs, shootings and indirect fire.
 
Al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for many of the previous attacks.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/27/world/meast/iraq-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

"Faith: Pretending to know things you don't know" by Dr. Peter Boghossian

Atheists "Marching" to New Orleans for 71st Annual American Humanist Association Conference

"The Atheists Go Marching In" is the message on a New Orleans streetcar advertisement to inform the city that humanists, atheists, freethinkers and skeptics are coming to New Orleans June 7-10 for the 71st Annual American Humanist Association (AHA) Conference. The New Orleans Secular Humanist Association, the local chapter of the AHA, will also be running a billboard ad near the Superdome welcoming conference attendees to town.

MORE: http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/2012052515541036

See also...

From the Field: A Profile of the New Orleans Secular Humanist Association
http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-05-from-the-field-a-profile-of-the-new-orleans-secular

Unelectable Atheists: U.S. States That Prohibit Godless Americans From Holding Public Office

With election season upon us, and a near constant stream of public jabs and rebuttals between incumbents and their challengers, we should focus on something besides the Americans that are running for office. Instead, let's turn our attention to a rather peculiar set of state laws relating to elections and nonreligious Americans.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-05-unelectable-atheists-us-states-that-prohibit-godless

The Dangerous Fallacy of Ceremonial Deism

The presumption underlying many religious actions that are defended by the ceremonial deism argument -- that the actions are harmless -- is demonstrably incorrect. Exhibit one in this regard is a Cranston, Rhode Island, high school student named Jessica Ahlquist, who became the target of threats and bullying when she objected to a prayer banner in her high school last year. Even though her objections had nothing to do with the Pledge of Allegiance, students in her school soon used the "under God" wording of the Pledge as a weapon against her.

MORE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201205/the-dangerous-fallacy-ceremonial-deism

9 Great Freethinkers and Religious Dissenters in History

Here are some non-believers who left a profound mark.

MORE: http://www.alternet.org/story/155590/9_great_freethinkers_and_religious_dissenters_in_history?page=entire

How the Web is killing faith

Church used to be a one-way street. The pastor fed you information and that was that.  The Internet upended that model and gave people the opportunity to talk back.  Now, they can weigh their own arguments on matters of faith with that of people who disagree. Many Christians won't go actively searching for dissenting views, of course, but what about doubters? What about young Christians who aren't sure they accept what the church teaches them? They'll be able to come to their own conclusions and they won't necessarily be the same ones their parents and pastors want them to adopt.

MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/how-the-web-is-killing-faith/2012/05/24/gJQAMHgLnU_blog.html

Military Proselytizing by the Gideons -- and how we stopped it

Gideons International is an evangelical Christian organization whose mission is to distribute Bibles in order to "lead people to faith in Christ" (Gideons International). Since 1941, the Gideons have been providing copies of their Bible to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. While atheists and humanists remained marginalized, the Gideon presence grew into an unofficial but influential arm of the U.S. military. For decades, the Gideons have unabashedly proselytized at Military Entrance and Processing Stations (MEPS) where young men and women are first introduced to the military. After a long history of service in silence, atheists and humanists have begun to challenge the practice. As a physician examining new recruits in order to determine their fitness for service, I have had years of firsthand experience in many levels of the MEPS organization. This article draws on that experience and describes how the U.S. military has been forced to take the first steps towards neutrality respecting both secular and religious belief systems.

MORE: http://richarddawkins.net/articles/646040-military-proselytizing-by-the-gideons-and-how-we-stopped-it

Movie Theater Discriminates Against Atheists

While America has moved away from race-based discrimination, to continue on the path toward equality and justice we must also oppose discrimination against nontheists.

MORE: http://www.patheos.com/Atheist/Movie-Theater-Discriminates-Roy-Speckhardt-05-23-2012.html

Atheists file suit against Bradford County

Group says 10 Commandments monument is unconstitutional.

MORE: http://www.news4jax.com/news/Atheists-file-suit-against-Bradford-County/-/475880/14206376/-/12aixeb/-/index.html

Rush To Judgment: Missouri's Deceptive 'Right To Pray' Amendment Heads For August Ballot

If students have religious objections to learning about evolution, can they refuse to do homework for biology class?

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/rush-to-judgment-missouri-s-deceptive-right-to-pray-amendment-heads-for

Kansas governor signs 'Shariah bill' to ban Islamic law

KANSAS CITY, Kansas -- Republican Kansas Governor Sam Brownback signed a bill aimed at keeping state courts and agencies from using Islamic or other non-U.S. laws when making decisions, his office said on Friday, drawing criticism from a national Muslim group.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47574780/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Openly atheist Georgia house candidate calls for marijuana legalization

Mike Smith calls himself "The rational representation for the 99%," and he's running for District 69 of the Georgia House of Representatives. Smith is quite unique in American politics in that he openly occupies two verboten cultural stances: he is openly atheist and he is in favor of marijuana legalization.

MORE: http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/183687/openly-atheist-georgia-house-candidate-calls-for-marijuana-legalization/

Arizona Atheist Group Questions Tax Exempt Status of CAP

An atheist group in Arizona is questioning the tax exempt status of the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP). The Secular Coalition for Arizona filed the complaint with the IRS this week blatantly calling for an investigation into the Center's public charity endeavors.

MORE: http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981354482

Spotlight shines on KKK rally, neighbors say rally changed location

When asked about the reasoning behind the cross lighting, Barker says its a ritual that started with the six founding members of the KKK, who would go to the highest point and light a cross so members would know where to meet.
 
He says it's also a symbol that Christ is the light of the world.

MORE: http://www.wbtv.com/story/18633174/spotlight-on-kkk-rally-causes-confusion-over-location

Science, Religion and Society: The Problem of Evolution in America

American resistance to accepting evolution is uniquely high among First World countries. This is due largely to the extreme religiosity of the United States, which is much higher than that of comparably advanced nations, and to the resistance of many religious people to the facts and supposed implications of evolution. The prevalence of religious belief in the United States suggests that outreach by scientists alone will not have a huge effect in increasing the acceptance of evolution, nor will the strategy of trying to convince the faithful that evolution is compatible with their religion. Because creationism is a symptom of religion, another strategy to promote evolution involves loosening the grip of faith on America. This is easier said than done, for recent sociological surveys show that religion is highly correlated with the dysfunctionality of a society, and various measures of societal health show that the United States is one of the most socially dysfunctional First World countries. Widespread acceptance of evolution in America, then, may have to await profound social change.
MORE: http://richarddawkins.net/articles/646026-science-religion-and-society-the-problem-of-evolution-in-america

Scientist: Evolution debate will soon be history

Discoveries will accelerate to the point that 'even the skeptics can accept it.'

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47577163/ns/technology_and_science-science/

As conservatives rally on marriage issue, fate rests with high court

Conservative religious leaders rallying outside the Capitol Thursday promised to make the preservation of marriage as a union between one man and one woman an issue in 2012 campaign.

MORE: http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/25/11878818-as-conservatives-rally-on-marriage-issue-fate-rests-with-high-court?lite

Priest Removed From Ministry Due To Sex Abuse Allegations Now Works At PHL

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The CBS 3 I-Team has learned that a Catholic priest who was removed from the ministry over sex abuse allegations now holds a sensitive security post at Philadelphia International Airport.

MORE: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/05/24/i-team-priest-removed-from-ministry-due-to-sex-abuse-allegations-works-at-phl/?hpt=us_bn7

Why you should smile at strangers

CHICAGO -- Next time you're out walking about, you may want to give passers-by a smile, or at least a nod. Recent research reveals that these tiny gestures can make people feel more connected.

MORE: http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/25/11885101-why-you-should-smile-at-strangers?lite

Alien hunter steps down from extraterrestrial search

Remember the character Jodie Foster played in the movie "Contact," based on the book by Carl Sagan? She wasn't entirely invented; her character's basis was astronomer Jill Tarter.

MORE: http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/25/alien-hunter-steps-down-from-extraterrestrial-search/?hpt=hp_t2

Rare neurons found in monkeys' brains

Cells linked to empathy and consciousness in primates may offer clues to human self-awareness.

MORE: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/340572/title/Rare_neurons_found_in_monkeys%E2%80%99_brains

Earliest music instruments found

Scientists used carbon dating to show that the flutes were between 42,000 and 43,000 years old.

MORE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18196349

See also...

Oldest Art Even Older
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092226.htm

Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks

The tumult began with the publication last weekend of a book of leaked Vatican documents detailing power struggles, political intrigue and corruption in the highest levels of Catholic Church governance. It peaked with the inglorious ouster on Thursday of the president of the Vatican bank. And it concluded with confirmation Saturday that Pope Benedict XVI's own butler was the alleged mole feeding documents to Italian journalists in an apparent bid to discredit the pontiff's No. 2.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/vatican-chaos-butler-arrested-leaks-16437993

See also...

Priest apologizes for dropping f-bomb on Facebook
http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/25/11881206-priest-apologizes-for-dropping-f-bomb-on-facebook?lite

Religion, Witch Hunts, Homophobia and Human Rights in Africa

Religious laws are legalized religious doctrines. They are "revelations" turned into rules to govern society. Religious laws are sacred dogma institutionalized. They are sins criminalized. They are religious hatred, intolerance, discrimination and fanaticism turned into state policies.

MORE: http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/5823

'Religious Freedom' for Atheists

As the Indonesian activist Karl Karnadi points out, the persecution of Alexander Aan comes in the context of broader trends of "increasing religious intolerance in Indonesia which has victimized minority Ahmadiyya Muslims, Shia, Christians, Buddhists." Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs has recently called Shia Islam a "heresy" and publicly backed provincial bans on the Ahmadiyya, who consider themselves Muslims but differ from mainstream Islam on the finality of the Prophet.

MORE: http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/atheologies/6012/%E2%80%98religious_freedom%E2%80%99_for_atheists/

Five girls poisoned at Afghan school return to the hospital

"The Afghan people know that the terrorists and the Taliban are doing these things to threaten girls and stop them going to school," said Khalilullah Aseer, a spokesman for Takhar police. "That's something we and the people believe. Now we are implementing democracy in Afghanistan, and we want girls to be educated, but the government's enemies don't want this."

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/24/world/asia/afghanistan-girls-poisoned/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

Muslim Brotherhood candidate takes lead as Egypt counts presidential votes

(CNN) -- Egypt's landmark presidential election looks set to go to a run-off vote in which Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi could face former regime figure Ahmed Shafik, according to partial results reported Friday.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/25/world/meast/egypt-elections/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

The Center of all Things

Brian Greene: Welcome to the Multiverse

In Einstein's day, the possibility that our universe could have turned out differently was a mind-bender that physicists might have bandied about long after the day's more serious research was done. But recently, the question has shifted from the outskirts of physics to the mainstream. And rather than merely imagining that our universe might have had different properties, proponents of three independent developments now suggest that there are other universes, separate from ours, most made from different kinds of particles and governed by different forces, populating an astoundingly vast cosmos.

MORE: http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/05/20/brian-greene-welcome-to-the-multiverse.html

See also...

Best Time to Study the Cosmos Was More Than 13 Billion Years Ago
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522180624.htm

Star Trek's "Scotty" finally launched into space
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57439689/star-treks-scotty-finally-launched-into-space/?tag=stack

'A Fundamental Principle': HHS Secretary Sebelius Affirms Church-State Separation

It's always good to hear a prominent official in government acknowledge the separation of church and state as a 'fundamental principle of our democracy."

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/a-fundamental-principle-hhs-secretary-sebelius-affirms-church-state

Philadelphia priest: Not archdiocese's policy to tell police about abuse reports

Philadelphia (CNN) -- A priest who assisted Monsignor William Lynn investigate clergy sex abuse claims testified Tuesday that it was not the archdiocese's policy to contact law enforcement or other victims of abuse.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/22/us/pennsylvania-priests-abuse/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1

Archdiocese of Washington, Catholic University, Others Sue Obama Administration

On Monday, it was announced that the Obama administration is being sued by the Archdioceses of New York and Washington, D.C., Catholic University, the University of Notre Dame and other Catholic dioceses and groups that are "filing 12 different lawsuits filed in federal courts around the country," according to CNSNews.com.

MORE: http://www.georgetowner.com/articles/2012/may/21/archdiocese-washington-others-sue-obama-administration/

See also...

Dolan: White House is "strangling" Catholic church
http://www.preservereligiousfreedom.org/2012/05/dolan-white-house-is-strangling-catholic-church/

A Message to Girls About Religious Men Who Fear You

You are powerful beyond words, because you threaten to unravel the control of corrupt men who abuse their authority.

MORE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-chemaly/message-to-girls-about-re_b_1518849.html

Vatican protesters gather in NYC

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A group of Catholic activists gathered in front of a Manhattan cathedral Tuesday for the latest protest over a Vatican reprimand of America's largest organization of Catholic nuns.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/22/us/new-york-vatican-protest/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Video of North Carolina pastor's plan to 'get rid of' gays goes viral

(CNN) – Video of a North Carolina pastor preaching that gays and lesbians should be rounded up inside an electric fence is going viral on the Internet, two weeks after North Carolina passed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and President Barack Obama voiced personal support for legalizing such marriages.

MORE: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/22/video-of-north-carolina-pastors-plan-to-get-rid-of-gays-goes-viral/?hpt=hp_c2

Protesters Gather Outside Acushnet Church Over Anti-Gay-Marriage Sign

ACUSHNET (CBS) -- As hundreds of people gathered inside an Acushnet church for Mass on Sunday, a dozen people stood outside quietly protesting a sign they called hateful.

MORE: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/05/20/protesters-gather-outside-acushnet-church-over-anti-gay-marriage-sign/?hpt=us_bn4

Gay Marvel Superhero Plans to Tie the Knot

Marvel Comic's made a splash  in 1992 when one of its beloved charters declared "I am gay."
 
Twenty years later -- in "Astonishing X-Men," issue 50 set to hit stores on Wednesday --  Northstar will propose to  longtime boyfriend Kyle. The two are set to marry in June.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/05/gay-marvel-superhero-plans-to-tie-the-knot/

See also...

Strong Support for Gay Marriage Now Exceeds Strong Opposition
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/strong-support-for-gay-marriage-now-exceeds-strong-opposition/

'Fiendishly Clever': States Use Backdoor Vouchers To Fund Private Religious Schools

Neo-voucher programs, now operating in eight states, do little beyond funnel public money away from the neediest public school students toward religious schools and the students currently enrolled there.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/fiendishly-clever-states-use-backdoor-vouchers-to-fund-private-religious

Florida atheists protest religious monument in Bradford Couthouse

As part of Starke, Florida's observance of the National Day of Prayer, the community dedicated a Ten Commandments monument at the Bradford County Courthouse on May 3.

MORE: http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/nation/florida-atheists-protest-religious-monument-in-bradford-couthouse

AU National Staff Tours Florida

The goal of Amendment 8 is to allow taxpayer money to flow to religious schools and houses of worship. Passage of the Amendment would strip the religious freedom protections currently enshrined in the Florida Constitution, which would allow for the direct funding of religious organizations that provide faith-based social services, and open the door to taxpayer funded vouchers for religious schools. Amendment 8 would harm Florida's religious communities, Florida’s children, civil rights, and church-state separation.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/in-the-field/au-national-staff-tours-florida

Ultra-Orthodox Jews Rally to Discuss Risks of Internet

It was an incongruous sight for a baseball stadium: tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, all dressed in black suits and white shirts, filing through the gates of Citi Field on Sunday, wearing not blue-and-orange Mets caps but tall, big-brim black hats.

There was no ballgame scheduled, only a religious rally to discuss the dangers of the Internet.

MORE: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/nyregion/ultra-orthodox-jews-hold-rally-on-internet-at-citi-field.html?_r=2

Virtual Terrorism: Al Qaeda Video Calls for 'Electronic Jihad'

The al Qaeda video calls upon the "covert mujahidin" to launch cyber attacks against the U.S. networks of both government and critical infrastructure, including the electric grid. The video was obtained by the FBI last year, and released today by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cyber-terrorism-al-qaeda-video-calls-electronic-jihad/story?id=16407875

Taliban tightens grip on Afghan schools

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- In parts of rural Afghanistan a fierce battle is going on between the Taliban and the country's government. And the victims in this battle, it seems, are school children.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/22/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-schools/index.html?hpt=hp_bn2

Yemen: Al Qaeda affiliate behind blast that killed 101 soldiers

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- The Yemeni government blamed an affiliate of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula on Tuesday for a massive suicide bombing that killed more than 100 soldiers a day earlier.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/22/world/meast/yemen-violence/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

Lady Gaga's Manila concerts face protests

(CNN) -- Christian groups in the Philippines planned to protest Lady Gaga's performances there Monday and Tuesday, just after Muslim protests have cast doubt whether she will be allowed to perform in Indonesia.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/21/showbiz/gaga-manila/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

Reason Rally 2012 - Shelley Segal sings "Saved"

Humanist Volunteer Service Project

The American Humanist Association, in partnership with the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard's Values in Action, is proud to partner with the Make It Right Foundation, which builds affordable, environmentally-friendly homes in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina, to host a service project to close the 71st Annual Conference. The Make It Right Foundation was founded by actor and atheist/agnostic Brad Pitt.

MORE: http://conference.americanhumanist.org/session/humanist-volunteer-service-project/

AHA Signs Letter to Congress: NO on the Adams Amendment to VAWA

The American Humanist Association joins organizations in Washington DC to lobby House members against voting on Rep. Adams amendment to the Violence Against Women Act, which would allow religious discrimination in hiring practices for groups receiving federal funds.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-05-aha-signs-letter-to-congress-no-on-the-adams-amendme

See also...

Take Action: Oppose Religious Discrimination in VAWA Amendment
http://action.americanhumanist.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=10508

Post-2012 Global Atheist Convention: a celebration of reason

Most attendees came away from the three days and three nights of being voluntarily entombed in the magnificent Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 13 to 15 April with feelings varying from elation to euphoria. Some no doubt had slight disenchantments about various aspects of the proceedings, as it is impossible to please everyone, but none of these was enough to quell an overall sense of being involved in a part of making history.

MORE: http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=13634

'Imagine No Religion' Canadian Atheist Convention Sells Out

A Canadian atheist conference with speakers from across the world was sold out of tickets some time before registration closed.

MORE: http://www.christianpost.com/news/imagine-no-religion-canadian-atheist-convention-sells-out-75124/

Our Father's Not in Heaven: The New Black Atheism

Blacks are now the most religious ethnic group in America, with 86 percent saying they're "very" to "moderately" religious compared to just 65 percent of whites. Even blacks who purport to have no involvement with any church, mosque, or synagogue whatsoever are generally unwilling to reject the concept of God entirely, making African-Americans also the least likely to call themselves atheist or agnostic. For us people of color with no devotion to religion whatsoever, a tiny minority within a minority, the internal culture clash can sometimes prove awkward. It's this culture clash that I find so irritating and ugly.

MORE: http://gawker.com/5911224/our-fathers-not-in-heaven-the-new-black-atheism

The New Atheism and Evolutionary Religious Studies: Clarifying Their Relationship

What is the relationship between the New Atheism and ERS?

MORE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sloan-wilson/evolutionary-religious-studies_b_1524227.html

Research Report: How Secular Humanists (and Everyone Else) Subsidize Religion in the United States

The one direct subsidy to religions in the United States every year is the money given to religions through the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In 2009, that amount was $2.2 billion, though additional money can be given to religions at the state level.

MORE: http://c3414097.r97.cf0.rackcdn.com/120516SecularHumanism.pdf

See also...

Should Religious Organizations Benefit from Tax Breaks?
http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-05-should-religious-organizations-benefit-from-tax-brea

Obama's Evolving Morality Challenges Religious Absolutists

From a progressive, humanistic standpoint, it is important to recognize the public’s need for some degree of moral certainty and absolutism, of its general aversion to wishy-washy notions of relativism. But it is also important to circulate the idea that standards of morality can and often do change – and that this can be a good thing. After all, biblical morality would prohibit eating shellfish, touching a menstruating woman, or wearing clothes made from the mixed fabrics. Thank goodness we’ve evolved!

MORE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201205/obamas-evolving-morality-challenges-religious-absolutists

The Religious Right Plays the Victim

Hopefully a time will come where people can believe what they want to believe without telling others what they should believe or how they must behave.

MORE: http://www.patheos.com//Atheist/Religious-Right-Plays-the-Victim-Roy-Speckhardt-05-09-2012.html

Law experts challenge Virginia lawmaker Bob Marshall on 'sodomy is not a civil right' comment

Virginia GOP delegate Bob Marshall spearheaded the effort to block Tracy Thorne-Begland, an openly gay prosecutor in Richmond, from becoming a judge, saying the attorney’s past activism and outspokenness on gay rights could bias his decisions on the bench.

MORE: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/17/11747197-law-experts-challenge-virginia-lawmaker-bob-marshall-on-sodomy-is-not-a-civil-right-comment?lite

Tax Trouble: What's Wrong With The N.H. Voucher Bill

More and more lawmakers are being drawn into a reckless school privatization scheme.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/tax-trouble-what-s-wrong-with-the-nh-voucher-bill

Shariah Charade: Kansas Lawmakers Needlessly Ban Islamic Law

While death by stoning is a form of punishment in a few countries, does anyone seriously believe that would ever happen in the United States?

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/shariah-charade-kansas-lawmakers-needlessly-ban-islamic-law

Just Say Yes…To Sexist Stereotyping?

From the Ms. Editors: Despite doubts about the efficacy of abstinence-only sex education,  U.S. tax dollars are still funding it. Conservatives earmarked $250 million for such programs under the Affordable Care Act, and last month, the Obama administration controversially green-lit the Heritage Keepers abstinence-only curriculum to receive funds reserved for evidence-based sex education. The excerpt below, from Katherine Stewart's recent book, The Good News Club: The Christian Right's Stealth Assault on America's Children, takes a detailed look at the problems posed by abstinence-only education.

MORE: http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2012/05/10/just-say-yes-to-sexist-stereotyping/

See also...

Young feminists make mark in "war on women"
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-215_162-57435637/young-feminists-make-mark-in-war-on-women/?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.13

Oregon bans Native American mascots in schools

Since the 1970s, more than 600 high school and college teams across the country have done away with their Native American nicknames, including 20 in Oregon.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57436794/oregon-bans-native-american-mascots-in-schools/?tag=cbsnewsTwoColLowerPromoArea;fd.morenews

Atheists Howl As Loudoun Proposes New Holiday Display Plan

What would not be included in the plan's current form is any display from atheists. Ric Wingrove, the Virginia Director for American Atheists, says a moratorium has been placed on banners from his group.

MORE: http://wmal.com/Article.asp?id=2457593

Giant Galaxy-Packed Filament Revealed

ScienceDaily -- A McGill-led research team using the Herschel Space Observatory has discovered a giant, galaxy-packed filament ablaze with billions of new stars. The filament connects two clusters of galaxies that, along with a third cluster, will smash together and give rise to one of the largest galaxy superclusters in the universe.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143639.htm

The Story of Alexander Aan: An Indonesian Atheist Fears for His Life

America may have its own issues with non-believers and secularism, but atheistic Americans should be thankful that they likely won't ever have to experience the abuse that Alexander Aan has been subjected to in the past few months.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-05-the-story-of-alexander-aan-an-indonesian-atheist-fea

Suicide attack on provincial governor's compound in Afghanistan kills 7

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Suicide attackers with explosives stormed a governor's compound in southwestern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing themselves and seven people, officials said.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/17/world/asia/afghanistan-violence/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

THE FEYNMAN SERIES (part 4) - The Key To Science (featuring Joan Feynman)

The Myth of America's Christian Heritage

So the notion that America was founded as a Christian nation is widespread. In the currency of ideas, it’s the ubiquitous penny. But like an actual penny, it doesn't have a lot of value. That so many people think it does is largely because they don't stop to consider what "founded as a Christian nation" might signify. Presumably the intended meaning is something like this: Christian principles are the bedrock of both our political system and founding documents because our founders were themselves Christians. Although wordier, this reformulation is just as perplexing because it's not clear what's meant by the term founders. Just who are we talking about here?

MORE: http://secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=fi&page=walters_32_4

More African-Americans leaving religious faiths

The American Religious Identification Survey of 2008 found that from 1990 to 2008 the number of blacks without any religious affiliation nearly doubled from 6 to 11 percent. Among Americans, that number also jumped to 15 percent from 8 percent in 1990.
 
MORE: http://www.intersectionssouthla.org/index.php/story/more_african-americans_leaving_religious_faiths/

Legion of Christ Rocked By More Sex Charges

A prominent American priest in the Legionaries of Christ, a troubled Catholic order whose founder was denounced by the Vatican for sexual improprieties, has admitted having a sexual relationship with a woman and fathering her child.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/tv-priest-admits-sex-charges/story?id=16353960

A Step Forward In Kansas: County Commission Drops Sectarian Invocations

Government must represent people of many different faiths (as well as those who don't believe in deities) and should refrain from sponsoring any type of religious activity.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/a-step-forward-in-kansas-county-commission-drops-sectarian-invocations

Backdoor Endorsement: Liberty U. Chancellor Falwell Gives Romney A Boost

Inviting one candidate for office to give a political speech while snubbing others puts a tax-exempt organization on thin ice as far as the Internal Revenue Service is concerned, even if no other sort of verbal endorsement is made. But the intro by Falwell, the school's top official, was nothing short of a backdoor endorsement of Romney.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/backdoor-endorsement-liberty-u-chancellor-falwell-gives-romney-a-boost

Ghost Box

The subculture of pseudoscientific ghost hunting continues to evolve. Have you heard of a "ghost box?" It seems all you have to do is put the word "ghost" in front of something and it becomes technical jargon for ghost hunters, and also a great example of begging the question. A cold spot in a house is therefore "ghost cold." An electromagnetic field (EMF) detector becomes a "ghost detector." And now a radio scanner has been rebranded as a "ghost box." Of course no one has ever established that any of these phenomena have anything to do with ghosts, so they are putting the cart several miles ahead of the horse.

MORE: http://www.skepticblog.org/2012/05/14/ghost-box/

First Gene Therapy Successful Against Aging-Associated Decline: Mouse Lifespan Extended Up to 24% With a Single Treatment

ScienceDaily -- A new study consisting of inducing cells to express telomerase, the enzyme which -- metaphorically -- slows down the biological clock -- was successful. The research provides a "proof-of-principle" that this "feasible and safe" approach can effectively "improve health span."

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514204050.htm

Mixed Bacterial Communities Evolve to Share Resources, Not Compete

ScienceDaily -- New research shows how bacteria evolve to increase ecosystem functioning by recycling each other's waste. The study provides some of the first evidence for how interactions between species shape evolution when there is a diverse community.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515203011.htm

How much water is there on, in, and above the Earth?

As you know, the Earth is a watery place. But just how much water exists on, in, and above our planet?

MORE: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html#.T7IcT-3N7wy

See also...

This Tiny Sphere is All the World's Water
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/05/14/this-tiny-sphere-is-all-the-worlds-water/

Why Women Chose Bad Boys: Ovulating Women Perceive Sexy Cads as Good Dads

ScienceDaily -- Nice guys do finish last at least when it comes to procreation according to a study from The University of Texas at San Antonio that answers the question of why women choose bad boys.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514134301.htm

See also...

People See Sexy Pictures of Women as Objects, Not People; Sexy-Looking Men as People
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515131719.htm

Looks Matter More Than Reputation When It Comes to Trusting People With Our Money
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515094134.htm

This Is Your Brain On Sugar: Study in Rats Shows High-Fructose Diet Sabotages Learning, Memory

ScienceDaily -- Attention, college students cramming between midterms and finals: Binging on soda and sweets for as little as six weeks may make you stupid.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515150938.htm

Mural Found On Walls a First for a Maya Dwelling; Painted Numbers Reflect Calendar Reaching Well Beyond 2012

ScienceDaily -- A vast city built by the ancient Maya and discovered nearly a century ago is finally starting to yield its secrets.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510141953.htm

See also...

Ancient Ballgame Reveals More About Early Mesoamerican Society
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152131.htm

Too Much or Too Little Noise Turns Off Consumers, Creativity

According to published research from Ravi Mehta, a professor of business administration, ambient background noise turns out to be an important factor affecting creative cognition among consumers.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514134332.htm

Why Eastern Germany is the most godless place on Earth

Bad news for all those who'd hoped Christianity might make a comeback now that the Cold War-era German Democratic Republic (DDR) is becoming an ever more distant memory. Atheism, according to a new study, is very much alive and well in the eastern part of Germany.

The statistics are most striking among those under 28 years old: more than 71% of eastern Germans in this age group say they have never believed in the existence of God. That's nearly as many as in the 38-47 group, of which 72.6% are non-believers.

MORE: http://www.worldcrunch.com/why-eastern-germany-most-godless-place-planet/5177

See also...

Are East Germans the world's most godless people?
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/05/14/are_east_germans_the_worlds_most_godless_people

Norway abolishes state-sponsored Church of Norway

In an unprecedented move, the Norwegian Parliament has voted to abolish the state-sponsored Church of Norway with a constitutional amendment.

MORE: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/324906#ixzz1uwxvSmt0

Muslim protests may force cancellation of Lady Gaga concert in Indonesia

There has been an outcry against Lady Gaga performing among Islamists and conservative Muslims, who say her revealing costumes and sensual dance moves are "haram," an Arabic term that means "forbidden by Islamic law."

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/15/showbiz/indonesia-gaga-concert/index.html?hpt=ias_c1

7 Iraqi army soldiers killed in suicide bombing

Baghdad (CNN) -- A suicide car bomber struck an Iraqi army base in western Mosul on Tuesday, killing seven Iraqi soldiers and wounding 20 people, an official said.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/15/world/meast/iraq-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

Afghanistan blast kills nine, Interior Ministry say

(CNN) -- A bomb exploded inside a shop in the northern Afghanistan province of Faryab on Monday, killing nine people, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry.
MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/14/world/asia/afghanistan-violence/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

See also...

Poisoned water sickens Afghan boys at school
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/15/world/asia/afghanistan-boys-poisoned/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

"We Believe" Todd Stiefel speaking at the Reason Rally

Atheists' political activity is growing

The Secular Coalition for America, an umbrella organization that represents 11 nontheistic groups including American Atheists and the American Humanist Association, is looking to take its secular-based activism out of the nation's capital and into the states.

MORE: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Atheists-political-activity-is-growing-3552679.php

See also...

Atheism and The U.S. Go Hand-in-Hand
http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981329295

Atheism's new clout
http://www.salon.com/2012/05/11/atheisms_new_clout/singleton/

Atheism in America
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/05/10/daily-circuit-atheism/

The Blaze Invites You to Ask Prominent Atheist Your Most Burning Questions
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/the-blaze-invites-you-to-ask-prominent-atheist-your-most-burning-questions/

2012 National Day of Reason Wrap-Up

Thanks to everyone who supported the National Day of Reason this year!

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-05-2012-national-day-of-reason-wrap-up

AHA Leaders Meet with U.S. State Dept.'s Office of Religious Freedom

AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt and AHA Development and Communications Director Maggie Ardiente met with officials at the U.S. Department of State's Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF) in Washington DC. The IRF is part of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
 
This is the first time nontheist leaders participated in a meeting with the Department of State.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-05-aha-leaders-meet-with-us-state-depts-office-of-relig

See also...

Humanist Lobbying on Capitol Hill
http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-05-message-from-the-editor-humanist-lobbying-on-capitol

Humanists Praise Employment Protections for Transgender Americans in EEOC Ruling
http://www.americanhumanist.org/news/details/2012-04-humanists-praise-employment-protections-for-transgen

The Clergy Project

The Clergy Project originated from a growing awareness of the presence of unbelieving religious leaders and a concern about their dilemma after they moved beyond faith.

MORE: http://richarddawkins.net/articles/645903-for-immediate-release

Wedding Announcement: Obama Shift On Marriage Equality Reignites 'Culture Wars'

The 'culture wars' are back -- at least for the time being.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/wedding-announcement-obama-shift-on-marriage-equality-reignites-culture

See also...

Same-sex marriage debate heats up
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7408448n&tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.14

Marriage issue adds to Supreme Court election stakes
http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/10/11641906-marriage-issue-adds-to-supreme-court-election-stakes?lite

By the numbers: Same-sex marriage
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/11/politics/btn-same-sex-marriage/index.html?hpt=hp_bn5

Poll: Majority approves of Obama's marriage decision
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/11/poll-majority-approves-of-obamas-marriage-decision/?hpt=hp_bn5

Thank President Obama for Supporting Marriage Equality
http://www.americanhumanist.org/news/details/2012-05-thank-president-obama-for-supporting-marriage-equali

Same-sex marriage around the world
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/10/same-sex-marriage-around-the-world/?hpt=hp_bn2

JC Penney Features Same-Sex Couple in May Catalogue
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2012/05/jc-penney-features-same-sex-couple-in-may-catalogue/

Churches split over gay marriage

Mr. Obama's declaration last week that he supports same-sex marriage prompted ministers around the country to take to their pulpits on Sunday and preach on the issue. But in the clash over homosexuality, the battle lines do not simply pit ministers against secular advocates for gay rights. Religion is on both sides in this conflict. The battle is actually church versus church, minister versus minister, and Scripture versus Scripture.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47409207/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/

See also...

Is the black church guilty of spiritual hypocrisy in same-sex marriage debate?
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/12/is-the-black-church-guilty-of-spiritual-hypocrisy-in-same-sex-marriage-debate/comment-page-2/

And...

Coach's anti-gay comments an 'embarrassment' but not fireable offense
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/11/us/nebraska-coach-anti-gay-comments/index.html?hpt=us_t3

Election board may discuss controversial church sign issue

Some are questioning whether a Wilmington church that posted an Amendment One-related sign on primary Election Day should remain a polling place.

On Tuesday, Devon Park United Methodist Church's permanent church sign carried this message: "A true marriage is male and female and God."

MORE: http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120509/ARTICLES/120509594

See also...

Pro-amendment church signs raise questions at polling places
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2012/05/08/vote-2012-pro-amendment-church-signs-raise-questions-polling-places

Church sign sparks controversy at polling location
http://www.wect.com/story/18211111/church-sign-sparks-controversy-at-polling-location

Sign at church used as polling place questioned
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/politics&id=8656039

Election board may discuss controversial church sign issue
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120509/ARTICLES/120509594

Shady and Coercive Pro NC Amendment 1 Practices at the Church That Is Also My Polling Place
http://its-her-factory.blogspot.com/2012/05/shady-and-coercive-pro-nc-amendment-1.html

Should Churches Get Tax Breaks?

The Trinity Broadcasting Network has always been proud of its extravagant profits, but rarely mentions the extravagant tax breaks that fueled them. According to a recent lawsuit, the company provides mansions for executives and calls them "parsonages" to avoid property taxes, and it ordains TBN chauffeurs and sound engineers and performers at the Holy Land Experience theme park, meaning their pay is tax-free.

Religious exemptions from taxes and regulations are often thought of as separating church and state, but are they having the opposite effect -- serving as a state subsidy for religious organizations?

Should religious entities be subject to taxes and rules like labor and civil rights laws?

MORE: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/05/09/should-churches-get-tax-breaks

Girl Scouts On The Rack: Catholic Bishops Have Just A Few Questions...

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is conducting an "official inquiry" into the frightening activities of those insidious cookie-mongers.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/girl-scouts-on-the-rack-catholic-bishops-have-just-a-few-questions

See also...

Catholic bishops continue to delve into concerns about Girl Scouts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/catholic-bishops-continue-to-delve-into-concerns-about-girl-scouts/2012/05/10/gIQAqaRlGU_story.html

Oregon Church Sues Ex-Members Over Online Criticism

Smith may have lost her former friends, but she said she never imagined she and her daughter be hit with a $500,000 lawsuit for defamation for speaking her mind on the Internet. Three other commenters who criticized the church were also named in the suit.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/05/oregon-church-sues-ex-members-over-online-criticism/

Maryland county commissioner creates monthly prayer session

A Carroll County commissioner has emailed an invitation to about 850 government employees to attend a monthly prayer session, which she will lead, raising concern among some residents and watchdog groups.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/news/details/2012-05-maryland-county-commissioner-creates-monthly-prayer

Tennessee Sex Ed Bans Mention of "Gateway Sexual Behavior"

If marijuana is the gateway drug, are kissing and handholding the gateway to sexual activity?
 
That's currently up for debate, now that Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has signed into law the controversial bill that would ban teachers from discussing any so-called gateway sexual activity like genital touching in sex education courses, as reported on Friday by the Nashville Tennessean.
 
MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/US/tennessee-governor-passes-controversial-gateway-sexual-behavior-law/story?id=16335600

With or without Romney, D.C. a surprising Mormon stronghold

The nation's capital has become a Mormon stronghold, with Latter-day Saints playing a big and growing role in the Washington establishment.

MORE: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/12/hfr-with-or-without-romney-d-c-a-surprising-mormon-stronghold/?hpt=hp_c2

Ultra-Orthodox Shun Their Own for Reporting Child Sexual Abuse

By cooperating with the police, and speaking out about his son's abuse, Mr. Jungreis, 38, found himself at the painful forefront of an issue roiling his insular Hasidic community. There have been glimmers of change as a small number of ultra-Orthodox Jews, taking on longstanding religious and cultural norms, have begun to report child sexual abuse accusations against members of their own communities. But those who come forward often encounter intense intimidation from their neighbors and from rabbinical authorities, aimed at pressuring them to drop their cases.

MORE: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/nyregion/ultra-orthodox-jews-shun-their-own-for-reporting-child-sexual-abuse.html?_r=4&hp

Monk murdered at Alabama Buddhist temple

Detectives believe two monks got in an argument around 10:30 a.m. Friday that led to senior monk Chaiwat Moleechate's death.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57432910-504083/monk-murdered-at-alabama-buddhist-temple/?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.5

Defense fund for Woonsocket cross raises $15K

WOONSOCKET, R.I.--The city of Woonsocket has raised $15,000 for a fund established to defend against a potential lawsuit over a monument topped with a cross that has drawn a complaint from an atheist group.

MORE: http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2012/05/11/defense_fund_for_woonsocket_cross_raises_15k/

'Save the planet', science leaders urge G8 governments

National science academies from 15 countries have called on the leading industrialised economies to pay greater heed to science and technology.

MORE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18026572

See also...

Support for Climate Change Action Drops, Poll Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508163338.htm

Chimpanzee Uses Innovative Foresighted Methods to Fool Humans

ScienceDaily -- Chimpanzee Santino achieved international fame in 2009 for his habit of gathering stones and manufacturing concrete projectiles to throw at zoo visitors. A new study shows that Santino's innovativeness when he plans his stone-throwing is greater than researchers have previously observed. He not only gathers stones and manufactures projectiles in advance; he also finds innovative ways of fooling the visitors.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510100225.htm

See also...

Chimpanzee Cultures Differ Between Neighbors: Neighboring Chimpanzee Groups Use Different Hammers to Crack Nuts
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510131438.htm

Men Can Rest Easy: Sex Chromosomes Are Here to Stay

ScienceDaily -- Fears that sex-linked chromosomes, such as the male Y chromosome, are doomed to extinction have been refuted in a new genetic study which examines the sex chromosomes of chickens.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103911.htm

Powerful Function of Single Protein That Controls Neurotransmission Discovered

ScienceDaily -- Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered that the single protein -- alpha 2 delta -- exerts a spigot-like function, controlling the volume of neurotransmitters and other chemicals that flow between the synapses of brain neurons. The study, published online in Nature, shows how brain cells talk to each other through these signals, relaying thoughts, feelings and action, and this powerful molecule plays a crucial role in regulating effective communication.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144512.htm

Missing Boundary at Edge of the Solar System, NASA's IBEX Reveals

ScienceDaily -- For the last few decades, space scientists have generally accepted that the bubble of gas and magnetic fields generated by the sun -- known as the heliosphere -- moves through space, creating three distinct boundary layers that culminate in an outermost bow shock. This shock is similar to the sonic boom created ahead of a supersonic jet. Earth itself certainly has one of these bow shocks on the sunward side of its magnetic environment, as do most other planets and many stars. A collection of new data from NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), however, now indicate that the sun does not have a bow shock.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510225004.htm

See also...

New Molecules and Star Formation in the Milky Way
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510100221.htm

How Nature Shapes the Birth of Stars
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511101254.htm

NASA Dawn Spacecraft Reveals Secrets of Giant Asteroid Vesta
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510145510.htm

Meteorite Discovery Spurs Hunt for More Pieces
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120512101025.htm

Spaceship Enterprise in 20 years? Beam me up!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47396187/ns/technology_and_science-space/

Poor Afghans becoming more vulnerable to Taliban

(CBS News) KABUL -- An assassin dealt another blow to peace efforts in Afghanistan on Sunday. A former Taliban official turned peace envoy was shot dead in Kabul while sitting in traffic. Arsala Rahmani was trying to set up formal talks with the insurgents to end the 11-year-old war.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57433414/poor-afghans-becoming-more-vulnerable-to-taliban/?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.2