The Reason for the Reason Rally

Why we need a Reason Rally

America is one of the most religious countries in the world. And if you are non-religious, it can seem that without religion you cannot be elected to public office, cannot be considered a moral or ethical person, or be considered a patriot. It does not appear to matter what religious beliefs you cling to so long as you can tell anyone who asks, "Yes, sir or ma'am, I believe in God."

MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/why-we-need-a-reason-rally/2012/03/19/gIQAp9zEOS_blog.html

The great atheist 'coming out'

In tandem with the increasing opportunities for nontheistic people to express themselves in the marketplace has come an explosion of local nontheistic groups. Aided by the Internet, we find that, like never before, agnostics, atheists, brights, freethinkers, humanists, rationalists, skeptics, secularists and all the rest have been forming local societies, book clubs, campus groups, meetups, parenting circles, support groups and so on in cities small and large, in every region of the country. (This is in addition to the wide range of purely virtual communities across cyberspace.) And through my work, many local groups have been combining their efforts in local coalitions-more than fifty of them so far from coast to coast-in order to strengthen their social impact through cooperation.

MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/the-great-atheist-coming-out/2012/03/20/gIQAFciuPS_blog.html

Who would rally against reason?

March 24th is a landmark date for Washington, D.C. Thousands will converge on the world’s leading capital city to celebrate the crowning human virtue of reason.

MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/who-would-rally-against-reason/2012/03/21/gIQAG5JxRS_blog.html

Nonbelievers to rally for unbelief in Washington

Ten years ago, The Godless March had a single sponsor -- American Atheists. Today, that group is joined by 19 others in sponsoring the Reason Rally, including support from The Brights, a group with a naturalistic worldview; the James Randi Educational Foundation, a skeptics group; and the Society for Humanistic Judaism. About half of the supporting organizations did not exist at the time of the 2002 Godless March on Washington.

MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/nonbelievers-to-rally-for-unbelief-in-washington/2012/03/20/gIQARuvlPS_story.html

Bad Religion in lineup for March 24 Reason Rally in Washington, D.C.

It's only logical that veteran L.A. punk band Bad Religion would be chosen as the musical headliner for Saturday's Reason Rally in Washington, D.C., an event being billed as "the largest secular event in world history."

MORE: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/03/reason-rally-bad-religion-washington-dc.html

Christian proselytizers coming to Reason Rally

The Reason Rally is going to be the largest non-theist event in the nation. Atheists from all over the country and even the world are going to be coming to Washington, DC on Saturday, March 24th to celebrate reason. Apparently, some Christians are planning on coming to proselytize at the event too.

MORE: http://www.examiner.com/atheism-in-national/christian-proselytizers-coming-to-reason-rally

Rock Beyond Belief

See also...

Should Fort Bragg Hold an Atheist Concert?
http://fortstewart.patch.com/articles/should-fort-bragg-hold-an-atheist-concert

More See "Too Much" Religious Talk by Politicians

A new survey finds signs of public uneasiness with the mixing of religion and politics. The number of people who say there has been too much religious talk by political leaders stands at an all-time high since the Pew Research Center began asking the question more than a decade ago. And most Americans continue to say that churches and other houses of worship should keep out of politics.

MORE: http://www.pewforum.org/Politics-and-Elections/more-see-too-much-religious-talk-by-politicians.aspx

See also...

Pew survey: Americans think politicians are talking too much about religion
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/21/10796430-pew-survey-americans-think-politicians-are-talking-too-much-about-religion

NE Pa. transit system again rejects atheist group's proposed ads on side of buses

SCRANTON, Pa. -- A northeastern Pennsylvania transit system has reaffirmed its decision against displaying advertisements by an atheist group on the side of buses.

--snip--

The rejected ad has the word "Atheists" along with names and websites of the society and another organization, American Atheists.

MORE: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/09a8b10977794cc39e8b4589cd783864/PA--Atheist-Bus-Ads/

See also...

COLTS stands firm on atheist ad
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/colts-stands-firm-on-atheist-ad-1.1288259#axzz1poWwqqJk

COLTS Again Rejects Atheism Ad
http://www.wnep.com/wnep-colts-again-rejects-atheism-ad-lackawanna-20120320,0,2336386.story

Atheist group offers to send members to church for charity

A small donation at the Ferguson Center could help fight leukemia and lymphoma -- and send an atheist to church.

MORE: http://cw.ua.edu/2012/03/21/atheist-group-offers-to-send-members-to-church-for-charity/

Holy war: Atheist group spreads 'unholy water' on road blessed by Christian group in Florida

Almost a year after a Polk County Christian group spread holy oil on a stretch of local highway to ward away "evildoers," an atheist group struck back on Saturday, using water from a tank labeled "unholy water" to symbolically wash away the group's blessing.

MORE: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/holy-war-atheist-group-spreads-unholy-water-road-blessed-christian-group-florida-article-1.1047947?localLinksEnabled=false

See also...

It's my way or the highway: Christians and atheists in religious road row
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/20/florida-christians-atheists-highway?newsfeed=true

Night Of The Living Bill: Tennessee Lawmakers Revive Dormant Creationism Legislation

It's a shame the state that hosted Tennessee v. Scopes (aka the "Scopes monkey trial") in 1925 is still trying to trample on sound science education.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/night-of-the-living-bill-tennessee-lawmakers-revive-dormant-creationism

See also...

What One Atheist Learned From Hanging Out With Creationists
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-rosenhouse/atheist-learns-from-creationists_b_1343147.html

Wick-ed: Va. Principal Attacks Public Schools -- While Happily Accepting A Paycheck From Them

A Virginia principal alleges that public schools are suppressing America's Christian heritage and that they are involved in a nefarious scheme to indoctrinate our children into socialism.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/wick-ed-va-principal-attacks-public-schools-%E2%80%93-while-happily-accepting-a

Alleged Amish beard-cutting ringleader must pay for own defense, judge rules

A feud over church discipline allegedly led to attacks marked by the cutting of women's hair and the hair and beards of men. That's considered deeply offensive in Amish culture.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57401891-504083/alleged-amish-beard-cutting-ringleader-must-pay-for-own-defense-judge-rules/?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.5

Woman sees image of Jesus in power meter

CLERMONT, Fla. - A Clermont woman says she noticed an image of Jesus in a nearby power box while she was praying on her back porch.

--snip--

"I came out on the patio and I was praying and I just looked over back towards the woods and I seen this here," the woman said. "And it was like a comfort to me."

MORE: http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Woman-sees-image-of-Jesus-in-power-meter/-/1637132/9653540/-/m6t8oez/-/index.html?hpt=hp_bn2

Study reveals why our ancestors switched to bipedal power

A study published in the journal Current Biology this week, investigated the behaviour of modern-day chimpanzees as they competed for food resources, in an effort to understand why our "hominin", or "human-like" ancestors became bipedal.
 
Its findings suggest that chimpanzees switch to moving on two limbs instead of four in situations where they need to monopolize a resource, usually because it may not occur in plentiful supply in their habitat, making it hard for them to predict when they will see it again. Standing on two legs allows them to carry much more in one go because it frees up their hands.

MORE: http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-03-reveals-ancestors-bipedal-power.html

Vista Stares Deep Into the Cosmos: Treasure Trove of New Infrared Data Made Available to Astronomers

ScienceDaily -- The European Southern Observatory's VISTA telescope has created the widest deep view of the sky ever made using infrared light. This new picture of an unremarkable patch of sky comes from the UltraVISTA survey and reveals more than 200 000 galaxies. It forms just one part of a huge collection of fully processed images from all the VISTA surveys that is now being made available by ESO to astronomers worldwide. UltraVISTA is a treasure trove that is being used to study distant galaxies in the early Universe as well as for many other science projects.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120321094135.htm

See also...

Probe's photos of asteroid Vesta reveal bright surprises
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46814935/ns/technology_and_science-space/

Mercury's Surprising Core and Landscape Curiosities
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120321105505.htm

Geologic Map of Jupiter's Moon Io Details an Otherworldly Volcanic Surface
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120319151145.htm

Some Orbits More Popular Than Others in Solar Systems
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120319111601.htm

Free Gideon Bible handouts face another public school ban despite pressure

An expected ban on the free distribution of Gideon Bibles at public schools in a southern Ontario school district has angered those who see the decision as an atheist attack on religious values and children.

MORE: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1149884--free-gideon-bible-handouts-face-another-public-school-ban-despite-pressure

Loud Booms Heard at Murder Suspect's Hideout

Onlookers have reported loud booms and orange flashes near the apartment building where French murder suspect Mohammed Merah has been under siege by special forces for nearly 24 hours.

--snip--

Merah, 24, is wanted for the murder of three French soldiers, a rabbi and three Jewish schoolchildren in three separate attacks in Toulouse over the past two weeks.

--snip--

Merah, a French citizen of Algerian descent, is heavily armed and has already wounded two officers in a shoot out with police. According to French authorities, Merah claims to have ties to al Qaeda and to have trained in Waziristan, and says he acted to avenge the deaths of Palestinian children and to protest France's involvement in Afghanistan.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/toulouse-massacre-suspect-surrounded/story?id=15970260

Trial opens for 9 suspected militants in Spain

Madrid (CNN) -- Nine suspected Islamist militants went on trial in Madrid Tuesday, charged with plotting terrorist attacks in two Spanish enclaves on Morocco's north coast just across the Mediterranean Sea from the Spanish mainland.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/20/world/europe/spain-terror-trial/index.html?hpt=ieu_c2

Iraq bombings meant to target summit security, militant group says

Baghdad (CNN) -- A militant group with links to al Qaeda claimed responsibility for a deadly wave of bombings across Iraq, strikes designed to undermine government security plans for the upcoming Arab League summit.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/21/world/meast/iraq-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

See also...

Dozens killed in widespread attacks on Iraq invasion anniversary
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/20/world/meast/iraq-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

Car bomb hits Somali capital

Al-Shabaab was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States in 2008. It is waging a war against Somalia's government in an effort to implement a stricter form of Islamic law, or sharia.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/21/world/africa/somalia-blasts/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

Bad religion invite you to the Reason Rally

Westboro church pastor's son to face off against dad's picketers at atheist rally

It may come as no surprise that members of Westboro Baptist Church, an extreme Calvinist sect notorious for its fire-and-brimstone picketing, are planning to protest at the upcoming Reason Rally -- a national gathering of atheists. But at this event, they will also be picketing one of their own, rally organizers said.

MORE: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/15/10706741-westboro-church-pastors-son-to-face-off-against-dads-picketers-at-atheist-rally

Rock Beyond Belief: An atheist victory at Fort Bragg

If you care about the constitutional rights of our nation’s armed forces personnel, and you most certainly should, make the trip out to Fort Bragg, N.C., and witness history unfold.

MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/rock-beyond-belief-an-atheist-victory-at-fort-bragg/2012/03/15/gIQAYjboES_blog.html

See also...

How a Christian Fighter Pilot and FOX News Tried to Stop Fort Bragg Atheist Festival (And Failed)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/how-a-christian-fighter-p_b_1348764.html

Bruce Gleason Wants Your God to Noexist

Bruce Gleason, a 57-year-old Villa Park resident, has become something of a legend in the community of godless Orange Countians who read his quotes in news reports, devour his writing on his website and watch his public-access, cable-TV show on atheism. But while his method may be satire, his message is as serious as sin, he says: defending the skeptic community in Orange County, which is known for exporting faith around the world and boasts its own Mount Rushmore of American Christianity in Robert Schuller, Chuck Smith, Paul Crouch and Rick Warren.

MORE: http://www.ocweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/bruce-gleason-atheist-backyard-skeptics/

Soldier shot and killed for being an Atheist

Thankfully, being killed for being an atheist is not a common occurrence in America. However, the fact that an individual could be killed for being an atheist, and the additional fact that a group of people would condone and help cover-up such a heinous crime, points to a larger, systematic problem.
 
The fact is atheists, freethinkers, and other non-theists in America face abuse, discrimination and marginalization on a regular basis. Those atheists brave enough to come out of the closet and speak their truth take a personal and professional risk. This story is a sad commentary on contemporary American society, and flies in the face of the secular vision upon which this nation was founded.

MORE: http://www.examiner.com/humanist-in-national/soldier-shot-and-killed-for-being-an-atheist

See also...

Body found in North Texas identified as soldier
http://www.chron.com/news/article/Body-found-in-North-Texas-identified-as-soldier-3403078.php

Slavery Billboard From American Atheists Organization Continues to Draw Criticism

Harrisburg, PA -- A billboard in the state capital sponsored by atheist activists protesting the designation of 2012 as the "Year of the Bible" in Pennsylvania was criticized Tuesday by a black legislator who called it racist.

MORE: http://www.blacknews.com/news/slavery_billboard_atheist_activists101.shtml

See also...

Atheists 'Slaves Obey Your Masters' Billboard Raises Tempers In Pennsylvania
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/atheist-slavery-billboard-pennsylvania-raises-tempers_n_1342268.html

Invocation Intemperance: State-Sponsored Prayer Rankles In Hawaii And Oklahoma

Do you want an America where extreme fundamentalist ministers are invited by government to spew narrow-mindedness and hate in your name?

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/invocation-intemperance-state-sponsored-prayer-rankles-in-hawaii-and

Game On: Catholic Bishops Launch 'Full-Court Press' Over Religious Liberty

The bishops' religious liberty is not threatened in the United States, and what they don't seem to understand is that they aren't really fighting for freedom of conscience -- they're fighting for the idea that religious "corporate conscience" is more important than individual rights.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/game-on-catholic-bishops-launch-%E2%80%98full-court-press%E2%80%99-over-religious-liberty

Arizona wades into contraception controversy

(CNN) -- Women in Arizona may be forced to share certain private medical conditions with their employers if they want their contraception to be covered by health insurance, a bill proposes.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/15/politics/arizona-contraception-controversy/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Catholic bishops pressured Komen over Planned Parenthood

Internal Komen documents reviewed by Reuters reveal the complicated relationship between the Komen Foundation and the Catholic church, which simultaneously contributes to the breast cancer charity and receives grants from it. In recent years, Komen has allocated at least $17.6 million of the donations it receives to U.S. Catholic universities, hospitals and charities.
 
Church opposition reached dramatic new proportions in 2011, when the 11 bishops who represent Ohio's 2.6 million Catholics announced a statewide policy banning church and parochial school donations to Komen.
 
Such pressure helped sway Komen's leadership to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, according to current and former Komen officials.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46752259/ns/us_news-life/

Atheist Foundation returns to advertising with Woody Allen quote: 'If God exists, I hope he has a good excuse'

The campaign has been timed for the run up to the 2012 Global Atheist Convention, which is being marketed as "A celebration of reason".

MORE: http://mumbrella.com.au/atheist-foundation-returns-to-advertising-with-woody-allen-quote-if-god-exists-i-hope-he-has-a-good-excuse-79503

Believing the Impossible: No Evidence for Existence of Psychic Ability Found

ScienceDaily -- Research failing to find evidence for the existence of psychic ability has been published, following a year of industry debate. The report is a response by a group of independent researchers to the 2011 study from social psychologist Daryl Bem, purporting the existence of precognition -- an ability to perceive future events.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120315094737.htm

Human fossils hint at new species

The remains of what may be a previously unknown human species have been identified in southern China.

MORE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17370170

Suicide bomber kills 2 in Mogadishu, official says

Al-Shabaab, a militant Islamist group fighting Somalia's weak transitional government, claimed the responsibility for the attack.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/14/world/africa/somalia-attack/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

Suicide Blast kills Anti-Taliban Police Chief

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A suicide bomber targeted an anti-Taliban police chief in Peshawar Thursday, killing him during morning rush hour traffic, a senior police official said.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/15/world/asia/pakistan-unrest/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

Shaky truce appears to end along Gaza-Israel border

Twenty-five Palestinians were killed in the fighting and hundreds of rockets were fired toward civilian population centers in southern Israel. Fourteen of the Palestinian victims belonged to the Iran-backed Islamic Jihad. At least 80 others were wounded.
 
The Israeli military said suspected militants fired three rockets and mortars early Tuesday into Israel.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/14/world/meast/gaza-israel-airstrikes/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

My Reason Rally Video

Baltimore and Richmond Billboards Promote Godless Rally

(Washington DC March 13, 2012) "Celebrate living without God!"

These words, superimposed over an image of the National Mall in Washington DC, now appear on five billboards blanketing Baltimore, Maryland, and one prominent billboard in Richmond, Virginia.

The ads announce the upcoming Reason Rally, a celebratory gathering of atheists, agnostics, humanists and skeptics. The rally features a lineup of prominent nonreligious speakers and entertainers, including scientist Richard Dawkins, musician and comedian Tim Minchin, "Mythbusters" Co-host Adam Savage, magician James Randi, high school activist Jessica Ahlquist, novelist Taslima Nasrin and the band Bad Religion. Comedian Paul Provenza will be a master of ceremonies. The free, public event is the combined effort of all the major national organizations in the secular movement and will run from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, March 24, on the National Mall.

"This will be a glorious gathering of the godless," said David Silverman, president of the Reason Rally Coalition. "Thousands of us will be coming together to celebrate secular values and reason-and we're going to have a great time doing it."

As with any event taking place in Washington DC, there are social and political angles at play. The Reason Rally website states that the rally intends to "unify, energize and embolden secular people nationwide." Local secular communities are answering the call.

"We're converging on Washington to take our seat at the table," added Emil Volcheck, lead organizer of the Baltimore Coalition of Reason. "Our rightful place at the table," emphasized Virginia freethought organizer Shelley Mountjoy. "The godless won't be voiceless," both agreed, referring to the millions of sympathetic Marylanders and Virginians, who they look to and encourage to join in.

MORE: http://unitedcor.org/national/news/baltimore-and-richmond-billboards-promote-godless-rally

"Largest secular rally in world history" planned for D.C.

The rally has three goals: to encourage atheists and secularists to come "out of the closet," to show that atheists do not fit any particular model - they are all races, ages, and persuasions - and to demand "legislative equality," that is, the actual ability to run for office and be elected.

MORE: http://peoplesworld.org/largest-secular-rally-in-world-history-planned-for-d-c

Westboro Baptist Church to Protest Atheist Reason Rally

The Reason Rally is going to be the biggest atheist event in history and guess who's going to be there: The Westboro Baptist Church -- how unsurprising. The event has already attracted such high-profile people in the secular community as Jessica Ahlquist, Richard Dawkins, James Randi and David Silverman, but the country's largest gathering of non-believers wouldn't be complete without America's most notorious Christian-based hate group.

MORE: http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981184425

See also...

Westboro Baptist Church to attend Reason Rally with special message for atheists
http://www.examiner.com/atheism-in-scranton/westboro-baptist-church-to-attend-reason-rally-with-special-message-for-atheists

Westboro Baptist Church to Protest Major Atheist Rally
http://www.christianpost.com/news/westboro-baptist-church-to-protest-major-atheist-rally-71344/

Christians Respond to Atheist Richard Dawkins's "Reason Rally"

The book is being released in conjunction with an initiative to bring dozens of thoughtful Christians to the Reason Rally, to create an obvious contrast between the Reason Rally and True Reason. The Reason Rally takes place on the National Mall in Washington D.C. on March 24, 2012, with headline speakers including Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss, and Adam Savage of Mythbusters, and the rock band Bad Religion.
 
The united Christian outreach to the Reason Rally is being led by: Ratio Christi, ThinkingChristian.net, Reasons for God, The Apologetics Bloggers Alliance, and The Christian Apologetics Alliance.

MORE: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/religion/christians-respond-extreme-claims-reason-rally

Appeal to Freethinkers to Fight Cancer

Fort Bragg Guarantees Criticism of Organized Religion and Adherents

FORT BRAGG, NC -- Commanders at Fort Bragg have made peace with organizers of the looming atheist festival they approved late last year. Colonel Stephen Sicinski - Bragg's Garrison Commander - has now issued an official statement that specifically protects speech critical of religion.

Colonel Sicinski explains, "I want to assure you that Fort Bragg will not discriminate against speech on the basis of its viewpoint. Stated another way, I understand and respect that there will be ample discussion about atheism and/or humanism during the festival and that the speakers may criticize organized religion or its practitioners."

MORE: http://richarddawkins.net/articles/645279-fort-bragg-guarantees-criticism-of-organized-religion-and-adherents

Non-belief group speaks out against Rowan County Commission prayers

CHARLOTTE -- Rowan County Commissioners are facing more opposition. Members of Charlotte Atheists and Agnostics are publicly speaking out for the first time against the board's sectarian prayer practice. It's the first open opposition from a non-belief group stated in a letter sent Sunday, and posted on their website, from the group's president, Shawn Murphy.

MORE: http://charlotte.news14.com/content/top_stories/654936/non-belief-group-speaks-out-against-rowan-county-commission-prayers

Man Who Wrote Controversial Prayer Banner Lashes Out Against Atheist, Judge

The author of the controversial prayer banner at Cranston High School West is speaking out against Jessica Ahlquist and all those who have supported the decision to remove the banner from the school's auditorium.

MORE: http://www.christianpost.com/news/man-who-wrote-controversial-prayer-banner-lashes-out-against-atheist-judge-71288/

Irrational exuberance on Pi Day

The most famous irrational number, pi, is being factored into a whole smorgasbord of silliness on 3/14.

On one level, Wednesday's date is just an excuse for high geekery, ranging from eating mathematically meaningful pies to marching in a circular pi procession. On a deeper level ... well, who needs an excuse to celebrate one of nature's most mysterious numbers?

MORE: http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/13/10675138-irrational-exuberance-on-pi-day

Jesus, the Easter Bunny, and Other Delusions: Just Say No!

In this talk, Dr. Peter Boghossian argues that faith-based processes are unreliable and unlikely to lead one to the truth. Since our goal as knowers is to have more true beliefs than false ones, faith, as a process for getting to the truth, should be abandoned in favor of other, more reliable processes. The talk was followed by a question and answer session from the audience. This presentation, sponsored by the Freethinkers of Portland State University and published by philosophynews.com, was given by Dr. Peter Boghossian of Portland State University on January 27, 2012.

VIDEO: http://www.skeptic.com/skepticism-101/jesus-the-easter-bunny-and-other-delusions/

Atheists' Billboards in NJ, NY, Pennsylvania Stir Debate

The message, in English and Arabic, is blunt. "You know it's a myth. You have a choice," declares the billboard in a Muslim community in Paterson, New Jersey. An identical one, with a Hebrew translation, was erected in Brooklyn, New York. Both were installed by American Atheists, a private organization with 4,000 members, to publicize its upcoming national convention in Washington.

MORE: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Atheists-Billboards-in-NJ-NY-Pennsylvania-Stir-Debate-142495595.html

See also...

Muslims take atheist group's billboard in stride, but Christians criticize move
http://www.canada.com/life/Muslims+take+atheist+group+billboard+stride+Christians+criticize+move/6294628/story.html

Atheists' slavery billboard raises tempers in Pa.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/atheists-slavery-billboard-raises-tempers-in-pa/2012/03/13/gIQA9Rxt9R_story.html

Cookie Monsters: Religious Right Marks Anniversary Of Girl Scouts With Bogus Attacks

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, so it’s an especially meaningful time for the organization, its leaders and members. Unfortunately, the anniversary has also sparked a raft of new attacks on the venerable group by Religious Right cranks. The Girls Scouts, you see, are accused of promoting feminism, abortion and godlessness.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/cookie-monsters-religious-right-marks-anniversary-of-girl-scouts-with-bogus

Free speech under fire

The recent exchange between an atheist and a judge in a small courtroom in rural Pennsylvania could have come out of a Dickens novel. Magisterial District Judge Mark Martin was hearing a case in which an irate Muslim stood accused of attacking an atheist, Ernest Perce, because he was wearing a "Zombie Mohammed" costume on Halloween. Although the judge had "no doubt that the incident occurred," he dismissed the charge of criminal harassment against the Muslim and proceeded to browbeat Perce. Martin explained that such a costume would have led to Perce's execution in many countries under sharia, or Islamic law, and added that Perce's conduct fell "way outside your bounds of First Amendment rights."

MORE: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/12/4330326/free-speech-under-fire.html

See also...

Turley: 'Zombie Mohammed' and free speech
http://savannahnow.com/column/2012-03-13/turley-zombie-mohammed-and-free-speech

Utah lawmakers vote for abstinence-only sex education

According to CNN affiliate KSL, the bill's sponsor, Utah state Rep. Bill Wright, said that he believes sex education shouldn't be taught in the classroom; he says that kind of instruction should take place in the home. Wright says he decided to change existing sex education laws after seeing instructional materials provided by Planned Parenthood that he viewed as inappropriate. The proposed bill mandates that Utah schools must use approved abstinence-only curriculum materials for sex education instruction.

MORE: http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/13/utah-votes-for-abstinence-only-sex-education/?hpt=hp_bn1

Sour Note: Christian Rock Group With Hateful Message Plays Iowa Public School

There is no excuse for Dunkerton High School’s failure to perform a background check and for using taxpayer dollars to fund hateful rhetoric and religious proselytizing in a public school.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/sour-note-christian-rock-group-with-hateful-message-plays-iowa-public

Egyptian official: Israel, Gaza agree to cease-fire

Gaza City (CNN) -- After days of pounding violence, Palestinian and Israeli authorities have agreed to a truce and to stop all military operations, an Egyptian intelligence official told CNN early Tuesday.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/12/world/meast/gaza-israel-airstrikes/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

4 killed in suicide attack in Yemen

Security officials blamed al Qaeda for the suicide attack.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/13/world/meast/yemen-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

Six dead in car bomb attack at Nigeria church

A shadowy Islamic militant group called Boko Haram has been frequently blamed for the violence on Christians, who have sometimes responded with reprisal attacks.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/11/world/africa/nigeria-violence/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

Scores dead as Ethiopian forces clash with militants in Somalia

(CNN) -- Islamic militants ambushed Ethiopian forces in southern Somalia Saturday and hours-long fighting left scores of people dead.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/10/world/africa/somalia-fighting/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

Reason Rally Contest Entry

Secularism-A Short Film

Robert Schuller leaves Crystal Cathedral board

The church raked in millions in donations through its "Hour of Power" broadcasts but a series of financial setbacks led to the megachurch's filing for bankruptcy in October 2010 and the forced sale of its 40-acre campus.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57394919/robert-schuller-leaves-crystal-cathedral-board/?tag=cbsnewsTwoColLowerPromoArea;fd.morenews

Doomsday preacher admits: I was wrong

(CNN) -- Many months after his doomsday prediction failed to materialize, a humbled California preacher has admitted his mistake and said he is out of the forecasting game.
 
The Day of Rapture, as predicted by apocalyptic Christian broadcaster Harold Camping, passed without calamity on May 21.

Camping's second date, October 21, also came and went without so much as a whimper.

--snip--

The preacher first inaccurately predicted the world would end in 1994. Despite his poor track record, he has gathered many followers. Some gave up their homes, jobs and life savings because they believed the world was ending.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/09/us/california-doomsday-leader/index.html?hpt=us_c2

FFRF ad, 'Quit the Catholic Church,' runs in today's Times

The Freedom From Religion Foundation placed an open letter via a full-page ad in today's New York Times (page 10, front section) urging liberal and nominal Roman Catholics to "quit" their church over its war against contraception.

MORE: http://ffrf.org/news/releases/nyt-ad/

American Atheist 'Myth' Billboard In Brooklyn: Rejected In Williamsburg, Resurrected In Greenpoint

An atheist billboard rejected by the heavily Jewish community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn has been resurrected in Greenpoint.

MORE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/09/american-atheist-myth-billboard-brooklyn-williamsburg-greenpoint_n_1334873.html?ref=new-york

See also...

Atheist billboard rises in Greenpoint amid controversy
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/35/11/dtg_atheistbillboard_2012_03_16_bk.html

Atheists place Hebrew billboard near Hassidic enclave
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/64468/atheists-place-hebrew-billboard-near-hassidic-enclave/

Poll: Most in N.C. oppose same-sex marriage amendment

A majority of North Carolinians are opposed to the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages that will be on the May 8 ballot, even as they remain skeptical about gay marriages, according to a new Elon University/Charlotte Observer poll.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46694620/ns/local_news-charlotte_nc/

Uncivil Disobedience?: N.C. Prayer Protestor Wants Commissioners To Pack Heat

Americans United and the ACLU recently won a court case barring the Forsyth County, N.C., Board of Commissioners from opening its meeting with sectarian prayers. Now other local governments in North Carolina are complying with the ruling, and some people are (literally) up in arms about it.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/uncivil-disobedience-nc-prayer-protestor-wants-commissioners-to-pack-heat

Voucher Volley: Georgia Bill Dies, But Similar Schemes Still In Play

There have been many misguided religious school aid bills springing up all over the United States of late, since some people just can’t resist the urge to funnel public money to religious interests.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/voucher-volley-georgia-bill-dies-but-similar-schemes-still-in-play

Atheists likely to outnumber Christians in England in 20 years

The study conducted by the British Parliament showed there were 41 million Christians in Britain, down nearly 8 percent since 2004. Meanwhile, the number of nonbelievers stood at 13.4 million, up 49 percent over the same period.

MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/atheists-likely-to-outnumber-christians-in-england-in-20-years/2012/03/09/gIQA2Bqb1R_story.html

Christians have no right to wear cross at work, says Government

Christians do not have a right to wear a cross or crucifix openly at work, the Government is to argue in a landmark court case.

MORE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9136191/Christians-have-no-right-to-wear-cross-at-work-says-Government.html

College removes atheism statements

Prepared by retired professor of moral theology at Maynooth Fr Vincent Twomey, the module contained "untrue statements about atheism and at least two defamatory allegations", Mr Nugent said.

MORE: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0310/1224313106779.html

African voices respond to hyper-popular Kony 2012 viral campaign

There are indications the project may be about stealth-evangelizing Christianity. The Invisible Children filmmakers have responded to some of the criticism. Media personalities and celebrities are duking it out as the campaign (and now, backlash) spreads.

MORE: http://boingboing.net/2012/03/08/african-voices-respond-to-hype.html

The Darwin-Wallace mystery solved

Thanks to a generous gift, National University of Singapore study traced historical shipping records and vindicated Darwin from accusations of deceit.

MORE: http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-03-darwin-wallace-mystery.html

Iridescent, Feathered Dinosaur Offers Fresh Evidence That Feathers Evolved to Attract Mates

ScienceDaily -- A team of American and Chinese researchers has revealed the detailed feather pattern and color of Microraptor, a pigeon-sized, four-winged dinosaur that lived about 120 million years ago. A new specimen shows the dinosaur had a glossy iridescent sheen and that its tail was narrow and adorned with a pair of streamer feathers, suggesting the importance of display in the early evolution of feathers, as presented in the March 9 edition of the journal Science.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308143159.htm

See also...

Oldest Organism With Skeleton Discovered in Australia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308120105.htm

Meteorites Reveal Another Way to Make Life's Components

ScienceDaily -- Creating some of life's building blocks in space may be a bit like making a sandwich -- you can make them cold or hot, according to new NASA research. This evidence that there is more than one way to make crucial components of life increases the likelihood that life emerged elsewhere in the Universe, according to the research team, and gives support to the theory that a "kit" of ready-made parts created in space and delivered to Earth by impacts from meteorites and comets assisted the origin of life.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120309104845.htm

Insects Have 'Personalities' Too, Research On Novelty-Seeking Honey Bees Indicates

ScienceDaily -- A new study in Science suggests that thrill-seeking is not limited to humans and other vertebrates. Some honey bees, too, are more likely than others to seek adventure. The brains of these novelty-seeking bees exhibit distinct patterns of gene activity in molecular pathways known to be associated with thrill-seeking in humans, researchers report.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308143201.htm

It’s daylight science time again

Lose an hour, gain insights into mysteries of time and sleep.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077304/ns/technology_and_science-science/

Proposed Nuclear Clock May Keep Time With the Universe

ScienceDaily -- A proposed new time-keeping system tied to the orbiting of a neutron around an atomic nucleus could have such unprecedented accuracy that it neither gains nor loses 1/20th of a second in 14 billion years -- the age of the Universe.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308101331.htm

Scientists Claim Brain Memory Code Cracked

Hameroff, senior author on the study, said: "Many neuroscience papers conclude by claiming their findings may help understand how the brain works, and treat Alzheimer's, brain injury and various neurological and psychiatric disorders. This study may actually do that. We may have a glimpse of the brain's biomolecular code for memory."

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120309103701.htm

See also...

Partnerships in the Brain: Mathematical Model Describes the Collaboration of Individual Neurons
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308174805.htm

Iraqi teens stoned to death for wearing 'emo' clothes

BAGHDAD -- At least 14 youths have been stoned to death in Baghdad in the past three weeks in what appears to be a campaign by Shiite militants against youths wearing Western-style "emo" clothes and haircuts, security and hospital sources say.

MORE: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/10/10634539-iraqi-teens-stoned-to-death-for-wearing-emo-clothes

The Other Half: When children marry

A young girl gets forced into marriage every three seconds worldwide. The implications are enormous for women's rights and health issues.

MORE: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Kalpana_Sharma/article2906570.ece

Afghans lampoon clerics over women ruling

After a council of Afghan clerics issued restrictive guidelines for women, later embraced by President Hamid Karzai, young Afghans streamed to social media sites to lampoon the rulings, reports BBC Persian's Tahir Qadiry.

MORE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17296607

Officials: Yemen forces target militant hideouts, killing 36

"Al Qaeda is trying to build a stronghold in al-Baitha and it is in the beginning stages. We are trying to eliminate their presence while it is still possible and easy," one of the officials said.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/10/world/meast/yemen-airstrike/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

See also...

Suspected drone attacks kills 14 militants in Pakistan
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/09/world/asia/pakistan-drone-militants/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

Israel airstrikes target Gaza, killing at least 16
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/10/world/meast/gaza-israel-airstrike/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

Britain cites 'imminent danger' in failed rescue in Nigeria

Jonathan blamed the kidnapping and killings on Boko Haram, the militant Islamist terror group responsible for dozens of attacks in Nigeria in the past two years.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/09/world/africa/nigeria-hostages-killed/index.html?hpt=iaf_c1

Taliban Threatens Attack Over Bin Laden Wives: Report

ISLAMABAD -- The Pakistani Taliban are threatening to attack government, police and military targets if the three widows of late Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden aren’t released immediately.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/taliban-threatens-attack-over-bin-laden-wives-report/

See also...

Bin Laden's Last Days: Caught Between Feuding Wives
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/bin-ladens-days-caught-feuding-wives/story?id=15876527

Reason Rally Contest Entry

Atheist Billboard Gets Bumped

(CNN)–A controversial billboard from a national Atheist group was scheduled to go up in a heavily populated Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn on Tuesday but was bumped when the owner of the building objected to the advertisement.

MORE: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/07/atheist-billboard-gets-bumped/

See also...

Atheist group's Hebrew billboard thwarted in Chasidic enclave
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/03/07/3092034/atheist-groups-hebrew-billboard-temporarily-thwarted

Atheist billboard in Paterson draws shrugs from Muslims [video]
http://www.northjersey.com/news/030712_Atheist_groups_sign_aimed_at_Muslims_goes_up_in_Paterson.html

Harrisburg Sign Vandalized, Replaced With Another Billboard

A billboard designed to criticize the Bible instead offended many African-Americans in the Harrisburg area. The sign was vandalized overnight, and the president of one of the groups that funded it issued an apology.

MORE: http://www.wgal.com/news/30624435/detail.html?source=LAN

See also...

Controversial billboard partially torn down overnight
http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/Controversial-billboard-partially-torn-down/yp3M1rIV60WioPxzgtJySQ.cspx

Atheist groups' Pa. billboard defaced, replaced
http://www.wtrf.com/story/17102539/atheist-groups-pa-billboard-defaced-replaced

Slavery billboard draws criticism
http://www.ydr.com/state/ci_20117738/atheist-protests-year-bible-billboard

Atheists Smear Christians with Slavery Billboard
http://nation.foxnews.com/war-religion/2012/03/07/atheists-smear-christians-slavery-billboard

Everyone's Wrong in the "Zombie Muhammad" Case

However, this case does open up a real question to be considered about what rights people have when it comes to the freedoms of speech and religion.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-03-everyones-wrong-in-the-zombie-muhammad-case

Rhode Island City, Schools to Pay ACLU Legal Fees After Prayer Banner Fight

The city of Cranston, R.I., and its school district will pay $150,000 to the state American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) chapter for legal fees associated with the ACLU’s successful challenge to a prayer mural that had been displayed for nearly 50 years in a high school auditorium.

MORE: http://www.newsmax.com/US/ACLU-atheist-prayer-Cranston/2012/03/07/id/431797

See also...

RI city settles legal fees in prayer banner case
http://www.theindependent.com/news/national/ri-city-settles-legal-fees-in-prayer-banner-case/article_c356275e-134a-5101-bda1-0ce13f5f6074.html

No Force In Religion: Muslim Scholars And Church-State Separation

As we were wrapping up, one man approached me and in halting English said, “Your work is important. One of the problems of the world is that in religion there is too much force. There should be no force.”

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/no-force-in-religion-muslim-scholars-and-church-state-separation

On Jehovah's Witnesses (As Told by an Ex-Jehovah's Witness)

"Eric McMullan is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses." Seems like a pretty straight-forward sentence, right? Though I wasn't in attendance that night, I am sure that is the exact statement that was read to my friends on a Thursday evening in November of 2008. Those nine words, though, are far from simple.  They are a death sentence of sorts. Everyone in that auditorium knew immediately what those words meant: Eric has been cast off, expelled, excommunicated, disfellowshipped. I was dead.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-03-on-jehovahs-witnesses-as-told-by-an-ex-jehovahs-witn

Solar storm headed toward Earth may disrupt power

(CBS/AP) WASHINGTON - The largest solar storm in five years is racing toward Earth, threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids, GPS and airplane flights.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57392505/solar-storm-headed-toward-earth-may-disrupt-power/?tag=stack

See also...

Largest Solar Flare May Create Sky Show
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/03/largest-solar-flare-may-create-sky-show/

Solar blast could have earthly impact
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/07/10596987-solar-blast-could-have-earthly-impact?chromedomain=cosmiclog

Chimpanzees Have Police Officers, Too

ScienceDaily -- Chimpanzees are interested in social cohesion and have various strategies to guarantee the stability of their group. Anthropologists now reveal that chimpanzees mediate conflicts between other group members, not for their own direct benefit, but rather to preserve the peace within the group. Their impartial intervention in a conflict -- so-called "policing" -- can be regarded as an early evolutionary form of moral behavior.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307185016.htm

Upper Class People More Likely to Behave Unethically

ScienceDaily -- A series of studies conducted by psychologists at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Toronto in Canada reveal something the well off may not want to hear. Individuals who are relatively high in social class are more likely to engage in a variety of unethical behaviors.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307145432.htm

See also...

Spanking and Genetics May Increase Childhood Aggression
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120305132250.htm

Earlier...

Rich People More Likely To Take Candy From Children
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/rich-people-_n_1305008.html?1330385447&icid=maing-grid10|htmlws-main-bb|dl3|sec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D138966

Winning Makes People More Aggressive Toward the Defeated
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120229104746.htm

Scientists Search for Source of Creativity

ScienceDaily -- It takes two to tango. Two hemispheres of your brain, that is. USC researchers are working to pin down the exact source of creativity in the brain and have found that the left hemisphere of your brain, thought to be the logic and math portion, actually plays a critical role in creative thinking.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120305132438.htm

See also...

The Right Type of Words: Words Spelled On Right Side of Keyboards Lead to More Positive Emotions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307112711.htm

Stumped by a Problem? This Technique Unsticks You
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307112749.htm

A visit to the creation museum

These people can't tell a real fossil from a fake, can't spell or get the names right on the real fossils, can't get their geological or historical facts straight or comprehend that their simplistic model doesn't work in complex world, and in this context, can't make a museum interesting.

MORE: http://www.skepticblog.org/2012/03/07/a-visit-to-the-creation-museum/

Study Reveals How Protein Machinery Binds and Wraps DNA to Start Replication

Some studies have looked at the eukaryotic proteins in relatively low resolution and in isolation. But none has taken a more detailed look and included how they bind with DNA -- until now.

MORE: http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/PR_display.asp?prID=1391&template=Today

See also...

What Have We Got in Common With a Gorilla? Insight Into Human Evolution from Gorilla Genome Sequence
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307132210.htm

Scientists see 'endgame' for subatomic quest

GENEVA -- Physicists investigating the makeup of the universe say they are closing in on the long-sought but elusive Higgs boson, a particle they believe was key to turning debris from the big bang into stars, planets and finally life.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46654588/ns/technology_and_science-science/

See also...

Elusive Higgs Boson May Nearly Be Cornered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307083629.htm

Researchers Capture First-Ever Image of Atoms Forming a Molecule

ScienceDaily -- Researchers have recorded the first-ever image of two atoms bonding together to form a molecule.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307132216.htm

See also...

First Spectroscopic Measurement of an Anti-Atom
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307145426.htm

15 dead in Iraq bomb attacks

Tal Afar, about 70 kilometers west of Mosul, is a town of mixed Sunnis and Shiites. In recent years, Sunni extremists have carried out attacks in Tal Afar targeting Shiite neighborhoods.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/07/world/meast/iraq-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

AQAP claims responsibility for Yemen attacks

(CNN) -- Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has taken responsibility for a series of attacks on Yemeni security forces in recent days that killed more than 180 troops.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/07/world/meast/yemen-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

Reason Rally

How To...

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIGeWgGuqTg&feature=g-all&context=G28daed2FAAAAAAAAAAA

75 Nobel laureate scientists call for repeal of Louisiana Science Education Act

Baton Rouge, LA - (March, 6, 2012) - Senator Karen Carter Peterson (D-New Orleans) has filed Senate Bill 374 to repeal the Louisiana Science Education Act, Louisiana’s misnamed and misguided creationism law.
 
The repeal effort now has the unprecedented support of 75 Nobel laureate scientists-nearly 40% of all living Nobel laureate scientists in physics, chemistry, or physiology or medicine.  This incredible number surpasses the historic 72 Nobel laureate scientists who filed an amicus brief in opposition to Louisiana’s first creationism law during the Edwards v. Aguillard Supreme Court case.

MORE: http://www.repealcreationism.com/678/75-nobel-laureate-scientists-call-for-repeal-of-louisiana-science-education-act/

They're Back!: AU Fights 'Personhood' Bills In Oklahoma, Arizona

A bill that would have codified that life begins at the moment of conception and a fertilized egg has full legal rights as a person failed in Virginia last month, and a similar ballot initiative failed in Mississippi in November.

Now, the same type of bill is being considered in both Oklahoma, where the measure has already passed the State Senate, and Arizona.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/they%E2%80%99re-back-au-fights-%E2%80%98personhood%E2%80%99-bills-in-oklahoma-arizona

Atheists Step Up 'It's Time to Quit the Catholic Church' Campaign

An atheist activist group is fighting the Catholic Church's "war against contraception" by stepping up its campaign that suggests believers should end their faithfulness to their religion.

The Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation plans to run a full-page ad in The New York Times that states, "It's Time to Quit the Catholic Church." FFRF is conducting a fundraiser to pay for the $52,000 ad and has collected $45,000 so far, according to a chart on the group's website.

MORE: http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-step-up-its-time-to-quit-the-catholic-church-campaign-70883/

Atheist billboard hits snag in Hasidic neighborhood

For American Atheists, Tuesday was meant to be a big day for getting out their godless message -- with the unveiling of a billboard in a heavily Jewish neighborhood in New York City. But plans to erect the sign in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn were altered at the last minute when the owner of site refused access to the installers.

MORE: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/06/10595033-atheist-billboard-hits-snag-in-hasidic-neighborhood

See also...

Godsmacked! Atheist billboard blocked in Hasidic Williamsburg
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/35/10/dtg_atheistsign_2012_03_09_bk.html

And...

Right Wing Pundit Sandy Rios Says Jewish Atheists are "Worst Enemies of the Country"
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/religion/religion-society/audio-right-wing-pundit-sandy-rios-says-jewish-atheists-are-worst

An atheist billboard posted as a protest has caused outrage

Outrage continues to mount in a predominantly African-American section of Harrisburg where a billboard with a picture of a slave is drawing crowds.

MORE: http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/An-atheist-billboard-posted-as-a-protest-has/yp3M1rIV60WioPxzgtJySQ.cspx

See also...

Atheists protest 'Year of the Bible' on billboard
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Atheists-protest-Year-of-the-Bible-on-billboard-3386790.php

Atheist activists protest Pa. 'Year of the Bible' with billboard depicting black slave
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/846c1f4978fe490495af7e5a0322d3dd/PA--Billboard-Bible/

Rhode Island School Removes Prayer Mural After Atheist/ACLU Gripe

A prayer mural that had been displayed on a high school auditorium wall in Cranston, R.I., for decades has been removed in compliance with a federal judge’s ruling after an atheistic student complained.

MORE: http://www.newsmax.com/US/prayer-banner-atheist-ACLU/2012/03/06/id/431596

There is Nothing Like Science

Does Preschool Matter?

For many kids, the most important years of schooling come before they can even read. Consider the groundbreaking work of the Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman, who has repeatedly documented the power of early childhood education. One of his best case studies is the Perry Preschool Experiment, which looked at 123 low-income African-American children from Yspilanti, Michigan. (All the children had IQ scores between 75 and 85.) When the children were three years old, they were randomly assigned to either a treatment group, and given a high-quality preschool education, or to a control group, which received no preschool education at all. The subjects were then tracked over the ensuing decades, with the most recent analysis comparing the groups at the age of 40. The differences, even decades after the intervention, were stark: Adults assigned to the preschool program were 20 percent more likely to have graduated from high school and 19 percent less likely to have been arrested more than five times. They got much better grades, were more likely to remain married and were less dependent on welfare programs. This is why, according to Heckman and colleagues, every dollar invested in preschool for at-risk children reaps somewhere between eight and nine dollars in return.

MORE: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/03/does-preschool-matter/

With the Right Photo, Your Facebook Text Profile Hardly Matters

ScienceDaily -- In most cases, your profile photo on Facebook tells viewers what they need to know to form an impression of you -- no words are necessary, new research suggests.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120306142547.htm