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Skeptic Summary #209

Ex-what? Socia-what? So many crises! Plus, fugliness, medias mattering and more!

Ex-gays getting protection from discrimination? - The ex-straight and the ex-ex-gays filed a joint lawsuit as well.

Redefining the enemy - A liberal definition of socialist.

Editor’s Choice: Constitutional crisis - Well, I learned something.

From the Archives: Things get Fugly!! - Reminiscing about our good ol’ pal, Verlch.

Media Matters for America - Yes, I have recommended articles from Media Matters before. But hey, I think it’s time to flat out recommend the whole site. I guess I have had a bellyful of the media in general being portrayed as “the liberal media” by conservatives. Their message is clear: If it’s a negative story about us, don’t believe it. It’s just that pesky “liberal media” again. Media Matters calls baloney on that accusation by reporting on stories not favorable to conservatives that the media has ignored or watered down.

Why is it that after attack after attack on Barak Obama’s supposed relationship with domestic terrorists do we not hear about McCain’s relationship with G. Gordon Liddy who McCain describes as an “old friend?” Liddy’s fame rests on his domestic terrorist activities for which he did time in federal prison. Why is it that it took David Lettermen to bring up their relationship, which was then downplayed by a media that chose not to say anything about the hypocrisy of the McCain campaign to paint Obama as a terrorist by association?

Yeah, I’ve had it. Media Matters takes on “print, broadcast, cable, radio, and Internet media outlets for conservative misinformation — news or commentary that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda — every day, in real time.” Conservatives can whine about the “liberal media” all they want to, but that accusation just doesn’t hold up upon closer scrutiny.

SkeptiQuote: Inquiry is fatal to certainty. — Will Durant

Sunday: Our Sunday chat host is on vacation.

Wednesday: Chat was rather slow this week as the last of the presidential debates cut into chat time. The result of this was that most of chat was focused on the debate. Dave however found a new game to become obsessed over. But going back to the debate, most found that it was not a great win for Obama and some even thought he lost. Many criticisms were made over Ayers and ACORN, as well as the public speaking abilities of both candidates. Also a public apology from Craig MacGlashan over allowing web pages that compared Obama to Osama to remain up. Some more talk about the debate and odd dog behavior ended this week’s chat.

Come chat with us.

jacqui brookes
Boba Fett

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What’s New by Bob Park

Got some skeptic news items? Send them to us, and we’ll think about adding them.

The Trillion Dollar Meltdown: Easy Money, High Rollers, and the Great Credit Crash, by Charles R. Morris.



“We are living in the most reckless financial environment in recent history. Arcane credit derivative bets are now well into the tens of trillions. According to Charles R. Morris, the astronomical leverage at investment banks and their hedge fund and private equity clients virtually guarantees massive disruption in global markets. The crash, when it comes, will have no firebreaks. A quarter century of free-market zealotry that extolled asset stripping, abusive lending, and hedge fund secrecy will come crashing down with it.

The Trillion Dollar Meltdown explains how we got here, and what is about to happen. After the crash our priorities will be quite different. But things are likely to get worse before they better. Whether you are an active investor, a homeowner, or a contributor to your 401(k) plan, The Trillion Dollar Meltdown will be indispensable to understanding the gross excess that has put the world economy on the brink — and what the new landscape will look like.”

— Product Description
Note from Kil: This book was written before the credit meltdown that we are currently experiencing. Morris called it!

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