Member Blogs
Will the world end on December 21st 2012?
Submitted by Wholly Guacamole on Fri, 12/14/2012 - 23:16.Will the world end on December 21st 2012? Here's what one very well-known astrophysicist thinks:
"The 2012 end-of-the-world scenario is a hoax perpetrated by the scientifically illiterate on the scientifically under-informed. Earth is going to be here till the end of the solar system. The sun will die in five billion years."
-- Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, author, and director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
Et tu, Brute? Likely GOP candidate Santorum "appalled" by JFK's "radical" support of church/state separation
Submitted by objective on Sun, 04/03/2011 - 22:59.What kind of toxicants are Santorum and his fellow (self-described) "patriots" in the GOP shooting up?
The exercise of political power in service to....
Submitted by objective on Mon, 03/07/2011 - 22:17.Perhaps no other nation is so thoroughly associated with civil rights, human rights, religious freedom, and the idea that politicians who win election as representatives proudly serve the highest power in a democratic society, the People of their consitutency. Unfortunately, far too many of our "representatives" do not appear to adhere to this founding principle of democracy. By the time We the People find out that the "representative(s)" we elected have decided to put the People's interest in second place behind the representative's interests it is too late: days, weeks, or mon
Equal Justice Under Law - at least in California - at least for now
Submitted by FTCSBOD1 on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 11:15.Molly Ivins wrote, "It is possible to read the history of this country as one long struggle to extend the liberties established in our Constitution to everyone in America."
History may one day recognize the August 4, 2010 Perry vs. Swartzenegger ruling in the US District Court for the Northern District of California...
What is scarier than gay high schoolers openly attending prom? Letting "atheists" pay for the prom cancelled to prevent it.
Submitted by FTCSBOD1 on Thu, 04/15/2010 - 01:20.Many Americans take pride in the idea that their nation is the pinnacle of equality and freedom - even as they look down upon organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who are willing to to the difficult and often unpopular work required to ensure America actually conforms to these ideals.
The Legacy of Darwin: An Overview
Submitted by charles.wallace on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 16:27.On October 31st, 2009, my friend and I attended the “Legacy of Darwin Intelligent Design Conference” in Castle Rock, Colorado. The event was sponsored by Shepherd Project Ministries, who did a great job hosting the event. The event was well organized, ran smoothly, and real people were picked out of the audience to ask questions of the speakers, albeit it was limited to only a few. Luckily, I was one of them. Despite all that this, I can say it was the scariest Halloween I have ever had. Why has it taken me five months to summarize the conference?
Darwin Day: A New Bane of Creationists
Submitted by charles.wallace on Fri, 02/12/2010 - 22:41.Today people throughout the world are celebrating the birthday of a great man of science, Charles Darwin. Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection has been hailed as one of the greatest scientific theories of all time. In a nutshell, Darwin discovered that all species that exist on the earth today, including man, all are descendants of a common ancestor that had been endlessly modified over time through natural selection.
Inequality is Undeniable and Equality is Irresistible
Submitted by FTCSBOD1 on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 19:11.High level government bodies in an increasing number of states (such as Iowa and Vermont) are affirming that allowing one group the benefits of [insert action here] while simultaneously denying a different group access to [insert same action here], constitutes prima facie discrimination – and is thus unlawful.
Propaganda Techniques
Submitted by ftcsadmin2 on Wed, 07/04/2018 - 13:54.Propaganda Techniques
Organized techniques of propaganda (a.k.a. weaponized deception) have been successfully applied in politics and war since at least World War One.
Books on propaganda and were best sellers in the 1920's.
Propaganda is so powerful it was used to trick the educated and egailarian people of Germany into a disastrous Second World War some 20 years later after their disastrous participation in the First World War.
Today, few people recognize the techniques of propaganda, or the fact that they are almost constantly immersed in propaganda.
AD HOMINEM: Personal attack.
AD NAUSEAM: Regurgitate until accepted.
AGENDA SETTING: Statements "suck all the oxygen" out of news and debate.
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY: [Leader name] likes it, you do too.
APPEAL TO FEAR: Be afraid, be very afraid.
APPEAL TO PREJUDICE: Opponents are [prejudicial statement].
APPEAL TO PRIDE: You are better than they are.
BANDWAGON: Everybody's doing it so it's good.
BIG LIE: "If you tell a big lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed."
BLIND I: Cheering actions loathed if taken by opponents.
BROKEN RECORD: Eternally repeat a lie and it eventually becomes accepted as truth.
CHERRY PICKING: Hype tiny supporting evidence, ignore massive opposing evidence.
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: See Pavlov's dog.
CRISIS MANIPULATION: Spectacular politics buries damaging facts.
CULT OF PERSONALITY: Leader accepted/portrayed as religious figure.
DECEPTION: Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie (foundation of most propaganda techniques).
DICTAT: Leader said it, therefore it is true (even if obviously false).
DISINFORMATION: Incorrect information (see muddy the water).
DISTRACTION: Change the subject.
DOOR IN THE FACE: Slight reduction in massively inflated price achieves sale.
EUPHEMISM: Friendly sounding terms blunt ugly facts. "Imprisoning opponents is a kindness."
EUPHORIA: "We are winning!" (whether winning or not).
EXAGGERATION: "No one has ever been more successful than me."
FALLACY OF COMPOSITION: Since one [person type] does it, all persons of that type do it.
FALSE COMPARISON: Guns are like hammers.
FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DOUBT: Support [dictator name] or things will go badly.
FLAG WAVING: Appeal to patriotism.
FOOT IN THE DOOR: Give a tiny gift, expect lifetime loyalty.
GASLIGHTING: Calculated deception causes targets to doubt their perceptions.
GISH GALLOP: Rapidly bombarding with complex ideas.
GLITTERING GENERALITIES: Enthralling statements with no actual meaning.
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: Cab driver seen as guilty as murderer.
HALF TRUTH: The sky is not blue.
INTENTIONAL VAGUENESS: Broad statement allows audience to hear what they want.
LABELING: Dividing people against themselves (left/right, liberal/conservative).
LOADED LANGUAGE: WTC attack site called "ground zero" (location of a nuclear detonation).
LOVE BOMBING: Provide new family, destroy real family.
MANIPULATING THE NEWS: Whining about reporting skews future coverage.
MISINFORMATION: Children threaten national security.
MILIEU CONTROL: Social environment creates control (see love bombing, flag waving).
MINIMIZATION: Enemy agents are harmless.
MUDDY THE WATER: War is peace (see deception, disinformation, gaslighting, etc.).
NAME CALLING: Opponent is a [dirty name].
NON-SEQUITUR: "Some lies are so false they are true."
OBFUSCATION: Making the simple complex.
OPERANT CONDITIONING: Programmed imitation of leaders.
OVERSIMPLIFICATION: There is no alternative to war.
PLAIN FOLKS: Join us common people.
PROJECTION: Accusing opponent of crime you are committing.
QUOTES OUT OF CONTEXT: "My opponent says I lie" becomes "I lie."
RATIONALIZATION: "We had to kill the dissidents to save others."
RED HERRING: Claiming compelling but unrelated "shiny object" invalidates facts.
SCAPEGOATING: Assigning blame rather than addressing facts or seeking solutions.
SLOGANS: "Bumper sticker" arguments, "Stop plate tectonics."
SMEAR: Attacking opponents' character (see labeling).
STEREOTYPING: They are [stereotyped group], therefore they all do [stereotype].
STRAW MAN: Creating a false premise then attacking it.
TESTIMONIAL: Celebrity support.
THIRD PARTY: Partisan plays independent.
THOUGHT TERMINATING CLICHE: She may be correct, but common sense ain't common.
TONE ATTACK: Ignore facts, attack opponent's delivery.
VICE WORDS: Unkind incorrect words, "demonic" enemies.
VIRTUE WORDS: Kind incorrect words, "angelic" allies.
WHATABOUTISM: Ignore facts, charge opponent with hypocrisy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- October 2, 2019 version above -------------------------------------------------------------
Propaganda Techniques
The techniques of propaganda have been successfully applied in politics and war since 1926, yet few people recognize them today.
AD HOMINEM: Personal attack.
AD NAUSEAM: Regurgitate until accepted.
AGENDA SETTING: Statements "suck all the oxygen" out of news and debate.
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY: [Leader name] likes it, you do too.
APPEAL TO FEAR: Be afraid, be very afraid.
APPEAL TO PREJUDICE: Opponents are [prejudicial statement].
APPEAL TO PRIDE: You are better than they are.
BANDWAGON: Everybody's doing it so it's good.
BIG LIE: "If you tell a big lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed."
BLIND I: Cheering actions loathed if taken by opponents.
BROKEN RECORD: Eternally repeat same thing, same way.
CHERRY PICKING: Hype tiny supporting evidence, ignore massive opposing evidence.
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: See Pavlov's dog.
CRISIS MANIPULATION: Spectacular politics buries damaging facts.
CULT OF PERSONALITY: Leader accepted/portrayed as religious figure.
DECEPTION: Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie (foundation of most propaganda techniques).
DICTAT: Leader said it, therefore it is true (even if obviously false).
DISINFORMATION: Incorrect information (see muddy the water).
DISTRACTION: Change the subject.
DOOR IN THE FACE: Slight reduction in massively inflated price achieves sale.
EUPHEMISM: Friendly sounding terms blunt ugly facts. "Imprisoning opponents is a kindness."
EUPHORIA: "We are winning!" (whether winning or not).
EXAGGERATION: "No one has ever been more successful than me."
FALLACY OF COMPOSITION: Since one [person type] does it, all persons of that type do it.
FALSE COMPARISON: Guns are like hammers.
FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DOUBT: Support [dictator name] or things will go badly.
FLAG WAVING: Appeal to patriotism.
FOOT IN THE DOOR: Give a tiny gift, expect lifetime loyalty.
GASLIGHTING: Calculated deception causes targets to doubt their perceptions.
GISH GALLOP: Rapidly bombarding with complex ideas.
GLITTERING GENERALITIES: Enthralling statements with no actual meaning.
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: Cab driver seen as guilty as murderer.
HALF TRUTH: The sky is not blue.
INTENTIONAL VAGUENESS: Broad statement allows audience to hear what they want.
LABELING: Dividing people against themselves (left/right, liberal/conservative).
LOADED LANGUAGE: WTC attack site called "ground zero" (location of a nuclear detonation).
LOVE BOMBING: Provide new family, destroy real family.
MANIPULATING THE NEWS: Whining about reporting skews future coverage.
MISINFORMATION: Children threaten national security.
MILIEU CONTROL: Social environment creates control (see love bombing, flag waving).
MINIMIZATION: Enemy agents are harmless.
MUDDY THE WATER: War is peace (see deception, disinformation, gaslighting, etc.).
NAME CALLING: Opponent is a [dirty name].
NON-SEQUITUR: "Some lies are so false they are true."
OBFUSCATION: Making the simple complex.
OPERANT CONDITIONING: Programmed imitation of leaders.
OVERSIMPLIFICATION: There is no alternative to war.
PLAIN FOLKS: Join us common people.
PROJECTION: Accusing opponent of crime you are committing.
QUOTES OUT OF CONTEXT: "My opponent says I lie" becomes "I lie."
RATIONALIZATION: "We had to kill the dissidents to save others."
RED HERRING: Claiming compelling but unrelated "shiny object" invalidates facts.
SCAPEGOATING: Assigning blame rather than addressing facts or seeking solutions.
SLOGANS: "Bumper sticker" arguments, "Stop plate tectonics."
SMEAR: Attacking opponents' character (see labeling).
STEREOTYPING: They are [stereotyped group], therefore they all do [stereotype].
STRAW MAN: Creating a false premise then attacking it.
TESTIMONIAL: Celebrity support.
THIRD PARTY: Partisan plays independent.
THOUGHT TERMINATING CLICHE: She may be correct, but common sense ain't common.
TONE ATTACK: Ignore facts, attack opponent's delivery.
VICE WORDS: Unkind incorrect words, "demonic" enemies.
VIRTUE WORDS: Kind incorrect words, "angelic" allies.
WHATABOUTISM: Ignore facts, charge opponent with hypocrisy.
------------------------------ Original version follows, edited version of April 30, 2019 above ----------------------------
Propaganda Techniques
The techniques of propaganda have been successfully applied in politics and war since 1926, yet few people recognize them today.
AD HOMINEM: Personal attack.;
AD NAUSEAM: Regurgitate until accepted.;
AGENDA SETTING: Statements "suck all the oxygen" out of news and debate.;
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY: [Leader name] likes it, you do too.;
APPEAL TO FEAR: Be afraid, be very afraid.;
PBS Show to Watch!
Submitted by Jan on Sun, 10/11/2015 - 14:22.On June 20 be sure to tune into PBS to watch a brilliant new documentary, called "Trapped," about the abortion access crisis in America.
The film shows how anti-abortion restrictions can devastate the lives of women and families.
You’ll see interviews with providers who are doing everything they can to give their patients compassionate care in the face of restrictive laws. This is a story that needs to be told.
Massachusetts Supreme Court Case Alleges Pledge of Allegiance Discriminates Against Atheists
Submitted by ftcsadmin2 on Mon, 09/16/2013 - 07:35.
Stanford Researchers Mimic Transistor Using "Genetic Logic Gates"
Submitted by ftcsadmin2 on Fri, 03/29/2013 - 15:10.For the first time, synthetic biologists have created a genetic device that mimics one of the widgets on which all of modern electronics is based, the three-terminal transistor. Like standard electronic transistors, the new biological transistor is expected to work in many different biological circuit designs. Together with other advances in crafting genetic circuitry, that should make it easier for scientists to program cells to do everything from monitor pollutants and the progression of disease to turning on the output of medicines and biofuels.
Join the Freedom from Religion Foundation's "Out of the Closet" Virtual Billboard Campaign
Submitted by ftcsadmin2 on Mon, 03/25/2013 - 15:00.Join the Freedom from Religion Foundation's
"Out of the Closet" Virtual Billboard Campaign
St. Patrick's Day Parade 2013 with the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs
Submitted by Michael_Clifton on Sun, 03/17/2013 - 19:59.Prominent mayoral candidate slain in Mississippi
Submitted by ftcsadmin2 on Thu, 02/28/2013 - 14:01.Those of us old enough to remember the 1960's sometimes find life in modern America to include more than a bit of "deja vu."
