Amnesty highlights ‘disturbing rise’ in global executions

A surge in the number of executions recorded worldwide saw more people put to death last year than at any point since 1989, Amnesty International says. At least 1,634 people were executed in 2015, a rise of more than 50% on the previous year, the group found in its review of the use of the death penalty. Iran, Pakistan and …

Valerie Tarico – God as the Original Terrorist: How the Bible Condones Atrocious Acts of Terror

Last fall, Dutch pranksters put a cover from a Quran over a Bible and then asked passersby [3] to read aloud homophobic, violent or sexist passages that violate modern moral sensibilities. The texts shocked people who had never immersed themselves in the Iron Age world of the Bible writers, a world in which daughters can be sold as sexual slaves [4] …

The Mark Riley Show – 09.30.15

– Trump’s tax plan would raise deficit $12 trillion: analysis, It seems everyone who tries to revise the tax system would add stupid money to the deficit. But that’s Okay, Donald will simply call the people who came up with this number “losers”, and “weak”.

– Visas to import talent help copycats to take US jobs abroad. What, you mean somebody’s gaming the system? Here’s where immigration reform ought to happen, and right away.

– Missouri finds Planned Parenthood didn’t mishandle fetal tissue. Think that will stop the political gasbags that are trying to defund Planned Parenthood? They do this because they think they can get away with it.

– Police killing in Delaware brings calls for inquiry. This guy was in a wheelchair! And of course, he was black.

– Georgia executes woman on Death Row despite clemency bid and Pope’s plea. Yes Francis did call for the abolition of the death penalty, but in the US, the executions will keep on coming.

– Slavery reparations call overshadows Cameron’s visit to Jamaica. Not quite sure how this happened, but reparations has become a front burner issue outside the US. And it seems, Cameron’s “nothing to see here” attitude isn’t going over well at all.

– Russia launches first airstrikes in Syria. Putin ain’t playin. He says he’s going after Islamic State, but he also says he’s helping Assad, thereby putting Obama in a box.

– House GOP hardliners agitate to have one of their own in a leadership role. These folks at least know what they want. Did progressives in Congress get one of their own in a leadership role? Must have missed that one.

– Top Republican admits Benghazi committee is all about attacking Hillary Clinton. If that’s the case, Obama should call for its immediate abolition. Wanna take odds he won’t?

– House Republicans are quietly advancing their next tactic to dismantle Obamacare. And the time, unlike the other 50 times, they’re serious!