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Opinion

What if People Actually Treated Religion as Just a Metaphor (Like Trekkies and Secular Jews)?What if People Actually Treated Religion as Just a Metaphor (Like Trekkies and Secular Jews)?

By Greta Christina, AlterNet. November 20, 2009.
Belief: It's possible to keep the good parts of religion -- like the music, rituals and pageantry -- and get rid of the sex-hating dogma, the belief in god and other troublesome aspects.

Hey Guys, Don't Want Kids? A Vascetomy Is Probably the Way to GoHey Guys, Don't Want Kids? A Vascetomy Is Probably the Way to Go

By Anna Clark, RH Reality Check. November 20, 2009.
Sex and Relationships: Historically, the burden of family planning has almost always fallen on women. Isn't it about time for that to change?

Poseidon's Financial Shell Game: Why Is a Private Desalination Plant Asking for Public Money?Poseidon's Financial Shell Game: Why Is a Private Desalination Plant Asking for Public Money?

By Peter Gleick, Pacific Institute. November 19, 2009.
Water: After years of claiming that they needed no public support to build this plant, this claim has finally been proven false.

Is House Health Care Bill a Threat to Our Constitution?Is House Health Care Bill a Threat to Our Constitution?

By Barry W. Lynn, Americans United for Separation of Church and State. November 18, 2009.
Rights and Liberties: The House health-care bill isn't just a threat to women's rights; with the Stupak amendment, it's a breach of the Constitution.

Is California's New Water Legislation Better Than Nothing?Is California's New Water Legislation Better Than Nothing?

By Peter Gleick, Pacific Institute. November 18, 2009.
Water: Despite the happy face being put on by some of the bill's supporters, including Governor Schwarzenegger, I doubt anyone is truly happy with the end result.

Hightower: Obscenely Rich Bankers Claim to Do God's Work -- They Can Go to HellHightower: Obscenely Rich Bankers Claim to Do God's Work -- They Can Go to Hell

By Jim Hightower, AlterNet. November 18, 2009.
Top executives were initially hurt by the public's moral outrage. But their sense of entitlement quickly kicked in, and now they claim they're the good guys.

Why I'll Never Buy a KindleWhy I'll Never Buy a Kindle

By Benjamin Dangl, AlterNet. November 17, 2009.
Media and Technology: Fancy new book readers save lots of trees, yes, but I'll pass.

The New York Times Embraces 'Douche' as the Television Dirty Word of the MomentThe New York Times Embraces 'Douche' as the Television Dirty Word of the Moment

By Don Hazen, AlterNet. November 16, 2009.
The NY Times has just discovered that "douche" is used as an insult in mainstream media. Why do they seem to see the spread of a term derogatory to women as progress?

America Is One Big Clunker and No Amount of Cash Will Buy Us a New OneAmerica Is One Big Clunker and No Amount of Cash Will Buy Us a New One

By James Howard Kunstler, Kunstler.com. November 16, 2009.
Environment: We continue to be childishly delusional about our dark economic and environmental prospects. Unfortunately, reality isn't amenable to lies and spin.

Obama's Strongest Supporters Suffering the Most in Recession, While Elites ThriveObama's Strongest Supporters Suffering the Most in Recession, While Elites Thrive

By Bob Herbert, The New York Times. November 16, 2009.
The young, the black and the poor are among those who are being hammered unmercifully in this long and cruel economic downturn that the financial elites are telling us is over.

Sarah Palin Rules the GOP -- And She Will Destroy ItSarah Palin Rules the GOP -- And She Will Destroy It

By Max Blumenthal, Tomdispatch.com. November 16, 2009.
Palin's influence on a party largely devoid of leadership is expanding. If she doesn't become the GOP's future queen, she may be its future king-maker -- and its destroyer.

Lou Dobbs Is History at CNN ... Now What?Lou Dobbs Is History at CNN ... Now What?

By Angelo Falcón, New America Media. November 14, 2009.
Immigration: Will we be seeing more Latino executives, anchors, commentators, contributors, and producers at CNN?

Memo to the Tea-Baggers: God and Country Aren't with YouMemo to the Tea-Baggers: God and Country Aren't with You

By Glynn Wilson, Locust Forks News-Journal. November 14, 2009.
Politics: You don't appear to know what "freedom" means.

What Should a Feminist Man Look Like?What Should a Feminist Man Look Like?

By Courtney E. Martin, The American Prospect. November 14, 2009.
Reproductive Justice and Gender: Many young men reject the trappings of traditional, sexist masculinity. But what's the alternative?

Single Payer Now!Single Payer Now!

By Sen. Bernie SandersNovember 13, 2009.
Politics: In my view, the real solution to the problem of how to reform health care in this country is a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system.

15 Awful Things Republicans Would Do If They Had the Chance15 Awful Things Republicans Would Do If They Had the Chance

By Dennis Rahkonen, The Smirking Chimp. November 13, 2009.
The GOP's agenda, if fully implemented, would prove catastrophic. Here's what an unfettered Republican Party would do "for" America.

What Obama Can Learn from GorbachevWhat Obama Can Learn from Gorbachev

By Robert Scheer, Truthdig. November 13, 2009.
World: On the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, it's worthwhile to remember that ending a stupid, harmful war is the most admirable thing a great leader can do.

The Top One Reason Religion Is HarmfulThe Top One Reason Religion Is Harmful

By Greta Christina, AlterNet. November 13, 2009.
Belief: Religion is uniquely armored against anything that might stop it from spinning into extreme absurdity, extreme denial of reality and extreme, grotesque immorality.

Why the Catholic Bishops Who Pushed Through the Stupak Amendment Are HypocritesWhy the Catholic Bishops Who Pushed Through the Stupak Amendment Are Hypocrites

By Jon O'Brien and Nancy Keenan, AlterNet. November 13, 2009.
Rights and Liberties: The same language the bishops thought too weak to truly ban public funding for abortion maintains their charities' own access to public money.

How Abstinence-Only Programs Perpetuate Dangerous StereotypesHow Abstinence-Only Programs Perpetuate Dangerous Stereotypes

By Martha Kempner, RH Reality Check. November 12, 2009.
Sex and Relationships: It's bad enough the media teaches my daughter harmful gender stereotypes. Does she have to get it at school, too?

Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh Stoking GOP Civil WarGlenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh Stoking GOP Civil War

By Eric Boehlert, Media Matters for America. November 11, 2009.
Media and Technology: The right-wing media are trying to play "king-maker." But they are incapable of picking winners and stand poised to rip the Republican Party apart.

Does the House Bill's Public Option Kill Off the Senate's?Does the House Bill's Public Option Kill Off the Senate's?

By Booman, Booman Tribune. November 10, 2009.
Health and Wellness: Why the health care reform act has a very long and very difficult road ahead.

Atheists, It's Time to Stand Up to JesusAtheists, It's Time to Stand Up to Jesus

By Russell Blackford, Udo Schuklenk, Comment Is Free. November 9, 2009.
Belief: Civility has its uses, but atheists should not be afraid to mock faith to undermine religious power.

As Foreclosure Nightmares Increase, Will More Homeowners Pay Off Their Bankers in Violence?As Foreclosure Nightmares Increase, Will More Homeowners Pay Off Their Bankers in Violence?

By Scott Thill, AlterNet. November 9, 2009.
World: The economic crisis revealed late-capitalism's central offense: Human beings are being transparently treated if they were mere transactions. And they're going postal over it.

Instant Sex: Has the Digital Age Destroyed Relationships or Made Them Better?Instant Sex: Has the Digital Age Destroyed Relationships or Made Them Better?

By Vanessa Richmond, AlterNet. November 7, 2009.
Sex and Relationships: Digitally-enabled mating culture has opened up the mate-finding process while also generating a whole new set of dating anxieties.

10 of the Nuttiest Statements Elected Officials Have Made in the Health Care Battle10 of the Nuttiest Statements Elected Officials Have Made in the Health Care Battle

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. November 7, 2009.
Politics: Wild, over-the-top rhetoric and bizarre conspiracy theories about health reform aren't just coming from the right-wing blogs and talk-radio loudmouths.

Stop U.S. Meddling; Support Afghan Women at the TableStop U.S. Meddling; Support Afghan Women at the Table

By Jodie Evans, CODEPINK Women for Peace: Action Blog. November 6, 2009.
World: Meddling in Afghanistan’s elections and U.S. failure at every turn to deliver security and justice is increasing the potency of the Taliban.

Former Worker's Confession: Former Worker's Confession: "I Was Hired to Stand in the Way of Health Care Reform"

By Robert Greenwald, Sick for Profit. November 5, 2009.
Politics: Hi, I'm Andy Cobb and I did all the damage I could being a spokesjerk for Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Republicans and Democrats Come Together to Launch Unprecedented Attack on International LawRepublicans and Democrats Come Together to Launch Unprecedented Attack on International Law

By Stephen Zunes, AlterNet. November 5, 2009.
Politics: This is George W. Bush's foreign policy legacy, which — through this resolution — the Democrats, no less than their Republican counterparts, have now eagerly embraced.

What If You and Your Neighbors Owned Your Local Sports Teams?What If You and Your Neighbors Owned Your Local Sports Teams?

By Roy Ulrich, AlterNet. November 4, 2009.
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: Sports franchises shouldn't necessarily be in the hands of private parties.

Who Is Stealing California's Water?Who Is Stealing California's Water?

By Peter Gleick, Pacific Institute. November 4, 2009.
Water: We must stop pretending that water is free and unlimited, available to anyone who can put a siphon in a river or drill another groundwater well.

A Broken Immigration System Marks a Disastrous Failure of Government ResponseA Broken Immigration System Marks a Disastrous Failure of Government Response

By Mary Giovagnoli, Immigration Impact. November 3, 2009.
Immigration: It's a matter of priorities -- every dollar spent on the deportation iss a dollar not spent on improving immigration services and processing applications quickly and efficiently.

What You Should Be Watching For This ElectionWhat You Should Be Watching For This Election

By Megan Carpentier, Air America Media. November 3, 2009.
From the battle between moderate Republicans and the teabaggers, to marriage equality legislation, there is hot political action in the voting booths this year.

Are the Are the "New Atheists" As Bad as Christian Fundamentalists?

By Frank Schaeffer, AlterNet. November 3, 2009.
Belief: The most aggressive members of the "New Atheism" movement have quite a bit in common with religious extremists like Pat Robertson and Ted Haggard.

Who's Really Behind Organic Food Brands Like Amy's and Odwalla?Who's Really Behind Organic Food Brands Like Amy's and Odwalla?

By Vanessa Barrington, EcoSalon. November 2, 2009.
Over the past decade many small organic food brands have been snapped up by giant corporations. Clearly, this can be bad for standards and quality.

Why It's Not Smart to Call Women Conservatives 'Whores'Why It's Not Smart to Call Women Conservatives 'Whores'

By Tana Ganeva, AlterNet. November 2, 2009.
Reproductive Justice and Gender: Conservative women should be strongly criticized. But using gendered language to attack them doesn't help progressives.

Putting Farm Animal Protection on the Map, One Step at a TimePutting Farm Animal Protection on the Map, One Step at a Time

By Paul Shapiro, AlterNet. October 31, 2009.
Environment: Within this decade, we've gone from 0 to 7 states having anti-cruelty laws for animals in agribusiness laws.

6 Marriage Myths Shattered: How Barack and Michelle Shun Fairy Tale Romance6 Marriage Myths Shattered: How Barack and Michelle Shun Fairy Tale Romance

By Vanessa Richmond, AlterNet. October 31, 2009.
Sex and Relationships: The first couple's imperfect union helps shed light on the reality of marriage.

Glenn Beck Peddles Populism for Rich GuysGlenn Beck Peddles Populism for Rich Guys

By Brad Reed, Commonweal Institute. October 31, 2009.
Politics: The Fox News shock jock weaves a tale of wealthy elites who are victims of tyrannical government hell-bent on taking their hard-earned money.

Boss Tells Latino Workers to Ditch Spanish Names -- in What World Is this Guy Living?Boss Tells Latino Workers to Ditch Spanish Names -- in What World Is this Guy Living?

By Pilar Marrero, New America Media. October 31, 2009.
Immigration: According to Larry Whitman, employees who work in reception or answer phones should have names that people generally can understand or can pronounce.