HOT5 Daily 6/13/2010

1. "The dishonesty of the Obama administration" There's a new example pretty much daily.

Representative Sample: The Obama administration is, apparently, willing to sink to outright lies in order to make a gesture that makes it seem as if they're actually doing something useful regarding the BP oil spill.

2. "Missing the Point on Israel" Interesting perspective, particularly since you see a lot of gloom from supporters of Israel about its growing isolation.

Representative Sample: The major media outlets would have you believe that Israel will suffer major consequences from the flotilla fiasco. But they are missing the point—Israel today is more secure from outside threat than it has ever been in its history. Its enemies are divided, unable and unwilling to form any coalition that could actually threaten Israel.

3. "How to Kill Faith and Win Arguments with Religious Zealots" Some excellent points here. Should be a must-read for atheists who like arguing with religious people.

Representative Sample: Most atheists seem to see faith as being synonymous with 'stubborn stupidity'. It's not. If it were, it would never have held up for as many years as it has. No one can be that stubborn and that stupid for that long. There's something else going on here, and it's probably the most important thing I've come up against in trying to get rid of the hold religion has on people.

4. "Native Americans Lost the Indian Wars" Interesting post that attacks the overwrought & misleading "genocide" claim concerning the U.S. & Native Americans.

Representative Sample: The Native American tribes were not victims of genocidal European conquerors. They were ruthless warriors in their own right who ultimately failed to defend their sovereignty and national integrity on the North American continent.

5. "Botox as a Terrorist Threat" Seriously. Links a Scientific American article.

Representative Sample: botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is grouped with the world’s most lethal potential biological weapons agents, sharing “Select Agent” status with the pathogens that cause smallpox, anthrax and plague. This biowarfare potential puts the existence of illicit laboratories churning out the toxin and of shady distributors selling it worldwide through the Internet into a more disturbing light than most pharmaceutical fraud.

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