Something should be bothersome about this. Wonder if there will be any protestors? Is secularism a religion?
Carolina Beach to Host First Annual Carolinas Secular Conference in November 2011
For the first time Humanists, Freethinkers, Atheists and members of other secular groups across North and South Carolina are coming together to plan important initiatives for 2012 and beyond.
The last few years have seen a strong and steady growth in the number Carolinas residents openly moving away from religion and embracing a new positive natural outlook on life. They are adding rapidly to the numbers of lifelong Humanists and Atheists who make up almost 20% of American society, but go largely unrecognized in many regions of the U.S.
New, fully secular, community groups have been forming at an increasing rate across the region. They organize to volunteer around the community, address important issues of equality and social justice, raise significant sums for charity, and hold regular educational and social events for freethinkers.
Group leaders across the region are now recognizing the importance of sharing and cooperation on a wider scale, and have therefore decided to meet at Carolina Beach on November 11th, 12th and 13th to begin to build and strengthen these larger ties.
The event is sponsored by the national groups The American Humanist Association and United Coalition of Reason and hosted by the local group, the Humanists and Freethinkers of Cape Fear.
A highlight of the weekend will be the Carolinas Freethinkers Banquet, from 7PM to 11:30PM on Saturday 12th November at the Courtyard by Marriott, Carolina Beach.
The keynote banquet speaker will be Dr. Darrel Ray, author of “The God Virus”, on the subject of “Sex and Secularism: What Happens When You Leave Religion?” based on his recent study of over 10,000 survey submissions on sex lives across all faiths.
Also at the banquet will be the presentation of the Carolinas Freethinker of the Year award, recognizing outstanding work and achievement in local activism and community building. The awardee will be announced mid September.
This is an exciting milestone for the Freethinking community in this region and marks the start of a new era for the Humanism, Atheism and positive Secularism on our part of the East Coast.
Han Hills, President, Humanists and Freethinkers of Cape Fear
phone: 910.452.1258
email: president@capefearhumanists.com
www.carolinassecularconference.com
Read full article » No Comments »At a bond hearing in Whiteville today, an attempt was made to get charges dropped against former RC Soles client Allen “Frog” Strickland. The deal had apparently fallen apart yesterday and DA Jon David assured me during the show this morning that they would NOT be cutting a deal. (more details at WWAY and also at the StarNews)
Several interesting developments. Bond was set at $5m for release or $1m for a GPS ankle monitor. RC cried openly in the courtroom. It was also revealed that 43 separate calls had come in from RC related to Allen Strickland to law enforcement. Three judges have warned Strickland as have two magistrates. But contact between the ex-senator and Strickland continues.
Outside the courtroom, WWAY asked Soles about his relationship with Strickland. Soles responded that he cares about Strickland and has tried to help him. When asked about the large amounts of money he has given Strickland, Soles WEPT saying he just feels bad for the boy because of his past. When asked if he planned to bail Strickland out of jail, Soles responded that he “doesn’t do that kind of thing.”
Many have speculated and strongly believe Soles is the money behind multiple bond releases for Strickland, BJ Wright and others. Soles has given them cars, homes, scooters and cash so it isn’t beyond belief that he’s been solely responsible for their bonds in spite of his protestations to the contrary. There is no connection between these young boys and ANY other monetary source other than Soles.
WWAY’s Scott Pickey asked Soles directly about his alleged sexual involvement with Strickland. Soles responded that people have said such things. The press is watching and this story just gets weirder.
For his part, I was told that Strickland didn’t have a lot to say in court. This bond is serious and it appears the walls are closing in on Soles day by day. His appearance in the courthouse today was an odd one considering the media presence and Soles lack of desire to discuss his actions publicly.
Read full article » No Comments »National average around 9% and ours now tops 10%. Governor Perdue, touting her “jobs” accomplishments is meeting with other southern governors at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville so these numbers have got to be troubling at the least.
(WRAL) RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s unemployment rate rose to 10.1 percent in July, up from 9.9 percent in June, the state Employment Security Commission reported Friday.
The biggest driver in the increase was the loss of more than 12,000 public sector jobs, the ESC said.
On Thursday,Gov. Bev Perdue warned that the rate would increase. She made the remarks in a speech delivered in Asheville.
She and her staff will try to say it has everything to do with the GOP driven budget, but the truth is that the entirety of Perdue’s tenure has been riddled with job losses in the state even as she goes from location to location for ribbon cuttings driven by taxpayer giveaways in the form of incentives that also result in job losses.
Read full article » No Comments »Yep, there’s a connection. . . you just can’t believe it. It wouldn’t be enough that such life, if it existed, would have overcome space travel, solved innumerable problems related to physics, had such advanced technology that even the concept of terra forming wasn’t problematic or that they might have a good idea or two to share. Nope, these critters just need to get rid of mankind for not solving global warming.
The authors warn that extraterrestrials may be wary of civilisations that expand very rapidly, as these may be prone to destroy other life as they grow, just as humans have pushed species to extinction on Earth. In the most extreme scenario, aliens might choose to destroy humanity to protect other civilisations.
“A preemptive strike would be particularly likely in the early phases of our expansion because a civilisation may become increasingly difficult to destroy as it continues to expand. Humanity may just now be entering the period in which its rapid civilisational expansion could be detected by an ETI because our expansion is changing the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere, via greenhouse gas emissions,” the report states.
“Green” aliens might object to the environmental damage humans have caused on Earth and wipe us out to save the planet. “These scenarios give us reason to limit our growth and reduce our impact on global ecosystems. It would be particularly important for us to limit our emissions of greenhouse gases, since atmospheric composition can be observed from other planets,” the authors write.
Hmmm. . . so, we have the possibility that nature loving “green” aliens would commit genocide to save the roaches. One of the writers of this report is Shawn Domagal-Goldman of Nasa’s Planetary Science Division. That wasn’t the only scenario, but seemed more Hollywood than science. I’m thinkin’, “The Day The Earth Stood Still.” Just sayin’.
Jon Stewart, on the Daily Show, showing how the media completely and utterly ignores Ron Paul’s success in the Iowa straw poll.
Hope you find it as funny as I did.
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