The Humanist Globe science reason compassion Global Humanism.org

Week of Fe. 27 to March 4/08 -ARCHIVE PAGE Information for the open minded - promoting critical thinking

Science News

The second issue of Evolution: Education & Outreach

For those interested in promoting evolution through their associations and in their local schools, this free online journal is invaluable.
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Device Allows Scientists To Control Gene Activity Across Generations Of Cells

ScienceDaily (Mar. 3, 2008) Just as cells inherit genes, they also inherit a set of instructions that tell genes when to become active, in which tissues and to what extent. Now, Rockefeller University researchers have built a device that, by allowing scientists to turn genes on and off in actively multiplying budding yeast cells, will help them figure out more precisely than before how genes and proteins interact with one another and how these interactions drive cellular functions. read more here

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Chimps May Have A 'Language-ready' Brain

ScienceDaily (Feb. 29, 2008) An area of the brain involved in the planning and production of spoken and signed language in humans plays a similar role in chimpanzee communication, researchers report read on here

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First Peek Into Deepest Recesses Of Human Brain

ScienceDaily (Feb. 28, 2008)A team of scientists from Princeton University has devised a new experimental technique that produces some of the best functional images ever taken of the human brainstem, the most primitive area of the brain. Read more & add Hub comment

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The Problem with Prozac

Antidepressants of the ''Prozac generation'' have been hailed as miracle drugs and they're a multibillion-dollar boon to the pharmaceutical industry. But a controversial new study claims that the drugs, which largely replaced older medicines in the 1990s, do little good for the vast majority of patients who take them. Read More

by Martin Enserink ScienceNOW Daily News
27 February 2008

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Seeds of Future Agriculture Enter Doomsday Deep Freeze. Millions of vital crop seeds will be buried deep within the frozen earth of Svalbard

A barren, treeless island in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard may prove to be the last, best hope of agriculture in warmer, more fertile parts of the world. The first batch of 100 million of the most important agricultural seeds were placed into the doomsday repository there today. read more & comment on Hub By David Biello

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News

The Mother Teresa of Baghdad

Madhiha Hassan is a diminutive, 37-year old seamstress whom some people have begun calling the Mother Teresa of Baghdad. She's devoted her energies to helping Iraq's internally displaced people, particularly in the Karada district where she lives. Read article here and comment

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Christianity squares off against Hinduism, Islam and Humanism in Whitby Ontario, Canada

War of the Worldviews fails to pin down absolute truth

DURHAM -- The series of debates between varying religions held on Friday and Saturday at All Saints Catholic High School in Whitby featured humour and pathos, anger and anguish, as well as an overabundance of facts about three major world religions and one philosophy. Read more here
feb 28/08 by Josie Newman of Durhamregion.com

Related reviews -

SLANTED: The palpable Christian literalist bias at the Whitby ''Decide for Yourself'' religion debates
February 24, 2008 L. Ron Brown
View here

Another frustrated Humanist review of the Whitby ''Decide for Yourself'' religion debates
February 24, 2008 Terry Price
View here

Another Humanist review of the Whitby ''Decide for Yourself'' religion debates
February 25, 2008 John Manuel
View here

Review of Atheism - Christianity debate between Christopher DiCarlo and Dave Hunt at the ''Decide for Yourself'' religion debates in Whitby,ON
February 26, 2008 L. Ron Brown
View here

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Feel like cheating? Just say you have no free will, says UBC prof by Kent Spencer, The Province Published Saturday, March 01, 2008

Want to cheat on a math exam, but feeling scruples? A UBC professor knows how to overcome them.Jonathan Schooler said Saturday humans will cheat if they are told they lack free will."We influenced students to cheat by reading them short passages with the belief that there is no free will," said Schooler, 48, a one-time UBC professor who has recently joined the University of California at Santa Barbara. Read more here and comment on the Hub

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Robert Latimer,Day Parole the Saskatchewan farmer convicted of killing his severely disabled daughter in 1993, has been granted day parole.

Read article here ctv comment on hub Feb 27 08

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The World's Growing Food-Price Crisis

Soaring prices of staples - which have risen about 75% since 2005, driven by growing demand, rising oil prices and the effects of global warming - have sparked riots in several countries, as people reel from sticker shock and governments scramble to feed their people. Read more here Time Mag.Comment on the Hub

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'End of an era' for Anglicans - St. Hilda's Anglican Church isn't just in a theological battle, it's in a legal one

Feature Article

OAKVILLE The first sign that St. Hilda's Anglican Church is under siege is a posting on its front door warning locksmiths who may arrive to change the locks to think twice. The posting said they are walking into the middle of a "legal dispute" between the parish and the Diocese of Niagara and anyone who fools with church property could be liable. read more & comment on Hub

Charles Lewis, National Post Published: Friday, February 22, 2008

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Events

THE SECULAR CONSCIENCE:

Why Belief Belongs in Public Life, with Austin Dacey (CFI)
Presented by CFI Ontario
Friday, March 7th at 7:30 pm to 9:30pm
Location: Centre for Inquiry Ontario, 216 Beverley St, downtown Toronto
Austin Dacey, Center for Inquiry's representative to the United Nations will speak in Toronto as one of the first stopson his book release tour.
Visit website for more info

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"Censorship in Education" Presented by Halton-Peel Humanist Community

March 18th at 7:30 in the Acorn Cafa, Oakville Town Hall on Trafalgar Rd.

This topic was chosen because of the conflicting decisions by two neighbouring school boards to censor writings by atheist author, Phillip Pullman which include "The Golden Compass". It was the first of a trilogy written for children which was released as an award winning movie last December. Article

For information contact Elka Enola at ere@sympatico.ca or 905-257-7075.
Humanists and those wishing to learn about Humanism are welcome. Admission is free.

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STRING THEORY: APPROACHING OUR BIGGEST QUESTIONS (Future of Science Series)
Presented by CFI Ontario
Friday, March 21th at 7:00 pm to 9:00pm
Location: Centre for Inquiry Ontario, 216 Beverley St, downtown Toronto
String theoriest Amanda Peet, Professor at the University of Toronto
Cost: $6 general, $4 students, FREE for Friends of the Centre
Visit website for more info

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The Kingston Humanist Association presents: Exploring the Biology of Belief
WHEN: March 23rd at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Chapters Bookstore Community Room
2376 Princess Street Kingston Ontario

Are we hard-wired to believe in the supernatural? Is religion inevitable? Can our drive to connect cause and
effect be satisfied by science? Join us at our next meeting for a discussion of these and other ideas explored in the book ''Six Impossible Things before Breakfast'' by biologist, engineer, author, broadcaster and columnist Lewis Wolpert.
Visit Website for more info and downloadable flyer

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Dan Barker in St. Catharines

Organized by the Niagara Secular Humanists, the date for the long awaited debate between the prominent American pastor-turned-Atheist,
Dan Barker co-president of the Freedom from Religio Foundation and an equally prominent local minister, Reverend Peter Youngren has been firmed up for Wednesday, April 9/08 at the CWA Hall, Bunting Road in St. Catharines.
Doors open at 6:00 pm, debate starts 7:00 pm., tickets $6.00 each.
Both are the toughest debaters we could find on the subject "Does God exist'', Rev. Peter Youngren apparently often appears on Vision TV and
believes he can bring at least 150 people from his congregation to the debate, along with a camera crew. We have chosen a well-known personality
from the St. Catharine's Standard as moderator - The whole thing could be most interesting!
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HIP - Humanists In Peterborough - - Monthly Meeting
Discussions will include the Humanist Perspective Radio Show and bringing awareness to Humanism in Peterborough The date will be April 20, time 5:00 PM, Location: Charlotte Anne's. Visit Website for all info

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Sex, Religion and Politics
CDRH - Clarington Durham Region Humanists
Friday April 25th 2008
Golden Griddle Restaurant - Pickering Ontario 6:45pm to 10pm approx
Guest Speakers to be announced
More info to follow shortly
Visit Website

Weekly Features

Khalid Sohail, Mind space Chowk.com

Men's Liberation...Better Late Than Never

It is ironic that those men who become caring towards their wives are sometimes called sissy, wimp and 'zan mureed' read more here Feb 27, 2008

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Ricky Gervais

My Arguement With God Feb 20 08

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Book of the week

The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution Richard Dawkins

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Video of the week

The Lava Lizard's Tale - Richard Dawkins
This is the first of 3 tales to be posted. They were written immediately after The Ancestor's Tale was completed, and would have been included
if Richard had visited the Galapagos Islands before the book was published.

View video here and comment

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Website of the week

www.ex-muslim.org.uk

We, non-believers, atheists, and ex-Muslims, are establishing or joining the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain to insist that no one be pigeonholed as Muslims with culturally relative rights nor deemed to be represented by regressive Islamic organisations and 'Muslim community leaders'.

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Quote of the week

"And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence."
Bertrand Russell

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Laugh of the Week

George Carlin ''It's Make Believe'' Recent HBO Special - Strong Language caution

Part 1 & Part 2 on the Hub comment here

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Blogs, Sites & A/V