Interesting Links for 06-09-2014

[andrewducker]

• Housing benefit: MPs debate plans amid Coalition split
  (tags: housing politics UK welfare )
• Government _rubbish_ at managing contracts
  (tags: government contracts fail )
• Ukraine: A Catastrophic Defeat
  (tags: ukraine Russia vianwhyte )
• Radio 4 to make first ever dramatisation of Good Omens
  (tags: NeilGaiman terrypratchett radio )
• Posting stolen

Comments

[cairmen]

Balls, looks like the autoimmune thing doesn't include RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) in the list of potentially treatable conditions.

Still very good news, though.

[andrewducker]

It's fantastic if they can make it work well. If nothing else they could then spend more research money on other things, like RA :->

[drdoug]

I expect that Good Omens on the radio will put my monkey in the happy place.

no atheists in fox holes

[artkouros]

I was sure that the story about the airman was a fake - since I know that no one in the US can be compelled to swear an oath to God - but after some research I see that it's true, the law was changed in 2013 by our ridiculous congress. I guess this guy will have to wait until his suit reaches the supreme court, as this is clearly unconstitutional.

Re: no atheists in fox holes

[andrewducker]

It clearly is.

I don't know why your politicians keep passing things that are _clearly_ unconstitutional.

They could, at least, vote to amend the constitution if they wanted this.

Re: no atheists in fox holes

[artkouros]

Amending the constitution is hard - requiring a 2/3 (or 3/4, I forget) majority of the house and senate and the approval of 2/3 (or 3/4, I forget) of the state legislatures. Being a dick in a military appropriations bill is easy.

In fact it's unlikely that we will ever amend the constitution again, simple because it's a long process that extends beyond the next election cycle - and so is beyond the sight of anyone in congress.

Re: no atheists in fox holes

[fiddlingfrog]

This really didn't surprise me at all, even before reading about the law change, because the Air Force has always had a fundamentalist Christian slant, far more so than any other branch of the service. I have to wonder if it's been an issue in the Army or Navy.

A cure for autoimmune diseases?

[peadarog]

Holy crap, that would be awesome!