It’s the Tyson edition of Radio Free Thinker
This week Atheist wins, drug trials, forgiving abortion, and interview with Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Let’s begin episode 129 

Banter:
Placenta pills become a business
A Saskatoon businesswoman is making a folk remedy for new mothers a little easier to swallow. 

Segments:

Teacher can’t be sued for bashing Christianity
A federal appeals court ruled Friday that a California teacher, James Corbett, could not be sued for criticizing Christianity and Creationism during a college-level European history course.

What happens when drug companies fund clinical Trials?
An insightful investigation at the potenital pitfalls and failing in the current Private clinical testing model for pharmasuticals.

The Pope in Spain
We discuss how Spaniards are upset that during atime of austarity the Spanish goverment is providing finacal and material support for the World Youth Day Festival (which last a week) and visit by the Pope. 
We also discuss the hypocracy of the 6 day \\\"abortion forgivness\\\" sale the Pope is holding during the festival.

Interview with Neil DeGrasse Tyson 

Skeptic Highlights.

US geolocial survey Did you feel it? 
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/
The earthquake earlier this morning in Virginia got everyone talking about whether they felt it, how it was, etc. This site lets you see where the effects of eathquakes across the US are being felt and report if you can feel it.

Skeptics in the Pub Richmond - Thursday, August 25 · 7:30pm Legends Pub 6511 Buswell Street in Richmond BC

Humanist Summer Potluck - Friday, August 26 · 6:00pm at Oakridge Seniors Centre 513-650 41st Ave W in Vancouver, BC.  The BC Humanists are having a potluck dinner! Bring your favourite appetizer, entrée, or dessert. Meet at the Oakridge Senior\\\'s Centre at 6 PM - enter from the outside door, which is on the SW corner of Oakridge mall.

Priming the pump - The death of addiction
There have been a number of articles in the news-o-sphere about the recent decision of the American Society of Addiction Medicine to classify addiction, be it alcohol, cocaine or sex addiction, as a mental disorder. Traditionally addiction was seen as, at least in the initiation of the addiction, moral failing…a weakness of mind. Modern research has brought such ‘common sense’ into doubt. The ASAM statement holds that an addition is really a “bio-psycho-socio-spiritual” illness.
Though addicts can’t choose not to be addicts, they can choose to get treatment. Recovery, ASAM says, is best realized not just by self-management and mutual support groups such as 12-step fellowships, but also with trained professional help. The ASAM’s timing corresponds with the current revamping of American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—the bible of the mental health profession.
Why is it a highlight? I would like our listeners to check out the links on the show notes and let us know if you agree with addiction as a disease, the use of the spirituality in treating addiction, 12-step programs…this will likely be a future segment.