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Video: Why Texas Shouldn't Let Creationists Mess with Science Education

Science | Sun, Nov 30, 2008 at 3:59:20 pm PST

Dr. Barbara Forrest is the author (with Paul Gross) of Creationism’s Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design, and here’s a really informative presentation she gave recently at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, on the roots of the intelligent design movement, the personalities and driving forces behind it, and the Discovery Institute’s infamous Wedge Strategy.

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1149 comments

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1 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:00:56pm

Since when are Methodists godless?
/

2 Hengineer[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:02:31pm
3 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:03:14pm

Hooray! Another ID thread!

4 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:03:36pm

re: #3 Sharmuta

Hooray! Another ID thread!

Who is going to red herring first?

5 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:04:01pm

Ya know... life on earth will be so good when we get the basics worked out.

6 Spiny Norman  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:04:25pm

re: #3 Sharmuta

Hooray! Another ID thread!

::gets out the popcorn::

7 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:05:23pm

cre⋅a⋅tion⋅ism

–noun
1. the doctrine that matter and all things were created, substantially as they now exist, by an omnipotent Creator, and not gradually evolved or developed.
2. (sometimes initial capital letter) the doctrine that the true story of the creation of the universe is as it is recounted in the Bible, esp. in the first chapter of Genesis

Hope that helps with any confusion.

8 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:05:27pm

re: #1 Killgore Trout

Since when are Methodists godless?
/

Obviously, this once-proud institution has been subverted by atheists.

9 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:06:04pm

re: #8 Charles

Obviously, this once-proud institution has been subverted by atheists.

It IS a University

10 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:06:51pm

By the way, the last thread related to creationism was a week ago.

For the record.

11 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:08:28pm

Interestingly enough, I recently watched "Inherit the Wind" with my parents not too long ago (when I took a months' vacation and traveled back home to Cali). It was a good movie, showcasing how the creationists can be nuts and the atheists can be TOO condescending and glib.

(The movie was the infamous Scopes trial)

12 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:08:55pm

Why do people want less science in the classroom?
We need more science taught..

13 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:09:12pm

re: #12 HoosierHoops

Why do people want less science in the classroom?
We need more science taught..

Speaking as a practicing Marine Engineer, I agree.

14 Shug  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:09:55pm

Good, another thread about Texas.

15 Shug  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:10:17pm

It's a native Texan thing

16 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:11:04pm

re: #11 Hengineer

Interestingly enough, I recently watched "Inherit the Wind" with my parents not too long ago (when I took a months' vacation and traveled back home to Cali). It was a good movie, showcasing how the creationists can be nuts and the atheists can be TOO condescending and glib.

(The movie was the infamous Scopes trial)

Ah, who was a glib atheist?

17 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:12:22pm

re: #16 Walter L. Newton

Ah, who was a glib atheist?

Jack Lemmon? I liked him better in "Days of Wine and Roses"

18 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:12:55pm

re: #17 Thanos

Jack Lemmon? I liked him better in "Days of Wine and Roses"

Or was it Spencer Tracy?

19 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:13:03pm

Gene Kelly playing E. K. Hornbeck

20 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:13:18pm

re: #19 Hengineer

Gene Kelly playing E. K. Hornbeck

The journalist from the "big city"

21 Abu Al-Poopypants  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:13:46pm

With all that fancy book larnin'.

22 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:14:02pm

Now why was I thinking Jack Lemmon? Was he in it at all? I only saw it once, ages ago.

23 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:14:17pm

I never knew there was a Moonie connection to the Disco Institute.

24 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:15:07pm

Maybe 'glib atheist' is another code term.
[Link: www.google.com...]

25 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:15:09pm

re: #23 Killgore Trout

I never knew there was a Moonie connection to the Disco Institute.

... and Bill Gates.

26 legalpad  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:15:11pm

Well, I don't have time for the video where I am. she said it was about an hour. In a nutshell, any legislation of religiously based ideas promotes more government intrusion, and increases it's capability to be totalitarian. This does not mean that we believe any differently about what is right and wrong. It means that we persuade, we teach, we influence - we do not force. If we force - the government gets power that we do not want it to have. It is simply not the best way to implement everything we believe in - to give yet more power to an already too powerful central government. It will be your undoing.
Now, why don't you stealth down-dingers come out and speak your mind, instead of just down-dinging. Teach me something. I have a record of listening and changing.

27 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:15:57pm

Baylor's really got a problem.

28 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:15:59pm

re: #17 Thanos

Jack Lemmon? I liked him better in "Days of Wine and Roses"

Well, I don't think that his character would properly represent a "glib atheist," since the character was modeled after H.L. Mencken (who actually covered the trial).

As a reporter, Mencken was glib no matter what he was covering or writing about.

I don't think the play (or movie) really shows "glib atheists," just a single character who was know for his cynic ramblings.

29 Abu Al-Poopypants  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:17:09pm

Jack Lemmon was in the 1990 TV remake .

30 Abu Al-Poopypants  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:17:32pm

(1999)

31 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:17:48pm

I'm starting the vid now, I think it's a good idea since you have to do a buttload of reading obscure links and sites to understand the full background. Most normal people aren't going to go to that trouble.

/arrgggg... did I just call myself abby normal?

32 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:18:27pm

re: #29 Abu Al-Poopypants

Jack Lemmon was in the 1990 TV remake .

Ok, thanks I knew I got that from somewhere, maybe I never saw the original. Think I'll have to look it up.

33 Shug  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:19:08pm

Lots of Wackos in Waco

34 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:19:44pm

re: #27 Sharmuta

Baylor's really got a problem.

Baylor backed Johnston off, but I think they took him back after a new board came in

35 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:19:54pm

Thanks for posting Charles. Just watching this now.

36 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:20:24pm

I have posted before that I was an IBM Field Engineer - one of my accounts was Oral Roberts in Tulsa OK back in the early 60s.

Our job was to keep their data processing equipment running. We did not judge them.

Very broad base support. Oral was a marketing master.

Women who worked for the HQ and University wore no make-up and dressed conservatively. I have no problem with that.

Very nice people but their belief systems were off the chart.

Oral was the biggest phony on the planet.

37 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:20:35pm

re: #28 Walter L. Newton

Well, I don't think that his character would properly represent a "glib atheist," since the character was modeled after H.L. Mencken (who actually covered the trial).

As a reporter, Mencken was glib no matter what he was covering or writing about.

I don't think the play (or movie) really shows "glib atheists," just a single character who was know for his cynic ramblings.

True, but at the end Spencer Tracy's character makes a comment that he dislikes people like Gene Kelly's character because of his condescending overtones and overly cynical view.

38 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:20:48pm

I rarely link approvingly to DKos diaries but......
Creationism: The Latest In Military Suicide Prevention

39 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:20:55pm

Who was the DI shill that flipped?

40 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:22:34pm

re: #26 legalpad

Gave you a down-ding, since you asked for one. No charge! Feel free to give me one back.

41 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:23:26pm

re: #36 Bobibutu

His name was "Oral." Should have been a clue!

42 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:23:37pm

I like her Trojan metaphor and how geek tops greek.

43 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:23:57pm

re: #36 Bobibutu

I have posted before that I was an IBM Field Engineer - one of my accounts was Oral Roberts in Tulsa OK back in the early 60s.

Our job was to keep their data processing equipment running. We did not judge them.

Very broad base support. Oral was a marketing master.

Women who worked for the HQ and University wore no make-up and dressed conservatively. I have no problem with that.

Very nice people but their belief systems were off the chart.

Oral was the biggest phony on the planet.

Phony doesn't begin to do justice to him. This was a bad and greedy dude.
I have no quarrel with religious folks, but this guy was the worst kind of fraud. I know.

44 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:24:53pm

re: #41 garycooper

His name was "Oral." Should have been a clue!

The guy could have given zero a run on who had the biggest ego.

45 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:25:40pm

re: #43 The Shadow Do

Phony doesn't begin to do justice to him. This was a bad and greedy dude.
I have no quarrel with religious folks, but this guy was the worst kind of fraud. I know.

You should have seen it from the inside!

46 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:25:40pm

Btw Charles, I apologize for my overly sarcastic and flippant comment you deleted in #2

47 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:26:21pm

re: #38 Killgore Trout

I would bet the house, and what's left of my 401k, that there are far more suicides amongst the young-moonbat contingent than there are in the military. Based on nothing but my slim knowledge of human nature, after 49 years of observation and personal experience.

48 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:27:01pm

re: #47 garycooper

I would bet the house, and what's left of my 401k, that there are far more suicides amongst the young-moonbat contingent than there are in the military. Based on nothing but my slim knowledge of human nature, after 49 years of observation and personal experience.

OT, I wouldn't bet on what's left of your 401K considering what the House and Senate Democrats want to do....

49 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:27:21pm

re: #43 The Shadow Do

Phony doesn't begin to do justice to him. This was a bad and greedy dude.
I have no quarrel with religious folks, but this guy was the worst kind of fraud. I know.

Yep, Oral Roberts was indeed a paragon of fraud-dom.

But, but...there's so much competition for that title! Robert Tilton, Jimmy Swaggart, Benny Hinn, Jim Bakker...the list goes on and on...

50 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:28:04pm

I like her breakdown of the code speak too. These are members of the right who learned well the ways of the left and are using very leftist tactics to push their agenda and get their way.

51 Ojoe  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:28:18pm

The shadows of evening lengthen across the canyons of the San Gabriel Mountains of California. The Towercam, Pacific time zone.

"...paradise is all around us and we do not understand."

— Thomas Merton.

These beautiful mountains stand the same as before, no matter what.

O sowers of discord in the name of religion, Dante has a place for you.

Happy Sunday dinner, Lizards.

52 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:28:25pm

re: #44 Bobibutu

Pardon my ignorance...who is "zero?" Is it "The Big O?"

53 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:29:06pm

re: #52 garycooper

Pardon my ignorance...who is "zero?" Is it "The Big O?"

BHO. aka 0

54 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:29:53pm

been there, done that.

evolutionists will do anything BUT put forth any evidence to prove that life evolved itself. the concept of "settled science" is very disturbing; its the same basis for the climate change crowd. if all that is needed is a consensus, then why bother with debate? it is a good rule to always check and see what proponents of a particular view stand to lose. Do they have their jobs/funding/reputation on the line, and if so, can they truly be objective?

does it bother anyone that comtemporary evolutionists (including the ones that tend to post here) no longer claim that life evolved itself? Why don't they come out and say that they believe that life came from non-life? Who is hiding from the truth now? Even Stephen Hawking is now speculating that "panspermia" is a possibility.

55 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:29:59pm

re: #47 garycooper

That's certainly possible. I do find it repulsive that people are exploiting soldiers who are under stress to believe that Darwin was evil. It's really pretty shameless.

56 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:30:00pm

bbiab

57 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:30:19pm
58 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:31:10pm

re: #45 Bobibutu

You should have seen it from the inside!

I have been past his prayer tower money machine many times. Each time I resisted the impulse to go there and make a scene.

59 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:32:16pm

re: #51 Ojoe

Beautiful!

It's snowing hard here, in Detroit. Almost as pretty. ;)

60 Ojoe  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:32:47pm

You can skip the first 3:15

61 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:32:57pm

re: #53 Bobibutu

I like it. Will use it in everyday conversation. :)

62 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:33:44pm
63 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:34:48pm

Isn't it a big fricking conflict of interest for the authors to review their own work for the board of education?

64 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:35:52pm

re: #57 buzzsawmonkey

EK Hornbeck (i.e., HL Mencken), who gets told off by Henry Drummond (i.e., Clarence Darrow) at the end of the play/film.

I think everyone is missing my point. The comment said "atheists," as in plural, as in more than one. And I was pointing out that Menchen was the only glib one in the story, not like it was a hive of atheists or something.

And my other point was that Menchen was glib on almost anything he wrote about, even if he agreed with a subject. It was his nature and his style to upset the apple cart.

I am well familiar with the play, and I can tell you from all the dramaturgue I have seen on the show, Menchen was more representative of Menchen, the satirical reporter, than an over all representative of atheists.

65 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:35:56pm

Adnan Oktar likes Sarah Palin......

In the recent U.S. election, Sarah Palin was identified by some in the international press as a creationist. What is your position on the political situation in the U.S.?

I had seen statements by Sarah Palin in the press that creation should also be taught in schools. In my view, this is an excellent position. She says that students should learn about creation too and make up their own minds what is right and what is wrong. That is the logical, correct and democratic thing to do.

66 Ojoe  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:37:16pm

Could use editing, that video. But it has good parts. so far, (8:00).

67 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:37:49pm

re: #62 buzzsawmonkey

You mean, like Adam being created from the dust of the earth?

I want my other rib back

68 right_on_target  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:38:13pm

That video is 164MBytes! Very Good.

69 Ojoe  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:38:31pm

BBL

70 Pvt Bin Jammin  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:38:46pm

Getting the "spinning wheel" half way through the video.

71 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:38:57pm

re: #55 Killgore Trout

It's repulsive, and also sadly ironic. The battlefield being kind of a foreshortened microcosm of Darwinian principles of survival.

Whenever I try to read DKos diaries, I can only stand it for about five minutes, tops. Which is a couple of minutes longer than I watch clips from "The View." Which, in turn, is two minutes and thirty seconds longer than I can watch Olbermann.

72 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:38:59pm

re: #65 Killgore Trout

Adnan Oktar likes Sarah Palin......

I think he likes putting words in her mouth even more.

73 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:41:25pm
74 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:41:25pm
75 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:41:50pm
76 RubyTuesday  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:42:51pm

May we, the Lizards, respectfully agree to disagree?

77 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:43:16pm

re: #63 Thanos

Isn't it a big fricking conflict of interest for the authors to review their own work for the board of education?

One would think so.

78 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:44:04pm

re: #67 HoosierHoops

exactly - say anything you want as long as you don't have to come out with your true feelings: that deep down inside you believe that rocks just wanted to come alive.

79 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:44:42pm

re: #74 A Kiwi Infidel

The reporter was nominated for "The Darwin Award." ;)

[Link: www.darwinawards.com...]

80 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:44:55pm

re: #75 Hengineer

Red Herring!

I know, I just couldnt wait for an open thread. Sorry.

81 RubyTuesday  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:45:27pm

re: #76 RubyTuesday
Well, I meant ME...and whomever else disagrees. I realize not everyone is on the same page here. Duh.

82 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:45:39pm

re: #10 Charles

By the way, the last thread related to creationism was a week ago.

For the record.

In creationist time, that's 5 minutes ago.

83 legalpad  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:46:25pm

re: #40 garycooper

Gave you a down-ding, since you asked for one. No charge! Feel free to give me one back.

That's not what I asked for, and you know it. Why the dishonest statement?

What I asked for is:

come out and speak your mind, instead of just down-dinging. Teach me something

Are you able to do this, or is clicking a mouse the extent of your capabilities?

84 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:47:17pm

I know it's early yet, but given that this is a science thread I thought I'd throw in a technical observation I found interesting the last few days.

There was one on of those plugs for a CD on the LGF left sidebar the other day and I couldn't really make out the picture which looked like something on Mars, so I clicked on it. Turns out it was a Pinkerton CD for "Weezer", and as much I enjoy music, I know zilch about what's what, and I have never ordered a music CD online.

So I go to Amazon to look for a book, and they have all these "suggestions" based on what one has ordered before and so on; and surprise! the first item suggested is the same CD.

Spooky is what I think.

Now back to reality.....

85 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:47:26pm

re: #72 The Shadow Do

He also thinks Darwinism is responsible for terrorism.

86 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:47:38pm

And now, the RE-Discovery Institute: [Link: www.re-discovery.org...]

/Gravity is "just a theory"

87 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:48:03pm

re: #54 stretch

been there, done that.

evolutionists will do anything BUT put forth any evidence to prove that life evolved itself.

Charles has posted an article on Origins Of Life (OOL) theory. I note that it is different from evolutionary theory, which has to do with what happens when populations that reproduce with high but not perfect copying fidelity are confronted with the selection pressurs of surrounding environments.

the concept of "settled science" is very disturbing; its the same basis for the climate change crowd.

The idea that the majority of global warming (which apparently hasn't even been occurring for the last decade) was caused by human actions rather than by natural solar system cycles is bad science, which is why, just a few decades after it appeared, credible researchers are now running from it in droves, but it is still science, which is why the counterfactual evidence that caused these researchers to run from it in droves was able to be produced. Creationism, on the other hand, is not science at all, but religious dogma, which cannot be empirically tested at all.

if all that is needed is a consensus, then why bother with debate?

There IS no credible debate, since all the empirical evidence supports evolution. There are only groundlessly whingeing creationists, trying to trump up a 'controversy' that they can then demand to teach.

it is a good rule to always check and see what proponents of a particular view stand to lose. Do they have their jobs/funding/reputation on the line, and if so, can they truly be objective?

Any scientist who could disprove evolutionary theory would receive a Nobel Prize, fat grants and an Ivy League tenured professorship for life, and an enduring place in science history. The Disco Institute, otoh, makes its money off donations from rich creationists, selling creationist propaganda authored by themselves and printed in their pet publishing houses, and giving 'expert' testimony when creationism-in-public-education laws they get passed are challenged in court. They pay none of the fines or court costs when the laws are invariably overturned.

does it bother anyone that comtemporary evolutionists (including the ones that tend to post here) no longer claim that life evolved itself? Why don't they come out and say that they believe that life came from non-life?

See above re: OOL theory, remembering that it is a separate field from evolutionary theory per se.

Who is hiding from the truth now? Even Stephen Hawking is now speculating that "panspermia" is a possibility.

Panspermia merely kicks the evolutionary can down the road without, however kicking it off of it. Any life that fell on earth in meteorites would still have had to evolve elsewhere, just like any aliens that might have brought it.

88 Brit in Japan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:48:50pm

re: #54 stretch

been there, done that.

evolutionists will do anything BUT put forth any evidence to prove that life evolved itself. the concept of "settled science" is very disturbing; its the same basis for the climate change crowd. if all that is needed is a consensus, then why bother with debate? it is a good rule to always check and see what proponents of a particular view stand to lose. Do they have their jobs/funding/reputation on the line, and if so, can they truly be objective?

does it bother anyone that comtemporary evolutionists (including the ones that tend to post here) no longer claim that life evolved itself? Why don't they come out and say that they believe that life came from non-life? Who is hiding from the truth now? Even Stephen Hawking is now speculating that "panspermia" is a possibility.


Are you kidding me? Do you really think trying to make the old evolution = biogenisis argument again, here on these very boards, where that deception has been destroyed countless times right in front of the eyes of everyone here, is going to fly?

What's wrong with you?


BiJ.

89 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:50:27pm

re: #86 gmsc

Wow. Some people have so much more time on their hands.

90 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:51:20pm
91 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:51:25pm

re: #76 RubyTuesday

May we, the Lizards, respectfully agree to disagree?

How about some respectful discussion, in the meantime? I know it's hard to keep the emotions in check on a subject like this, but you should have seen my family tip-toeing around politics, religion, nutrition, alcohol (several AA chapters represented, from different states...and several of us non-reconstructed types, too), etc. We parted on great terms, with no major tiffs. I've seen respectful, calm discussions of difficult subjects online in the past, including some at this forum. We Can Do It!

92 Wookieelips  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:51:37pm

re: #27 Sharmuta

Baylor's really got a problem.


Yeah, it's called being Baylor.

93 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:51:49pm

re: #88 Brit in Japan

Are you kidding me? Do you really think trying to make the old evolution = biogenisis argument again, here on these very boards, where that deception has been destroyed countless times right in front of the eyes of everyone here, is going to fly?

What's wrong with you?


BiJ.

Some don't learn.

94 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:51:52pm

re: #78 stretch

exactly - say anything you want as long as you don't have to come out with your true feelings: that deep down inside you believe that rocks just wanted to come alive.

Rocks couldn't want anything...they're ROCKS, for Chrissake!

Evolution does not require conscious volition.

95 right_on_target  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:53:17pm

re: #86 gmsc

And now, the RE-Discovery Institute: [Link: www.re-discovery.org...]

/Gravity is "just a theory"


_________________________
Look at their list of "Elements"
Chemistry is a theory?
These people are IGNORANT!

96 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:53:38pm

re: #83 legalpad

It's "a joke," legalpad. Hey, they can't all be gems. Sor-ree!

I dinged you back up one.

97 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:53:45pm

re: #85 Killgore Trout

He also thinks Darwinism is responsible for terrorism.

I had no idea Darwin was the root of all evil. Live and learn I guess! / LOL

98 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:56:20pm

re: #89 Naso Tang

Wow. Some people have so much more time on their hands.

re: #95 right_on_target

_________________________
Look at their list of "Elements"
Chemistry is a theory?
These people are IGNORANT!

Just to be clear: The reDiscovery Institute web site is a PARODY. They are making fun of creationists and IDiots.

99 right_on_target  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:56:42pm

Is the reDiscovery Institute ORG site a joke? Are they serious?

100 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:56:44pm

re: #97 The Shadow Do

I had no idea Darwin was the root of all evil. Live and learn I guess! / LOL

It's the main premise of Ben Stein's Expelled pseudo-documentary.

101 right_on_target  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:57:56pm

re: #98 gmsc

Just to be clear: The reDiscovery Institute web site is a PARODY. They are making fun of creationists and IDiots.


_________________________________
I should has refreshed before posting ........whew!

102 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:59:02pm

re: #98 gmsc

For the record. I do understand that, and I think it's a good use of the time, but I still wonder where they find it.

103 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 4:59:04pm

re: #100 Charles

It's the main premise of Ben Stein's Expelled pseudo-documentary.

Clear Darwinism for dry Darwinism.

104 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:00:37pm

re: #100 Charles

It still baffles me. Ben Stein is really smart. He really should know better.

105 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:00:54pm

re: #100 Charles

It's the main premise of Ben Stein's Expelled pseudo-documentary.

What I find incredible is seeing Ben Stein as a major talking head on US economic and political issues on MSM TV.

106 legalpad  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:01:08pm

re: #96 garycooper

It's "a joke," legalpad. Hey, they can't all be gems. Sor-ree!

I dinged you back up one.

lol - ok - I laughed this time - really!

107 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:01:18pm

re: #91 garycooper

Family is one thing. It is a different animal to confronting strangers whose opinion of you, good or bad, is not of any particular importance to you. That is compounded on the Internet because you have that big, fat TCP/IP shield that prevents you from, like, cutting out a piece of small intestine and strangling them to death with it.

Ad hominem is only to be expected.

108 Wookieelips  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:01:48pm

re: #105 Naso Tang

What I find incredible is seeing Ben Stein as a major talking head on US economic and political issues on MSM TV.

I was a fan of what he had to say...before...all that...sillyness.

109 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:02:45pm

re: #88 Brit in Japan

Are you kidding me? Do you really think trying to make the old evolution = biogenisis argument again, here on these very boards, where that deception has been destroyed countless times right in front of the eyes of everyone here, is going to fly?

What's wrong with you?


BiJ.

really? that's the best that can be done now? After decades and decades of evolutionists claiming that life started in soup, with a little bit of lightning added in ('proven' by synthesizied amino acids), the claims now are that evolution never really intended to speak to origins after all? It was all a mistake then, all those books and dissertations; is that what you want us to believe?

110 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:03:36pm

re: #100 Charles

It's the main premise of Ben Stein's Expelled pseudo-documentary.


great movie - I really enjoyed it. Very enlightening.

111 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:03:40pm

re: #97 The Shadow Do

I had no idea Darwin was the root of all evil. Live and learn I guess! / LOL

James Burke has a great documentary, part of which includes an excellent discussion of Darwin's discoveries, and the attempts to turn those discoveries into a life philosophy. The full context of nature philosophy before Darwin's discoveries is also interesting.

It's episode 8 of his series, "The Day The Universe Changed". It's called "Fit To Rule", and is available on YouTube:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

112 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:04:01pm
113 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:04:03pm

re: #105 Naso Tang

I saw Ben refer to Ron Paul as "A brilliant guy" not too long ago. I think Ben's just gone insane.

114 SurferDoc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:04:12pm

Here is a shave and a haircut, F4.

LowFlight

115 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:04:17pm

re: #101 right_on_target

_________________________________
I should has refreshed before posting ........whew!

It probably wouldn't have helped - our posts were only 22 seconds apart!

116 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:04:44pm

re: #108 Wookieelips

I was a fan of what he had to say...before...all that...sillyness.

Silliness....? That's like calling the Discovery Institute Silly.

117 Wookieelips  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:05:09pm

re: #116 Naso Tang

Silliness....? That's like calling the Discovery Institute Silly.

Hilarity?

118 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:05:24pm

re: #109 stretch

Explain hiccups and hernias.

119 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:05:30pm

re: #110 stretch

great movie - I really enjoyed it. Very enlightening.

Yep. Fantasy escapist fiction like the Ben Stein movie can often do that.

120 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:05:35pm

re: #110 stretch

You are aware the the information in the movie wasn't accurate, right? Some of it was outright lies.

121 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:05:46pm

re: #110 stretch

great movie - I really enjoyed it. Very enlightening.

Which parts did you enjoy and which parts did you not already know?

122 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:05:56pm

re: #110 stretch

great movie - I really enjoyed it. Very enlightening.

I should have mentioned- the enlightening part was evolutionists trying to run and hide from their history (kind of looks like some of the posts here - that evolution never really intended to speak to origns)

123 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:05:56pm

re: #109 stretch

really? that's the best that can be done now? After decades and decades of evolutionists claiming that life started in soup, with a little bit of lightning added in ('proven' by synthesizied amino acids), the claims now are that evolution never really intended to speak to origins after all? It was all a mistake then, all those books and dissertations; is that what you want us to believe?

While the scientists who did such work most probably embraced evolution (they WERE real scientists, after all), they were working in OOL, a different life science field. Now please list all of those "books and dissertations" to which you vaguely refer.

124 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:06:26pm

re: #118 Sharmuta

Is that the argumentam ad herniam?

125 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:06:46pm

re: #110 stretch

great movie - I really enjoyed it. Very enlightening.

It was an ignorance-confirming Michael Moore propaganda clone for willfully benighted people.

126 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:07:29pm
127 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:07:35pm

re: #58 The Shadow Do

I have been past his prayer tower money machine many times. Each time I resisted the impulse to go there and make a scene.

He had a "war room" with a huge map of the US on the wall. Every local radio station ID-ed on it and the radius of it's broadcast area marked out.

The amount of income from each area was calculated against the funds spent for the time purchased.

If it was profitable the effort continued. If not it was dropped and a new station selected.

The mail room (high security) would collect and count the money in. Much as little as $0.25.

The letters with their prayer requests would be highlighted and sent to keypunch - the punched cards then fed into 2 1401 computers with custom script keychains - ($10K for the keychains) which would generate a response letter.

Donations over $50 would be printed out on auto IBM Executive typewriters and signed with his name on auto signature generators.

Any donations over $250 - the letters would go to his desk for his personal signature.

He also had an IBM time-clock that controlled taped messages and prayers to be broadcasted internally.

We had to do some maintenance on the time-clock system one time and inadvertently triggered one of his prayers.

We shut it down as soon as we realized what had happened. Within minutes - the big man arrived - "Guys - if that happens again - fade me out - don't cut me off."

Another - a guy stole a mail sack with incoming mail. Oral refused to prosecute because he would have had to divulge the amount stolen.

Like I said - Oral was a marketing genius.

128 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:09:00pm

re: #124 jaunte

Look for my forthcoming book, Of Hiccups and Hernias by Dr. Sharmuta. ;p

129 Shug  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:09:03pm

re: #110 stretch

Bueller....Bueller.........Fry...........Fry.....

130 eclectic infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:09:49pm

I'm watching the video right now. I very much appreciate that the speaker names the creationists and explains their associations. This is necessary in order to combat the ID crowd.

131 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:09:53pm

re: #122 stretch

I should have mentioned- the enlightening part was evolutionists trying to run and hide from their history (kind of looks like some of the posts here - that evolution never really intended to speak to origns)

I'm not sure if you are one of those God of The Gaps fans, or just don't realize you are talking of one thing while others are on another.

You are perfectly correct - that evolution does not speak of origins. Darwin alluded to that but did not claim to explain it, and that says nothing about the evidence for what transpired after.

What exactly is your point?

132 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:10:15pm

I've gotten almost halfway through Creationism's Trojan Horse. It's a little densely packed, but a lot of what it's packed with is quite amazing. Scary. They did an incredible research job on this.

133 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:10:58pm

re: #128 Sharmuta

Look for my forthcoming book, Of Hiccups and Hernias by Dr. Sharmuta. ;p

I liked your first book ' Profiles in Hernias'

134 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:11:44pm
135 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:12:37pm

re: #122 stretch

I should have mentioned- the enlightening part was evolutionists trying to run and hide from their history (kind of looks like some of the posts here - that evolution never really intended to speak to origns)

The origin of species to which they refer are a very small number of simple single cell populations, which mutated and evolutionarily diverged over time, under the influence of environmental selection, into a plethora of terrestrial species inhabiting practically every ecological niche.

136 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:15:31pm

re: #134 buzzsawmonkey

If you don't include hisnias along with hernias, I shall denounce your book for sexism.

Interesting that it's men who get hernias. In this aspect- women are much stronger than men.

137 nbenhaim[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:15:36pm
138 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:15:56pm

This is rich. Mike Huckabee has Jackie Gingrich talking about plans to help improve science and math scores. Jackie's plan sounds decent.

But Huckabee is a hardcore young earth creationist who believes the earth is 6000 years old, and that human beings aren't related to "primates." (He pronounces it like "private" with an 'm'.) Irony drips from the screen.

139 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:16:01pm

re: #100 Charles

It's the main premise of Ben Stein's Expelled pseudo-documentary.

The argument is that terrorism is a natural development in the advancement of a select group's survival?

From RNA replication to gun toting amoeba to Mumbai murderers? I guess I'll have to see the movie after all and set aside my first impression of Ben Stein the Great (reactionary fool).

This insight seems an odd way to cast away all sorts of societal advancement ironically. If only life were simple.....If only life were simple I would be a Taliban? Or maybe a Christian instead? Confusing.

140 RubyTuesday  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:16:28pm

re: #91 garycooper
Sure. I should have said, "without being banned" at the end of the sentence.

141 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:16:31pm

re: #136 Sharmuta

My wife says that all the time. Must be true.

142 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:16:34pm

Comments telling me not to post on this topic will be deleted.

143 Shug  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:16:41pm

re: #138 Charles

This is rich. Mike Huckabee has Jackie Gingrich talking about plans to help improve science and math scores. Jackie's plan sounds decent.

But Huckabee is a hardcore young earth creationist who believes the earth is 6000 years old, and that human beings aren't related to "primates." (He pronounces it like "private" with an 'm'.) Irony drips from the screen.

Really?
how unfortunate.

144 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:16:59pm

re: #136 Sharmuta

Interesting that it's men who get hernias. In this aspect- women are much stronger than men.

Men get hernias, to balance out for women dealing with menstruation.

145 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:17:47pm
146 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:17:54pm

re: #137 nbenhaim

This isn't about the other issues with our education system. This is about science education. We don't correct the issues with our education system by weakening science with ID.

147 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:18:10pm

PMS makes women act for a week like men act all of the time...;~)

148 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:18:58pm

re: #144 gmsc

Men get hernias, to balance out for women dealing with menstruation.

That must be it.

149 Shug  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:19:13pm

re: #147 Salamantis

PMS makes women act for a week like men act all of the time...;~)

so they're smarter for a week?

/ ducks

150 CynicalConservative  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:19:15pm

re: #147 Salamantis

PMS makes women act for a week like men act all of the time...;~)

What? Rational and intelligent?

///ducking and running away fast

151 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:19:47pm

re: #149 Shug

re: #150 CynicalConservative

*WHACK*

152 eclectic infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:20:12pm

The fact that creationists purposely use code words to further their deceitful agenda seems to suggest that they know that intelligent design is bollocks. No wonder Jihadists and creationists are on the same page.

153 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:21:08pm

re: #152 eclectic infidel

The fact that creationists purposely use code words to further their deceitful agenda seems to suggest that they know that intelligent design is bollocks. No wonder Jihadists and creationists are on the same page.

Surely you don't mean in every way?

154 Dianna  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:21:13pm

re: #142 Charles

Comments telling me not to post on this topic will be deleted.

It looks like someone got the stick, too. I'm sorry.

155 CynicalConservative  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:21:42pm

re: #151 Sharmuta

re: #150 CynicalConservative

*WHACK*

Thank you sir (maam), may I have another?

//

{Sharmuta} (if that's not presumptuous )

156 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:21:50pm

re: #137 nbenhaim

Belief systems are primary as to who we are and what we do.

Charles has picked this one. We can argue over which is paramount - but it's his blog.

157 nbenhaim  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:22:21pm

re: #146 Sharmuta

But don't you agree that we've already ruined science education with letting radical environmentalists seep through and take full control of it? It's already happened apparently many people just want to ignore that one.

158 eclectic infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:22:24pm

re: #153 goddessoftheclassroom

Surely you don't mean in every way?

Of course not.

159 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:22:49pm

re: #158 eclectic infidel

Of course not.

Thank you for the clarification.

160 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:23:45pm

re: #139 The Shadow Do

The argument is that terrorism is a natural development in the advancement of a select group's survival?

No, Ben Stein's argument is an age-old creationist one -- that the Darwinian theory of evolution has directly led to materialism, atheism, pornography, juvenile delinquency, perversion, immorality, sodomy, and cell phones, because it replaces faith-based morality with a "survival of the fittest" jungle mentality.

In a reeking nutshell.

161 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:23:57pm

re: #157 nbenhaim

How would weakening science education help AGW get corrected? How will pseudo-science help correct bad science?

162 Joan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:24:04pm

re: #95 right_on_target

_________________________
Look at their list of "Elements"
Chemistry is a theory?
These people are IGNORANT!

Well, seems like kind of a jokey, satirical faux ID-Creation Science web site. They're not serious?

163 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:24:10pm

I never saw Ben Stein's movie.

Tell me, does it ever mention Ernst Haeckel, Vladimir Ulyanov or William Sumner? If you're talking about social Darwinism and you don't mention those 3, you're missing about 99% of the complete picture.

164 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:24:15pm

Barbara Forrest mentions Robert Pennock's "Tower of Babel." He made some interesting points in the book about political issues within the "big tent" of the Intelligent Design movement. Clearly defining their goals is a danger to them because there are so many possible doctrinal disputes lurking beneath the surface. Don Mcleroy glossed over those potential future disagreements in his speech, too.

165 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:24:35pm

re: #157 nbenhaim

But don't you agree that we've already ruined science education with letting radical environmentalists seep through and take full control of it? It's already happened apparently many people just want to ignore that one.

As I've said before, you don't treat arsenic poisoning by dosing the pationt with strychnine.

166 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:24:45pm

re: #162 Joan

Well, seems like kind of a jokey, satirical faux ID-Creation Science web site. They're not serious?

As I mentioned in an earlier post, it is a parody.

167 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:25:11pm

re: #127 Bobibutu

He had a "war room" with a huge map of the US on the wall. Every local radio station ID-ed on it and the radius of it's broadcast area marked out.

The amount of income from each area was calculated against the funds spent for the time purchased.

If it was profitable the effort continued. If not it was dropped and a new station selected.

The mail room (high security) would collect and count the money in. Much as little as $0.25.

The letters with their prayer requests would be highlighted and sent to keypunch - the punched cards then fed into 2 1401 computers with custom script keychains - ($10K for the keychains) which would generate a response letter.

Donations over $50 would be printed out on auto IBM Executive typewriters and signed with his name on auto signature generators.

Any donations over $250 - the letters would go to his desk for his personal signature.

He also had an IBM time-clock that controlled taped messages and prayers to be broadcasted internally.

We had to do some maintenance on the time-clock system one time and inadvertently triggered one of his prayers.

We shut it down as soon as we realized what had happened. Within minutes - the big man arrived - "Guys - if that happens again - fade me out - don't cut me off."

Another - a guy stole a mail sack with incoming mail. Oral refused to prosecute because he would have had to divulge the amount stolen.

Like I said - Oral was a marketing genius.

Holy crap, pun intended.
You would not believe (I take that back) the crap they pulled on my father as my mother was slowly dying of ALS.
I dislike this bunch a lot.

168 RubyTuesday  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:25:54pm

A belief in creation calls for faith. Belief in evolution calls for proof. Even though those two things seem polar, someone much smarter than me said, right here, "Creation is what God did. Evolution is how He did it." That satisfies me in most ways. Except...show me the proof that there were apes in my lineage, and I'll take a step towards you.

169 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:25:56pm

re: #112 buzzsawmonkey

Intelligence in one field does not necessarily translate to other fields. Noam Chomsky is considered a capable linguist in addition to being a raving moonbat. Arthur Butz is considered capable in his field--engineering of some kind, I believe--but is also a slavering Holocaust-denying loony.

A fair point, to a degree, but the argument fails when it enters the realm of cross discipline analysis, and economics crosses many disciplines.

Stein is an entertainer with facts that would do well on a quiz show. As a human to respect....forget it.

170 Jim D  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:26:13pm

re: #156 Bobibutu

It's not really a belief system. Science doesn't require belief. Facts are facts regardless of how you feel about them.

171 right_on_target  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:26:44pm

I downloaded the video and will install it on my daughter's flash drive.
Her science teacher will really like this video.

172 eclectic infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:27:03pm

re: #168 RubyTuesday

A belief in creation calls for faith. Belief in evolution calls for proof. Even though those two things seem polar, someone much smarter than me said, right here, "Creation is what God did. Evolution is how He did it." That satisfies me in most ways. Except...show me the proof that there were apes in my lineage, and I'll take a step towards you.

Just for giggles, why would apes in your lineage concern you in the here and now?

173 Dianna  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:27:05pm

re: #157 nbenhaim

But don't you agree that we've already ruined science education with letting radical environmentalists seep through and take full control of it? It's already happened apparently many people just want to ignore that one.

While I have some pretty severe things to say about environmentalists, and what they are doing to the education system, I fail to see how allowing the pure non-science of ID into the science class is going to help. Unless you actually think setting one piece of pseudo-science against another piece of pseudo-science will somehow do more than create muddle-headedness?

174 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:27:30pm

re: #168 RubyTuesday

Here- read this about retroviral DNA. Hope it helps.

175 RubyTuesday  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:28:15pm

re: #172 eclectic infidel
Because I just KNOW they could dance better than I can...and I want to know why! why! why!

176 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:28:44pm

re: #160 Charles

No, Ben Stein's argument is an age-old creationist one -- that the Darwinian theory of evolution has directly led to materialism, atheism, pornography, juvenile delinquency, perversion, immorality, sodomy, and cell phones, because it replaces faith-based morality with a "survival of the fittest" jungle mentality.

In a reeking nutshell.

Well that seals it. I will not watch the move. Besides I like some of the stuff you listed above. LOL

177 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:28:45pm
178 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:28:49pm

re: #167 The Shadow Do

Holy crap, pun intended.
You would not believe (I take that back) the crap they pulled on my father as my mother was slowly dying of ALS.
I dislike this bunch a lot.

And they were very creative in their auto responses to prayer requests.

I believe you 'cause I saw hundreds if not thousands of their con jobs while working on their machines.

*Retch*

179 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:29:03pm

re: #153 goddessoftheclassroom

This is one thing that really upsets me. Either the people who are claiming that Christians are the new Taliban are abysmally ignorant, or they are being deliberately misleading about what the Christian right wants to do. For example, I must have missed the Billy Gram special where he called for gays to be thrown off of buildings. It must have been in the same service where he advocated stoning adulterous women to death. And decapitating apostates, or flying planes into buildings.

Having executions in the local football stadium seems to have been missed as well.

180 outsidephilly  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:29:23pm

re: #168 RubyTuesday

A belief in creation calls for faith. Belief in evolution calls for proof. Even though those two things seem polar, someone much smarter than me said, right here, "Creation is what God did. Evolution is how He did it." That satisfies me in most ways. Except...show me the proof that there were apes in my lineage, and I'll take a step towards you.

I'm with you on this, RubyTuesday ~ I don't have any uncles who are monkeys (remember that saying, 'I'll be a monkey's uncle?)

181 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:29:48pm

re: #168 RubyTuesday

A belief in creation calls for faith. Belief in evolution calls for proof. Even though those two things seem polar, someone much smarter than me said, right here, "Creation is what God did. Evolution is how He did it." That satisfies me in most ways. Except...show me the proof that there were apes in my lineage, and I'll take a step towards you.

Not apes necessarily, but we do have a common ancestor. This is pretty much proven by the remnants of matching viral rna sequences found in both species DNA.

182 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:29:59pm

re: #168 RubyTuesday

A belief in creation calls for faith. Belief in evolution calls for proof. Even though those two things seem polar, someone much smarter than me said, right here, "Creation is what God did. Evolution is how He did it." That satisfies me in most ways. Except...show me the proof that there were apes in my lineage, and I'll take a step towards you.

Okay. Although to be precise, great apes and humans share common ancestors.

Darwin’s Surprise
[Link: www.newyorker.com...]

Excerpt:

“If Charles Darwin reappeared today, he might be surprised to learn that humans are descended from viruses as well as from apes,” Weiss wrote.

Darwin’s surprise almost certainly would be mixed with delight: when he suggested, in “The Descent of Man” (1871), that humans and apes shared a common ancestor, it was a revolutionary idea, and it remains one today. Yet nothing provides more convincing evidence for the “theory” of evolution than the viruses contained within our DNA. Until recently, the earliest available information about the history and the course of human diseases, like smallpox and typhus, came from mummies no more than four thousand years old. Evolution cannot be measured in a time span that short. Endogenous retroviruses provide a trail of molecular bread crumbs leading millions of years into the past.

Darwin’s theory makes sense, though, only if humans share most of those viral fragments with relatives like chimpanzees and monkeys. And we do, in thousands of places throughout our genome. If that were a coincidence, humans and chimpanzees would have had to endure an incalculable number of identical viral infections in the course of millions of years, and then, somehow, those infections would have had to end up in exactly the same place within each genome. The rungs of the ladder of human DNA consist of three billion pairs of nucleotides spread across forty-six chromosomes. The sequences of those nucleotides determine how each person differs from another, and from all other living things. The only way that humans, in thousands of seemingly random locations, could possess the exact retroviral DNA found in another species is by inheriting it from a common ancestor.

Molecular biology has made precise knowledge about the nature of that inheritance possible. With extensive databases of genetic sequences, reconstructing ancestral genomes has become common, and retroviruses have been found in the genome of every vertebrate species that has been studied. Anthropologists and biologists have used them to investigate not only the lineage of primates but the relationships among animals—dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes, for example—and also to test whether similar organisms may in fact be unrelated.

Sal again: every journey towards understanding begins with a single step in the direction of knowledge.

183 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:30:39pm

re: #54 stretch

been there, done that.

evolutionists will do anything BUT put forth any evidence to prove that life evolved itself. the concept of "settled science" is very disturbing; its the same basis for the climate change crowd. if all that is needed is a consensus, then why bother with debate? it is a good rule to always check and see what proponents of a particular view stand to lose. Do they have their jobs/funding/reputation on the line, and if so, can they truly be objective?

does it bother anyone that comtemporary evolutionists (including the ones that tend to post here) no longer claim that life evolved itself? Why don't they come out and say that they believe that life came from non-life? Who is hiding from the truth now? Even Stephen Hawking is now speculating that "panspermia" is a possibility.

So much idiocy in one post.

184 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:30:48pm

here's a good test for a rational and objective debater: can you name any one of the mistakes made by "contemporary evolutionary thought" over the past 100year or so? Could you speculate on how far that particular mistake got in academic circles? Do you think a retraction was ever printed by a textbook author? If the mistake was core to a number of dissertations, would you care to guess how many of the Dr.'s relented and gave up their degrees?

185 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:31:46pm

re: #184 stretch

What testable, falsifiable hypotheses does ID put forth? What testable, falsifiable theories have been presented by the DI? On what grounds can the DI claim that ID is a scientific theory?

186 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:32:20pm

re: #170 Jim D

It's not really a belief system. Science doesn't require belief. Facts are facts regardless of how you feel about them.

Yes - and your Belief can override facts staring you in the face.

187 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:32:22pm
188 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:32:23pm

re: #184 stretch

here's a good test for a rational and objective debater: can you name any one of the mistakes made by "contemporary evolutionary thought" over the past 100year or so? Could you speculate on how far that particular mistake got in academic circles? Do you think a retraction was ever printed by a textbook author? If the mistake was core to a number of dissertations, would you care to guess how many of the Dr.'s relented and gave up their degrees?

God only knows where you come up with this stuff. Are you even making sense to yourself?

189 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:32:32pm

re: #152 eclectic infidel

The fact that creationists purposely use code words to further their deceitful agenda seems to suggest that they know that intelligent design is bollocks. No wonder Jihadists and creationists are on the same page.

If the first few pages of the Holy Bible speaks of God creating all things, and somewhere in the koran it speaks of allah creating all things, that is the limit to which jihadis agree with christians. After that, the differences are galaxies apart. Stop trying to put Christians and islamists in the same boat solely on the basis of creationism. After all, and as you should know, the Bible is a Jewish book, written by Jews, and the islamists have an agenda to eliminate Jews from this planet. Petty comparisons between beliefs in creationism are just a smoke screen.

190 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:32:33pm

re: #184 stretch

Also- I'm still waiting for you to explain hiccups and hernias.

191 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:32:39pm

re: #168 RubyTuesday

A belief in creation calls for faith. Belief in evolution calls for proof. Even though those two things seem polar, someone much smarter than me said, right here, "Creation is what God did. Evolution is how He did it." That satisfies me in most ways. Except...show me the proof that there were apes in my lineage, and I'll take a step towards you.

Not apes. Creatures of the primate family, the ancestors of homo sapiens. Apes are a different branch on the primate family tree.

Our closest relative among the primate family seems to be the chimpanzee; our genetic codes are 99% identical.

192 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:33:50pm

re: #170 Jim D

It's not really a belief system. Science doesn't require belief. Facts are facts regardless of how you feel about them.

That's a bad argument to make. The word Belief is like the word Theory. It means what you want it to mean depending on circumstances. As an example, even an atheist scientist can say that they believe in a theory, and a Disco Institute pretend scientist will say they don't believe in the same, and proceed to prove why.

193 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:34:20pm
194 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:34:26pm
195 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:34:28pm

re: #178 Bobibutu

And they were very creative in their auto responses to prayer requests.

I believe you 'cause I saw hundreds if not thousands of their con jobs while working on their machines.

*Retch*

Thanks for the insight. Really. I feel bad for everyone that has been taken in by this bunch.

196 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:35:02pm

re: #189 A Kiwi Infidel

Islamists give a lot of support to ID- it's just the truth:

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

197 Dianna  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:35:17pm

re: #191 Charles

And, at the gorilla display at the San Francisco Zoo, the placard informs me that gorillas can take blood transfusions from humans.

We're pretty darn close.

198 callahan23  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:36:01pm

I've just finished watching the above video and I consent in also stating "...I hope Texas does the right thing" voiced by Dr. Barbara Forrest.

199 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:36:11pm
200 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:36:14pm

re: #187 buzzsawmonkey

Apparently you do not comprehend the difference between science and Revealed Word. The former has the duty to be wrong until it is right; the latter does not.

Buzz ... Could you elaborate a bit on that last sentence?

201 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:36:57pm

re: #191 Charles

Not apes. Creatures of the primate family, the ancestors of homo sapiens. Apes are a different branch on the primate family tree.

Our closest relative among the primate family seems to be the chimpanzee; our genetic codes are 99% identical.

A friend of mine the other day was wearing a shirt that said, "Jesus was 96% chimp." One person came up to him and said that they didn't care for his shirt, and said that his shirt was wrong.

My buddy asked this person what he thought was so wrong with this shirt. They guy replied with a smile, "It's 99%."

202 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:37:06pm
203 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:37:11pm

re: #173 Dianna


I think that the anthropogenic global warming theory is, well, batshit crazy. I can only presume that they believe in Martians that drive around all day releasing dreadful amounts of greenhouse gases. Because global warming is also happening on Mars.

But we need to destroy western civilization to protect us from certain death as the Oceans rise, and weather patterns change in ways that aren't easily predictable.

(Globull warming is a cult, not science, and the Goreacle is their prophet)

204 goodin510  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:37:37pm

I live about 30 minutes from where Dr. Forrest teaches and am familiar with her political activities. While i commend her on fighting the creationists, unfortunately, she comes with the full array of fringe, left-wing baggage. This has had the negative effect of chasing mainstream voters away from the issue - who, if engaged - would stomp the creationist's ambitions into the ground.

205 nbenhaim  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:38:07pm

re: #161 Sharmuta

Now I don't think it would help to weaken science but I do think that pseudo-science has already taken over science education, mostly in the environment related and health related areas. I remember a bunch of moonbats came to my middle school one year and did a play on how the world is going to overpopulate and that we should have less kids. So much for that one - since we are having less kids and the arab world is doing just the opposite.

206 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:39:00pm

re: #184 stretch

here's a good test for a rational and objective debater: can you name any one of the mistakes made by "contemporary evolutionary thought" over the past 100year or so? Could you speculate on how far that particular mistake got in academic circles? Do you think a retraction was ever printed by a textbook author? If the mistake was core to a number of dissertations, would you care to guess how many of the Dr.'s relented and gave up their degrees?

Actually, Darwin himself believed that progenitor traits were passed on to and inherited by their descendents by some sort of amorphous flesh-blending. It wasn't until Gregor Mendel deduced the laws of inheritance of dominant and recessive characteristics that we had a mathematical model for inheritance, and it wasn't until Watson & Crick isolated DNA that we had the physical substrate mechanism in hand by means of which Mendel's model could proceed.

It's called scientific advance.

207 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:39:23pm

re: #177 buzzsawmonkey

Economics is a very weird discipline. Basically, it involves creating a frame, holding it up to the world, and decreeing that everything within the frame is reality, and everything outside the frame is not. There is little difference between this view of the world on a financial basis, and using the same model to view other aspects of human endeavor.

And I still would love to see Ben Stein and Al Franken in a Hannity/Colmes format. Who wouldn't watch "Franken/Stein?"

I think you wrote all this as a frame leading to Franken/Stein.

Ding up for that.

As to the rest, waffle.

208 Jim D  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:39:38pm

re: #192 Naso Tang

It doesn't matter what a scientist believes if the facts don't support his theory.

That's a bad argument to make. The word Belief is like the word Theory. It means what you want it to mean depending on circumstances. As an example, even an atheist scientist can say that they believe in a theory, and a Disco Institute pretend scientist will say they don't believe in the same, and proceed to prove why.

209 sadhu[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:39:39pm
210 livefreeor die  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:39:43pm

re: #203 Iron Fist

I think that the anthropogenic global warming theory is, well, batshit crazy. I can only presume that they believe in Martians that drive around all day releasing dreadful amounts of greenhouse gases. Because global warming is also happening on Mars.

But we need to destroy western civilization to protect us from certain death as the Oceans rise, and weather patterns change in ways that aren't easily predictable.

(Globull warming is a cult, not science, and the Goreacle is their prophet)

Some good news from one of my husband's college classes that he teaches. He asked how many out of about 150 students believed in manmade global warming and only about 15-20 raised their hands. I'm surprised he didn't pass out!

211 Joan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:39:45pm

re: #160 Charles

No, Ben Stein's argument is an age-old creationist one -- that the Darwinian theory of evolution has directly led to materialism, atheism, pornography, juvenile delinquency, perversion, immorality, sodomy, and cell phones, because it replaces faith-based morality with a "survival of the fittest" jungle mentality.

In a reeking nutshell.

What you describe, I think, is scientism, isn't it? Has anyone drawn a distinction here between scientism and science? Many scientific breakthroughs have been appropriated, half-digested, and then spewed forth as justification for various negative things. Almost anything you can think of has at some point had "science" grafted into its lineage, and whenever possible, even the most tenuous links to actual scientific research are seized upon and claimed to lend credibility to spurious claims.

212 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:40:27pm

re: #191 Charles

Not apes. Creatures of the primate family, the ancestors of homo sapiens. Apes are a different branch on the primate family tree.

Our closest relative among the primate family seems to be the chimpanzee; our genetic codes are 99% identical.

He's not my uncle.

213 Joan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:40:35pm

re: #166 gmsc

missed it, sorry.

214 Dianna  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:40:38pm

re: #199 buzzsawmonkey

In San Francisco? Who'd be able to tell the difference?

The gorilla would probably be gentler, to go by the bruise I got last time I gave blood!

215 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:40:39pm

re: #195 The Shadow Do

Thanks for the insight. Really. I feel bad for everyone that has been taken in by this bunch.

You are welcome.

I remember as a kid in Oakland, CA (back in the 50s) a big black limo with a crown and sword logo (in gold) on the side ... guy offered salvation for 25 cents a week. Many bough into it.

Not only Oral - Oral just went nationwide.

216 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:40:45pm

re: #196 Sharmuta

Islamists give a lot of support to ID- it's just the truth:

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]


I agree with you, and on that basis you do not want creationism being taught as science in schools because that wedge allows islam an opening into schools. My point is that is the ONLY point that islam agrees with Biblical teaching, and it may even be a stretch (no pun intended) given that God is God and allah is a moonbat.

217 livefreeor die  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:41:05pm

re: #209 sadhu

Sadhu,
I am so, so sorry for your loss. Prayers to you and his family.

218 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:41:18pm

re: #205 nbenhaim

Your deflections won't work. This is about ID, not global warming. If you want to combat one, you should support keeping the other out of our education system.

You do not combat poor science (GW) by adding pseudo-science (ID).

219 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:41:39pm

maybe if I shortened my question, there would be one really honest evolutionist who would dare to answer (i'll take out the 'test for a rational and objective debater' part):

can you name any one of the mistakes made by "contemporary evolutionary thought" over the past 100year or so?

220 legalpad  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:41:55pm

I'm sitting here wondering if I should re-post a somewhat lengthy comment on why legislating religion is bad and why "creationism" is not science. But then I realized that almost the definition of a creationist, is someone who has already made up their mind about the conclusion for reasons that have nothing to do with evidence. Basically, they neither believe in, nor understand, what evidence is. They are the very antithesis of the scientific method, which I believe is a necessary part of the Biblical "whole mind".

221 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:42:06pm

re: #213 Joan

missed it, sorry.

No problem.

The scary thing about that site is that it is so easy to believe that there are people who would believe in it.

222 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:42:32pm

re: #219 stretch

Explain hiccups and hernias first.

223 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:42:44pm

re: #204 goodin510

I live about 30 minutes from where Dr. Forrest teaches and am familiar with her political activities. While i commend her on fighting the creationists, unfortunately, she comes with the full array of fringe, left-wing baggage. This has had the negative effect of chasing mainstream voters away from the issue - who, if engaged - would stomp the creationist's ambitions into the ground.

Most unfortunate, if true.

224 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:43:10pm

re: #204 goodin510

I live about 30 minutes from where Dr. Forrest teaches and am familiar with her political activities. While i commend her on fighting the creationists, unfortunately, she comes with the full array of fringe, left-wing baggage. This has had the negative effect of chasing mainstream voters away from the issue - who, if engaged - would stomp the creationist's ambitions into the ground.

Got a link?

225 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:43:56pm

re: #209 sadhu

Not a cool comment. Did you read the rules at the top of the page. Recommending violence is a no no. Charles, clean up in aisle 209.

226 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:43:58pm
227 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:44:17pm

re: #219 stretch

maybe if I shortened my question, there would be one really honest evolutionist who would dare to answer (i'll take out the 'test for a rational and objective debater' part):

can you name any one of the mistakes made by "contemporary evolutionary thought" over the past 100year or so?

Can you?

228 outsidephilly  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:44:19pm

re: #212 MandyManners

He's not my uncle.

this is beyond lol, this is side-splitting, bladder releasing funny . . . . , you come up with the best succinct points!

229 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:44:29pm

re: #184 stretch

I have to hand one thing to you, stretch. Your the only lizard I know with a -189 karma rating that hasn't assumed room temperature.

I thought Charles banned all opinions that don't run concurrently with his.
Another theory through the shitter...IB is calling for their award's safe return.

230 outsidephilly  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:45:16pm

re: #209 sadhu

oh my, I am so very sorry . . . .

231 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:45:30pm

re: #219 stretch

maybe if I shortened my question, there would be one really honest evolutionist who would dare to answer (i'll take out the 'test for a rational and objective debater' part):

can you name any one of the mistakes made by "contemporary evolutionary thought" over the past 100year or so?

Didn't you read my #206?

232 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:45:33pm

re: #210 livefreeor die

In my opinion the Global Warming hoax is the ultimate form of hubris. They really believe that the planet will fucking die if we don't pull down our economy to pre-Industrial levels. At least they claim to believe that. With the Gorecle jetting around the globe and flagrantly using power in his Nashville compound one has to wonder how much of his bullshit he really believes.

233 RubyTuesday  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:45:40pm

re: #191 Charles
That one percent is kind of a big deal to me. When was it 98% the same? At what point in time were they only 90% like us with only environmental - as opposed to taught-skiils?
I'm not making the point I'd like to, because I'm trying to meds myself to sleep. When creationists ask for proof, they're not challenged to provide faith. With my whole heart I believe the God of the universe molded and shaped the earth, the skies, the waters with His hands. And in molding the earth, awesome things happened that science is constantly discovering. NO credit to God, tho, sadly. He created all kinds of living things that flew, crawled, walked. Adam gave them names.
Within my faith, I have no problem seeing that a great and mighty God could easily ''create" in 6 days. Know this: I am NOT an uneducated redneck sheeple either. I just have faith that when the world is over, God will give us the answers. And we'll smack our heads at the perfect simplicity of it all.
In the meantime, this is the best place to come to hear world news and put it in perspective. I don't want my beliefs getting me banned from here because everything else is so fascinating. I hope I don't ever step over the mystery line from where Lizards never return. It's all under the hand of God, so it fits in. WE are the ones who can't put the puzzle together, so we go off and start a new one that we can "solve."

234 Jim D  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:45:46pm

re: #186 Bobibutu

Yes. People can be blinded by belief. But, in science, experimental results are evaluated by lots of different people. Results are reviewed by peers and experiments are repeated. Mistakes, misinterpretation of facts, and hoaxes are eventually found out.

235 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:46:27pm

re: #231 Salamantis

Didn't you read my #206?

I did, and I thought the same thing when I saw his post again. Stretch seems to be able to only ask questions, not read answers. Could be his browser?

236 sadhu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:46:28pm

re: #225 Walter L. Newton

Not a cool comment. Did you read the rules at the top of the page. Recommending violence is a no no. Charles, clean up in aisle 209.

agreed, clean it up

237 legalpad  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:46:43pm

re: #212 MandyManners

He's not my uncle.

Boy, that should get old dinnerjacket hopping mad!

238 Hengineer  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:46:56pm

re: #138 Charles

This is rich. Mike Huckabee has Jackie Gingrich talking about plans to help improve science and math scores. Jackie's plan sounds decent.

But Huckabee is a hardcore young earth creationist who believes the earth is 6000 years old, and that human beings aren't related to "primates." (He pronounces it like "private" with an 'm'.) Irony drips from the screen.

Interestingly enough, I believe so is Bobby Jindal

239 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:47:09pm

re: #222 Sharmuta

Explain hiccups and hernias first.

inherited corruptions and degradations of genetic material

240 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:47:12pm

re: #228 outsidephilly

this is beyond lol, this is side-splitting, bladder releasing funny . . . . , you come up with the best succinct points!

I got it here but, I neglected to record the name of the Lizard who first posted it.

241 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:47:23pm

re: #232 Iron Fist

In my opinion the Global Warming hoax is the ultimate form of hubris. They really believe that the planet will fucking die if we don't pull down our economy to pre-Industrial levels. At least they claim to believe that. With the Gorecle jetting around the globe and flagrantly using power in his Nashville compound one has to wonder how much of his bullshit he really believes.

Look at it this way..When the natural cycle of weather goes into a cooling phase. Gore can claim he cured Global Warming..

242 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:47:35pm

re: #219 stretch

maybe if I shortened my question, there would be one really honest evolutionist who would dare to answer (i'll take out the 'test for a rational and objective debater' part):

can you name any one of the mistakes made by "contemporary evolutionary thought" over the past 100year or so?

Actually, as it happens, Dr. Forrest discusses such mistakes and their correction as part the ongoing process of scientific progress in her book. Why don't you read it and see?

243 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:47:46pm

re: #237 legalpad

Boy, that should get old dinnerjacket hopping mad!

Shit-slinging mad?

244 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:47:59pm

re: #229 jorline

PIMF Your should be You're

245 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:48:02pm

re: #234 Jim D

Yes. People can be blinded by belief. But, in science, experimental results are evaluated by lots of different people. Results are reviewed by peers and experiments are repeated. Mistakes, misinterpretation of facts, and hoaxes are eventually found out.

Further, scientists also detail and publish the procedures of their experiments, so that others can run the tests for themselves, or even find flaws in the procedures.

246 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:48:02pm

Here are a couple of links about Barbara Forrest. Her politics appear to be be moderately center-left.

The SELU website describes her civic contributions thus:
"Dr. Forrest actively participates in efforts to promote church-state separation, the integrity of public science education, and civil liberties. She serves on the National Advisory Council of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. She is also a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, having served on the board of directors of the Louisiana affiliate. Her other supporting memberships include People for the American Way, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the National Center for Science Education."


[Link: accidentalblogger.typepad.com...]

Here's a listing of Barbara Forrest's writings, from the Southestern Louisiana University website:
[Link: www2.selu.edu...]

247 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:48:24pm

re: #208 Jim D

It doesn't matter what a scientist believes if the facts don't support his theory.

I know what you mean, but I am simply counseling on the use of words. We know how Theory is understood by creationists, and the word Belief has even stronger meaning to the religious. Belief in that sense is instinctively, IMHO, taken to be a matter of faith by some, and as a matter of faith it is categorized as either right or wrong. End of argument.

248 The Shadow Do  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:48:50pm

re: #219 stretch

Piltdown man. A fraud. What is your point? Are you trying to justify a fraud of a different sort? Please state your premise and stop with the canned challenges.

249 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:48:58pm

re: #241 HoosierHoops

Look at it this way..When the natural cycle of weather goes into a cooling phase. Gore can claim he cured Global Warming..

It's actually been in a cooling phase for the last 7-8 years.

250 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:49:04pm

Her book, Creationism's Trojan Horse, is very good by the way. I'm reading it on my Kindle.

251 eclectic infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:49:11pm

re: #189 A Kiwi Infidel

If the first few pages of the Holy Bible speaks of God creating all things, and somewhere in the koran it speaks of allah creating all things, that is the limit to which jihadis agree with christians. After that, the differences are galaxies apart. Stop trying to put Christians and islamists in the same boat solely on the basis of creationism. After all, and as you should know, the Bible is a Jewish book, written by Jews, and the islamists have an agenda to eliminate Jews from this planet. Petty comparisons between beliefs in creationism are just a smoke screen.

My comment only meant to note that as far as creationism is concerned, Jihadists/Islamists & Christians (the ones who reject evolution) do share a common thread. I already clarified this with another lizard. I certainly don't lump all Christians in with Jihadists/Islamists with respect to other issues. I do know better than that.

252 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:49:35pm

re: #212 MandyManners

He's not my uncle.

LMAO

253 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:49:42pm

Another very good book with more detail on the history of the creationist movement from the Scopes trial to the present: Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America's Soul, by Edward Humes.

254 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:50:26pm

re: #242 Lynn B.

Actually, as it happens, Dr. Forrest discusses such mistakes and their correction as part the ongoing process of scientific progress in her book. Why don't you read it and see?

still not an answer - no answer yet.... waiting.... waiting....

255 livefreeor die  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:50:31pm

re: #241 HoosierHoops

Look at it this way..When the natural cycle of weather goes into a cooling phase. Gore can claim he cured Global Warming..

Ugh, I don't think I can take him getting more smarmy and stupid.

256 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:50:36pm

re: #251 eclectic infidel


Thanks for clarification.

257 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:50:39pm

re: #249 gmsc

It's actually been in a cooling phase for the last 7-8 years.

Well there you have it. Al Gore is saving humanity..He should run for President or something.

258 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:51:00pm

re: #241 HoosierHoops


Ah, but will his quelling Global Warming (which I had understood as being one of the miricles that would happen if the Obamessiah was elected) will cause a new Ice Age. Because humans have, like, controlled the weather for centuries.

259 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:51:15pm

re: #246 jaunte

Here are a couple of links about Barbara Forrest. Her politics appear to be be moderately center-left.

[Link: accidentalblogger.typepad.com...]

Here's a listing of Barbara Forrest's writings, from the Southestern Louisiana University website:
[Link: www2.selu.edu...]

Looks pretty moderate center left. I'm not seeing the loony left thing.

260 sadhu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:51:20pm

Walter, I will find a constructive way to channel the rage I am feeling about this. It doesn't belong posted here.

261 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:51:43pm

re: #239 stretch

inherited corruptions and degradations of genetic material

You're kidding, right?

262 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:51:48pm

re: #225 Walter L. Newton

Not a cool comment. Did you read the rules at the top of the page. Recommending violence is a no no. Charles, clean up in aisle 209.

Walter ... do you have a woodie with TMers or what?

And your comments about Deepak Chopra a few days ago seemed beneath you.

263 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:51:49pm

re: #257 HoosierHoops

Well there you have it. Al Gore is saving humanity..He should run for President or something.

done

264 livefreeor die  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:52:30pm

re: #258 Iron Fist

Ah, but will his quelling Global Warming (which I had understood as being one of the miricles that would happen if the Obamessiah was elected) will cause a new Ice Age. Because humans have, like, controlled the weather for centuries.

Shhh-our evil conservative handbook says we're not supposed to let on about how we ontrol-cay the eather-way.

265 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:53:06pm

re: #260 sadhu

Walter, I will find a constructive way to channel the rage I am feeling about this. It doesn't belong posted here.

I was just making a suggestion. Charles can decide if the comment stays.

I am as angry about the Mumbai attacks as anyone can be, so I understand where you are coming from.

266 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:53:27pm

re: #259 Charles

Similar tactic from the Dover trial:

Attack on memberships: On cross-examination, school board attorney Richard Thompson, also with the Thomas More Law Center, pointed out that Forrest has been a "card-carrying" member of the ACLU since 1979 and is also involved in Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the two groups that are providing legal assistance for the parents. She testified that she is also a member of secular humanist organizations.

Thompson asked Forrest if she believes that nature, not the supernatural, is "all there is."

"That is my view," she said.

[Link: yorkdispatch.inyork.com...]

267 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:53:30pm

re: #233 RubyTuesday

That one percent is kind of a big deal to me. When was it 98% the same? At what point in time were they only 90% like us with only environmental - as opposed to taught-skiils?
I'm not making the point I'd like to, because I'm trying to meds myself to sleep. When creationists ask for proof, they're not challenged to provide faith. With my whole heart I believe the God of the universe molded and shaped the earth, the skies, the waters with His hands. And in molding the earth, awesome things happened that science is constantly discovering. NO credit to God, tho, sadly. He created all kinds of living things that flew, crawled, walked. Adam gave them names.
Within my faith, I have no problem seeing that a great and mighty God could easily ''create" in 6 days. Know this: I am NOT an uneducated redneck sheeple either. I just have faith that when the world is over, God will give us the answers. And we'll smack our heads at the perfect simplicity of it all.
In the meantime, this is the best place to come to hear world news and put it in perspective. I don't want my beliefs getting me banned from here because everything else is so fascinating. I hope I don't ever step over the mystery line from where Lizards never return. It's all under the hand of God, so it fits in. WE are the ones who can't put the puzzle together, so we go off and start a new one that we can "solve."

Geneisis biblical literalism has been empirically falsified by radiometric dating of rocks and fossils, by the red-shift coefficient of the radiation echo from the Big Bang, and by shared artifactual retroviral DNA sequences, among many other things. NO WAY did some deity create the Universe and the earth, and independently and as is create tens of millions of different species both existent and extinct, all in the space of six days a few thousand years ago.

Piously and devoutly believing it won't make it so.

268 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:53:33pm
269 LesLein  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:53:55pm

Excuse me for repeating a link from an earlier thread, but unlike NASA's scientists the creationists can distinguish between October and September:

"So what explained the anomaly? GISS's computerised temperature maps seemed to show readings across a large part of Russia had been up to 10 degrees higher than normal. But when expert readers of the two leading warming-sceptic blogs, Watts Up With That and Climate Audit, began detailed analysis of the GISS data they made an astonishing discovery. The reason for the freak figures was that scores of temperature records from Russia and elsewhere were not based on October readings at all. Figures from the previous month had simply been carried over and repeated two months running."

[Link: www.telegraph.co.uk...]

270 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:54:32pm

re: #219 stretch

maybe if I shortened my question, there would be one really honest evolutionist who would dare to answer (i'll take out the 'test for a rational and objective debater' part):

can you name any one of the mistakes made by "contemporary evolutionary thought" over the past 100year or so?

At the simplest level, the thought that evolution must be a very gradual process moving by the tiniest of increments.

That is no longer taken as a given.

On a more recent biochemical level, the assumption that all change is due to random or radiation induced changes in small sections of DNA.

That is far too simple a picture.

I'm sure there is much more, but I'm not an expert, just saying what's on the top of my head.

271 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:54:33pm

re: #262 Bobibutu

Walter ... do you have a woodie with TMers or what?

And your comments about Deepak Chopra a few days ago seemed beneath you.

Explain TM'ers?

And what was a problem about my comment. Chopra sat on Larry King's show the other night and basically blamed the US for what happened in India.

272 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:54:57pm

re: #260 sadhu

Walter, I will find a constructive way to channel the rage I am feeling about this. It doesn't belong posted here.

I share your grief. Your rage is appropriate and belongs here - just pick your words.

273 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:54:59pm

re: #229 jorline

Lighten up Salamantis.

274 stretch  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:55:19pm

re: #261 Sharmuta

You're kidding, right?

you asked - that's my answer. Now, please tell me a mistake made in "contemporary evolutionary thought". What do you remember about that mistake? Did you ever believe it for yourself for a while? Do you recall how a retraction was made?

275 pahleh  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:55:33pm

It would be easier to go along with evolutionism if you could explain that 'Big Bang' thing to me.

276 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:56:08pm
277 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:56:14pm

OT: We're losing one of the good ones. Kim Du Toit is retiring from blogging!

278 kcladderman  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:56:20pm

re: #260 sadhu

Walter, I will find a constructive way to channel the rage I am feeling about this. It doesn't belong posted here.

Well I for one think deleting terrorists is justice not violence.

279 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:56:22pm

re: #260 sadhu

re: #260 sadhu

I was deleted last night for my outburst, and rightly so, but the anger about the attacks in Mumbai and the now exposed torture of Jewish victims before being murdered just shakes me to my core. Where is the humanity for G_d's sake?

280 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:58:14pm

re: #254 stretch

still not an answer - no answer yet.... waiting.... waiting....

Actually, it is. You aren't entitled to spoon feeding. Look it up.

Nevertheless, others have provided very direct answers. You choose to ignore them. Obviously, you're just going to keep whining the same tune no matter how many responses you get. You clearly have no intention of trying to participate in a discussion here.

281 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:58:32pm

re: #239 stretch

inherited corruptions and degradations of genetic material

That's pathetic.

282 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:58:47pm

re: #275 pahleh

Where did the whatever come from that there even was a Big Bang? We don't know, and we probably can never know. We're like the blind men trying to describe the elephant. We can't really see the whole thing.

283 outsidephilly  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:59:02pm

re: #233 RubyTuesday

That one percent is kind of a big deal to me. When was it 98% the same? At what point in time were they only 90% like us with only environmental - as opposed to taught-skiils?
I'm not making the point I'd like to, because I'm trying to meds myself to sleep. When creationists ask for proof, they're not challenged to provide faith. With my whole heart I believe the God of the universe molded and shaped the earth, the skies, the waters with His hands. And in molding the earth, awesome things happened that science is constantly discovering. NO credit to God, tho, sadly. He created all kinds of living things that flew, crawled, walked. Adam gave them names.
Within my faith, I have no problem seeing that a great and mighty God could easily ''create" in 6 days. Know this: I am NOT an uneducated redneck sheeple either. I just have faith that when the world is over, God will give us the answers. And we'll smack our heads at the perfect simplicity of it all.
In the meantime, this is the best place to come to hear world news and put it in perspective. I don't want my beliefs getting me banned from here because everything else is so fascinating. I hope I don't ever step over the mystery line from where Lizards never return. It's all under the hand of God, so it fits in. WE are the ones who can't put the puzzle together, so we go off and start a new one that we can "solve."


By faith I believe in God, and I believe God created the heavens and the earth like its written out in the book of Genesis. I like the fact that I believe in a God that has the power to create the wonders we see around us . . . ,
And I realize my belief may be simple minded to others, but what the hey, I'm a Bible thumper who believes there's a great big God out there and He created this universe!

284 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:59:28pm

re: #271 Walter L. Newton

Explain TM'ers?

And what was a problem about my comment. Chopra sat on Larry King's show the other night and basically blamed the US for what happened in India.

Explain TM'ers?

Folks who meditate daily to reduce personal stress by reducing their metabolic rate.

I did not get that Chopra did that and we can differ on our opinions.

285 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 5:59:52pm

re: #254 stretch

still not an answer - no answer yet.... waiting.... waiting....

Once again, you have, apparently, neither read my #206 nor Shado Do's #248. Maybe the reason that you're talking so much and reading so little, stretch, is because you have your mouth jacked so wide open that your lips are stretched over your eyes and you can't see.

286 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:00:27pm

re: #239 stretch

inherited corruptions and degradations of genetic material

So, why was the genetic material designed to be corrupted in this manner?

287 legalpad  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:00:32pm

re: #227 MandyManners

Can you?

I notice, that for all of stretch 's posturing through their odd question, they can't seem to respond to yours. I seems simple enough.

288 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:00:37pm

re: #271 Walter L. Newton

Explain TM'ers?

And what was a problem about my comment. Chopra sat on Larry King's show the other night and basically blamed the US for what happened in India.

Chopra is what Sylvia Browne would be is she were a man with a modicum of style. (Maybe she is a man, come to think of it)

289 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:00:47pm

re: #282 Iron Fist

Where did the whatever come from that there even was a Big Bang? We don't know, and we probably can never know. We're like the blind men trying to describe the elephant. We can't really see the whole thing.

Well we know that E=MC2. So a lot of pure energy was converted into Matter.
Must have been one heck of a fireworks display

290 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:01:08pm

re: #279 Dublin(CA)Dude

Where is the humanity for G_d's sake?

Don't it always seem to go,
You don't know what you've got, 'till it's gone.

291 Nylecoj  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:01:47pm

re: #227 MandyManners

Can you?

Thank-you Mandy, I was trying to decide whether to encourage this but I am very curious.

292 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:02:10pm

re: #268 buzzsawmonkey

Gotcha. Thanks!

293 legalpad  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:02:11pm

re: #243 MandyManners

Shit-slinging mad?

I don't doubt it -

294 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:02:53pm

Is there an Artificial God?
by Douglas Adams

Excerpt:

Man the maker looks at his world and says 'So who made this then?' Who made this? - you can see why it's a treacherous question. Early man thinks, 'Well, because there's only one sort of being I know about who makes things, whoever made all this must therefore be a much bigger, much more powerful and necessarily invisible, one of me and because I tend to be the strong one who does all the stuff, he's probably male'. And so we have the idea of a god. Then, because when we make things we do it with the intention of doing something with them, early man asks himself , 'If he made it, what did he make it for?' Now the real trap springs, because early man is thinking, 'This world fits me very well. Here are all these things that support me and feed me and look after me; yes, this world fits me nicely' and he reaches the inescapable conclusion that whoever made it, made it for him.

This is rather as if you imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, 'This is an interesting world I find myself in - an interesting hole I find myself in - fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!' This is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, it's still frantically hanging on to the notion that everything's going to be alright, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise.

295 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:03:12pm

re: #279 Dublin(CA)Dude

Are you familiar with the quote from Robert E. Lee? One of many, really, but anyway Lee said "It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it"? We must make war more terrible for our enemy, because he has grown entirely too fond of it.

296 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:03:25pm

re: #269 LesLein

Excuse me for repeating a link from an earlier thread, but unlike NASA's scientists the creationists can distinguish between October and September:

"So what explained the anomaly? GISS's computerised temperature maps seemed to show readings across a large part of Russia had been up to 10 degrees higher than normal. But when expert readers of the two leading warming-sceptic blogs, Watts Up With That and Climate Audit, began detailed analysis of the GISS data they made an astonishing discovery. The reason for the freak figures was that scores of temperature records from Russia and elsewhere were not based on October readings at all. Figures from the previous month had simply been carried over and repeated two months running."

[Link: www.telegraph.co.uk...]

Then why can't some creationsts distinguish between a few thousand years ago and 13.7 billion?

297 LesLein  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:03:28pm

"Inherit the Wind" was a work of fiction.

Some of its misrepresentations:

The trial was a publicity stunt put on by Tennessee boosters and the ACLU.

The ACLU financed the prosecution.

The book Scopes used was not too scientific, being racist.

Scopes wanted to be prosecuted. He was a substitute teacher. He wasn't even sure he used the banned book. He asked some students to lie about using the book so he could be prosecuted.

Darrow's cross examination of Bryan was just for show. The jury wasn't present.

Contrary to the movie's conclusion, Darrow was an atheist.

298 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:04:14pm

re: #284 Bobibutu

Explain TM'ers?

Folks who meditate daily to reduce personal stress by reducing their metabolic rate.

I did not get that Chopra did that and we can differ on our opinions.

Chopra: I think Mr. Obama has a real opportunity here, but a challenging opportunity, a creative opportunity.

Get rid of the phrase "war on terrorism." Ask for a creative solution in which we all participate.

King: Is it because the war on terrorism really can never be won because the terrorists (inaudible)?

Chopra: Because it's an oxymoron. It's an oxymoron, Larry, a war on war, a war on terrorism.

You know, terrorists call mechanized death from 35,000 feet above sea level with a press of a button also terror. We don't call it that, because our soldiers are wearing uniforms. They don't see what is happening, and innocent people are being killed. So, you know, terror is a term that you apply to the other.

[Link: www.cnn.com...]

299 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:04:23pm

re: #282 Iron Fist

Where did the whatever come from that there even was a Big Bang? We don't know, and we probably can never know. We're like the blind men trying to describe the elephant. We can't really see the whole thing.

Well, some say it's just quantum fluctuations, given infinite time, things of infinite complexity can happen out of nothing, just so it all balances out.

Not sure what you can do with such an answer, but there it is!

300 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:05:12pm

re: #295 Iron Fist

Are you familiar with the quote from Robert E. Lee? One of many, really, but anyway Lee said "It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it"? We must make war more terrible for our enemy, because he has grown entirely too fond of it.

How right you are. This is an war of ideology, not religion. islam is NOT a religion, it is an ideology and must be defeated with both the power of the mind and the power of the sword. They are too very much in blood lust.

301 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:05:57pm

re: #298 Walter L. Newton

You know, terrorists call mechanized death from 35,000 feet above sea level with a press of a button also terror.

Then maybe they should not invite it.

302 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:06:31pm

re: #274 stretch

you asked - that's my answer. Now, please tell me a mistake made in "contemporary evolutionary thought". What do you remember about that mistake? Did you ever believe it for yourself for a while? Do you recall how a retraction was made?

You have refured to acknowledge several answers given to your question by several different people, while continuing to mindlessly mouth your mantric |(and repeatedly answered) request. Are you autistic?

303 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:06:56pm

re: #301 itellu3times

Then maybe they should not invite it.

My point the other night about Chopra was that he was calling us terrorists TOO!

304 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:06:58pm

re: #280 Lynn B.

I have to agree- that one's not here to do anything but stick to it's script.

305 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:06:58pm

re: #276 buzzsawmonkey

Simple. The Big Bang came after the Big Date.


I always ask, "What went Bang?"

306 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:08:19pm

re: #298 Walter L. Newton

Chopra: I think Mr. Obama has a real opportunity here, but a challenging opportunity, a creative opportunity.

Get rid of the phrase "war on terrorism." Ask for a creative solution in which we all participate.

King: Is it because the war on terrorism really can never be won because the terrorists (inaudible)?

Chopra: Because it's an oxymoron. It's an oxymoron, Larry, a war on war, a war on terrorism.

You know, terrorists call mechanized death from 35,000 feet above sea level with a press of a button also terror. We don't call it that, because our soldiers are wearing uniforms. They don't see what is happening, and innocent people are being killed. So, you know, terror is a term that you apply to the other.

[Link: www.cnn.com...]

He's right - until we define the focus of the war - it's just rhetoric.

307 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:08:44pm

re: #289 HoosierHoops

Well we know that E=MC2. So a lot of pure energy was converted into Matter.
Must have been one heck of a fireworks display

So, who lit the fuse?

308 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:09:27pm

re: #274 stretch

Stretch. I hate to tell you this, but you are becoming just another boring troll.

Try to find where your brain went and get back on track. Disagreement is welcome, stupid ass is trite.

309 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:09:29pm

re: #275 pahleh

It would be easier to go along with evolutionism if you could explain that 'Big Bang' thing to me.

That's cosmology, not biology.

310 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:09:31pm

Any creationists fancy explaining this in terms of their...um...'theory'?

311 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:09:40pm

re: #275 pahleh

It would be easier to go along with evolutionism if you could explain that 'Big Bang' thing to me.

Random quantum fluctuation. Just like what happens all the time when matter-antimatter partical pairs pop into and out of existence in the quantum foam.

Now explain to me just precisely what the beginning of the universe 13.7 billion years ago has to do with the evolution and speciation of life on earth via random mutation and nonrandom environmental selection over the last 3 1/2 billion years. After all, they ARE separated by about ten BILLION years...

312 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:09:49pm

re: #283 outsidephilly


When I took metaphiscs one of our assignment was a logical proof of the existance of God because there must necessarily be a god in nature. It centered around defining God as something the the universe would exist without him. It was a little convolutes, but the logical proof worked. That means little in that we cannot define that without which the Universe would not exist. One can reasonably draw from this definition that gravity is a manifestation of this "god of nature".

313 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:10:11pm

re: #254 stretch

still not an answer - no answer yet.... waiting.... waiting....

We're still waiting for your answers.

314 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:10:30pm

re: #279 Dublin(CA)Dude

Hard sometimes. I just don't post when I get real aggravated.

315 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:10:43pm

Neither religion or evolution lay claim to hernias.

Sort of like Al Gore and Michael Moore. They exist, but without any rational explanation.

316 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:11:34pm

re: #279 Dublin(CA)Dude

I want you to know that you are in my prayers.

317 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:12:24pm

re: #314 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Hard sometimes. I just don't post when I get real aggravated.

I need to learn your discretion.

318 LesLein  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:12:26pm

re: #296 Salamantis

It's too bad they can't. I don't endorse creationism. My point is that unlike the creationists, NASA's scientists are treated with respect by the MSM. Their error regarding last October's temperature data received far less attention than their original finding.

Global warming alarmism is a form of religious fanaticism (look at Al Gore). It will cost society far more than creationism.

319 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:12:40pm

re: #303 Walter L. Newton

My point the other night about Chopra was that he was calling us terrorists TOO!


I agree, Walter. The apologists refuse to call islam what it is, and islamists who they are. They want us either Dead; converted; or, if useful to the "cause" dhimmifide and paying the jizrah. That means everyone.

Accordingly they continue to look for reasons and excuses why these poor chaps have got all uppity, as if some foreign policy or such has hurt their sensibilities. Too stupid for words.

320 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:13:17pm

re: #316 goddessoftheclassroom

Many thanks. I have accepted G_d's will. But I won't go without a fight.

321 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:13:25pm

re: #294 gmsc

Reminds me of...

this...

322 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:13:42pm

re: #314 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Hard sometimes. I just don't post when I get real aggravated.

I learned my lesson about that.

323 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:13:48pm

re: #306 Bobibutu

He's right - until we define the focus of the war - it's just rhetoric.

Look, Chopra is a pacifist. When he says "Ask for a creative solution in which we all participate." he's not talking about fighting.

In his interview with King, he is stating that our "drones" are as much terror as the terrorists.

I'm sorry, I don't see it his way at all. If you do, that's fine, but my point the other night was accurate and spot on. I was not presenting MY opinion, only passing on what he said.

Which, considering what was going on in India AS HE SPOKE, to me he is a empty tin can, with nothing inside but a pebble rattling around making a lot of noise, but not serving any purpose.

324 legalpad  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:14:43pm

re: #298 Walter L. Newton

Chopra is not alone in his moral equivalence lie. If we practiced what the actual terrorists practice, there would be 100's of times more people dead, maybe thousands. Many of our dead are precisely because we have gone out of our way to minimize their casualties. I think people like Chopra is one of the main reasons things like these killings in India continue. They make them feel justified. I hold them responsible for this.

325 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:15:01pm

re: #310 Jimmah

Any creationists fancy explaining this in terms of their...um...'theory'?


Its a fish

326 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:15:01pm

re: #319 A Kiwi Infidel

I agree, Walter. The apologists refuse to call islam what it is, and islamists who they are. They want us either Dead; converted; or, if useful to the "cause" dhimmifide and paying the jizrah. That means everyone.

Accordingly they continue to look for reasons and excuses why these poor chaps have got all uppity, as if some foreign policy or such has hurt their sensibilities. Too stupid for words.

Thanks. I'm glad someone here understands what I was saying.

327 Wookieelips  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:15:13pm

re: #303 Walter L. Newton

My point the other night about Chopra was that he was calling us terrorists TOO!


Yeah, and that always amuses me. Terrorists deliberately kill anyone and everyone they can. They use whatever weapons they have at their disposal, and as many as they can get their hands on.

If we were terrorists, there wouldn't be anyone around to complain about us anymore.

328 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:15:20pm
329 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:15:27pm

re: #306 Bobibutu

He's right - until we define the focus of the war - it's just rhetoric.

Isn't the purpose of a "war on terrorism" to fight terrorism?

330 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:15:46pm

Lions (Panthera leo). As zoologists have long observed, these rank among the most efficient terrestrial killing machines on the planet. The lion's combination of speed, stealth, brute strength and state-of-the-art weaponry is beyond repute.

A lesser-known lion fact is that adult males, when they take over a rival pride's territory, seek out and tear apart every one of the loser's cubs. As a result, their mothers come into heat sooner, which lends certain benefits to the males. As before, this instinct is difficult to explain without invoking a design hypothesis. The lions need to track down cubs, positively identify them as someone else's, and only then kill them. How would such an elaborate series of complex instincts...just evolve?

331 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:15:46pm

re: #303 Walter L. Newton

My point the other night about Chopra was that he was calling us terrorists TOO!

He's an idiot, there are no events under which to even debate any kind of moral equivalency, except for the fact that the kaffir insist on fighting back the "lawful" efforts of jihadis. If that's what Chopra is talking about, he can FOAD. And there's nothing else even vaguely factual he could be talking about.

I hope the jihadis are terrified, but I don't really care, if we attack them, it's to destroy him, not terrorize them, that's an idea they haven't quite accepted - maybe because too often we forget it ourselves.

/preaching to the choir, amen.

332 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:16:58pm

re: #319 A Kiwi Infidel

I agree, Walter. The apologists refuse to call islam what it is, and islamists who they are. They want us either Dead; converted; or, if useful to the "cause" dhimmifide and paying the jizrah. That means everyone.

Accordingly they continue to look for reasons and excuses why these poor chaps have got all uppity, as if some foreign policy or such has hurt their sensibilities. Too stupid for words.

Thank you for joining me in my refusal to ever again capitalize islam or muslim. They fail the test of human decency and should never be honored with capitalization.

333 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:17:14pm

re: #325 A Kiwi Infidel

Its a fish

Now it all makes sense!re: #331 itellu3times

He's an idiot, there are no events under which to even debate any kind of moral equivalency, except for the fact that the kaffir insist on fighting back the "lawful" efforts of jihadis. If that's what Chopra is talking about, he can FOAD. And there's nothing else even vaguely factual he could be talking about.

I hope the jihadis are terrified, but I don't really care, if we attack them, it's to destroy him, not terrorize them, that's an idea they haven't quite accepted - maybe because too often we forget it ourselves.

/preaching to the choir, amen.

Chopra is just a partisan hack and a shill trying to pass off his pointless Hallmark card sayings as "moral wisdoms."

334 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:17:50pm

re: #331 itellu3times

Hey 3? I have looked up the phrase "moral equivalence" several times, and can not figure out what the hell the phrase really means. Can you explain it to me...like I am a third grader (a slow one at that)?

335 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:18:02pm

re: #319 A Kiwi Infidel

I agree, Walter. The apologists refuse to call islam what it is, and islamists who they are. They want us either Dead; converted; or, if useful to the "cause" dhimmifide and paying the jizrah. That means everyone.

Accordingly they continue to look for reasons and excuses why these poor chaps have got all uppity, as if some foreign policy or such has hurt their sensibilities. Too stupid for words.

Ya know - I agree - we are on the horns of a dilemma.

I have lived and worked with Muslims. Have any of you?

No direct personal experience? Fuck off.

336 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:18:31pm

re: #333 gclaghorn

Chopra is just a partisan hack and a shill trying to pass off his pointless Hallmark card sayings as "moral wisdoms."

I liked one or two of his earlier books, but that doesn't make him a moral or political expert, anyway that was then.

337 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:18:37pm
338 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:18:40pm

re: #306 Bobibutu


And we need to start labeling our Enemies are, both foreign and domestic. And we should make it known to the rest of the world that there is no weapon that is "too distructive" for us to use if we feel the need. If it takes a bloodbath or ten to force the surviving Mohammedans to live along side us in Peace, well, eggs and omlets, or tragedy verses statistic, or whatever. I'll sleep beter at night knowing that the most terrible weapons the world has ever known are safeguarding our nation.

339 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:19:28pm

re: #325 A Kiwi Infidel

Its a fish

The point being, it's a fish with a twisted skull and both eyes on the same side of it's face. Does it look like a planned, thought-out design to you?

340 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:20:01pm

re: #335 Bobibutu

I have.

It has made me fore worried for the future.

341 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:20:26pm

re: #329 gclaghorn

Isn't the purpose of a "war on terrorism" to fight terrorism?

Until you define you enemy ... who are you going after?

342 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:21:20pm

re: #338 Iron Fist

And we need to start labeling our Enemies are, both foreign and domestic. And we should make it known to the rest of the world that there is no weapon that is "too distructive" for us to use if we feel the need. If it takes a bloodbath or ten to force the surviving Mohammedans to live along side us in Peace, well, eggs and omlets, or tragedy verses statistic, or whatever. I'll sleep beter at night knowing that the most terrible weapons the world has ever known are safeguarding our nation.


Perhaps it would be better if you did not paraphrase Hitler

just an idea

343 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:21:35pm

re: #341 Bobibutu

Until you define you enemy ... who are you going after?

We have defined the enemy. Al-Qaeda and innumerable other terrorist groups.

344 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:21:47pm

re: #313 gclaghorn

I thought you were dead banned.

(it's all good when you can quote from Escape From New York in your posts :-)

345 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:21:50pm

re: #341 Bobibutu

Until you define you enemy ... who are you going after?

I thought we were going after creationists pushing ID....?

346 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:22:00pm

re: #275 pahleh

It would be easier to go along with evolutionism if you could explain that 'Big Bang' thing to me.

What part of the big Bang is it that you don't understand? That it happened is absolutely not in question. If you are asking why did it happen, then yea science hasn't even attempted to answer that question. But as for the mechanics of the big bang, well that's pretty well established physics.

347 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:22:08pm

re: #325 A Kiwi Infidel

Evolution of the Flat Fish
/Yes, there are transitional fossils.

348 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:22:16pm

re: #312 Iron Fist

When I took metaphiscs one of our assignment was a logical proof of the existance of God because there must necessarily be a god in nature. It centered around defining God as something the the universe would exist without him. It was a little convolutes, but the logical proof worked. That means little in that we cannot define that without which the Universe would not exist. One can reasonably draw from this definition that gravity is a manifestation of this "god of nature".

Umm...spacetime is created by matter/energy via the gravitational field that the matter/energy produces.

Certainly a being that possessed the intelligence and power to create the Universe would of necessity have to be more complex than its creation - and its existence require even more explanation than would the existence of Universe alone. Occam's Razor applies here (do not multiply explanatory entities beyond what is logically necessary to actually explain the phenomena in question), as well as an actually legitimate use of the "irreduceable complexity" argument that creationist illegitimately deploy.

349 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:22:25pm

re: #344 Iron Fist

I thought you were dead banned.

(it's all good when you can quote from Escape From New York in your posts :-)

I apologized for my rash remarks and Charles was nice enough to let me back in.

350 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:22:28pm

re: #338 Iron Fist

Well, we seem to be OT from the creationists. But that was one of Dubya's most debatable decisions, to not name our enemies, perhaps not even to himself, to declare war on terrorism and not named states. Perhaps he had no choice, given the interference he's had from this disgusting modern set of congressional democrats. But it has been a problem for the battle, since before day one.

351 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:23:03pm

re: #335 Bobibutu


I have lived and worked with Muslims. Have any of you?


Yes.

352 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:23:15pm

re: #342 swamprat

It is Stalin that I was paraphrasing. The Left love their Stalin. I just feel like throwing it back at them.

353 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:23:40pm

re: #335 Bobibutu

Nope.

354 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:23:52pm

re: #351 Killgore Trout

Yes.

Yes, so have I. No respect for any of them, thank you.

355 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:24:13pm

For the side thread about the Big Bang, check out the History Channel's episode of "The Universe", entitled, "Beyond The Big Bang":

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9

356 kcladderman  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:24:34pm

re: #335 Bobibutu

Ya know - I agree - we are on the horns of a dilemma.

I have lived and worked with Muslims. Have any of you?

No direct personal experience? Fuck off.

yes

357 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:25:23pm

Its time for us "Turtle people to come up with a "Wedge" document of our own, seeing how far the ID people have gotten with theirs.

Behold! Cut the lettuce into Wedges! That is the way the turtles like it.

Remember, Its Turtles, all the way down.

358 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:25:36pm

re: #354 Dublin(CA)Dude

No respect for any of them, thank you.


They are often very hospitable and generous folks.

359 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:25:41pm

re: #349 gclaghorn

I apologized for my rash remarks and Charles was nice enough to let me back in.

Unless you say something genuinely egregious, and then are insulting and combative with Charles he is usually very reasonable.

360 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:00pm

re: #335 Bobibutu

Ya know - I agree - we are on the horns of a dilemma.

I have lived and worked with Muslims. Have any of you?

No direct personal experience? Fuck off.


Stop letting your emotions get in the way of the cold hard facts. There are many thousands of people who call themselves muslims who are very nice people. Point out to them that their Koran teaches them to kill Jews and they would probably be horrified. Nevertheless, that is what their "holy" book teaches. That Jews are descended from apes and pigs, well, you get the picture. Dont start in on those who can see islam for what it is and what teaches all because you have worked among some muslims who do follow the strict instructions that islams demands they do to me and my Jewish brethren.

361 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:17pm

re: #358 Killgore Trout

They are often very hospitable and generous folks.

Tell it to my dead brother and the other thousands killed by them.

362 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:34pm

re: #338 Iron Fist

I do like the part about being glad we have the ultimate weapon. Glad that sane and intelligent men stay awake guarding its use on our behalf. Have a cup of coffee for me gentlemen, where ever you are.

363 Spare O'Lake  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:34pm

re: #337 buzzsawmonkey

The poor man's Khalil Gibran.

The Prophet was really cool in the late '60's when I was sitting cross-legged with a chick, totally stoned.
When I read it straight, not so much./

364 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:40pm

re: #340 Syrah

I have.

It has made me fore worried for the future.

We need to focus ... on who and what is the threat.

My ex and I had a serious conversation back in the 70's on whether to bring a child into this world or not ... she won.

365 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:41pm

re: #355 gmsc

I like the universetoday web site..Very strong science written for the layman

366 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:48pm
367 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:49pm

For anyone interested in reading more about cosmology and the evolution of the universe, I enjoyed Just Six Numbers.

368 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:52pm

re: #318 LesLein

It's too bad they can't. I don't endorse creationism. My point is that unlike the creationists, NASA's scientists are treated with respect by the MSM. Their error regarding last October's temperature data received far less attention than their original finding.

Global warming alarmism is a form of religious fanaticism (look at Al Gore). It will cost society far more than creationism.

Not if our public schools are required to teach it. It would hamstring our future production of competent bioscientists, which would cost us dearly, both in the economic realm, as bioscientific inventions, discoveries and innovations are made and patented - and products based upon them are manufactured - elsewhere, and in our global geopolitical standing.

369 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:26:57pm
370 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:27:01pm

re: #339 Jimmah

The point being, it's a fish with a twisted skull and both eyes on the same side of it's face. Does it look like a planned, thought-out design to you?


If God intended it that way, yes. It fits into the frying pan easier.

371 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:27:25pm

re: #357 Syrah

Remember, Its Turtles, all the way down.

That's been disproven. There's scientific evidence that clearly demonstrates that, where turtle #11,347 should be, there's an aardvark.

372 Joan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:28:00pm

re: #283 outsidephilly

I believe that all things were created. My belief is not based on science. Science can only deal in what can be observed, tested, measured, confirmed. God does not submit to being observed in a microscope, only the lens of faith can attempt to focus upon the Creator. Intellect alone cannot encounter God and faith cannot hide from scientific truth.

These are different realms. It is a mistake to insist that science should be faith-based. It is a mistake to insist that faith must be vindicated by science. In fact, people of faith need not fear any truth uncovered by science. Truth and God are in unity, only we humans are limited in our capacity to discern or honor truth.

373 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:28:04pm

re: #335 Bobibutu

Ya know - I agree - we are on the horns of a dilemma.

I have lived and worked with Muslims. Have any of you?

No direct personal experience? Fuck off.

Well, I did study Islam with a couple of Saudi Arabian and Iraqi dorm mates for a couple of years in college.

374 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:28:21pm

re: #361 Dublin(CA)Dude

I know this is beyond your comprehension but there are Muslims I'd trust with my life.

375 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:28:41pm

re: #358 Killgore Trout

Hitler loved dogs and small children. The existance of one thing does not preclude the existance of another. Mohammedans may indeed be hospitable people, but that doesn't preclude them from supporting terrorists on Jihad.

376 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:28:51pm

re: #335 Bobibutu

I have lived and worked with Muslims. Have any of you?

Yes. And like any group, they varied.

377 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:29:00pm

re: #359 doriangrey

Unless you say something genuinely egregious, and then are insulting and combative with Charles he is usually very reasonable.

I learned that from experience. :)

378 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:29:25pm

re: #352 Iron Fist

I just feel like throwing it back at them.

Kind of like giving anarchists exactly what they ask for.

379 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:29:27pm

re: #343 gclaghorn

We have defined the enemy. Al-Qaeda and innumerable other terrorist groups.

All due respect - we have not - it's still a war on terror. WTF is that?

Now on the unit level it's a bit different.

380 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:29:36pm

re: #335 Bobibutu

Ya know - I agree - we are on the horns of a dilemma.
I have lived and worked with Muslims. Have any of you?
No direct personal experience? Fuck off.

That comment is WAY out of line, in my opinion. No one here wants a blanket condemnation of Muslims no more than we want to hear Chopra claim that our soldiers are all terrorists.

But he did, and there is something wrong with the way this man is thinking right now. Maybe his emotions got the best of him, as evidently yours has.

381 outsidephilly  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:29:37pm

re: #312 Iron Fist

When I took metaphiscs one of our assignment was a logical proof of the existance of God because there must necessarily be a god in nature. It centered around defining God as something the the universe would exist without him. It was a little convolutes, but the logical proof worked. That means little in that we cannot define that without which the Universe would not exist. One can reasonably draw from this definition that gravity is a manifestation of this "god of nature".

Ya know is so great that the God I believe in doesn't expect me to use logic when it comes to Him; all that is expected of me is this: to believe in Him by faith.
And to that I say, "WHEW", cause if logic were necessary God would be in His heavenly kingdom saying, "Yep, there's another lemon, that 'outsidephilly' . . . , nope, will NEVER 'figure' Me out!"
And about your assignment regarding defining God, and sorting out logical proof of the existence of God, that way too convoluted for me! Because I don't want a God that's easily defined. I want a God that parts seas, makes blind men see.

382 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:29:39pm

re: #347 Killgore Trout

Evolution of the Flat Fish
/Yes, there are transitional fossils.

I remember watching this set of Christmas Lectures - I were just a lad (well...kinda) then. That was Dawkins back in the days when he was just beginning to get pissed off by the creationists.

383 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:29:57pm

re: #337 buzzsawmonkey

The poor man's Khalil Gibran.

Hey, there's nothing wrong with a good Khalil.

384 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:30:04pm

re: #352 Iron Fist

It is Stalin that I was paraphrasing. The Left love their Stalin. I just feel like throwing it back at them.

Hard to find a dictator the left doesn't love.

One that doesn't deal with russia.

385 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:30:08pm

re: #374 Killgore Trout

I know this is beyond your comprehension but there are Muslims I'd trust with my life.

Hmmm, with all due respect, sucks to be you....

386 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:30:15pm

re: #364 Bobibutu

And the child is a blessing to the world.

True enough, we need to focus on who and what the enemy is, but we should also rejoice and find happiness in the blessing that God gives us.

In the darkness, a little light shines brightly.

387 Jim D  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:30:27pm

re: #275 pahleh

How about this:
The universe was once much hotter and denser. It has since expanded and cooled.
Measurements of the redshifts of distance galaxies, the existence of the cosmic microwave background radiation and its anistotropy, large scale structure measurements, and type IA supernova observations verify this story.

388 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:30:27pm

re: #382 Jimmah

It is odd seeing a young Dawkins.

389 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:30:35pm

re: #377 gclaghorn

I learned that from experience. :)

ROTFLMAO.... Me too.... ;)

390 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:31:05pm

re: #330 gmsc

Lions (Panthera leo). As zoologists have long observed, these rank among the most efficient terrestrial killing machines on the planet. The lion's combination of speed, stealth, brute strength and state-of-the-art weaponry is beyond repute.

A lesser-known lion fact is that adult males, when they take over a rival pride's territory, seek out and tear apart every one of the loser's cubs. As a result, their mothers come into heat sooner, which lends certain benefits to the males. As before, this instinct is difficult to explain without invoking a design hypothesis. The lions need to track down cubs, positively identify them as someone else's, and only then kill them. How would such an elaborate series of complex instincts...just evolve?

Where's the sarc tag? Male lions do this so they can impregnate the females, and their genes, rather than the previous pride leader's genes, get passed on. It is the very definition of evolutionary competition and the survival of the victors, and of the victors' genes.

391 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:31:08pm

re: #385 doriangrey

Hmmm, with all due respect, sucks to be you....


No, not really. It's quite nice actually.

392 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:31:10pm

re: #374 Killgore Trout

I know this is beyond your comprehension but there are Muslims I'd trust with my life.

I did, and now I can barely walk, never mind live. Pakistani surgeon, did his best to cripple me.

393 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:32:13pm

re: #321 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Hitchhickers guide?

394 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:32:14pm

re: #370 A Kiwi Infidel

If God intended it that way, yes. It fits into the frying pan easier.

When you say that, are you mocking creationists or being a creationist?

395 Dianna  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:32:21pm

re: #320 Dublin(CA)Dude

Many thanks. I have accepted G_d's will. But I won't go without a fight.

I haven't been around. What's happening? Please email me!

396 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:32:29pm

re: #391 Killgore Trout

No, not really. It's quite nice actually.

Only until you find yourself in a predominately Muslim society, then you are genuinely and truly screwed.

397 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:32:36pm

re: #371 gmsc

That's been disproven. There's scientific evidence that clearly demonstrates that, where turtle #11,347 should be, there's an aardvark.

Heresy will not be allowed. If you do not repent, you may find your self folded into a lettuce wedge and fed to the great turtles in one of our "Toss the lettuce over the edge of the World" morning ceremonies.

Repent while you can.

398 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:32:47pm

re: #367 Sharmuta

But, what about cosmetology? What do you know about that, blondie?!

399 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:33:12pm

Here's a better link discussing the Big Bang, all in one continuously-running playlist!

400 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:33:23pm

re: #394 Jimmah

When you say that, are you mocking creationists or being a creationist?


Being

401 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:34:21pm

re: #393 Naso Tang

Hitchhickers guide?

Yup.

402 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:34:26pm
403 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:34:35pm

re: #385 doriangrey

Down dinged, but chuckled.

404 FamHistoryGuy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:34:46pm

re: #275 pahleh

The condom broke.

405 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:35:42pm

re: #374 Killgore Trout

I know this is beyond your comprehension but there are Muslims I'd trust with my life.

There are individual Muslims I know who I would trust with my life. I fear for my life vis-a-vis Islam, more specifically those strains of Islam that call for me to be mutilated or killed because I like to take photographs of my friends sometimes and maintain that I'm going to hell because I don't insist on forcing my sister to not be seem in public unless she is covered from head to toe. Those parts of Islam, and those people who adhere to them, I both hate and fear. I would like to see said strains destroyed, as peacefully as possible.

406 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:36:02pm

re: #403 swamprat

Down dinged, but chuckled.

Have you ever studied Islam with an Arabic speaking Muslim? I have, for nearly two years.

407 buzzsawmonkey[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:37:21pm
408 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:37:40pm

re: #335 Bobibutu


I have lived and worked with Muslims. Have any of you?

Yes

No direct personal experience? Fuck off.

Does that mean any and all future opinions you express will have your resume attached?

409 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:38:31pm

re: #360 A Kiwi Infidel

Most of the Muslims I know are sweet - and have tried to convert/educate me. :-)

One out of a hundred/thousand or more I had to have stopped at gunpoint- luck of the draw.

Varied? Yes - uneducated - brainwashed - some very smart ... those I taught.

410 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:38:38pm

re: #391 Killgore Trout

No, not really. It's quite nice actually.

It's downright luthieriffic, I reckon.

411 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:38:42pm
412 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:39:47pm

re: #411 taxfreekiller

I think outer space is how atomic particles act in real slow motion.

413 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:39:53pm

First and ten from the one.

/wide open heave ho, Vikings tie the NFL record for longest TD play from scrimmage, eat that Bears!

414 FamHistoryGuy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:40:00pm

re: #279 Dublin(CA)Dude

14 centuries of building a sociopathic society.

415 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:40:07pm

re: #388 Killgore Trout

It is odd seeing a young Dawkins.

Not for Brits. He's been a big name here in the UK for the last 20-30 years. A lot of people complain about Dawkins having a bit of a pissy attitude etc, but when you consider the length of time he's spent dealing with the incredible disingenuousness and thuggishness of the anti-science mob, I think it's perfectly understandable.

416 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:40:23pm

re: #386 Syrah

And the child is a blessing to the world.

True enough, we need to focus on who and what the enemy is, but we should also rejoice and find happiness in the blessing that God gives us.

In the darkness, a little light shines brightly.

And the brightness will shine on.

417 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:40:33pm

re: #411 taxfreekiller

First there was this really, really ,,,, really big capacitor, it stored up energy, them more, and more, and grabbed up all the energy in the universe and just like all greedy pigs it busted a gut.... E= MC2

And man oh man when you blow a large high voltage cap shit just goes everywhere....... ;)

418 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:40:48pm

re: #394 Jimmah

When you say that, are you mocking creationists or being a creationist?

It is kinda hard to tell the difference. Genesis literalist creationists can be such self-parodies at times...

419 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:40:49pm

I used to have the coolest tshirt.

Had a reverse evolution, man slowly evolving to a frog. Had a caption, "Darwin was wrong. Senor Frogs is right!"

Never been drunker in my life than that evening at Senor Frogs in Cancun.

420 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:40:50pm

re: #396 doriangrey

Only until you find yourself in a predominately Muslim society, then you are genuinely and truly screwed.

I've been there and done that. They are most hospitable on their own turf. Shisha, lamb curry and mint tea are all best when homemade and shared with friends.

421 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:41:25pm
422 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:41:31pm

re: #412 Mich-again

I think outer space is how atomic particles act in real slow motion.

I know the speed of light..What's the speed of darkness?
h/t ATH

423 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:41:56pm

re: #413 Killian Bundy

First and ten from the one.

/wide open heave ho, Vikings tie the NFL record for longest TD play from scrimmage, eat that Bears!

And I'm staring at my freaking laptop screen! Hi Def 60" tv 15 feet from me, and I missed it. Shit.

424 Dublin(CA)Dude  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:41:58pm

re: #395 Dianna

Dianna,
My friend, just sent you an email, sorry I can't say good bye to you in person.

425 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:42:01pm

re: #415 Jimmah

Heh. I only became aware of him a few years ago.

426 Joan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:42:16pm

re: #370 A Kiwi Infidel

If God intended it that way, yes. It fits into the frying pan easier.

*hah* now, that was funny.

427 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:42:34pm

re: #410 Occasional Reader

Ha!

428 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:43:01pm

re: #400 A Kiwi Infidel

Being

Thanks. Now I know to go back and give your dumb reply a downding.

429 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:44:01pm

So, for giggles, I thought I'd go take a look at the discovery institute's blog- who do they have promoted there? Mustafa Akyol. If that name rings a bell for those paying attention, it should. If it doesn't- here's an interesting google search.

430 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:44:13pm
431 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:44:30pm

re: #422 HoosierHoops

I know the speed of light..What's the speed of darkness?
h/t ATH

186,200 miles per second. Dark is the same speed as light. If light travels at this speed, it will also dissapate at this speed. Darkness will envelop the area at the same speed.

432 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:44:49pm

re: #430 taxfreekiller

#422

darkness is so fast it comes before you know it

I have the same problem.

433 kcladderman  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:45:29pm

re: #432 gmsc

I have the same problem.

Yea it seems I am in the dark a lot.
/

434 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:46:04pm

re: #368 Salamantis

I'm not sure I buy your line of reasoning. If children are exposed to differing opinions of the creation of the universe and the subsequent development of intelligent life, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly public schools teach a lot of utter bullshit with little hew and cry from the parents or populace in general.

I got out of school an anti-communist, and I was taught, by more than one professor, that Marxist Socialism was the wave of the future that was going to wipe the slate clean when the Third World rose up in arms, overthrew the US Government, and set up a Dictatorship of the Proletariat.

Teaching that there are opposing views on evolution is not going to cripple them for life. It won't even encourage them to hate their Country.

Oh, and one more point: most students are not going to become biochemists or genetic engineer. Most students will never use the evolutionary theory that they are taught in school. If they just stopped teaching it at all in high school, things would remain the same as they are now. Evolution, no matter what position you take on it, isn't critical information without which the student could not get from college, if they are so inclined. Evolution isn't some kind of secular sacrement that all the people need to know.

435 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:46:29pm

re: #431 gmsc

186,200 miles per second. Dark is the same speed as light. If light travels at this speed, it will also dissapate at this speed. Darkness will envelop the area at the same speed.

No, dark is faster than light, because it got there first.

436 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:46:54pm
437 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:47:04pm

re: #406 doriangrey

I know an atheist who is being stalked by Christians, but he hasn't written them all off as idiots. Muslim thought is varied... they even have the goody two shoes sweetness and light variety. Even the worship of Khali reformed, and thats the truth. You read about what people were doing to each other as Christians in the past...burning, torturing, using the Bible to justify savery and bigotry....It is what appears to be the same process the Islamis religions are going through now.

Fear is the mind killer...

the Tao of Dune

438 Dianna  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:47:45pm

re: #424 Dublin(CA)Dude

Dianna,
My friend, just sent you an email, sorry I can't say good bye to you in person.

Oh, dear.

Peace and a good ending, Dublin. I will be thinking of you.

439 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:47:55pm

re: #422 HoosierHoops

I know the speed of light..What's the speed of darkness?
h/t ATH

Hey, Hoopster...you and Mich have been reading this...lol

440 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:48:05pm

re: #408 Naso Tang

Does that mean any and all future opinions you express will have your resume attached?

I am retired now and you kids get to rule the world.

Been around the world multiple times.

Underwater swimmer for the USN.

Landed and took off from Carriers at Yankee Station five times.

Positioned Oil Rigs in the Flores Sea.

Witnessed the TET Offensive - on the first plane out from Saigon.

There is much more.

What have you experienced?

441 Jim D  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:48:06pm

re: #422 HoosierHoops

re: #431 gmsc

Actually, a shadow can move faster than the speed of light. [Link: math.ucr.edu...]

442 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:48:17pm

re: #418 Salamantis

It is kinda hard to tell the difference. Genesis literalist creationists can be such self-parodies at times...

Yes, like that guy - was it Ken Ham? - and his explanation of the intelligent design of the banana - how it fits the hand while eating etc? I was sure that had to be a parody first time I saw it.

443 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:48:20pm

What happens when photons collide with protons.

444 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:48:28pm

re: #431 gmsc

186,200 miles per second. Dark is the same speed as light. If light travels at this speed, it will also dissapate at this speed. Darkness will envelop the area at the same speed.

I asked a guy one time on a job interview, "If your in a car going the speed of light, and you turn on your headlights, what happens?..."

Guy said, "I don't know."

Then, I said, "Then you are stupid and I don't want to work for you."

-Steven Wright

445 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:48:41pm

re: #378 Mich-again

Oh, yeah! I've always thought that it would be hysterical if when some moron said they're an anacharchist, you pulled out a pistol and shot them. Anarchy, BA-BEE!

446 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:48:48pm

re: #429 Sharmuta

From one of your links; this doesn't look good:
"“It’s hopeless here,” Sayin says. “I’ve been fighting with these guys for six years, and it’s come to nothing.” As a result of the BAV campaign and other efforts to denounce evolution, he adds, most members of Turkey’s parliament today not only discount evolution but consider it a hoax. “Now creationism is in [high school] biology books,” Sayin says. “Evolution is presented [by BAV] as a conspiracy of the Jewish and American imperialists to promote new world order and fascist motives … and the majority of the people believe it.”
[Link: www.pandasthumb.org...]

447 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:48:48pm

savery= slavery

448 outsidephilly  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:49:18pm

re: #372 Joan

I believe that all things were created. My belief is not based on science. Science can only deal in what can be observed, tested, measured, confirmed. God does not submit to being observed in a microscope, only the lens of faith can attempt to focus upon the Creator. Intellect alone cannot encounter God and faith cannot hide from scientific truth.

These are different realms. It is a mistake to insist that science should be faith-based. It is a mistake to insist that faith must be vindicated by science. In fact, people of faith need not fear any truth uncovered by science. Truth and God are in unity, only we humans are limited in our capacity to discern or honor truth.

You described me quite well, I am quite limited in my capacity to discern.
//

449 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:49:30pm

re: #435 Naso Tang

No, dark is faster than light, because it got there first.

I see. You're one of those who believe that the speed of darkness is twice the speed of light? It is an interesting idea that when light disappears it must move at twice the speed of light.

/Darkness is ever present. Think of it this way, You have a table and a table cloth (Table - Darkness, Table cloth - Light) You put the table cloth over the table, But the table is still there, Even know you can't see it.

450 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:49:52pm

re: #437 swamprat

I know an atheist who is being stalked by Christians, but he hasn't written them all off as idiots. Muslim thought is varied... they even have the goody two shoes sweetness and light variety. Even the worship of Khali reformed, and thats the truth. You read about what people were doing to each other as Christians in the past...burning, torturing, using the Bible to justify savery and bigotry....It is what appears to be the same process the Islamis religions are going through now.

Fear is the mind killer...

Except that they are not making any progress, unless you consider killing anyone who disagrees as progress.

451 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:50:10pm
452 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:50:20pm

re: #447 swamprat

savery= slavery

Although I wouldn't put that on a t-shirt.

453 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:50:48pm

And here's what our friends at the DI's russiablog are up to:

Russians to Drill for Oil Off Cuba?

454 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:51:00pm

re: #425 Killgore Trout

Heh. I only became aware of him a few years ago.

He's been much more active in America in the last few years.

455 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:51:10pm

re: #439 jorline

Hey, Hoopster...you and Mich have been reading this...lol

Hi Jorline!
cool site! Thanks

456 Rancher  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:51:20pm

re: #192 HoosierHoops (Other thread)

You know what is funny Charles.. Poor Rustler just can't get registered to save his life..It's turned into ongoing running joke..


Shhh, we're trying to stay under the radar, I really don't want to get banned.

457 solomonpanting  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:51:45pm

re: #439 jorline

Hey, Hoopster...you and Mich have been reading this...lol

From your link AND on topic:

My theory of evolution is that Darwin was adopted. -- Steven Wright

458 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:51:57pm

Why is there so much space dust if space is a vaccuum?

459 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:51:58pm

Georgia's Account of War with Russia Questioned

Yep- keep helpin' to push that bit of propaganda too.

460 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:51:59pm

re: #444 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I asked a guy one time on a job interview, "If your in a car going the speed of light, and you turn on your headlights, what happens?..."

Guy said, "I don't know."

Then, I said, "Then you are stupid and I don't want to work for you."

-Steven Wright

Nothing happens, since you are already traveling at the speed of light the lights from your head lights can never exceed your speed and illuminate what is ahead of you.

461 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:52:00pm

re: #451 taxfreekiller

George W. Bush cured global warming. Next up is a new mini ice-age.

462 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:52:18pm

re: #444 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I asked a guy one time on a job interview, "If your in a car going the speed of light, and you turn on your headlights, what happens?..."

Guy said, "I don't know."

Then, I said, "Then you are stupid and I don't want to work for you."

-Steven Wright

lmao...see my #439, FVG.

463 experiencedtraveller  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:53:04pm

re: #15 Shug

It's a native Texan thing

Don't mess with Texas.

/Physically, Texans are the largest humans on the planet...

464 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:53:38pm

re: #440 Bobibutu

re: #440 Bobibutu

I am retired now and you kids get to rule the world.

Been around the world multiple times.

Underwater swimmer for the USN.

Landed and took off from Carriers at Yankee Station five times.

Positioned Oil Rigs in the Flores Sea.

Witnessed the TET Offensive - on the first plane out from Saigon.

There is much more.

What have you experienced?

Let's just say I've been married for 32 years, and I was a late starter at that.

I suspect I've lived in more countries than you, as opposed to visited, but I respect your service, which I don't have, while suggesting you balance the chip on your shoulder more carefully.

Cheers.

465 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:53:44pm
466 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:54:38pm

re: #460 doriangrey

Smart ass. :p

467 Rancher  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:55:19pm

re: #460 doriangrey

Nothing happens, since you are already traveling at the speed of light the lights from your head lights can never exceed your speed and illuminate what is ahead of you.

It's all relative, your lights will work just as they would for everyone else, things would work just fine. Hence, the Theory of Relativity.

468 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:55:33pm

If you ever see a physics exam question about a monkey weighing so many kilograms climbs a frictionless tree to such and such an elevation blah blah ... the real correct answer is that a monkey can't climb a frictionless tree. But my prof didn't agree.

469 Dianna  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:55:55pm

Well, that's it for me. I'm going to wash my hair and go to bed, abandoning my dogs to the Male's tender mercies.

Goodnight!

470 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:55:56pm

re: #457 solomonpanting

From your link AND on topic:

My theory of evolution is that Darwin was adopted. -- Steven Wright

Steven Wright is hilarious.

471 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:56:03pm

re: #434 Iron Fist

I'm not sure I buy your line of reasoning. If children are exposed to differing opinions of the creation of the universe and the subsequent development of intelligent life, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly public schools teach a lot of utter bullshit with little hew and cry from the parents or populace in general.

I got out of school an anti-communist, and I was taught, by more than one professor, that Marxist Socialism was the wave of the future that was going to wipe the slate clean when the Third World rose up in arms, overthrew the US Government, and set up a Dictatorship of the Proletariat.

Teaching that there are opposing views on evolution is not going to cripple them for life. It won't even encourage them to hate their Country.

Oh, and one more point: most students are not going to become biochemists or genetic engineer. Most students will never use the evolutionary theory that they are taught in school. If they just stopped teaching it at all in high school, things would remain the same as they are now. Evolution, no matter what position you take on it, isn't critical information without which the student could not get from college, if they are so inclined. Evolution isn't some kind of secular sacrement that all the people need to know.

Students that are taught ID instead of good solid valid sound science in public high school are unlikely to select bioscience as a field to pursue in college - or else are goiing to find out that it is quite different from the creationist propaganda they were force-fed, and end up not pursuing it.

People are entitled to their own opinions; they are NOT entitled to their own facts. And ALL of the empirical facts favor evolution.

Do you also, in the spirit of educational openness to all ideas, no matter how ridiculous, nonsensical, counterfactual and absurd, wish astrology, alchemy, flat earth theory, Ptolemaic geocentrism, phrenology, phlogiston theory, and the doctrine of signatures to be taught in public high schools? For they are just as empirically credible is is the empirically refuted, debunked and discredited notion that some deity did it all in the space of six days a few thousand years ago, including creating tens of millions of existent and extinct species independently and as is.

472 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:56:45pm

re: #366 Killgore Trout

Teach the controversy!

I'm trying, one hyperbolic moment at a time.

Patience.

473 Haverwilde  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:56:49pm

re: #463 experiencedtraveller

Don't mess with Texas.

/Physically, Texans are the largest humans on the planet...


But there is more to size than one's girth.
/

474 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:57:40pm

re: #466 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Smart ass. :p

Heh heh heh, I'm not a physicist, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once.... OK, well actually I did study Physics in college for several years... Ok, so I was a physics major for three year's and did take two years of college level physics in high school.... ;p

475 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:57:40pm

re: #467 Rancher

It's all relative, your lights will work just as they would for everyone else, things would work just fine. Hence, the Theory of Relativity.

"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. THAT'S relativity."

--Einstein

476 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:57:43pm

re: #460 doriangrey

Nothing happens, since you are already traveling at the speed of light the lights from your head lights can never exceed your speed and illuminate what is ahead of you.

The photons all pile up on your headlights, and you have to reach forward and sweep them away with your snow scraper.

477 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:58:15pm

re: #463 experiencedtraveller

Don't mess with Texas.

/Physically, Texans are the largest humans on the planet...

Never been to Mississippi? ;)

478 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:59:00pm

re: #467 Rancher

It's all relative, your lights will work just as they would for everyone else, things would work just fine. Hence, the Theory of Relativity.

ROTFLMAO..... Yes, right.......

479 Rancher  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:59:10pm

re: #475 gclaghorn

LOL!

480 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:59:10pm

re: #471 Salamantis

People are entitled to their own opinions; they are NOT entitled to their own facts.

One of my favorite quotes, though I don't recall who's credited with it.

481 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:59:47pm

re: #478 doriangrey

ROTFLMAO..... Yes, right.......

Opp's that was suppose to be YEA right..... ;p

482 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 6:59:51pm

re: #465 Sharmuta

Russia and Ukraine: Facing Up to the Global Credit Crisis

Well- that can't be good.

I ran across something earlier today that mentioned riots at Chinese toy factories.

It looks like this economic problem can get very unsettled over the next couple of years.

483 experiencedtraveller  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:00:08pm

re: #473 Haverwilde

But there is more to size than one's girth.
/

Whats morality have to do with it? ;)

484 Jim D  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:00:53pm

re: #460 doriangrey

The car is massive and can't move at the speed of light. Light always goes the speed of light.

485 Tigger2005  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:01:06pm

Most of what you said below is not true.

re: #54 stretch

been there, done that.

evolutionists will do anything BUT put forth any evidence to prove that life evolved itself.

Not true. In fact, total bullcrap. Google "abiogenesis," and I'm sure you'll find a great deal of evidence and research being done in this area. Scientists certainly don't duck the question.

the concept of "settled science" is very disturbing; its the same basis for the climate change crowd. if all that is needed is a consensus, then why bother with debate?

All that is needed is NOT a consensus. What is needed is evidence, and evolution has plenty of it. Incidentally, the hypothesis that life emerged from non-life is related to the science of abiogenesis, not evolution.

Evolution has been debated and challenged for decades. It has survived every challenge, and has accumulated more and more supportive evidence. Evolution is not climate change science, and it's very frustrating that the controversy over climate change is used as a weapon against evolution, although I suppose scientists have only themselves to blame for that.

it is a good rule to always check and see what proponents of a particular view stand to lose. Do they have their jobs/funding/reputation on the line, and if so, can they truly be objective?

Again, we see the climate change controversy being used as a weapon against evolution. However, the situations are not remotely similar. There really are things scientists "know" with an extremely high degree of certainty, and evolution is one of them. If absolutely nothing in science can ever be even hypothetically considered "settled," science can never make any progress at all. We have TV, radio, and computers because science works and scientists know stuff that people didn't know before.

does it bother anyone that comtemporary evolutionists (including the ones that tend to post here) no longer claim that life evolved itself? Why don't they come out and say that they believe that life came from non-life? Who is hiding from the truth now? Even Stephen Hawking is now speculating that "panspermia" is a possibility.

There's really no such thing as an "evolutionist," and anyway, it's a complete falsehood that biologists and other scientists "no longer claim" that life emerged from non-life. So Stephen Hawking is "speculating" that panspermia is a possibility. He is in the minority, and in any case, panspermia does not eliminate abiogenesis, it simply shifts it somewhere else.

486 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:01:28pm

Harun Yahya thinks that restricting science classes to teach only science is an attack on Islam.

"The fact that the report in question maintains that only the theory of evolution should be permitted on the curriculum clearly reveals the concern that students who learn about the fact of Creation will not grow up to be materialists. This is why Creationism has been portrayed as a threat for Europe and the above decision was taken. The same state of affairs applies to the religious classes currently provided in Turkey. Uneasy at students learning about Islam and turning away from the idea of materialism, Europe has this time encouraged the ending of religious instruction in schools under a variety of pretexts. Europe’s endeavors are obvious; it has declared war on belief in Allah and Islam."


[Link: usa.mediamonitors.net...]

487 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:01:32pm

re: #446 jaunte

Interesting they also note Akyol minimizing the Armenian genocide.

488 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:01:52pm

re: #480 Occasional Reader

WFBjr?

489 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:01:53pm

re: #484 Jim D

The car is massive and can't move at the speed of light. Light always goes the speed of light.

Not according to Star Trek

490 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:02:13pm
491 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:02:41pm

Note to self...do not ask rhetorical questions on LGF. Not even JOKE rhetorical questions.

492 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:02:52pm

re: #486 jaunte

It was only a matter of time.

493 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:03:07pm

re: #488 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

WFBjr?

Either him or Moynihan... stand by...

494 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:03:13pm
495 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:03:46pm

re: #492 Sharmuta

It's a big tent, indeed.

496 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:04:10pm

re: #488 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

WFBjr?

Moynihan it is.

497 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:04:36pm

re: #460 doriangrey

Nothing happens, since you are already traveling at the speed of light the lights from your head lights can never exceed your speed and illuminate what is ahead of you.

Since you would then have more mass than the entire universe, by an infinite amount, you would likely be the last black hole, and there would be nothing before, nor behind, you to worry about.

498 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:04:39pm

OT: An Economic Indicator, sort of. . .

Workers riot at Chinese toy factory

499 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:04:43pm

re: #365 HoosierHoops

I like the universetoday web site..Very strong science written for the layman

Here's an excellent Flash site that teaches Einstein's theory of relativity in a very clear manner!

500 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:04:47pm

re: #494 MandyManners

My great-great-aunt Agatha and my cousin, once-removed, Polly.

Agatha has really pretty eyes

501 Page  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:05:00pm

re: #480 Occasional Reader

Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan

502 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:05:06pm

re: #492 Sharmuta

It was only a matter of time.

...and space.

Remember, they're intertwined.

503 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:05:12pm

re: #494 MandyManners

My great-great-aunt Agatha and my cousin, once-removed, Polly.

Polly needs to work on some basics. She's holding that all wrong.

504 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:06:06pm

re: #497 Naso Tang

Since you would then have more mass than the entire universe, by an infinite amount

The gasoline cost would be a killer.

505 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:06:12pm

re: #442 Jimmah

Actually, it's another Aussie - Ray Comfort. Banana : The Atheist's Nightmare

Enjoy...

506 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:06:25pm

re: #503 Occasional Reader

Polly needs to work on some basics. She's holding that all wrong.

And are you going to stand in front of Polly and tell her that?

507 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:06:53pm

re: #494 MandyManners

My great-great-aunt Agatha and my cousin, once-removed, Polly.

ROFLMAO! That is some funny stuff right there.

508 karmic_inquisitor  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:07:28pm

OT:

Ted Turner thinks that the KGB was an "honorable place to work."

He also creates a moral equivalence between the FBI and KGB.

[Link: www.breitbart.tv...]

Don't know if "idjit" or "ass hole" best describes him. One wonders how this guy carries any weight in any circle other than cable tv conferences.

509 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:07:36pm

re: #506 Walter L. Newton

And are you going to stand in front of Polly and tell her that?

"I'll give you a banana if you hand over the gun!"

510 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:07:38pm

From the terrorist confession thread

511 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:07:44pm

re: #484 Jim D

The car is massive and can't move at the speed of light. Light always goes the speed of light.

Actually no it doesn't, the speed of light is proportional to the media that it is passing through. Theory suggest that getting any physical mass up to the speed of light requires infinite energy, however it also suggests that the speed of light is dependent on the time space curvature of the space it is passing through. Hence an inverse curvature of space time permits a physical object to travel faster than light without requiring infinite energy to achieve that velocity.

512 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:07:46pm

re: #464 Naso Tang

re: #440 Bobibutu

Let's just say I've been married for 32 years, and I was a late starter at that.

I suspect I've lived in more countries than you, as opposed to visited, but I respect your service, which I don't have, while suggesting you balance the chip on your shoulder more carefully.

Cheers.

Married for 32 years - you are a better man than I, or have one hell of a woman.

Lived - lets see - I'm going to take that over 6 mos.

OK - in all honesty lived in 10? Japan, Korea, VNam, England, Belgium, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Iran and the USA.

Stop overs and TDY would up it a bit.

IBM means I've Been Moved.

513 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:08:06pm

re: #506 Walter L. Newton

And are you going to stand in front of Polly and tell her that?

"In front of her" is probably the safest place to be, from the looks of it...

514 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:09:11pm

re: #505 Jimmah

Actually, it's another Aussie - Ray Comfort. Banana : The Atheist's Nightmare

Enjoy...

Does anyone want to tell him that the bananas you see in the store were bred – designed – by man to be edible?

Most varieties of bananas are woefully inedible.

515 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:09:28pm

Plaxico, Plaxico Burress!

/dolt of the night club scene

516 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:09:31pm
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is
research.

The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.


Steven Wright

517 taxfreekiller[deleted]  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:10:53pm
518 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:11:07pm

re: #505 Jimmah

Actually, it's another Aussie - Ray Comfort. Banana : The Atheist's Nightmare

Enjoy...

Here's the rebuttal

519 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:11:19pm

re: #510 Dark_FalconLet's try that again:

re: #245 Iron Fist

I'm not sure I buy this. I've never seen a 50 round magazine for an AK-47. I've seen 40 rounders (obscenely long) and 75 round drums. The latter are good, but you'd be over burdened with more than a couple of them. 300 rounds of 7.62X39 is also some weight to carry. One man can do it, but it will slow him down. Eight hand grenades is also a lot for one person to carry when it's in addition to a rifle and a lot of ammunition.

I don't have any fucking idea what an automatic loading revolver is. I suspect that it is a mistranslation and "handgun" is what they mean, but that is a guess.

I don't know what they would need with a credit card. It's not like they are going to be running a bar tab while they're cranking rounds downrange. OTH, it doesn't weigh fifty freaking pounds, so I guess they could stick it in their wallet. I guess they didn't want to be saddled with making an expense report after the drill.

And I don't know why the bothered with the dried fruit when they've already got a fruitcake on their hands.

I'm not saying any of this is impossible, but they would be carrying a pretty awkward, heavy burden for your run of the mill Jihadi.


At a guess, I'd say they were using pairs of 20 or 30 round mags taped together.

The only automatic revolver ever made was the Webley-Fosbury circa 1912. I doubt that the terrorist were using those (though its .455 cartridge would be an effective round to use on them).

520 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:11:28pm

re: #515 Killian Bundy

Plaxico, Plaxico Burress!

/dolt of the night club scene

I think the Pacers should hire him..He would fit right in..

521 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:11:42pm

re: #515 Killian Bundy

Plaxico, Plaxico Burress!

/dolt of the night club scene

Something was wrong with that video. I heard a bass guitar but none of the musicians were playing a bass.

522 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:12:15pm

re: #471 Salamantis

Students that are taught ID instead of good solid valid sound science in public high school are unlikely to select bioscience as a field to pursue in college - or else are goiing to find out that it is quite different from the creationist propaganda they were force-fed, and end up not pursuing it.


I think you overstate the importance of high school biology class. All I remember from that semester was carving up a frog.

523 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:13:20pm

re: #521 Walter L. Newton

Something was wrong with that video. I heard a bass guitar but none of the musicians were playing a bass.

picky...picky Evening, Walter.

524 Haverwilde  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:13:28pm

re: #514 gmsc

Does anyone want to tell him that the bananas you see in the store were bred – designed – by man to be edible?

Most varieties of bananas are woefully inedible.


Facts, facts more facts, my mind is made up--God did it, so quit arguing will ya.

Hmmm, I just looked at my hand, I can't find the grooves he was talking about. But the music I'm listening to, now that's groovy.

525 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:14:27pm

re: #523 jorline

picky...picky Evening, Walter.

Evening. Well, there was a bass, I heard it. But I didn't see it. That just bothers me.

526 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:14:33pm

re: #521 Walter L. Newton

Something was wrong with that video. I heard a bass guitar but none of the musicians were playing a bass.

/hey, sue me

527 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:14:52pm

re: #485 Tigger2005

Google "abiogenesis," and I'm sure you'll find a great deal of evidence and research being done in this area.

Actually, all you'll find there are a bunch of very problematic theories and not much evidence at all.

528 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:15:03pm

re: #514 gmsc

I know....LOL. I'm still reeling from 'curved toward the face' and 'biodegradeable wrapper'. Absolutely indistinguishable from parody.

529 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:15:23pm

re: #524 Haverwilde

Facts, facts more facts, my mind is made up--God did it, so quit arguing will ya.

Hmmm, I just looked at my hand, I can't find the grooves he was talking about. But the music I'm listening to, now that's groovy.

Well, in that case, something else fits into the grooves of my hand... amazing... er, I guess the devil made me do THAT!

530 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:15:37pm

re: #525 Walter L. Newton

Evening. Well, there was a bass, I heard it. But I didn't see it. That just bothers me.

lmao...It's Plaxico's world...nothing is as it should be.

531 experiencedtraveller  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:15:51pm

re: #477 jorline

Never been to Mississippi? ;)

Hmmm. Duly noted. They do grow 'em large in Ol Miss. But with Houston, Dallas and San Antonio all in the top 10 in obesity, it seems Texans rule the human size charts. And with size provably linked to aggression it may be best not to mess with Texas. :)

532 RickJ  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:16:15pm

re: #152 eclectic infidel

The fact that creationists purposely use code words to further their deceitful agenda seems to suggest that they know that intelligent design is bollocks. No wonder Jihadists and creationists are on the same page.

well that last line is offensive - especially in view of the past few days of wicked demonic jihad in India. The western world was built by people who generally would be described as creationists. So no fair equating them with terrorists.

"deceitful agenda" - I won't argue with so much. It's pretty clear they want to gradually wedge their particular religious beliefs into classrooms. I don't expect they will find much success.

533 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:16:29pm

re: #443 Mich-again

What happens when photons collide with protons.

You can see the protons.

534 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:17:08pm

re: #512 Bobibutu

In the interest of getting to know, as opposed to scoring points; UK, France, Spain, Caribbean, Switzerland, Sweden, Kuwait, Saudi, UAE and of course visiting most places between and to the side.

...and the USA of course.

535 goodin510  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:17:40pm

re: #224 Charles


uhhh, on the Louisiana ACLU Board of Directors for two years, (if i remember correctly she was a chapter or state president), currently on the Board of Directors for Americans United. Member - People for the American Way, Southern Poverty Law Center, Interfaith Alliance......

i'm not sure she would argue with the characterization that she is left-wing.

I've already be accused of being a troll so i feel obligated to say that i'm not trying to be disrespectful and i'm not a creationist.

536 Tigger2005  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:17:57pm

re: #254 stretch

still not an answer - no answer yet.... waiting.... waiting....

You might as well say, "Can anyone explain why evolution cravitz zboom ribbitz vezzlebum greeblevetzer?" and then snidely say "waiting .... waiting ...." when nobody gives you an answer that "satisfies" you, as if you've proven some kind of point.

537 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:17:57pm

re: #533 Killgore Trout

You can see the protons.

re: #533 Killgore Trout

You can see the protons.

What happens to the Bozons?

538 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:17:58pm

Govermentium (Gv) has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to take from four days to four years to complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years; It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

539 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:18:04pm

re: #471 Salamantis

It is a long way from mentioning it as a conflicting theory to ID being the only thing in science that they are taught. You know this. It isn't rocket science. I had a brain function course my last semester at FSU. On the first day of class the instructor informed us that what we were going to be studying would be brain function, and that for the purposes of this class we should put aside the theological questions that are raised when studying brain function. The question of a soul was not part of our discussion.

He didn't come out and say "You hicks are wrong, there is no soul, so party on!" He acknowledged that there was a lot about brain function we didn't understand. He dealt with the issue for not more than 15 minutes of class time, and he dealt with it constructively rather than derisively. I would say that teaching kids disrespect of faith has no business in the classroom, as well.

540 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:18:30pm

re: #525 Walter L. Newton

Evening. Well, there was a bass, I heard it. But I didn't see it. That just bothers me.

I didnt watch the video, but keyboard is the first thing that comes to my mind....

541 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:18:42pm

re: #522 Mich-again

I think you overstate the importance of high school biology class. All I remember from that semester was carving up a frog.

I remember much more. But then again, I was taught rudimentary evolutionary theory there - quite progressive for the early '70's. I believe that the science push in high school back then had something to do with the US government freaking out about the Soviet launch of Sputnik, and their fear of a science gap.

542 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:18:52pm

re: #533 Killgore Trout

You can see the protons.

Its probably not easy to do that. Like hitting a bullet with a bullet.

543 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:18:53pm

re: #534 Naso Tang

In the interest of getting to know, as opposed to scoring points; UK, France, Spain, Caribbean

You lived in a country called "Caribbean"?

544 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:19:14pm

re: #508 karmic_inquisitor

I'll go for Who's the Fuckin' Traitor in our Midst for $1000, Alex.

545 Rancher  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:19:14pm

re: #481 doriangrey

Opp's that was suppose to be YEA right..... ;p


Shoot, and I thought you got it. If you flash your light it will travel the speed of light relative to you. Someone observing that light who is not traveling close to the speed of light will still observe that light as traveling the speed of light, not traveling twice the speed of light. How? Time and distance change relative to how fast you are going relative to someone else. In fact you can't actually travel the speed of light because the space time continuim will dictate your mass will increase and space will decrease so you can only approach the speed of light. I realise what I just tried to explain makes no sense, so try this site. Then we will discuss Schroedinger's Cat.

546 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:19:29pm

re: #521 Walter L. Newton

Something was wrong with that video. I heard a bass guitar but none of the musicians were playing a bass.

I usually just listen to the voices in my head. Problem is, they're speaking a language I never learned !

547 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:19:59pm

Looks....like.....stretch.....ran....away....

548 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:20:43pm

re: #539 Iron Fist

It is a long way from mentioning it as a conflicting theory to ID being the only thing in science that they are taught.

If someone comes up with an alternative scientific theory, well, let's have at it.

But ID isn't one.

549 Jim D  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:20:50pm

re: #511 doriangrey

I didn't say that the speed of light is always measured to be the same. Obviously the speed depends on the medium or whether it is observed from an inertial or non-inertial frame of reference.

550 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:20:51pm

re: #538 gmsc

Classic! I love that one!

551 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:20:59pm

re: #531 experiencedtraveller

Hmmm. Duly noted. They do grow 'em large in Ol Miss. But with Houston, Dallas and San Antonio all in the top 10 in obesity, it seems Texans rule the human size charts. And with size provably linked to aggression it may be best not to mess with Texas. :)

lol...now you why the major college recruiters pull so many HS football players to out of state schools...like Oklahoma?

PS...proud fat tortilla eating Texan.

552 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:21:06pm

re: #537 Bobibutu

What happens to the Bozons?

I'm not a particle physicis, I'm just an idiot who reads. That's above my pay grade.

553 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:21:07pm

re: #547 Jimmah

Looks....like.....stretch.....ran....away....

Looks like he went back under the bridge.

554 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:22:00pm

re: #543 Occasional Reader

You lived in a country called "Caribbean"?

Picky picky. Lot's of little places there. Pick the Bahamas if you want a focus.

555 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:22:05pm

re: #533 Killgore Trout

You can see the protons.

Nope, but you can see the Cherenkov radiation..... ;p

556 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:22:40pm

re: #547 Jimmah

Looks....like.....stretch.....ran....away....

Probably just moved to another fishing hole...Try trolling there

557 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:22:40pm

re: #552 Killgore Trout

I'm not a particle physicis, I'm just an idiot who reads. That's above my pay grade.

And I'm lower than that. I read what YOU write !

//

558 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:23:12pm

re: #539 Iron Fist

It is a long way from mentioning it as a conflicting theory to ID being the only thing in science that they are taught.

That's just where you've been misled. It isn't a conflicting theory. There is no theory of intelligent design at all.

559 kcladderman  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:23:21pm

re: #521 Walter L. Newton

Something was wrong with that video. I heard a bass guitar but none of the musicians were playing a bass.

its right here

560 Walter L. Newton  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:23:34pm

re: #555 doriangrey

Nope, but you can see the Cherenkov radiation..... ;p

Wow, comment number 555. You must live a block away from the Beast!

561 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:23:39pm

re: #541 Salamantis

I was taught rudimentary evolutionary theory there

So were we. It just didn't interest me much. But I did like the Planet of the Apes movies that were out back then with Roddy McDowell and Charlton Heston. Now those were good.

562 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:23:40pm

re: #554 Naso Tang

Picky picky. Lot's of little places there. Pick the Bahamas if you want a focus.

Never been there, actually.

I'd pick the US Virgin Islands, personally, but that's just me.

563 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:23:53pm

re: #500 HoosierHoops

Agatha has really pretty eyes

Those doctors in Berne are really talented.

564 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:23:54pm

re: #543 Occasional Reader

You lived in a country called "Caribbean"?

Cue Jimmy Buffet!

565 experiencedtraveller  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:24:25pm
566 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:24:36pm

re: #503 Occasional Reader

Polly needs to work on some basics. She's holding that all wrong.

Well, she has some problems with her thumbs, and she's just a teen.

567 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:24:38pm

re: #537 Bobibutu

What happens to the Bozons?

Ummm, the Bozons get stuck doing crappy kid's TV shows, the Higgs boson on the other hand.....

568 Killgore Trout  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:24:45pm

re: #557 sattv4u2

Ha!. Now that's funny.

569 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:24:53pm

re: #561 Mich-again

So were we. It just didn't interest me much. But I did like the Planet of the Apes movies that were out back then with Roddy McDowell and Charlton Heston. Now those were good.

Well, just barely "movies", plural, IIRC. Heston does a cameo in one of the sequels, and I think that was it, right?

570 Haverwilde  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:25:40pm

re: #541 Salamantis

I remember much more. But then again, I was taught rudimentary evolutionary theory there - quite progressive for the early '70's. blockquote>

Story: I had a great High School Biology teacher. I took Biology sophmore year in High School. I also took Biology Junior year in college. The College Prof gave us a test the first day of class to see what we knew. She gave us the same test at the end of the Semester and said correct your mistakes. I made one mistake. The only correction I made on the final was to make a correct answer less clear.

571 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:25:42pm

re: #560 Walter L. Newton

Wow, comment number 555. You must live a block away from the Beast!

It's a very very long block though..... ;p

572 songbird  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:25:53pm

re: #8 Charles

Obviously, this once-proud institution has been subverted by atheists.

Must agree with you, Charles. Mr. Songbird was once a UM minister and was severely marginalized because of his mainstream Christian beliefs.

573 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:26:08pm

re: #562 Occasional Reader

Never been there, actually.

I'd pick the US Virgin Islands, personally, but that's just me.

But that would be double counting, would it not? Would Puerto Rico count as as a separate country, or a part of the US?

574 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:26:16pm

re: #564 gmsc

Cue Jimmy Buffet!

The inventor of the all you can eat table

575 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:26:35pm

re: #562 Occasional Reader

Never been there, actually.

I'd pick the US Virgin Islands, personally, but that's just me.

Ummmmm...I could crack a really nifty joke but, I won't.

576 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:27:30pm

re: #562 Occasional Reader

Never been there, actually.

I'd pick the US Virgin Islands, personally, but that's just me.

I did. The I found out she wasn't !

577 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:27:43pm

re: #539 Iron Fist

It is a long way from mentioning it as a conflicting theory to ID being the only thing in science that they are taught. You know this. It isn't rocket science. I had a brain function course my last semester at FSU. On the first day of class the instructor informed us that what we were going to be studying would be brain function, and that for the purposes of this class we should put aside the theological questions that are raised when studying brain function. The question of a soul was not part of our discussion.

He didn't come out and say "You hicks are wrong, there is no soul, so party on!" He acknowledged that there was a lot about brain function we didn't understand. He dealt with the issue for not more than 15 minutes of class time, and he dealt with it constructively rather than derisively. I would say that teaching kids disrespect of faith has no business in the classroom, as well.

Show Me the Science
By DANIEL C. DENNETT
[Link: ase.tufts.edu...]

Excerpt:

The focus on intelligent design has, paradoxically, obscured something else: genuine scientific controversies about evolution that abound. In just about every field there are challenges to one established theory or another. The legitimate way to stir up such a storm is to come up with an alternative theory that makes a prediction that is crisply denied by the reigning theory - but that turns out to be true, or that explains something that has been baffling defenders of the status quo, or that unifies two distant theories at the cost of some element of the currently accepted view.

To date, the proponents of intelligent design have not produced anything like that. No experiments with results that challenge any mainstream biological understanding. No observations from the fossil record or genomics or biogeography or comparative anatomy that undermine standard evolutionary thinking.

Instead, the proponents of intelligent design use a ploy that works something like this. First you misuse or misdescribe some scientist's work. Then you get an angry rebuttal. Then, instead of dealing
forthrightly with the charges leveled, you cite the rebuttal as evidence that there is a "controversy" to teach.

Note that the trick is content-free. You can use it on any topic. "Smith's work in geology supports my argument that the earth is flat," you say, misrepresenting Smith's work. When Smith responds with a denunciation of your misuse of her work, you respond, saying something like: "See what a controversy we have here? Professor Smith and I are locked in a titanic scientific debate. We should teach the controversy in the classrooms." And here is the delicious part: you can often exploit the very technicality of the issues to your own advantage, counting on most of us to miss the point in all the difficult details.

William Dembski, one of the most vocal supporters of intelligent design, notes that he provoked Thomas Schneider, a biologist, into a response that Dr. Dembski characterizes as "some hair-splitting that could only look ridiculous to outsider observers." What looks to scientists - and is - a knockout objection by Dr. Schneider is portrayed to most everyone else as ridiculous hair-splitting.

In short, no science. Indeed, no intelligent design hypothesis has even been ventured as a rival explanation of any biological phenomenon. This might seem surprising to people who think that intelligent design competes directly with the hypothesis of non-intelligent design by natural selection. But saying, as intelligent design proponents do, "You haven't explained everything yet," is not a competing hypothesis. Evolutionary biology certainly hasn't explained everything that perplexes biologists. But intelligent design hasn't yet tried to explain anything.

578 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:28:08pm

re: #573 Naso Tang

But that would be double counting, would it not? Would Puerto Rico count as as a separate country, or a part of the US?

Oh, I just mean, if I'm to pick somewhere in the Caribbean... that's the place I'd pick (based on my own experience).

579 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:28:10pm

re: #576 sattv4u2

I did. The I found out she wasn't !

Were you?

580 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:28:14pm

re: #574 sattv4u2

The inventor of the all you can eat table

True - He also kept his dinner business going by repeatedly setting the clock to 5 PM. When asked about this, he simply replied, "Hey, it's always 5 o'clock somewhere."

581 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:28:22pm

Or the ultimate in irony-

Pravda interviews Harun Yahya

Pravda.Ru: What is your opinion of the Georgia-Russia war?

Mr. Oktar: It is obviously a Masonic ruse. Bloodshed and setting brother against brother is something Masons have always resorted to.

Gee- who would have guessed he was also into conspiracies?!

There's some scary ass shit in that interview- like what he says about iran. Nice friends the DI has.

582 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:28:31pm

re: #575 MandyManners

Ummmmm...I could crack a really nifty joke but, I won't.

"Crack", eh?

583 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:28:47pm

re: #577 Salamantis

It;s Sunday night. It's 10:30. I just got to work. There is NO way I'm reading all that now ! !

//

584 garycooper  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:28:52pm

re: #107 Iron Fist

Family is one thing. It is a different animal to confronting strangers whose opinion of you, good or bad, is not of any particular importance to you. That is compounded on the Internet because you have that big, fat TCP/IP shield that prevents you from, like, cutting out a piece of small intestine and strangling them to death with it.

Ad hominem is only to be expected.

I know, I know. I've been down that road too many times to remember.

I'm still hoping we can learn to converse online, without allowing our violent instincts to prevail. It might take a few decades, or at least a refinement of the medium.

Like I said before, I have seen instances of polite, refined discourse, where there is a chance of some persuasive-argumentation getting through. Not often, but there are isolated instances on record, on the internet.

585 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:29:02pm

re: #579 MandyManners

Were you?

twice

586 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:29:23pm

re: #569 Occasional Reader

Well, just barely "movies", plural, IIRC. Heston does a cameo in one of the sequels, and I think that was it, right?

No there was the original one from '68 that got played over and over and over again on TV.

587 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:29:26pm

In the morning lizards. Be good to each other.

588 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:30:19pm

re: #587 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

In the morning lizards. Be good to each other.

Be excellent to each other, and . . .

589 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:30:27pm

re: #587 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

In the morning lizards. Be good to each other.

Good night, FVB.

590 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:30:46pm

re: #587 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

In the morning lizards. Be good to each other.

See ya, FBV.

591 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:30:57pm

re: #586 Mich-again

No there was the original one from '68 that got played over and over and over again on TV.

That movie spooked the bejesus out of me as a kid. It was a very effectively done flick.

592 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:31:21pm

Hey, Hoopster...is it snowing yet?

593 lawhawk  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:31:28pm

re: #562 Occasional Reader

I'm actually contemplating a trip to the US VI some time in Jan/Feb. Either that or a cruise to Western Caribbean (Caymans? Mexico?)

594 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:31:31pm

re: #588 gmsc

Be excellent to each other, and . . .

. . . party on, dudes!

595 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:32:10pm

So how does the Theory of Evolution explain the original Colt Government Model "evolving" to the Beretta 92 and then BACK to the Kimber Warrior? Eh? Answer me that, smart guys.

596 lawhawk  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:32:32pm

re: #592 jorline

We had snow here in Northern NJ this AM. Completely unexpected too as the rain came in earlier than they predicted, and it was far colder than expected too... Nothing too bad, just a dusting/coating on grass and cars, and not much else... but there were accidents on slick spots on roads.

597 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:32:42pm

re: #581 Sharmuta

Masons? What the Oktar is he on about?

598 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:33:35pm

re: #593 lawhawk

I'm actually contemplating a trip to the US VI some time in Jan/Feb. Either that or a cruise to Western Caribbean (Caymans? Mexico?)

If you pick the former, stay on St. Johns. St. Thomas is nice to go for dinner and such, but St. Johns is far nicer to stay (and it's a quick ferry ride between the two).

Can't tell you anything about the Caymans, other than that I have a few of my billions banked there. [cough]

599 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:34:03pm

re: #594 gmsc

. . . party on, dudes!

Wyld Stallyuns!

600 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:34:03pm

re: #592 jorline

Hey, Hoopster...is it snowing yet?

It's suppose to snow overnight...It's colder than heck..

601 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:34:22pm

Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.

Steven Wright

Sorry I jusstt....caaannnn'tttt...............stttoooooooo oooooppppppppp!

602 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:34:26pm
Pravda.Ru: What do you think about Iran’s policy in the region?

Mr. Oktar: Iran is a powerful and important state. The important thing is to adopt a unifying policy in the region, in which case there will be no problem. And as far as I can see Iran does want to play a unifying role. President Ahmadinejad showed this on his recent visit to Istanbul. He issued messages of brotherhood. He issued statements indicating the importance of the Turkish-Islamic Union, and more importantly he performed the Friday prayer behind a Sunni imam. That was a most significant message. This action by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reveals the Islamic brotherhood, the Islamic bond between Sunnis and Shiites, and that a Sunni can pray behind a Shiite or a Shiite behind a Sunni. It is therefore apparent that Ahmadinejad looks extremely favorably on Islamic brotherhood and an Islamic Union under Turkish leadership.

[Link: www.worldfutures.info...]

Remember- it's this guy who is funding American creationists.

603 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:34:46pm

re: #591 Occasional Reader

That movie spooked the bejesus out of me as a kid. It was a very effectively done flick.

Cornelius was dressed up like a human in a Twilight Zone show that freaked me out as a kid.

604 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:34:58pm

re: #596 lawhawk

We had snow here in Northern NJ this AM.

What exit?

nyuk nyuk nyuk

605 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:35:16pm

re: #451 taxfreekiller

After AlGore, the deluge.

606 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:35:40pm

re: #604 Occasional Reader

What exit?

nyuk nyuk nyuk

Depends on what he meant by "snow" ,,,, (snort)

nyuk nyuk !

607 experiencedtraveller  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:36:04pm

re: #593 lawhawk

I'm actually contemplating a trip to the US VI some time in Jan/Feb. Either that or a cruise to Western Caribbean (Caymans? Mexico?)

Imodium is your friend.

608 3 wood  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:36:31pm

Good evening.

In market news, look for a down day tomorrow to start. The futures are pointing down slightly (less than 1% at the moment), the Nikkei is down 166 points or 1.96%, and the Hang Seng is up 248 or 1.79%.

After 5 straight days o the rise, I look for a bit of prfit taking tomorrow if nothing else.

In news this next week, the Big 3 will be taking another whack at Congress for a piece of the action. I find it hard to believe that a Democrat controlled Congress will turn them down, but I'm sure the "deal" will include all kinds of side deals with a whole bunch of people with their hands in the pie.

Also, Obama will be holding more press conferences announcing his cabinet picks for various offices, including Hillary for Secretary of State.

One of the best things Obama could do, (but won't) is announce he will swear off tax increases for 2 to 4 years or until the DOW grows 10% in a year again.

I cannot fathom how the market will react next week.

I have also seen various "experts" amking all kinds of predictions as to what the market will do inthe next year. One guy said he tought the DOW would crash to 3200. Another "expert" said he thought it would build back up to 11,000, drop a bit back and then stay there till climbing at the end of next year. Yet other "experts" say they think the market will rebound the second half of 2009 pretty good. Yet even more "experts' said that the market will be int he crapper for the next 3 to 5 years in a sustained recession.

Take your pick.

609 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:36:44pm

re: #584 garycooper


I've actually had that happen only once in my years of posting on various discussion groups. It was on the issue of gun control, and it started with some pretty heavy blows leveled at each other, but after about a month, the dude started asking question, and then he came over to the Dark side completely. Posted an apologetic post where he admitted he was wrong and we were right.

I've only seen it happen once. Mostly when I'm posting on these boards I don't have persuading my opponent of anything. I'm trying to get my viewpoint in front of the thousands of lurkers who never post. They are my target audience.

610 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:36:50pm

re: #581 Sharmuta

Or the ultimate in irony-

Pravda interviews Harun Yahya


Gee- who would have guessed he was also into conspiracies?!

There's some scary ass shit in that interview- like what he says about iran. Nice friends the DI has.

Has Harun Yahya made an appearance on Alex Jones' or David Icke's sites yet?

611 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:36:57pm

re: #596 lawhawk

We had snow here in Northern NJ this AM. Completely unexpected too as the rain came in earlier than they predicted, and it was far colder than expected too... Nothing too bad, just a dusting/coating on grass and cars, and not much else... but there were accidents on slick spots on roads.

Evening. lawhawk. My mom said you can come play at my house tomorrow and bring your clubs...sunny and 75 degrees.

612 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:37:18pm

re: #582 Occasional Reader

"Crack", eh?

No. The name of the islands.

613 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:37:32pm

re: #593 lawhawk

I'm actually contemplating a trip to the US VI some time in Jan/Feb. Either that or a cruise to Western Caribbean (Caymans? Mexico?)

I've been to most of them, Personal favs are Barbados and St. Maarten

614 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:37:37pm

re: #585 sattv4u2

twice

Well, now. That's handy.

615 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:38:18pm

re: #614 MandyManners

Well, now. That's handy.

okay ,, how did the conversation get into my personal sexual habits !?!?!?!?

616 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:38:28pm

re: #534 Naso Tang

In the interest of getting to know, as opposed to scoring points; UK, France, Spain, Caribbean, Switzerland, Sweden, Kuwait, Saudi, UAE and of course visiting most places between and to the side.

...and the USA of course.

Then we have similar experiences?

The UAE was a trip - no?

Wanting to figure a way out of extortion as early as the 70s?

617 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:38:53pm

re: #614 MandyManners

Well, now. That's handy.

That may not be true. It may be sattv4u2's virgin version of the story.

618 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:39:27pm

re: #609 Iron Fist

I've only seen it happen once.

I give you Case No. 2 (off the top of my head): Hans ze Beeman.
He was practically a troll when he first showed up here... remember?

619 lostlakehiker  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:39:51pm

re: #289 HoosierHoops

Well we know that E=MC2. So a lot of pure energy was converted into Matter.
Must have been one heck of a fireworks display

Actually, we can see it. It's been redshifted some. What once was lightning bolts worth of energy in a single photon (well, maybe I exaggerate, but really, really hard X-ray) is now mere microwave wavelengths. It's called the cosmic microwave background radiation, and when we get better telescopes for that hard-to-see frequency, we'll be better able to discern the little variations in its intensity from different corners of the sky.

The riddle of the day is "dark energy". We don't know what it is, and we don't know why it is. We just barely know that it is.

And, we know one last thing. It wasn't put there to trick us into believing in evolution.

620 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:40:25pm

re: #617 gmsc

That may not be true. It may be sattv4u2's virgin version of the story.

re: #614 MandyManners

I agree. I would take everything that SATTV guy posts with a drop of olive oil,,,,,

virgin, of course !

621 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:40:36pm

re: #607 experiencedtraveller

Imodium is your friend.

The Iranians are rumored to be very close to mastering the entire Imodium enrichment cycle.

622 lawhawk  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:40:45pm

re: #598 Occasional Reader

Thanks. The Mrs. isn't big into cruising, and I'm not a big beach guy (I turn into a crispy critter for being in the sun too long even with 50 spf)... but still want someplace warm and interesting to satisfy the wanderlust. The USVI has a national park (big bonus in our book) and looks like it has a decent assortment of food and lodging options plus things to do.

Then again, the Mrs. appears now open to a cruise, if it's short enough; 4-5 days tops. Cruise prices appear to have dropped in a big way, so that might work in that favor.

623 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:40:59pm

OK lizards, I'm out of here for the night too, see ya morning lizards.... Well in the morning..... Sure hope somebody remembers to make fresh coffee... ;) Hint Hint: hoops... ;p

624 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:41:01pm

re: #608 3 wood

I cannot fathom how the market will react next week.

Me too, neither.

I guess my expectation is for a retest of the lows sometime this month, but I would never have dreamed it would be back near 9000 this quick.

I am troubled by the low interest rates, and of course these trillion dollar bailouts are a complete unknown to the system.

I held off buying some cheap stocks that have already rallied, let's see if I missed the boat.

A lot will also depend on the retail figures this week and through xmas.

625 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:41:08pm

re: #612 MandyManners

No. The name of the islands.

No no no... you made a dirty remark! Shame on you!

/

626 lawhawk  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:41:25pm

re: #604 Occasional Reader

Exit 163 on the GSP. /

627 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:41:49pm

re: #618 Occasional Reader

I remember the nic, but I don't recall my having an opinion one way or the other about him. Haven't seen him in a while.

628 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:41:57pm

re: #622 lawhawk

Cruise prices appear to have dropped in a big way

Especially that "Somali Coast Getaway" package...

629 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:42:12pm

re: #626 lawhawk

Exit 163 on the GSP. /

do you use a GPS on the GSP?

630 doriangrey  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:42:20pm

re: #619 lostlakehiker

The riddle of the day is "dark energy". We don't know what it is, and we don't know why it is. We just barely know that it is.

Actually we don't even know for sure that it is, we just suspect that it might be....

631 Tigger2005  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:42:54pm

re: #569 Occasional Reader

Well, just barely "movies", plural, IIRC. Heston does a cameo in one of the sequels, and I think that was it, right?

The movie where Heston did a cameo as an old chimpanzee, the father of the ape general, was not a sequel, it was a remake (and a bad one).

The original series of movies, most of which were pretty decent and thought-provoking (and fit right into the zeitgeist of the late 60's early 70's) ...

Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Even "Escape," which is sometimes portrayed as lighthearted (and has a pretty unbelievable starting premise) has a very serious and tragic ending.

632 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:43:01pm

re: #628 Occasional Reader

Especially that "Somali Coast Getaway" package...

It is great, but they really overdo the whole "Pirate Theme" thing!

633 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:43:02pm

re: #627 Iron Fist

I remember the nic, but I don't recall my having an opinion one way or the other about him. Haven't seen him in a while.

I don't mean your dialogue with him personally, just an example of someone who actually came around through reasoned dialogue here at LGF.

634 lawhawk  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:43:06pm

re: #611 jorline

Thanks for the invite, but work beckons... have to be a wage slave ... after all, someone has to keep the banks afloat... /

635 jumplandpackrepeat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:43:24pm

re: #36 Bobibutu

I have posted before that I was an IBM Field Engineer - one of my accounts was Oral Roberts in Tulsa OK back in the early 60s.

Our job was to keep their data processing equipment running. We did not judge them.

Very broad base support. Oral was a marketing master.

Women who worked for the HQ and University wore no make-up and dressed conservatively. I have no problem with that.

Very nice people but their belief systems were off the chart.

Oral was the biggest phony on the planet.

I see the giant praying hands and tacky, gaudy structures everyday. It is an embarrassment and a eyesore to this town, as is the corrupt family.

636 HoosierHoops  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:43:24pm

re: #623 doriangrey

OK lizards, I'm out of here for the night too, see ya morning lizards.... Well in the morning..... Sure hope somebody remembers to make fresh coffee... ;) Hint Hint: hoops... ;p

Night Dorian..see ya in the morning...

637 OldLineTexan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:43:41pm

re: #628 Occasional Reader

Especially that "Somali Coast Getaway" package...

The price on that just went UP in the Ukraine, apparently.

/Tanks for the memories

638 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:43:50pm

re: #626 lawhawk

Exit 163 on the GSP. /

Ah, the Garden State Parkway, home of the Ridiculously Not Worth It Toll Amount.

639 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:43:52pm

re: #621 Occasional Reader

The Iranians are rumored to be very close to mastering the entire Imodium enrichment cycle.

At least, that's the latest poop.

640 Alouette  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:44:05pm

re: #543 Occasional Reader

You lived in a country called "Caribbean"?

Was it ruled by pirates?

641 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:44:33pm

re: #552 Killgore Trout

I'm not a particle physicis, I'm just an idiot who reads. That's above my pay grade.

Mine too - [Link: members.tripod.com...]

Prof. Boze was way ahead of his time.

Attended a conference in S'land back in the 70s - blew my mind.

642 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:45:05pm

re: #631 Tigger2005

The movie where Heston did a cameo as an old chimpanzee, the father of the ape general, was not a sequel, it was a remake (and a bad one).

The original series of movies, most of which were pretty decent and thought-provoking (and fit right into the zeitgeist of the late 60's early 70's) ...

Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Even "Escape," which is sometimes portrayed as lighthearted (and has a pretty unbelievable starting premise) has a very serious and tragic ending.

"Why doesn't she take it?"

"Because I loathe bananas!"

643 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:45:07pm

re: #631 Tigger2005

The movie where Heston did a cameo as an old chimpanzee

No, I didn't mean the remake with Marky Mark, I meant... I think it was Beneath the... , where he shows up VERY briefly. Other than that, the original (and the remake) are the only ones he appears in, I think.

644 Joan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:45:18pm

re: #434 Iron Fist

I'm not sure I buy your line of reasoning. If children are exposed to differing opinions of the creation of the universe and the subsequent development of intelligent life, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly public schools teach a lot of utter bullshit with little hew and cry from the parents or populace in general.

I got out of school an anti-communist, and I was taught, by more than one professor, that Marxist Socialism was the wave of the future that was going to wipe the slate clean when the Third World rose up in arms, overthrew the US Government, and set up a Dictatorship of the Proletariat.

Teaching that there are opposing views on evolution is not going to cripple them for life. It won't even encourage them to hate their Country.

Oh, and one more point: most students are not going to become biochemists or genetic engineer. Most students will never use the evolutionary theory that they are taught in school. If they just stopped teaching it at all in high school, things would remain the same as they are now. Evolution, no matter what position you take on it, isn't critical information without which the student could not get from college, if they are so inclined. Evolution isn't some kind of secular sacrement that all the people need to know.

I disagree with some of your assertions, and must part ways with you. However, I'm very much in sympathy with your thought that it would not be the end of all hope if students somehow encountered the concept that perhaps God created all things. I ranted at length along those lines months ago in another Creation Science thread. However, due to the influence of a close friend and my own scientist husband: I have changed my mind.

Science must be taught using what can be proven by the scientific method. God, Creator cannot be proven by the scientific method.

Teaching science has nothing to do with defending religious beliefs about origins of life. Teaching science has to be about transmitting the facts that the scientific method uncovers about the material world.

Here's a case in point that you will appreciate: in the Soviet Union, for decades, all scientists had to assert that the earth's tectonic plates moved only up and down. It was the Approved People's Socialist Dictat of one extremely powerful scientist. His religion happened to be Marxism, and in some esoteric fashion it seemed to him the proper Socialistic conclusion that the plates moved only up and down. It stunted and hampered science due to his power and influence over dependents and underlings.

The origins of life when studied in a science classroom cannot delve into the possibility that God created the heavens and the earth. It has to go to what the scientific method can establish, as far as it is possible, and moving into theory from those findings.

The origins of life when studied in a literature or history or comparative religions classroom need not be confined to what can be established by the scientific method.

The public education system has dropped teaching world history and civilization, geography, it has bowdlerized American history. There is so much extraneous mandatory fluff required, at least my friends in education tell me this is how it is. We can count ourselves lucky if kids still do learn some math, reading, and science. It is a shame that there is not any room for perspective, for religion as an aspect of culture and history--not to proselytize but to help them make sense of the world without indoctrination.

645 lawhawk  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:45:25pm

re: #638 Occasional Reader

That's soon to be increasing tolls (starting 12:01AM Monday). It's NJ's version of saying Happy Holidays in their best Sopranos accent.

646 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:45:38pm

re: #630 doriangrey

The last time I checked, they don't know how gravity works, either. There are some partical theories about it, but they've not been able to prove any of them.

647 Rancher  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:46:19pm

re: #608 3 wood
Five straight up days, who could ask for more? What the market will do in the next couple of months depends on Obama. I think he will swear off tax increases, at least capital gains, but not till he is sworn in.

648 Haverwilde  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:46:49pm

Well, good night all. We must do this IDiocy Thang again next Sunday.
May all your Intelligences be Designed well until next time.

649 Naso Tang  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:47:39pm

re: #616 Bobibutu

Then we have similar experiences?

The UAE was a trip - no?

Wanting to figure a way out of extortion as early as the 70s?

Actually, as a business traveler, even more places in that region could almost have been called home due to routine "visits", but why quibble.

Having said that however, the most obvious change in some of those Arab countries since I was there (from the 70's and later) is how much more pleasant they were then. The jihadists were mostly just a gleam in some ignorant bedu's eye at the time. A lot safer than some places not many miles from where I live now.

So it goes.

Time to retire. Good night.

650 3 wood  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:47:43pm

China thinks a big rebound is coming:

China expects 10% growth for next year

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Chinese government researchers are forecasting the nation's economy will grow by a robust 10% in 2009 despite the global economic downturn, state-run Xinhua news agency reported Sunday.
The Development Research Center -- which conducts economic analysis for China's Cabinet, the State Council -- believes economic growth will speed up largely during the second half of next year, Xinhua reported, citing researcher Zhang Liqun.
"Although [the] dim world economic situation has led to weak overseas demand, domestic consumption and investments, vast development potential decided the country's economy will grow at a fast pace," Zhang Liqun was quoted as saying.
He pointed to the China's large domestic consumption, investment potential and available funding, as well as the government's ongoing macroeconomic control measures.
"Personal income continues to increase as millions of migrant workers flow into the city to [improve] their lives. Enlarging demand for houses and autos will form huge and lasting consuming power," the report quoted him as saying.
"However, domestic enterprises need to accelerate their pace in upgrading business structure, in a bid to better cope with severe world economic situation," he said.

They are basing this on the hope that they can switch from an export driven economy to a domestic consumer consumption driven economy.

I don't think so, but lot's of luck.

651 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:48:08pm

re: #645 lawhawk

That's soon to be increasing tolls (starting 12:01AM Monday). It's NJ's version of saying Happy Holidays in their best Sopranos accent.

I thought that was on the Turnpike?

I just remember that the GSP had fifteen cent tolls for YEARS... fifteen cents! What's the point?!

652 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:48:20pm

re: #635 jumplandpackrepeat

I see the giant praying hands and tacky, gaudy structures everyday. It is an embarrassment and a eyesore to this town, as is the corrupt family.

Kudos - we shall prevail.

653 Jimmah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:48:39pm

Growing Up In The Universe - Dawkins 1991 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures on DVD - It occurs to me that this might be a great gift idea for kids this christmas.

I gotta go now. Night herpetoids...:D

654 pahleh  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:48:52pm

re: #387 Jim D

How about this:
The universe was once much hotter and denser. It has since expanded and cooled.
Measurements of the redshifts of distance galaxies, the existence of the cosmic microwave background radiation and its anistotropy, large scale structure measurements, and type IA supernova observations verify this story.


.. and this was due to evolution?

655 goodin510  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:49:11pm

re: #224 Charles

found it:

[Link: www2.ncseweb.org...]

656 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:49:56pm

re: #650 3 wood

Chinese government researchers are forecasting the nation's economy will grow by a robust 10% in 2009

My prediction: After the close of 2009, Chinese government figures will show that the economy did, indeed, grow by 10% (or more).

Again; that's what the official Chinese government figures will say, anyway.

657 3 wood  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:50:04pm

re: #647 Rancher

I think he will swear off tax increases, at least capital gains, but not till he is sworn in.

The market has taken the raises off the table.

The only question is, is Obama smart enough to recognize that fact and say it or not?

658 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:50:07pm

For those who want to discuss physics, astronomy and controversy, here's some food for discussion:

Seeing Red: Intrinsic redshifts, stable universe: Halton Arp's Seeing Red will change your cosmological views, even if you don't think you have cosmological views! Long-ignored astronomical evidence demolishes the Big Bang/expanding universe orthodoxy. Quasars ejected from nearby galaxies! Seeing Red points to radically new physics.

659 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:50:38pm

re: #651 Occasional Reader

I thought that was on the Turnpike?

I just remember that the GSP had fifteen cent tolls for YEARS... fifteen cents! What's the point?!

15 cents times how many cars a day times how many days a week times how many weeks a year times how many years !

it do add up!

660 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:51:01pm

re: #654 pahleh

No such thing as redshift. Light only travels at one speed, therefore redshift is impossible.

/

661 3 wood  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:51:03pm

re: #656 Occasional Reader

Again; that's what the official Chinese government figures will say, anyway.

They are as reliable as Venezuela figures.

But we will see.

662 OldLineTexan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:51:06pm

re: #658 gmsc

I've been ejected from better galaxies than this.

663 dcbatlle  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:51:38pm

Obviously, this once-proud institution has been subverted by atheists. --Charles

It has.

664 Tigger2005  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:51:43pm

re: #643 Occasional Reader

No, I didn't mean the remake with Marky Mark, I meant... I think it was Beneath the... , where he shows up VERY briefly. Other than that, the original (and the remake) are the only ones he appears in, I think.

Ah, OK.

I just love any excuse to talk about Planet of the Apes ... my big thing as a kid until Star Wars came along ... and it's cool how the movies never got really silly, but kept dealing with very serious and contemporary social and political issues.

My big question has always been ... does Caesar's insertion into the timeline change history? Originally, the gorilla Aldo led the Ape rebellion, but when it happens "again," Caesar leads it and becomes the Ape ruler. Does this alter history to the point that when Taylor arrives some 2,000 years later, he finds apes and humans still living together more or less peacefully?

665 Charles  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:52:00pm

re: #655 goodin510

Uh huh. And that's supposed to show me... what?

666 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:52:50pm

re: #634 lawhawk

Thanks for the invite, but work beckons... have to be a wage slave ... after all, someone has to keep the banks afloat... /

lol

A vacation cruise is well worth the money. We went on a family cruise to Cozumel and Playa Del Carmen back in December of 2004. Arrived back in Galveston on the morning of the 24th, drove home and it started snowing that night around 6:30 pm. We woke up on Christmas morning with seven inches of snow...first recorded snow in 100 years.

667 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:53:10pm

re: #665 Charles

Uh huh. And that's supposed to show me... what?

That GOODIN can find a LINK ! !

DUHHH!

//

668 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:53:12pm

Sychronicity!


Beneath the Planet of the Apes is on Fox Movie Channel!

669 Rancher  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:53:40pm

re: #650 3 wood

China thinks a big rebound is coming:

China expects 10% growth for next year


They are basing this on the hope that they can switch from an export driven economy to a domestic consumer consumption driven economy.

I don't think so, but lot's of luck.

Not a chance. China's biggest concern has always been and will also be for the foreseeable future, feeding the masses. This will be difficult as more and more rural people leave the country for the city. The US went through this same transition but with far fewer numbers.

670 ggt  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:53:45pm

hello Night Lizards! It was cold and snowy in Near Iowa today.

How are you-all today and what are we talking about?

671 Joan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:53:55pm

re: #539 Iron Fist

yes indeed.

672 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:53:55pm

re: #654 pahleh

.. and this was due to evolution?

Nope. Evolution has to do with what happens when living populations with high but imperfect copying fidelity are confronted with the selection pressures exerted by surrounding environments. Do not confuse biology with cosmology.

673 Fried Spam  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:54:09pm

re: #539 Iron Fist

I would say that teaching kids disrespect of faith has no business in the classroom, as well.

Well said.

674 Bobibutu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:54:09pm

re: #649 Naso Tang

They were fun - of course we (US) were gods.

I left when kids started bumping shoulders with me on the street.

675 Rancher  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:55:40pm

re: #657 3 wood

The market has taken the raises off the table.

The only question is, is Obama smart enough to recognize that fact and say it or not?


I think he, or his advisors, are.

676 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:56:47pm

re: #658 gmsc

been there, done that, was maybe still debatable twenty years ago, hard to believe in now. as obambi says, the science is beyond question. er, yeah.

677 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:59:03pm

Oh Noes! Wee haz ben subverted by Science!

678 pahleh  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 7:59:06pm

re: #311 Salamantis

Random quantum fluctuation. Just like what happens all the time when matter-antimatter partical pairs pop into and out of existence in the quantum foam.

Now explain to me just precisely what the beginning of the universe 13.7 billion years ago has to do with the evolution and speciation of life on earth via random mutation and nonrandom environmental selection over the last 3 1/2 billion years. After all, they ARE separated by about ten BILLION years...

I'm sorry but I cannot believe that the creation of the universe was a 'random' event.

Just me.

679 Rancher  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:00:01pm

Iron Fist Rule dictates I go to bed. Good night.

680 poopeedoo  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:01:35pm

re: #645 lawhawk

That's soon to be increasing tolls (starting 12:01AM Monday). It's NJ's version of saying Happy Holidays in their best Sopranos accent.

Lol ~ I spend too much time on blogs. I thought you wrote "trolls". I wondered how you knew they would be increasing starting Monday at 12:01!

681 Last Mohican  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:02:35pm

Good Evening Lizards,

There's yet more infuriating news emanating from the Office of the Douchebag-Elect. According to Drudge, His Holiness is planning to elevate the office of U.N. ambassador to a cabinet level position. I'd provide a link, but Drudge still has it in "developing..." status.

I guess The One couldn't pass up an opportunity to once again pay homage to an anti-American anti-Jewish hate group.

682 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:03:05pm

re: #678 pahleh

I'm sorry but I cannot believe that the creation of the universe was a 'random' event.

Just me.

Whether you can or can't has nothing to do with evolution.

But the idea that everything has to have a cause flies in the face of contemporary physics, most specifically quantum mechanics. Randomness exists. Sometimes, things just happen.

683 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:03:32pm

re: #672 Salamantis

Evolution has to do with what happens when living populations with high but imperfect copying fidelity are confronted with the selection pressures exerted by surrounding environments.

I disagree that evolution is just selection of the most useful random mutations. It makes more sense to me that a changing environment played a part in making the mutations.

684 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:04:16pm

re: #680 poopeedoo

Lol ~ I spend too much time on blogs. I thought you wrote "trolls". I wondered how you knew they would be increasing starting Monday at 12:01!

Charles opens registration from time to time. In so doing, he has to keep the Lizard/ Troll ratio the same. Trolls are allowed in at regularly scheduled dates/ times!

/// I'm punchy ! (or maybe I should be punched !)

685 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:04:19pm

re: #644 Joan

I agree with you for the most part. It is difficult for me to see someone as well-rounded in their education if that education completely neglects (let alone disparriages) Religious philosophy/metaphysics. Those are concepts in our society today that have great importance to the vast majority of Americans, and even other nations abroad. Calling two-thirds of the American populace "ignorant hicks", doesn't contribute to the dialog. Religion is at the core of our nation's ideals ("We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."). You can't adequately study current political thought without studying some aspects of religion. This especially true of the Declaration of the United States.

If there is no Creator, then there are no unalienable rights that are bestowed by Him.

686 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:04:21pm

re: #682 Salamantis

Whether you can or can't has nothing to do with evolution.

But the idea that everything has to have a cause flies in the face of contemporary physics, most specifically quantum mechanics. Randomness exists. Sometimes, things just happen.

Who made randomness?

687 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:05:42pm

re: #686 MandyManners

Who made randomness?

[Link: www.efn.org...]

688 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:05:52pm

re: #683 Mich-again

I disagree that evolution is just selection of the most useful random mutations. It makes more sense to me that a changing environment played a part in making the mutations.

Congratulations, you're a Lamarckian.

689 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:06:08pm

re: #681 Last Mohican

Good Evening Lizards,

There's yet more infuriating news emanating from the Office of the Douchebag-Elect. According to Drudge, His Holiness is planning to elevate the office of U.N. ambassador to a cabinet level position. I'd provide a link, but Drudge still has it in "developing..." status.

I guess The One couldn't pass up an opportunity to once again pay homage to an anti-American anti-Jewish hate group.

Does he also plan to establish a Department of Sunshine and Rainbows? Maybe he'll change the President's Seal from an eagle to a unicorn.

/

690 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:06:21pm

re: #683 Mich-again

I disagree that evolution is just selection of the most useful random mutations. It makes more sense to me that a changing environment played a part in making the mutations.

Let me repeat what I said, with additional emphasis:

Evolution has to do with what happens when living populations with high but imperfect copying fidelity are confronted with the selection pressures exerted by surrounding environments.

Environments don't MAKE specific mutations; but they do SELECT from among the mutations that occur.

691 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:06:26pm

Why do creationists and IDers keep labeling evolutionary changes as "random"? Don't they believe that a concept such as feedback exists?

692 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:06:28pm

re: #686 MandyManners

Who made randomness?

Ganesh? Odin?

693 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:06:45pm

re: #681 Last Mohican

Good Evening Lizards,

There's yet more infuriating news emanating from the Office of the Douchebag-Elect. According to Drudge, His Holiness is planning to elevate the office of U.N. ambassador to a cabinet level position. I'd provide a link, but Drudge still has it in "developing..." status.

I guess The One couldn't pass up an opportunity to once again pay homage to an anti-American anti-Jewish hate group.

That would make every US setback in the UN an official cabinet level failure of the Administration.

694 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:07:53pm

And evolution takes luck too. There may have been a far superior bloodline of elephant that ruled supreme in some ancient forest and then a meteor struck near ther home and killed them all off leaving a slightly less superior bloodline of elephants as the new standard. Anyways, evolution is not all about a superior "mutation" of the gene overcoming all. Sometimes lucky is better than good.

695 poopeedoo  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:07:59pm

re: #667 sattv4u2

Oh my, you are a bit snarky tonight. :)

696 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:08:20pm

re: #692 Occasional Reader


loki

697 kcladderman  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:08:31pm

re: #680 poopeedoo

Lol ~ I spend too much time on blogs. I thought you wrote "trolls". I wondered how you knew they would be increasing starting Monday at 12:01!

I read it the same way! lol

698 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:08:47pm

re: #681 Last Mohican

Good Evening Lizards,

There's yet more infuriating news emanating from the Office of the Douchebag-Elect. According to Drudge, His Holiness is planning to elevate the office of U.N. ambassador to a cabinet level position. I'd provide a link, but Drudge still has it in "developing..." status.

I guess The One couldn't pass up an opportunity to once again pay homage to an anti-American anti-Jewish hate group.


Lets not get too hasty. The headline states that Obama intends to RESTORE it as a cabinet seat. In order to have it RESTORed, it would have had to have been at one time or another. Anyone know when, and why it was removed?

699 RememberSekhmet?  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:09:22pm

Ok, Pay attention to a few things here, no matter where you fall on the creation versus evolution spectrum:

The Texas Freedom Network are first and foremost liberals. They use things like creationism and the bad acts of the Discovery Institute as their tool to take conservatives of all sorts off school boards.

As long as creationism is some sort of litmus test for a subset of conservative voters in school board elections, conservative candidates cannot throw creationism under the bus. In the hemming and hawing, and trying to have it both ways, liberals win school board elections, and William Ayers educates your children.

If we weren't all so busy struggling over Darwin, we could be struggling over things like teacher accreditation standards, inadequate civics education, and school boards that plead poverty every time it comes time to determine property tax rates, but seems to employ ten doily-counters and bean technicians per school.

700 pahleh  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:09:25pm

re: #682 Salamantis

Whether you can or can't has nothing to do with evolution.

Randomness exists. Sometimes, things just happen.

I cannot believe God plays dice with the world. (paraphrased)

- Albert Einstein

701 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:09:30pm

Okay, why are the human females in the Planet of the Apes futures all so hot? Dayum.

702 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:09:50pm

re: #695 poopeedoo

Oh my, you are a bit snarky tonight. :)

TONIGHT ,,,,, my whole LIFE is a SNARK! I LIVE for snarky. I exude Snark!

703 jamihabs  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:10:07pm

If you ask a liberal to tell you what conservatives believe, you will probably get a negatively slanted view. If you listen to atheists and creationists describe intelligent design, you are likely getting slanted views.

704 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:10:07pm

re: #693 Syrah


Obama - Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory on every aspect of the current war. You would almost suspect that he wants America to fail. That couldn't possibly be true.

Could it?

705 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:10:20pm

re: #701 Occasional Reader

Okay, why are the human females in the Planet of the Apes futures all so hot? Dayum.

They don't shave?

/Ducking

706 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:10:40pm

re: #685 Iron Fist

I agree with you for the most part. It is difficult for me to see someone as well-rounded in their education if that education completely neglects (let alone disparriages) Religious philosophy/metaphysics. Those are concepts in our society today that have great importance to the vast majority of Americans, and even other nations abroad. Calling two-thirds of the American populace "ignorant hicks", doesn't contribute to the dialog. Religion is at the core of our nation's ideals ("We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."). You can't adequately study current political thought without studying some aspects of religion. This especially true of the Declaration of the United States.

If there is no Creator, then there are no unalienable rights that are bestowed by Him.

"Ah yes, [life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness]... Life? What 'right' to life has a man who is drowning in the Pacific? The ocean will not hearken to his cries. What 'right' to life has a man who must die to save his children? If he chooses to save his own life, does he do so as a matter of 'right'? If two men are starving and cannibalism is the only alternative to death, which man's right is 'unalienable'? And is it 'right'? As to liberty, the heroes who signed the great document pledged themselves to buy liberty with their lives. Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes. Of all the so-called natural human rights that have ever been invented, liberty is least likely to be cheap and is never free of cost. The third 'right'?—the 'pursuit of happiness'? It is indeed unalienable but it is not a right; it is simply a universal condition which tyrants cannot take away nor patriots restore. Cast me into a dungeon, burn me at the stake, crown me king of kings, I can 'pursue happiness' as long as my brain lives—but neither gods nor saints, wise men nor subtle drugs, can insure that I will catch it."

Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers, p. 119

707 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:11:37pm

re: #686 MandyManners

Who made randomness?

Randomness just happened.

708 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:12:17pm

Oktar's been chatty lately- here's an interview he gave with a saudi paper:

“The real problem in Israel lies in the fact that it is governed by atheist Zionists from behind the scenes. We have to get rid of these Masonic forces so that Muslims and Jews can govern it. Judaism is an old version of Islam. With the passage of time, it underwent a lot of distortions and changes. The true believers of Judaism are not the ones governing Israel now,” he pointed out.

There's that conspiracy again. Amazing!

709 Occasional Reader  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:12:52pm

Good night.

710 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:13:09pm

re: #707 Salamantis

Randomness just happened.

That can't be right! Randomness is too important just to leave it to chance!

711 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:13:17pm

re: #707 Salamantis

Randomness just happened.


Why did it just happen?

712 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:13:48pm
A fierce opponent of Darwinism, Yahya takes the credit for defeating the theory of evolution.

LOL!

713 Iron Fist  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:13:57pm

re: #709 Occasional Reader

Yeah, I gotta get myself. See y'all tomorrow.

714 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:13:57pm

Do flies just happen?

715 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:14:14pm

re: #690 Salamantis

Environments don't MAKE specific mutations; but they do SELECT from among the mutations that occur.

I'm not so sure about that. So if you put a billion mice into an environment where there was suddenly no light and their eyes were of no use but otherwise they could thrive and reproduce, would the eventual disappearance of eyes from that species an eon from now be the result of a weird mutation that eliminated the eyes in a few select offspring or because the eyes were of no use and eventually the typical mouse body quit supporting them so they withered away?

I think you are too dogmatic thinking that genetic mutations are purely random.

716 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:14:14pm

re: #714 MandyManners

Shit happens.

717 Syrah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:14:17pm

re: #704 Iron Fist

Obama - Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory on every aspect of the current war. You would almost suspect that he wants America to fail. That couldn't possibly be true.

Could it?

It takes a special kind of leftist to be a follower of Alinsky. They are true believers. For them, there are no limits.

We are in for an interesting time.

718 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:15:21pm
Referring to the accusations against Abul A’ala Moudoodi and Syed Qutb that their books promoted terrorism, he said: “I have read their books carefully and have not seen anything encouraging terrorism and violence. I believe that they were very sincere Muslims and true believers. Those who criticize them or find faults with them should go through their books again and read them carefully.”

Wow!

719 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:15:30pm

re: #694 Mich-again

And evolution takes luck too. There may have been a far superior bloodline of elephant that ruled supreme in some ancient forest and then a meteor struck near ther home and killed them all off leaving a slightly less superior bloodline of elephants as the new standard. Anyways, evolution is not all about a superior "mutation" of the gene overcoming all. Sometimes lucky is better than good.

In such a case, a radical change of the local environment would have wiped out the genetic strain. Of course, it would have wiped out ANY genetic strain of elephants in that area.

This is what happened to the dinosaurs. It's just that the meteor was so large that its effects were global. And there were four earlier mass extinctions in the history of terrestrial life, as well.

720 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:15:56pm

re: #714 MandyManners

Do flies just happen?

take you dog outside and let him shit. You'll have your answer in about 7 seconds!

721 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:16:21pm

re: #711 MandyManners

Why did it just happen?

There is no why. That's what 'just happening' means.

722 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:16:35pm
Yahya urged Muslims not to believe in the false accusations made against him by those who oppose his views and ideas. “Atheist Zionists, Masons and Darwinists spread these allegations because they want to silence me. If you have any doubts or questions, feel free to ask me directly or email to my website. We will be glad to answer them. God has urged believers to investigate accusations before believing them,” he said.

It's a conspiracy!

723 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:16:43pm

re: #703 jamihabs

If you ask a liberal to tell you what conservatives believe, you will probably get a negatively slanted view. If you listen to atheists and creationists describe intelligent design, you are likely getting slanted views.

This book is a good resource to the controversy which avoids that issue, by providing the Intelligent Design arguments by the original authors :

Intelligent Design Creationism and Its Critics: Philosophical, Theological, and Scientific Perspectives
"The book contains articles previously published in specialized, hard-to-find journals, as well as new contributions. Each section contains introductory background information, articles by influential creationists and their critics, and in some cases responses by the creationists."
[Link: www.amazon.com...]

724 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:17:07pm

INTERCEPTION!

/da Bears be sucking

725 gclaghorn  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:17:47pm

re: #721 Salamantis

There is no why. That's what 'just happening' means.

Randomness was just a pretty random thing.

726 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:18:03pm

re: #724 Killian Bundy

INTERCEPTION!

/da Bears be sucking

shit happens!

727 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:18:24pm

re: #699 RememberSekhmet?

Ok, Pay attention to a few things here, no matter where you fall on the creation versus evolution spectrum:

The Texas Freedom Network are first and foremost liberals. They use things like creationism and the bad acts of the Discovery Institute as their tool to take conservatives of all sorts off school boards.

As long as creationism is some sort of litmus test for a subset of conservative voters in school board elections, conservative candidates cannot throw creationism under the bus. In the hemming and hawing, and trying to have it both ways, liberals win school board elections, and William Ayers educates your children.

If we weren't all so busy struggling over Darwin, we could be struggling over things like teacher accreditation standards, inadequate civics education, and school boards that plead poverty every time it comes time to determine property tax rates, but seems to employ ten doily-counters and bean technicians per school.

Good argument. Now get these folks to stop trying to shoehorn religious dogma into public high school science classes so we can all get past this.

728 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:18:51pm

re: #719 Salamantis

This is what happened to the dinosaurs. It's just that the meteor was so large that its effects were global.

How do you know it was just one meteor that did all the damage? It could have happened over the course of centuries.

729 sadhu  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:19:27pm

from a friend who also knew Alan Scherr like a brother

"He was a great soul. One of the funniest guys I ever met! They are sitting Shiva tomorrow with the family. They said hundreds were there. Great loss!"

730 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:19:38pm

re: #700 pahleh

I cannot believe God plays dice with the world. (paraphrased)

- Albert Einstein

Which is why Einstein did not accept quantum mechanics. And he was famously wrong to reject it.

731 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:20:40pm

re: #703 jamihabs

If you ask a liberal to tell you what conservatives believe, you will probably get a negatively slanted view. If you listen to atheists and creationists describe intelligent design, you are likely getting slanted views.


Gasp! You mean not all creationists think the world is 6,000 years old? Or that the creation process took just 144 hours? Or that all Christians think Oral Roberts is the second born son of Mary?
Well I never heard such twaddle in my life!

732 Joan  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:21:07pm

re: #94 Salamantis

Rocks couldn't want anything...they're ROCKS, for Chrissake!

Evolution does not require conscious volition.

*hah* this is a gem, here, you can't make this stuff up

733 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:21:07pm

re: #730 Salamantis

Which is why Einstein did not accept quantum mechanics. And he was famously wrong to reject it.

not to mention he couldn't work a comb worth a damn !

734 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:22:04pm

Another Oktar interview:


How would your proposed Islamic Union deal with the problem of terrorism?

MR. OKTAR: The most effective struggle that can be waged against terror is an intellectual one, a struggle of ideas. It is impossible to defeat mosquitoes until the swamp they breed in has been dried up, in other words, until the ideologies representing the foundations of terror have been eliminated. Darwinism lies at the heart of terrorism. You cannot expect someone who has been indoctrinated to regard human beings as a kind of animal, to believe that progress is possible only through conflict, and to think one has to be strong to survive, to also be loving and compassionate. Such a person's ruthlessness and willingness to kill, without batting an eyelid, anyone who threatens his own interests, and slaughter others for the sake of the ideology he espouses is the natural consequence of Darwinist indoctrination. Those who claim to resort to terror and violence in the name of Islam are at heart Darwinists. The Qur'an makes it crystal clear that there is no room for violence in Islam. Allah even says "It will be better for you to forgive," even in reference to someone who has committed murder. Which course of action will a Muslim choose? The more auspicious path, of course. He will choose to forgive. Forgiveness is inherent in Islam. And love. And compassion. But there is no room for violence. Islam means peace. Allah commands peace.

735 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:23:18pm

re: #700 pahleh

I cannot believe God plays dice with the world. (paraphrased)

- Albert Einstein

A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute the truly religious attitude; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man. (Albert Einstein)

I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it. (Albert Einstein)

I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings. (Albert Einstein)

When Einstein made the statement that you quote, it was his poetic way of rejecting the existence of fundamental indeterminacy in the universe. He was wrong to do so.

736 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:26:00pm

re: #716 Sharmuta

Shit happens.

Whence the shit?

737 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:27:15pm

re: #721 Salamantis

There is no why. That's what 'just happening' means.

That's where your rubber meets my road.

738 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:27:39pm

re: #735 Salamantis

I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings. (Albert Einstein)

Like I say. Quit praying for help on the field. God doesn't care who wins the game.

739 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:27:41pm

re: #736 MandyManners

Whence the shit?

I blame Masons.

740 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:27:57pm

re: #715 Mich-again

I'm not so sure about that. So if you put a billion mice into an environment where there was suddenly no light and their eyes were of no use but otherwise they could thrive and reproduce, would the eventual disappearance of eyes from that species an eon from now be the result of a weird mutation that eliminated the eyes in a few select offspring or because the eyes were of no use and eventually the typical mouse body quit supporting them so they withered away?

I think you are too dogmatic thinking that genetic mutations are purely random.

Eyes have drawbacks. They are easily damaged (especially in darkness), and are portals to infection. In cases such as perpetual darkness where they proved to have their liabilities unbalanced by benefits, mutations that would be selected against in the presence of light would be selected for in its absence.

There has already been a thread on this subject, regarding blind cave fish.

741 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:27:59pm

re: #737 MandyManners

That's where your rubber meets my road.

Or, your road meets my rubber.

742 ggt  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:28:09pm

re: #722 Sharmuta

involving Masons no less!

LOL

743 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:28:24pm

re: #739 Sharmuta

The Masons are still jarring. That Oktar has a head on him like a Klein bottle.

744 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:29:09pm

re: #736 MandyManners

Whence the shit?

re: #739 Sharmuta

I blame Masons.

You have a brick shithouse?

745 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:29:50pm

re: #715 Mich-again

I'm not so sure about that. So if you put a billion mice into an environment where there was suddenly no light and their eyes were of no use but otherwise they could thrive and reproduce, would the eventual disappearance of eyes from that species an eon from now be the result of a weird mutation that eliminated the eyes in a few select offspring or because the eyes were of no use and eventually the typical mouse body quit supporting them so they withered away?

I think you are too dogmatic thinking that genetic mutations are purely random.

Blind cave fish are not hypothetical

746 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:29:53pm

re: #738 Mich-again

Like I say. Quit praying for help on the field. God doesn't care who wins the game.

Thats because he has a very forgiving bookie !

747 Red Ruffansore  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:30:03pm

Re #731 Mary...she blinded me...with science. As for Oral Roberts...well I just thought it was two pervs named Bob. Science, use it or lose it.

748 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:31:56pm

re: #747 Red Ruffansore

Re #731 Mary...she blinded me...with science. As for Oral Roberts...well I just thought it was two pervs named Bob. Science, use it or lose it.

Nobody talks about Oral Roberts brother.

749 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:32:34pm

re: #740 Salamantis

There has already been a thread on this subject, regarding blind cave fish.

Yes there has. I'm just not sure in those environmental circumstances that only a random genetic mutation of offspring born without eyes would explain why in a million years the eyes were gone from the species. Alls I'm saying as that I think environment can affect the population of the genetic mutations. Its not just the work of natural selection of the most advantageous random mutations that happened without the influence of environment.

750 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:33:27pm

re: #745 swamprat

Blind cave fish are not hypothetical

When did I say that? You are trying to put words in my mouth.

751 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:33:42pm

re: #728 Mich-again

How do you know it was just one meteor that did all the damage? It could have happened over the course of centuries.

We know because we have found its impact crater in the Gulf of Mexico, and have dated its impact by radiometric dating of its iridium signature, which is found surrounding the area in specific strata. The global winter and dust cloud caused by its impact killed off the foliage food source, and starvation travelled up the chain from herbivores to carnivores. All the large species died.

752 itellu3times  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:34:00pm

Nice quote from Melanie Phillips:

The atrocities demonstrated with crystal clarity what the Islamist war is all about – and the western commentariat didn’t understand because it simply refuses to acknowledge, even now, what that war actually is. It does not arise from particular grievances. It is not rooted in ‘despair’ over Palestine. It is not a reaction to the war in Iraq. It is a war waged in the name of Islam against America, Britain, Hindus, Jews and all who refuse to submit to Islamic conquest.

It's like what I keep saying.

OK, it's not about creationism.

But then, I guess I think even Phillips misses the point somewhat, jihad is about - jihad. It's not about the winning, it's about the fighting.

753 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:34:01pm

re: #739 Sharmuta

I blame Masons.

Alex, is that you?

754 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:35:08pm

re: #751 Salamantis

We know because we have found its impact crater in the Gulf of Mexico, and have dated its impact by radiometric dating of its iridium signature, which is found surrounding the area in specific strata. The global winter and dust cloud caused by its impact killed off the foliage food source, and starvation travelled up the chain from herbivores to carnivores. All the large species died.

Rosie O'Donnell and Micheal Moore made it through!

755 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:35:38pm

re: #751 Salamantis

All the large species died.

Within how many years did all the large species die?

756 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:36:11pm

re: #750 Mich-again

Just pointing out that you didn't need to stretch to the hypothetical.

757 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:36:49pm

re: #744 sattv4u2

You have a brick shithouse?

758 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:36:55pm

re: #753 MandyManners

Look for my forthcoming book, Of Masons and Zionists by Sharun Mutya.

759 moogie  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:37:58pm

Just the facts please - The Bible isn't a science book, especially Gen 1:1
Really need to know your rocks, fossils, magnetic
reversals, etc etc etc
Can be an old earth invert. paleontologist and
still be religious - as i am one :)

760 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:37:58pm

re: #758 Sharmuta

I don't actually lol much, but that one got me.

761 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:38:08pm

I still wanna' know whence randomness.

762 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:38:50pm

re: #758 Sharmuta

Look for my forthcoming book, Of Masons and Zionists by Sharun Mutya.

The foreward is by David Icke?

763 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:40:34pm

re: #741 MandyManners

Or, your road meets my rubber.

"Kiss me my dear, and I will reveal my croissant . . .
. . . I will spread your pate' . . .
. . . I will dip my ladle in your vichy soi . . ."

/Our love is like a red, red rose, and I am a little thorny!

764 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:40:45pm

re: #749 Mich-again

Yes there has. I'm just not sure in those environmental circumstances that only a random genetic mutation of offspring born without eyes would explain why in a million years the eyes were gone from the species. Alls I'm saying as that I think environment can affect the population of the genetic mutations. Its not just the work of natural selection of the most advantageous random mutations that happened without the influence of environment.

Environment DOES affect the population of genetic mutations - by selecting for some of them, and against others. But it doesn't make some genetic mutations occur rather than others.

Or else how do you propose that the presence or absence of light reaches into the heart of reproductive DNA, which is swathed in the dark recesses of the body anyway, and far away from any light, and alters specific base pairs?

765 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:41:48pm

re: #762 MandyManners

The foreward is by David Icke?

And Michael Behe.

766 pahleh  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:42:38pm

re: #735 Salamantis

A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute the truly religious attitude; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man. (Albert Einstein)

I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it. (Albert Einstein)

I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings. (Albert Einstein)

When Einstein made the statement that you quote, it was his poetic way of rejecting the existence of fundamental indeterminacy in the universe. He was wrong to do so.

Well said. But I will continue to believe that we live according to His plan.

767 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:42:38pm

re: #756 swamprat

Put those fish were not just blind, they had no eyes. Salamantis seems to be saying that the lack of eyes is a successful random mutation. I disagree and think that the eyes disappeared over time because in the absence of light eyes aren't useful so the body would quit supporting the organs that used to "see", and the eventual lack of eyes in the creature is not just the result of a random mutation.

But that would seem to disagree with the prevailing theory that mutations are random but selection is environmental.

768 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:42:47pm

re: #758 Sharmuta

Look for my forthcoming book, Of Masons and Zionists by Sharun Mutya.


It can be cured, you know.

Cure at 0:48

769 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:42:47pm

re: #755 Mich-again

Within how many years did all the large species die?

Probably as soon as it took them to exhaust non-replenishing food sources and starve to death, or as soon as it took them to freeze when the temperature dropped. Except for those in the vicinity of the impact point; they vaporized immediately.

770 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:43:16pm

‘We thought we were safe... then CNN stepped in!’

From her home in Penarth yesterday, Mrs Shaw said: “We have been asked by the British terror police not to talk to the press.

“But the reason I would not want to talk to anyone is because our safety was actually compromised by CNN, which broadcast where we were.

The terrorists were watching CNN and they came down from where they were in a lift after hearing about us on television. For that reason I would appeal to the media to be very careful about what they broadcast.

“When we left Mumbai there were still around 100 people trapped there.”

/CNN and the NYT, doing the intelligence work so terrorists and foreign governments don't have to

771 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:44:31pm

re: #761 MandyManners

I still wanna' know whence randomness.

/roll dice a few times

772 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:44:46pm

re: #763 gmsc

WTF is that?

773 experiencedtraveller  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:46:02pm

GAH! Iron First being self invoked. Just dumped half a glass of Chianti (06... a good year) on the keyboard and stuff is sticking and keys are popped off and all is not well in the land.

774 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:46:23pm

re: #765 Sharmuta

And Michael Behe.

He ain't got shit on Icke when it comes to conspiracy.

775 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:47:10pm

re: #771 Killian Bundy

/roll dice a few times

My momma' would wear me out if I did that!

776 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:47:24pm

re: #769 Salamantis

Probably as soon as it took them to exhaust non-replenishing food sources and starve to death,

In the case of plant-eaters, wouldn't darkness from a blotted out sky kill off the food sources within just a few growing cycles? But I don't think the great extinction of dinosaurs was that sudden.

777 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:47:29pm

re: #761 MandyManners

I still wanna' know whence randomness.

You seem to be laboring under the misconception that everything had to come from somewhere. When matter-anti-matter particle pairs randomly pop into and out of existence, they don't come from or go to anywhere; they begin to exist, and then cease to exist. And nothing causes them to or not to pop into and out of existence at specific times and places. They just happen - and then they un-happen.

778 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:48:05pm

re: #767 Mich-again

I don't think you are all that far apart.

779 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:48:27pm

re: #772 MandyManners

WTF is that?

You've never seen "The Mask" with Jim Carrey? Funny movie, featuring Jim Carrey at his best!

780 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:49:20pm

re: #778 swamprat

I don't think you are all that far apart.

My theory would speed evolution up.

781 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:50:51pm

re: #777 Salamantis

When matter-anti-matter particle pairs randomly pop into and out of existence, they don't come from or go to anywhere; they begin to exist, and then cease to exist.

Just because we can't explain something does not make it random.

782 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:51:07pm

re: #767 Mich-again

Put those fish were not just blind, they had no eyes. Salamantis seems to be saying that the lack of eyes is a successful random mutation. I disagree and think that the eyes disappeared over time because in the absence of light eyes aren't useful so the body would quit supporting the organs that used to "see", and the eventual lack of eyes in the creature is not just the result of a random mutation.

But that would seem to disagree with the prevailing theory that mutations are random but selection is environmental.

Phrases such as "the body would quit supporting the organse that used to 'see'" have their place in the long-discredited theory of Lamarckianism, but no place in modern genetics and evolutionary theory. Random mutations occur, and a different environment means that different mutations are selected for and selected against.

783 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:51:08pm

re: #777 Salamantis

You seem to be laboring under the misconception that everything had to come from somewhere. When matter-anti-matter particle pairs randomly pop into and out of existence, they don't come from or go to anywhere; they begin to exist, and then cease to exist. And nothing causes them to or not to pop into and out of existence at specific times and places. They just happen - and then they un-happen.

PRECISELY.

784 MandyManners  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:52:19pm

Good night, Lizards.

785 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:52:41pm

re: #784 MandyManners

Good night, Lizards.

G'Night, Mandy!

786 jaunte  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:53:33pm

Good night, Mandy.

787 ggt  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:54:30pm

re: #752 itellu3times

She forgot about the Masons.

788 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:54:35pm

re: #776 Mich-again

In the case of plant-eaters, wouldn't darkness from a blotted out sky kill off the food sources within just a few growing cycles? But I don't think the great extinction of dinosaurs was that sudden.

It was sudden, all right. Dino bones up until 65 million years ago, and then - suddenly - nothing. Not for the last 65 million years.

Plants die when they can't photosynthesize. Herbivores die when plants die. And carnivores die when herbivores and smaller carnivores die.

789 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:55:27pm

re: #782 Salamantis

Random mutations occur, and a different environment means that different mutations are selected for and selected against.

If true, how do you see human's evolving? What random mutation will take over in the next.

790 jamihabs  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:56:11pm

I am a self described Catholic, Christian, who believes in most science, including the general concept of evolution (global warming is bad science) and also in a supreme being (God) who made “this” and, to one extent to another, helps direct things.

I believe our schools should put more effort into teaching reading, writing (English), arithmetic, American History and non-biblical history (although, referencing the Bible as a source of historical documentation would be okay), and less effort into teaching politically correct or politically motivated views.

What does this make me? I’m not an atheist, I’m not a creationist. Am I an IDer

791 Mich-again  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:56:47pm

Good talk folks but I'm out. See ya.

792 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:56:57pm

U.S. rabbi gives account of phonecall in hostage ordeal

Rabbi Levi Shemtov said he made contact with the gunman when he called the cellphone of Gavriel Holtzberg, one of the hostages at the Chabad House, after the attack began on Wednesday.

Shemtov, of Washington D.C., is a member of Chabad-Lubavitch, the same Hasidic sect that sent Holtzberg and his wife, Rivkah, as envoys to work with Jewish residents and travelers in Mumbai.

“I tried and tried and tried, and in the end someone answered and said ‘hello,’” Shemtov told Israel’s Army Radio. Someone answered and said he was an Urdu speaker, so Shem-Tov found an Urdu speaker and dialed again. The man who answered “sounded very calm” and said his name was “Imran.”

“He didn’t want to tell me what he wanted. He said the rabbi was OK, everyone was OK, that if they did what he wanted he would free them.”

Shemtov asked the man not to hurt the hostages and promised to help him get in touch with the Indian government.

“I asked if we could hear the voice of the rabbi, or someone who was alive there, and we only heard the voice of one woman screaming in English, ‘please help immediately,’” he said.

“I asked him to pass the phone to the rabbi. He said, ‘You’ve already asked for too much.’”

/and we elected Obama

793 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:58:32pm

re: #780 Mich-again

My theory would speed evolution up.

Good. 'Cause Sal (I think it was Salimantis) said 4000 years wasn't enough, and Charles awhile ago had a thread where some lizards evolved in like 30 years, and I can't imagine them arguing.

From memory
No linkys. Too tired. Hitting the shower.

794 jorline  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:58:35pm

re: #789 Mich-again

If true, how do you see human's evolving? What random mutation will take over in the next.

genitals...just saying.

Good night, Lizards...see you in the morning.

795 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:58:58pm

re: #781 Mich-again

Just because we can't explain something does not make it random.

Actually, the mathematics of quantum mechanics entail fundamental, inherwent, intrinsic randomness. Phenomena in the quantum realm can only be understood according to models of statistical probability. A certain percentage of random events will happen, but no particular random events may be predicted - in principle.

This is where Einstein was wrong and Feynmann was right.

796 fiat_lux  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 8:59:01pm

re: #763 gmsc

I'm skimming through , trying to get caught up on this thread. So I ask...does somebody need a cold shower or have I missed the context?

797 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:00:41pm

re: #789 Mich-again

If true, how do you see human's evolving? What random mutation will take over in the next.

We don't know; they're random. But we do know that the rate of human evolution has been accelerating, simply because there are more chances for mutations in larger populations.

798 ggt  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:00:49pm

re: #766 pahleh

We do. In his infinite wisdom he used the mechanism of evolution (which IMHO, he created) to create us. Why? Well, that is the great mystery. He also gave us brains and free will. We have discovered a small, very small, part of how the mechanism of evolution works.

Some have used that knowledge to better our species and the world. Others have not. Still others decided to use bits and pieces of this knowledge to create controversy and a personal power base.

Evolution is Intelligent Design.

799 ggt  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:02:08pm

re: #770 Killian Bundy

Kinda like keeping the atrocities of Saddam Hussein & Co. from the airwaves?

800 Noam Sayin'  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:02:45pm

Mumbai attacks ‘were a ploy to wreck Obama plan to isolate al-Qaeda’

Relations between India and Pakistan were on a knife edge last night amid fears that Delhi’s response to the Mumbai attacks could undermine the Pakistani army’s campaign against Islamic militants on the frontier with Afghanistan.

Officials and analysts in the region believe that last week’s atrocities were designed to provoke a crisis, or even a war, between the nuclear-armed neighbours, diverting Islamabad’s attention from extremism in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and thus relieving pressure on al-Qaeda, Taleban and other militants based there.

One analyst even described the attacks as a “pre-emptive strike” against Barack Obama’s strategy to put Pakistan and Afghanistan at the centre of US foreign policy.

801 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:02:46pm

re: #796 fiat_lux

I'm skimming through , trying to get caught up on this thread. So I ask...does somebody need a cold shower or have I missed the context?

It might even be both.

802 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:02:48pm

re: #797 Salamantis

The changes are random. The environment dictates which ones florish.
And I know that you already know this.

803 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:02:57pm

re: #793 swamprat

Good. 'Cause Sal (I think it was Salimantis) said 4000 years wasn't enough, and Charles awhile ago had a thread where some lizards evolved in like 30 years, and I can't imagine them arguing.

From memory
No linkys. Too tired. Hitting the shower.

There's a big difference between one lizard species microevolving in 30 years, and tens of millions of species macroevolving in 4000.

804 Teh Flowah  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:05:32pm

If you're Catholic, you aren't an IDer. ID is inherently a creationist doctrine. Catholics have no problem with being a believer and knowing that evolution is the truest explanation for how life has come to be what it is on this planet.

Maybe you should look up some of the Pope's words on this subject :v
Your words equate atheism with evolution when that is simply a false equation to make. It's not you are either a creationist, an atheist, or an IDer. Plenty of believers know and accept the theory of evolution because they aren't huge idiots who try to base their "faith" in pseudoscience.

I'm always still amazed at how many people pick and choose which subjects of science to take at the scientific community's consensus and which they are not.

"I'm no expert on evolution or global climate change, but one of them is good science and the other is bad. Both of an overwhelming scientific consensus on the matter, I just choose which one I like better."

It's laughable.

805 swamprat  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:06:15pm

re: #803 Salamantis

I thought it got a gizzard. Or had some sort of easily measured internal changes.
really
tea then shower
then up for a bit

806 fiat_lux  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:07:44pm

re: #801 gmsc

Quite right. I'll move on.

807 Salamantis  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:07:52pm

re: #802 swamprat

The changes are random. The environment dictates which ones florish.
And I know that you already know this.

Yeah...we know that the environment will select which mutations will stick around and which ones won't. What we don't and can't know is what mutations will comprise the pool of random mutational alternatives from which environmental selection will get to select.

808 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:10:08pm

re: #799 ggt

Kinda like keeping the atrocities of Saddam Hussein & Co. from the airwaves?

/kinda, I was thinking of including that they paid for that

809 Racer X  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:12:35pm

The Lakers sure have evolved this year - kicking ass!

810 ggt  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:14:07pm

re: #808 Killian Bundy

true.

811 Sharmuta  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:14:41pm

re: #790 jamihabs

I am a self described Catholic, Christian, who believes in most science, including the general concept of evolution (global warming is bad science) and also in a supreme being (God) who made “this” and, to one extent to another, helps direct things.

I believe our schools should put more effort into teaching reading, writing (English), arithmetic, American History and non-biblical history (although, referencing the Bible as a source of historical documentation would be okay), and less effort into teaching politically correct or politically motivated views.

What does this make me? I’m not an atheist, I’m not a creationist. Am I an IDer

No- the Church has soundly rejected ID.

812 JCM  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:14:54pm

re: #809 Racer X

The Lakers sure have evolved this year - kicking ass!

Seattle will.... ahh... oh.... they moved to Oklahoma...
Nevermind!

813 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:15:21pm

re: #809 Racer X

The Lakers sure have evolved this year - kicking ass!

They were kicking ass last year ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,until the finals!

814 Racer X  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:18:17pm

re: #813 sattv4u2

They were kicking ass last year ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,until the finals!

Andrew Bynum was injured. He is healthy now and looks great!

815 JCM  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:18:22pm

I feel sooo left out.

Those who believe in TS*, never get any attention.

TS, Turtle Stack

816 SummerSong  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:19:00pm

re: #647 Rancher

Five straight up days, who could ask for more? What the market will do in the next couple of months depends on Obama. I think he will swear off tax increases, at least capital gains, but not till he is sworn in.

I hope he does back off capital gains, but many people I know can't take that chance and will sell off more this year than they would have otherwise, because they don't trust him to do the right thing.

817 karmic_inquisitor  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:19:23pm

Looks like the people of Massachusetts will have the opportunity to vote for Tingly Legs in 2010.

Chris Matthews contemplates Senate bid.

818 JCM  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:21:40pm

re: #817 karmic_inquisitor

Looks like the people of Massachusetts will have the opportunity to vote for Tingly Legs in 2010.

Chris Matthews contemplates Senate bid.

What you feel on your leg folks is a dog marking it's territory.

819 pink freud  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:22:30pm

re: #817 karmic_inquisitor

Looks like the people of Massachusetts will have the opportunity to vote for Tingly Legs in 2010.

Chris Matthews contemplates Senate bid.

Pennsylvania.

820 pink freud  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:23:54pm

re: #819 pink freud

Pennsylvania.

LittleOldLady will be thrilled. :-)

821 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:24:30pm

re: #818 JCM

What you feel on your leg folks is a dog marking it's territory.

He'd be going up against Arlen Specter.

/I'm not really sure which is worse

822 sattv4u2  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:25:24pm

re: #817 karmic_inquisitor

Looks like the people of Massachusetts will have the opportunity to vote for Tingly Legs in 2010.

Chris Matthews contemplates Senate bid.

Good Lord!

823 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:25:44pm

re: #817 karmic_inquisitor

Looks like the people of Massachusetts will have the opportunity to vote for Tingly Legs in 2010.

Chris Matthews contemplates Senate bid.

Uh ... that would be Pennsylvania. Not Massachusetts. However, if you can find a way to convince CM to go after Mass. instead, we Pennsylvanians would be forever in your debt.

/OTOH, Joe Sestak is also apparently considering running for Specter's seat. I actually think Matthews is the lesser of those evils but hopefully Arlen will survive either one.

824 JCM  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:26:19pm

re: #821 Killian Bundy

He'd be going up against Arlen Specter.

/I'm not really sure which is worse

Dear God, save us from the lesser of two weevils!

825 gmsc  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:26:34pm

re: #817 karmic_inquisitor

Looks like the people of Massachusetts will have the opportunity to vote for Tingly Legs in 2010.

Chris Matthews contemplates Senate bid.

It's worse than you think, as by that time, 0bama will raise any Senate seat held by a Democrat to a cabinet level position.

826 Lynn B.  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:26:50pm

re: #821 Killian Bundy

He'd be going up against Arlen Specter.

/I'm not really sure which is worse

I am.

827 ggt  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:28:58pm

re: #817 karmic_inquisitor

Massachussetts defies logic, even faulty logic.

828 Killian Bundy  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:30:33pm

re: #826 Lynn B.

I am.

Well, good for you.

/that said, Specter is the reigning Republican poster boy for term limits

829 Thanos  Sun, Nov 30, 2008 9:31:21pm

I just watched an amazing show on Nat Geo, they are now able to grow archeopteryx style tails on chicken embryos by modding the gene expression, they can make them grow saber teeth like dinosaurs, and change feathers to scales, scales to feathers. It blew me away. Reverse engineering birds could lead to a real Jurassic park within the next fifty to one hundred years. Texas A&M (famous for their ability to clone multiple species) is contemplating the possibility of retrgrading Emus to determine their dino ancestry.

830