1. Anti-evolution bill clears another hurdle

Comment #157819 by mumbles on April 9, 2008 at 3:09 pm

Why is this crap so pervasive in Florida? I never really considered Florida a "Southern" state until all this. I've always thought coastal states to be more progressive, but wow.

Weren't they not even teaching evolution at all until last year or something like that?

2. German Church admits aiding Nazis

Comment #157817 by mumbles on April 9, 2008 at 3:05 pm

"At the televised launch of the report in Mainz, the cardinal said the conditions in which people had been forced to work in Catholic institutions - such as hospitals, homes and monastery gardens - had not been as bad as elsewhere."

Translation: It coulda been worse.

He may as well just say that they "saved" these people and claim a win for the catholic church. Absolutely appalling.

3. Contribute to science directly by volunteering some of your computer's processing power!

Comment #140845 by mumbles on March 8, 2008 at 9:06 pm

Thanks for the info RichardPrins. I went ahead and attached myself to the World Community Grid as well. Now I have one processor working on Malaria Control and one on the World Community Grid.

Thanks for posting this thing, it's nice to help by doing something so monumentally easy.

4. Contribute to science directly by volunteering some of your computer's processing power!

Comment #140566 by mumbles on March 7, 2008 at 9:57 pm

Just installed and joined up. I jumped on the Malaria Control project because I think it has the highest probability of tangible results.

Looking for pulsars and prime numbers is cool and all, but sick people are sick people.

5. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #99504 by mumbles on December 16, 2007 at 10:59 pm

I apologize if someone has addressed it and I missed it.

This is labeled Episode 1, anyone know how many episodes are in the works?

6. Sudan demo over jailed UK teacher

Comment #92493 by mumbles on November 30, 2007 at 4:02 pm

sidfaiwu: My faith in humanity just took a major blow.

Why? You don't consider these cretins human, do you?

7. Frequently Asked Questions about the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Security Trust

Comment #89995 by mumbles on November 22, 2007 at 10:59 am

It's my understanding that the Dutch government will only pay for her as long as she is a government official. Doesn't that mean if (when?) she is not re-elected that her protection money goes bye-bye?

PS: It's Johnny Lemonhead from Red Meat!
http://www.redmeat.com!

8. Why Science Will Triumph Only When Theory Becomes Law

Comment #89844 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 11:58 pm

Ruht:

Um, it wouldn't, if God's plans included me asking.

Either we have free will or god has a plan, how can it be both?

9. For the glory of God

Comment #89843 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 11:54 pm

Of course there is no single "true reason behind these horrible events."

This reminds me of The Simpsons when Apu is getting his citizenship. The interviewer asks, "Why was the civil war fought?" And Apu starts to talk about all the different reasons that all worked together to bring about the civil war only to be interrupted by the interviewer. "Just say slavery."

"Slavery it is, sir."

Of course what you call "Western occupation of the middle east" would certainly contribute, but to think religion is not a huge part of it seems woefully ignorant.

How can your friend honestly believe that religion was not the true cause of the inquisition? Without religion the inquisition simply could not have happened, how can this be disputed? Who could tell the evil heathens from the righteous priests without religion?

10. Why Science Will Triumph Only When Theory Becomes Law

Comment #89829 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 8:44 pm

Ruht:

Infinity - no beginning and no end.

Try attributing that to evolution.

Try finding holes in it as well.

You lose again.

Last I checked, evolution was an explanation of how life can appear to be designed but actually be the result of natural processes. What exactly does infinity have to do with anything? Weren't we talking about evolution here?

Why do people want so badly to think that "Darwinism" is a religion?

My personal take on it is that they think it's unfair that they have all this personal baggage (original sin, thought crimes, tithes, etc.) and yet here we are, happily living free of all of it, and being intellectually satisfied to boot. You can see why they'd call us smug, turning green with envy the whole while.

11. Why Science Will Triumph Only When Theory Becomes Law

Comment #89825 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 8:17 pm

Let me see if I understand Ruht's argument.

Since scientists have created stars in labs, magic exists.

I second that call of fakie.

12. For the glory of God

Comment #89824 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 8:11 pm

Foth:

It's easy to name religion as the sole cause of cruelty in the world, but I think that's irresponsible. There's huge debate about the conflict in Palestine and Israel: what role exactly does religion have to play in it? Would the conflict still be there if religion didn't exist? I honestly don't know, and I'm interested what others have to say about it.

I'm by no means an expert, but this is the religious justification for the Israel conflict as I understand it. Please correct me if I am factually incorrect. :D

Abraham was told by an angel that his son would be the first of the race of God's chosen people (or something to that effect). He was unable to have children with his wife, so she allowed him to bed his (Arab?) servant. She had a child, Ishmael. Soon thereafter Abe's wife becomes pregnant and they have a second son, Isaac. (My apologies if I've mixed them up.) God apparently doesn't make it clear which is the uber son. Anyways Jews believe Isaac is the true father of God's people, and Arabs believe it was Ishmael. God's chosen people gets the strip of land in the middle east.

Now they just have to fight it out to see who is right.

13. Frequently Asked Questions about the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Security Trust

Comment #89821 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 7:59 pm

Novembrino:

Do you actually believe that if atheism becomes a social cost, it will become more popular?

I apologize, but I'm a little unsure of the question. Do you mind clarifying?

I guess as far as the popularity is concerned, I'd like to think people become atheists by way of internal mental processes ie: rational thinking. That's how it happened for me at least, and my newly atheist sister (Way to go, sis!). I don't know how many "convert" to atheistm via bandwagon jumping. It's certainly not generally popular now, and part of me wonders if it could really get any worse in that respect.

I don't consider the protection of Ali to be an inherently atheist endeavor, though I can see how some could, considering her book.

14. Why Science Will Triumph Only When Theory Becomes Law

Comment #89758 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 4:27 pm

Ruht: Why should I be required to offer "proof" of an Intelligent Designer, when evolution doesn't have to offer any "proof" that it's theory is correct?

I'm almost speechless.

"Your theory is dead before it even started" because you have already asserted that the Everest of fossils, germ theory, DNA evidence, (ie "proof") is not proof.

That aside, saying that both are unproven does not bolster your argument. There's a lot of ludicrous unproven stuff out there but does that mean all are in equal standing, or worthy of equal respect or time in classrooms? Certainly not.

15. Frequently Asked Questions about the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Security Trust

Comment #89721 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 3:25 pm

Comment 76: Novembrino

This money raising should also raise a basic question:
given that 2 milion dollars is a lot of money, let's imagine if more ex-muslim women spoke against Islam. Just 1000 women means 2 billion dollars per year.
Isn't that discouraging for more women to come out?

That was hilarious. It was supposed to be...right?

I think it's a safe assumption that 1000's of muslim women won't ditch islam and proceed to gain political positions, create blasphemous films and books and require expensive personal security.

I wish 1000's more muslim women would come out and do what she did. Don't you?

On a side note, why would it be discouraging for them? They're not footing the bill AND they're gaining freedom.

Did you mean to ask isn't this precedent discouraging for our wallets?

16. Man-sized sea scorpion claw found

Comment #89652 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 11:36 am

Studies suggest a single Jaekelopterus rhenaniae could be made into over 600 Lobster Newbergs.

jk

17. Frequently Asked Questions about the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Security Trust

Comment #89650 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 11:27 am

Comment 67: denoir

My message to them is that if you wish to spend your own money on financing her relocating to the US that's your choice. Do not however presume that you have the right to demand that other people spend their money on your misplaced cause.

First sentence I agree with, spot-on.

Second sentence, not so much. I think you may be overstating his call for aid. Your wording makes it seem as if his request was akin to him knocking on your door and wedging his foot inside.

If you don't like what on, change the channel.

18. Getting Overheated

Comment #89644 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 10:36 am

Comment 26: arogop

I will completly ignore that we have lots of coal and would just switch to that!

I just found out a couple weeks back that they can actually make gas out of coal. Apparently the technology has been around since the 40s or earlier.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_gas

Anyways I liked Ty's comment about the decision between fighting the tide or cleaning up afterwards. Something to mull over...

19. Frequently Asked Questions about the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Security Trust

Comment #89635 by mumbles on November 21, 2007 at 10:02 am

Every post I have read about Ali making her bed and having to lie in it remind me of the battered wife situation. Ali was married to an abusive husband (Islam) and broke free. Whether she just wanted a fresh start or to fight for other battered women, people bent on killing apostates won't let her do so. For this and other reasons she is driven (and I think rightly so) to criticize her ex-husband.

While the bill is considerably higher, I don't see it as different from funding a battered womens shelter, which I think is safe to say ALL HERE would be in favor of supporting.

20. 'Expelled' Movie: The Extended Trailer

Comment #88243 by mumbles on November 15, 2007 at 2:27 pm

I would like to suggest to Professor Dawkins that in the future he insist a running clock be IN CAMERA with him at all times. His interviewer of course has that extended to themselves. I think I saw this in a Columbo... Anyways, unless they want to edit the footage to the extent that they have his disembodied head answering questions (which I'd like to doubt) they have no power.

Think of it as asking a magician to do his routine stark naked.

Better yet, he could slap a pocketwatch onto a bandanna, hat or stylish beret. Okay perhaps that's a step to far.

How about a running hourglass?

21. Dr Bari: Government stoking Muslim tension

Comment #87665 by mumbles on November 12, 2007 at 6:38 pm

"His passion is to integrate Muslim and British cultures - he says integration must go both ways."

BOTH WAYS, huh? Did they lift the ban on editing the Koran or am I mistaken?

I'm sure as he said that he was thinking, "You first."

22. Allan Gregg interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #87475 by mumbles on November 12, 2007 at 8:24 am

45. Comment #87360 by tman on November 12, 2007 at 1:19 am
...The smartest professors in universities are philosophy professors...

I think you may be trying to prove too much with that statement. Perhaps this one instead:

The smartest professors I have interacted with are philosophy professors.

The smartest professors I had in college were business professors. What a coincidence that I was a business major! Or maybe not. ;)

23. Can we at least demand 'Secular Communion'?

Comment #86843 by mumbles on November 10, 2007 at 9:39 am

"Some of the best people working to combat global poverty may be Catholic anti-abortionists."

Cut them some slack! They've brought innumerable yummy bibles to starving Africa.

So we're supposed to not call them on their BS?

24. When Congress Interferes With Science, Who You Gonna Call? (Hint: It's not Ghostbusters)

Comment #85926 by mumbles on November 7, 2007 at 1:44 pm

Comment #85862 by John P on November 7, 2007 at 10:52 am
I see that she uses a 30 million figure for the number of non-theists in America. I assume she's using a rough 10% of the population calculation.

From a lobbying point of view, I wonder if she could emphasize that since non-theism is more of a conscious choice than that of theism (with many, many children included in the 90% balance) a 30 million figure includes proportionately far more adults, and hence voters, than it's size indicates.

--------------------------------------

Excellent point. Atheists do not call their children atheists, and these children cannot be considered of any other faith. Anyone feel like crunching the numbers and finding out how high 30 mil stacks up to our adult population?

25. Huge Black Holes May Hold Keys to Galaxy Formation

Comment #84229 by mumbles on November 1, 2007 at 1:00 pm

Has nobody made the obvious New Jersey - blackhole joke yet?

26. Fallen Pastor Seeks Aid to Pursue Studies

Comment #65909 by mumbles on August 27, 2007 at 10:15 am

You guys are forgetting that he's been reformed.

/sarcasm_off

27. Diamonds unlock secrets of early Earth

Comment #65908 by mumbles on August 27, 2007 at 10:09 am

" "Any information about the very early Earth is fantastic, it's like a Christmas present for geoscientists," he said. "

Anyone else crack up at this?