1. 3QD interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #180220 by melisande on May 14, 2008 at 11:48 am

I'm glad the interviewer stayed on task in deliberately spelling out the components of his queries. It would have been easy for them, once acknowledging familiarity with someone's work, to just go galloping ahead into obviously exciting territory. But I wasn't familiar with that work and would have been left behind in the ensuing discussion.

It was nice to see Richard engaged in a meaty conversation rather than having the same gruel of belligerent ignorance served to him yet again...

2. Sexpelled: No Intercourse Allowed

Comment #163141 by melisande on April 18, 2008 at 3:01 am

Richard looks like he's having a lot of fun! Good!
I love the spliced together statement from him the best.

3. Beware the Believers

Comment #163134 by melisande on April 18, 2008 at 2:57 am

Wow if that bit of sleuthing is correct about randomslice...the intent to be insulting or something seriously backfired, at least among the people I know.

The chorus makes me and my friends just nod in agreement. I mean Richard is smarter than me, and I don't think stating someone has a science degree is put down...bizarre piece of memery, indeed.

I love Darwin getting funky, he indeed has a posse. *

As Pro-Expelled propaganda =EPIC FAIL
Dropping heavy science beats=FTW**

*for the memetic history of the charles darwin has a posse icon see the Andre the Giant has a posse phenomenon...

**that's For The Win in the current iteration of youtubian/gamer speak, of course.

4. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #110383 by melisande on January 11, 2008 at 4:56 am

I don't feel loyal to either. I think on the upper politcal levels they're probably in collusion, anyway.
It's all rather confusing really.

I'm just glad that he fessed up to basically wanting to argue. It's his bread and butter. That's what he does in Vanity Fair, printing essays titled "Why Women Aren't Funny" and a myriad other things.
He wants to fight and that's what I find disingenuous about him in this circumstance. The others actually want some kind of resolution to things.
However, in terms of something to watch/listen to/mull over that does make for interesting interaction. In that sense I must concede to an earlier comment that was made that said that he was necessary.

No one wants all the same people with the same opinion around all the time, eh?

5. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #110379 by melisande on January 11, 2008 at 4:33 am

OMG the second hour is awesome.

6. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #110371 by melisande on January 11, 2008 at 4:07 am

comparative to a larger group of atheists, yes. Comparative to his brother, no.

I agree with your statement,and it's true that that is a broad brush, but he is slimming the brush down by being an atheist and being a fan of Dick Cheney and the war in Iraq. At least he was the last time I checked.

;^P

PS. I'm watching the clips now.(yay torrent! I'll be a willing seed) Though he still drives me crazy and seems to have a problem with letting Sam Harris finish a thought, he's less pompous than the last interview I saw with him. Probably because he is among those he feels are his peers(except maybe Sam Harris).

7. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #110323 by melisande on January 11, 2008 at 1:48 am

wow, people have become very sensitive around here.

I'm sorry I have a strong opposing opinion of that person than you do. Apparently that's not allowed.


I didn't curse him out,though, as you did me.


I will give him credit for being able to illustrate that one can be atheist and right-wing at the same time.

I'm sure that Hitchens himself would have just laughed off what I said. He can take it.

I'm no troll though, so chill out. Man.
Bye.

8. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #110282 by melisande on January 10, 2008 at 9:22 pm

+1 to Garp
:^)

I'm reticent to watch this because of Hitchens' presence.
Though I'm glad the whole "trinity" thing has been quashed and a more apt and amusing moniker applied, Hitchens....I just can't get past his flippin attitude, and his stance on just about every other matter out there, except maybe this one.
And I almost want to disagree with him on religion just because he's such a snide little bombast about it when I've seen him interviewed.

I'll capitulate and watch it anyway, I'm sure.

9. CBC News: Sunday - Richard Dawkins

Comment #109667 by melisande on January 9, 2008 at 12:46 pm

It's so easy to latch on to some negative connotation of words like "misfiring". This guy is so stuck on it, and doesn't get that just because the impulse to help others at this point is a misfiring of an deeper older instinct does not mean that it makes it bad. It's actually more of a neutral statement, but people don't seem to be able to take the time to think that through...

He's definitely easily confused but I wonder if there is some kind of language that would elucidate the point without being so easily conflated with bad or wrong.

10. OUT Campaign Launched, 'Scarlet Letter' Shirts Now Available!

Comment #59413 by melisande on July 29, 2007 at 2:02 am

apparently, this is not the "sound of the can opener" you are looking for...
It's one thing to try herding cats, another to herd scaredy-cats.

;^P

personally, I've made my statement when I feel it needs to be made. I'm not afraid to say I'm an atheist, and maybe if I see someone wearing a shirt like that (since I'm too broke to buy one myself) we can share a knowing smile, maybe even strike up a conversation.


I totally dig the reference to the scarlet letter, too.

11. Small, Yes, but Mighty: The Molecule Called Water

Comment #55245 by melisande on July 10, 2007 at 10:42 am

This makes me recall the dangers of Di-hydrogen monoxide!!!111

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Di-hydrogen_monoxide
tee hee.
;^P

12. The Stupidity of Fox News is Truly Beyond Belief

Comment #52519 by melisande on June 27, 2007 at 7:22 am

I totally thought she was being sarcastic for a second there with "the miracle of pregnancy, that'll change a lot of people's minds"..
oh well.

I just listened to this sentence again and I honestly cannot comprehend it.
"If 90% of americans believe in god, which I find very encouraging, why is there this posturing in the media about atheists as (airquotes)the intellectuals(/airquotes)"
.....
not only does it not follow as a question (If I like to eat ice cream, why are a lot of people's cars silver?)...if there is some kind of thread of continuity....90% of americans believe in god, atheists are "the intellectuals"...it kind of answers itself....

Oh and that whole thing about the world making more sense with a god? (said in such a self assured way) Has that guy seen the world lately?
But he can say those things because some of his _best friends_ are atheists, really!

13. U.S. circumcision rate drops

Comment #50800 by melisande on June 20, 2007 at 2:40 am

Comment #50637 by gibodean
You're assuming your son wants his oral sex from women...
;^P

And it only looks really different from a circumcised one when it's flaccid, so there shouldn't be that much of a problem, I just don't get it.

And the whole HIV study was skewed pro-circumcision, besides the obvious answer to cutting down HIV transmission being education and condom usage!

14. The new preface to The God Delusion paperback and Q&A

Comment #50791 by melisande on June 20, 2007 at 2:22 am

I enjoyed listening to the point by point refutations of the critiques. They are by now familiar to those who have been following along, but it's always wonderful to see Dawkins speak and in such a novel setting.
That last part made me cry! Not only because of the circumstances both of the tragedy and the generosity resultant from it, but through Richard's voice as he relayed the information, such a subtle catch in the throat and suddenly tears sprang to my eyes...

ach, can't explain...just made me realize again the gift of being human....

15. Four arrested in Iraq 'honor killing'

Comment #43158 by melisande on May 20, 2007 at 2:53 pm

I know you are reposting from CNN and I will send them this same note.
Although I had already heard about this and have the restraint not to click on the video link (I got the picture from the descriptions I read,that was enough for me) others may not, and that link is pretty inoccuous looking.
Take a hint from boingboing.net (Although even the 2 captures they posted haunt me) and post a warning about the extremely graphic violence. It might seem redundant but it really does help bring home the fact that watching that is not like watching some interview on youtube.

I'm glad some people were arrested but from the description and the subsequent retaliations it's all just terrible.
So insane.
This stuff weighs so heavy on the mind it's practically debilitating. How many tears can one shed for the state of this our world? I'd end up a dessicated carcass surrounded by salt.

16. French Muslim women opt for hymen surgical cons

Comment #39714 by melisande on May 11, 2007 at 5:48 pm

I've got a better idea: lose your religion; become real.

Like it's that easy.

17. She's No Fundamentalist: What people get wrong about Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Comment #24877 by melisande on March 9, 2007 at 2:45 am

guess my response has been eaten by the intarwebs

18. She's No Fundamentalist: What people get wrong about Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Comment #24668 by melisande on March 8, 2007 at 2:04 am

ok I haven't even read this yet, any of it. Not the first line.

But is this the same Hitchens that wrote "Why Women Aren't Funny"?
Because he can fuck off.

And I dearly wish to be humorous here, but it's not going to happen which will just prove his point in some twisted way.
I thought he was joking until I read his whole article and realized he was serious. I read the whole article in Vanity Fair. If it was a comedic attempt I must have been on lithium at the time.

Someone has to prove to me that I should look past that idiocy before I take anything he says seriously. And not in a funny way. Unless he actually is trying to be funny at which he fails miserably.


It's a different guy, right?



right???

19. Long live satire

Comment #24407 by melisande on March 6, 2007 at 1:06 pm

Sue,
I love your hair color.
but you probably already knew that.
;^)

20. Atheists Take On Religion

Comment #24279 by melisande on March 5, 2007 at 4:39 pm

huh, apparently different people get different commercials...
I wonder if that's random or what.

When I want to feel strong I put on a dress and go shopping!

21. The Dawkins Confusion: Naturalism ad absurdum

Comment #23814 by melisande on March 2, 2007 at 11:41 pm

I've just gotten stuck at the
"alleged massive improbability of theism"

Theism is the belief in a god. There certainly isn't a massive improbability of BELIEF since so many people are believers in a god.

That just really annoyed me. Maybe it's nitpicky, but not more so than the author...the "god is complex/god is simple" thing---that's some crazy mental gymnastics there to finally end up with "The bible says he's simple, so there."

22. Is God a Delusion? Atheism and the Meaning of Life

Comment #23271 by melisande on February 27, 2007 at 11:30 am

33. Comment #22417 by Estragon

Hey, thanks for clearing that up.
Still...
Well it's the same reaction I had when someone told me I should get a degree in "rhetoric" ---to me it has a negative connotation and i was kind of insulted. In my mind it was rather analogous to "propaganda", until I learned what the original definition was.

Still....Apologetics...it just evokes this image of a dog that just bit someone and the owner saying "Usually, he's really good! He's never bitten anyone before! I've had him since he was a puppy and this is the first incident..." and so on.

It's just the impression, and I thought that it was just what people called those who were defending all the bad parts of christianity with things like "That's just a metaphor" or "Of course no one does that sort of thing now...."

This "academia" thing is... all rather confusing, really.
;^D

23. Is God a Delusion? Atheism and the Meaning of Life

Comment #22396 by melisande on February 16, 2007 at 7:09 am

Oh, and ....people actually refer to their work as "apologetics"? I thought that was a derisive description applied by other people who deplore the person's milquetoast-ness...

24. Is God a Delusion? Atheism and the Meaning of Life

Comment #22394 by melisande on February 16, 2007 at 6:40 am

OK. I just have to get out a personal attack first.

Did Alister McGrath learn how to speak from Hugo Weaving in The Matrix? I kept expecting him to end his sentences with "..Mr. Anderson..."

Second I think he wins by exhaustion...isn't that in the over 300 proofs that god exists list?
It's unfortunate that the refusal to debate someone creates a default winner of the challenger. (speaking of---does anyone have a link to his debate with Sue Blackmore? I'd love to hear it.)

I really tried to listen to his arguments and think about them, but then they start talking about rubbish like Mary and Jesus and I just can't take any of it seriously.
Except I do take it somewhat seriously because it's the most...seemingly thoughtful rebukes to the book but maybe that's just the learn-ed accent.
Dang there were things I was going to say now but it's all gone straight out of my head.
I think that the fact that yes there are historical references to the evils done in the name of religious faith in TGD and McGrath makes some historical references to evils done in the name of atheism or liberty or whatever, We have _contemporary_ problems with religious faith that we don't have with atheism.
He kept on talking about modern and post modern but certainly we're even beyond that. It's....post post-"ern" now, isn't it?
And..OH. yes his first example of the person who came up to him and was aggrieved because he _believed_ in Dawkins and McGrath has shaken that faith--
Isn't the point to start thinking for yourself? It's like we have this template of belief that we are used to placing on the thing that resonates with our thinking or experience of the world the most. Now I could be completely wrong here but I don't think that Dawkins is trying to gather a flock of sheep. It's more like "Would The Real Secret Atheists Please Stand Up..."
;^P

The guy who was at a loss for what to believe in now is still template-ing. (I feel like making some joke about "contemplating"...)
I could be on my own here but isn't the point to break the template? It's not completely possible or feasible but that's at least what I want to do. I don't just _BELIEVE_ everything Dawkins says.
I do find him a helluva lot more compelling than this guy. Especially in oration. He's a professor? Crap, bring a pillow and a tape recorder to class.

I do wince a little at Dawkins' derision in his descriptions of faithheads etc. But come on, you're either so PC that you're just embarrassed but you secretly agree, or you are one of those people he's describing, so you're offended.
I'm probably going over the word limit. I'll stop here.

25. Interview with Chris Hedges

Comment #21985 by melisande on February 12, 2007 at 4:10 am

Dang, you already plucked my favorite line right out and posted it!
That was a brilliant bit of dialog, there.

26. Does Richard Dawkins exist?

Comment #21437 by melisande on February 9, 2007 at 7:07 am

I'm not saying there aren't errors in replicating, but there are modes of error correction.

Such as I'm correcting you here on the characteristics of the metameme.

If he was simply copying snippets from poems and stories and making errors within that as well then it wouldn't work at all and be complete nonsense. He couldn't get his point across.
Yes he's learned those words, as we all have, and probably through literature as well as human to human, but he's putting them together cohesively to convey his memes into a book.

I'm not saying that there's a lot of memetics that gets really far out there, but I do think the idea of the Virus of Faith is not apt but on the money.

27. Does Richard Dawkins exist?

Comment #21435 by melisande on February 9, 2007 at 6:44 am

"57. Comment #21400 by Sancus on February 9, 2007 at 3:25 am
Yeah, no where have I seen Dawkins even approach hyper-skepticism. If anything I think he relies far too much on the viral theory of religion and the surprisingly unfounded theory of memetics.

That's why I'm eager to hear a reply to my question. How are Richard's books not solely the result of typographical errors he made trying to copy nursery rhymes and other literature from his life? Errors and copying. That's memetics, right?"

Uh, no....that's not exactly it. Copying, yes. Imitation, yes, There are a higher proportion of errors to be made in replication of a meme, which is why it's more amorphous and not directly analogous to a gene. It's originally presented as another type of self replicating system.
The alphabet, printing, books etc (technically memes as well if you ever went to school and learned your ABCs for instance) are used to convey the ideas that Richard Dawkins wants to spread, and so he has.
I don't understand what would be errors in that process. Were there nursery rhymes that were incorrect in his book? Do you mean he's copying actual pieces of literature or he's using the same tools as the other books used (the alphabet) for which we have spellcheck now anyway so there's a few less errors there.....

When the memetic process is lined up and expected to match exactly to the genetic process it comes up wanting precisely because it's _not_ the genetic process. It's just another example of something that could be seen as a replicator.

28. Does Richard Dawkins exist?

Comment #21322 by melisande on February 8, 2007 at 4:22 pm

I don't know why I'm even trying to logically argue this one, but I haven't seen ANY pictures of people shaking hands with God. I mean photographs at a book signing are _slightly_ more concrete than a splinter from the cross jesus was on or the goddamn shroud of turin.

I'd love god to respond to my emails, as Dawkins has done. I highly doubt god would be as respectful and supportive in his words as Richard has, if I can judge by his earlier work and his "actions" on this earth lately.

It actually is amusing that this person thinks that this makes any sense at all.

29. Panel discussion on atheism where no atheists are included

Comment #20971 by melisande on February 7, 2007 at 6:27 am

Thank you for including "where no atheists are included" so I can just not even waste my time on this.

30. Taking the fight to Islam

Comment #20703 by melisande on February 6, 2007 at 2:47 am

A thought occurred to me that though she seems very well spoken and out spoken and knows exactly what she wants to say, she might not exactly know what she's doing.
I don't mean that in an ignorant way, but at least from an American POV we are used to Politicians in politics and they have been grooming and training for years usually before they even reach a point of notoriety. We expect them, really, to at least have some kind of undercover agenda or that they are angling in some way or another for something that they're leaving obscured.
They're players.
You know, it could be she came out of this situation, made some decisions, started speaking out, and going headlong into this controversy without the tactical regard that we usually expect of politicians and their ilk.

It's interesting also to hear from Dax about the Dutch pampering Muslims, because I just heard something completely different from another person about using their progressive views to push forward an agenda against muslims and immigrants in general:
"Like Pym Fortuyn saying 'we have to clamp down on immigrants because they're not pro-gay rights.' "

So it's one politically correct and progressive movement "gay rights" being used to negate another... "multiculturalism" I suppose you'd call it....

everything about this is very messy.

31. Atheist Rap: Extian, The Verse from Atheist Nation Pt III

Comment #20681 by melisande on February 5, 2007 at 5:52 pm

Wow,
way to shut down critical thinking, there.

When I saw his colors and his gun, I had to wonder why someone who was saying things I agreed with affiliating himself with something not only disagreeable but contrary to his words. I figured there was more to the story and there was.

But whatever, snap judgements are much easier.

32. Atheist Rap: Extian, The Verse from Atheist Nation Pt III

Comment #20672 by melisande on February 5, 2007 at 4:25 pm

If you've watched all his videos, you'd understand where he's coming from with that, MIND_REBEL.
He is very articulate, reads the comments people have, ones similar to yours and responds.
And not with a drive by shooting.

33. U.S. 'Satisfied' With Religion's Public Role, But More Want Less

Comment #20668 by melisande on February 5, 2007 at 4:12 pm

I just don't see how they can come up with these numbers. I haven't been asked. No one I know was asked. How the hell can you extrapolate from 1000 people what the rest of the country thinks.

whatever.

34. Taking the fight to Islam

Comment #20662 by melisande on February 5, 2007 at 3:31 pm

I have been doing a lot of research on her and have gotten opinions from a couple of people I hold in very high regard who feel exactly opposite about her politics.
It's just hurting my brain at this point to figure out where I stand. I think there is this issue about immigration and islam that is much more prominent in Europe right now than it is here. Although here she is working for AEI.
The issue is much more complicated than it looks at first. I don't deny that this woman has gone through a lot of pain (although she downplays it) and absolutely should not be in fear of her life for speaking out against Islam.
However, now she's the darling of the right wing and I don't like their policies at all.
So it leaves me somewhere in the middle.

35. Atheist Rap: Extian, The Verse from Atheist Nation Pt III

Comment #20659 by melisande on February 5, 2007 at 2:47 pm

HA!
I was just checking out this guy on youtube and his atheist talks and was going to point him out to ya'll!
His "vlog" is pretty cool especially because you see him start out in one way, with a specific attitude and then watch as he gets more familiar with the format and the interactions that this new type of conversational medium provides.
I really like him.

36. Mr. Deity

Comment #20572 by melisande on February 4, 2007 at 11:54 am

Hmm. That will be interesting.

Apparently he also did the redesign for Skeptic Magazine.
http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/07-01-24.html

37. Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #20551 by melisande on February 4, 2007 at 4:11 am

I had posted this elsewhere and a friend of mine had this to say about her

"Since being ejected from the Dutch Parliament (for substantially lying in her application for asylum*, she's come to the U.S. to work for the AEI -- whose trustees have included Dick Cheney and Ken Lay, whose fellows include Newt Gingrich, and whose scholars include Lynn Cheney and Richard Perle. Their political advocacy campaigns have included efforts to censor the arts and legalize prayer in the schools. The AEI has also campaigned against global warming (it doesn't really exist). They're very powerful (more than two dozen AEI members have worked in the Bush Administration) and their "daughter project", the Project for a New American Century**, are pretty much the folks who brought us the war in Iraq.

Anyway, I think Hirsi Ali fits in well at the AEI."

*
http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=29954
**
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_a_New_American_Century

I thought this was interesting and did put a damper on my former total enthusiasm.
Personally I still find her story compelling.
But I find this information compelling, too.
I don't really know enough about any of it to form an opinion...
Any thoughts?

38. Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #20197 by melisande on February 1, 2007 at 1:01 am

WOW.
That was wonderful. Everyone should hear it.

Countdown to launch of meme dissemination from this machine starting ....now.
!0....9....

39. Neil deGrasse Tyson - Death by Black Hole

Comment #20161 by melisande on January 31, 2007 at 4:38 pm

I don't think he does a disservice at all.
And I don't think he's ashamed of his atheism.
He is saying some of the same things I've heard Dawkins say.

I think his definition of "Science" was brilliant. Understanding innately the problems with "branding" though he doesn't say that out right but that's what he's talking about,
I think that both he and Dawkins are expressing the ultimate goal of getting the people to _think_ and question. Dawkins may seem more on the frontlines against "The God Folk" but like I've said before, that's the way you wage a campaign. You have to have the hardliners and I don't think that Tyson is -not- a hardliner, he's just a futurist...he's thinking ahead, and working out how to get cohesion and understanding as we go along.

Augh, he just riles me up with this sense of "What now? YEAH! Let's go, let's brainstorm on continuing to promote this Way of Thinking as something beyond just test tubes and inscrutable equations.


Of course he _is _ and anti planet pluto-ist as far as I know....

;^)

40. Interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Comment #20150 by melisande on January 31, 2007 at 3:35 pm

Who doesn't love Neil Degrasse Tyson?

He is so awesome. I love the Daily Show but sometimes I wish some of the guests had a bit more time...They let Bill Gates talk about Vista forever on the last show, and who cares about that? He didn't even talk about malaria or something.

Anyway, yay. Go Neil!

41. Blasphemy Challenge on FOX

Comment #19655 by melisande on January 29, 2007 at 5:50 am

"You're offering them a free DVD"
Of The God Who Wasn't There!!!

It's not like a new Wii or an iphone or something.

42. She told them the boy was dead

Comment #19495 by melisande on January 27, 2007 at 3:45 pm

My favorite (except for the palpable grief part) you tube clip on Silvia Browne's bull. And Montel HELPS her....trying to make it fit together somehow. I think what's amazing about her is that she doesn't waffle...she doesn't slide around until she hits it. She says this one thing and sticks with it....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dU0Q208HKI

43. Grief Without God

Comment #19492 by melisande on January 27, 2007 at 3:34 pm

I can't seem to stop crying the past few days....this probably wasn't the best reading material for me in this state.
But it was quite moving.

The odd thing is that though she talks about coming out of the atheism closet , it's still written by "anonymous"...

44. Mr. Deity

Comment #19202 by melisande on January 25, 2007 at 2:53 pm

12. Comment #18371 by Logicel

OK...It's happening to me too, now.
hmmm.

45. Randi and 800 Other Amazing Skeptics

Comment #19198 by melisande on January 25, 2007 at 2:44 pm

Oh, wait, now that I'm watching that again, Randi says that it didn't have much effect on Uri Geller's career.
Well it sure had an effect on me!

46. Randi and 800 Other Amazing Skeptics

Comment #19195 by melisande on January 25, 2007 at 2:31 pm

I thought Uri Gellar was debunked years ago, on the Tonight Show?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9w7jHYriFo
There was an interview with Randi on Skepticality (Ep. 34) which I thought was great. I hadn't really known that much about him before that.
I would love to see Jon Edwards taken down.

47. Do You Believe in Magic?

Comment #18934 by melisande on January 23, 2007 at 6:35 pm

8. Comment #18880 by Chris Davis
Hey didn't they just find that the appendix actually has some useful properties??

Just sayin.

48. God, Inc

Comment #18513 by melisande on January 21, 2007 at 12:24 pm

I think they are complementary to each other. You never see god in this one, so they could almost fit together.

Yes they are completely different styles, but I like this one--even though I can't stand "The Office" That life is that dismal is too depressing, but that it's that dismal in heaven is actually kind of funny.

49. Mr. Deity

Comment #18412 by melisande on January 20, 2007 at 4:28 pm

Weird. Sometimes their server seems to be really overloaded so maybe that's part of it.
Through Mr. Deity I also found another series called
"God inc."

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=francisstokesdotcom

It's more like The Office, and it's also quite funny.

50. Mr. Deity

Comment #18369 by melisande on January 20, 2007 at 5:55 am

2. Comment #18334 by Logicel
Uh, it's not that hard to post comments. You just have to have a username and password.
If you don't want to create a profile there's a wonderful site called bugmenot that can help you.
http://www.bugmenot.com/view/www.youtube.com