1. Evolution Debate Led to Ouster, Official Says

Comment #93334 by Watts_Pete on December 2, 2007 at 6:32 pm

Your actions speaks volumes. BE pleased that you are not in the UK - we would eat you alive.

While still true for the time being perhaps for not much longer. I was horrified to see this IDiocy appearing in UK schools. The reason, because now we are getting more "faith-based" schools, with the right to set much of their curricula, which includes ID if they want. Christian schools have now started introducing it. Even worse, the overall effect is to make indoctrination centres of all of them, almost gauranteed to alienate the religionists even more so from each other. With parents depserate to avoid failing secular schools, the farce begins of aping religous observance to gain entry, which, combined with the indoctrination itself, can only expand the previously decling religionist populations. What a disaster in the making! Thank Darwin I have no kids!

PW

2. Poll finds more Americans believe in devil than Darwin

Comment #92601 by Watts_Pete on November 30, 2007 at 10:18 pm

Comment #92381 by monoape on November 30, 2007 at 11:46 am

Doesn't the phrasing or 'tone' of a question contribute to the answer received?

Imagine asking "do you believe in a literal hell?" in a sincere-eye-contact-very-concerned-look way, as opposed to the you-cannot-possibly-think-that's-a-possibility-wide-eyed-smirking way.

Lies. Damned lies. Statistics.

None of that would have played a part in this poll, since it was conducted online in questionairre format. You might read into it before dismissing it like that.

Whenever you see that Twain twaddle you know you are listening to a simian brain embarassed about the facts that they have just been presented with, and can think of no other riposte.

Twain attributed it to Disreali.

The actual history of the phrase is the following - the original form of the phrase was a complaint by one who used statistics well against the church that didnt, and it was appropriated by
disreali, who rejected Darwinism:


So, "There are lies, damn lies and church statistics." - Walter Bagehot

Borrowed as, "There are lies, damn lies and statistics." - Benjamin Disraeli (from Bagehot)

What is the question now placed before society with the glib assurance which to me is most astonishing? That question is this: Is man an ape or an angel? I, my lord, I am on the side of the angels. I repudiate with indignation and abhorrence those new fangled theories.
Variant: The question is this— Is man an ape or an angel? My Lord, I am on the side of the angels. I repudiate with indignation and abhorrence these new fanged theories.
Variant: Is man an ape or an angel? Now, I am on the side of the angels!
Speech at Oxford Diocesan Conference (1864-11-25)

Walter Bagehot (3 February 1826 – 24 March 1877) was a nineteenth century British businessman, essayist and journalist, who wrote extensively about literature, government, economic affairs and other topics.

Wilson had founded The Economist in 1843. Through this acquaintance, Bagehot met Wilson's eldest daughter, Eliza. The two were married in April 1858.

The following year Wilson was asked to go to India to reorganize the finances of the Indian government, and he died in Calcutta in 1860, leaving Bagehot, then the manager of the Bristol branch of Stuckey's bank, in charge of The Economist. For 17 years Bagehot wrote the main article, improved and expanded the statistical and financial sections, and transformed the journal into one of the world's foremost business and political publications. More than that, he humanized its political approach by emphasising social problems.

3. Poll finds more Americans believe in devil than Darwin

Comment #92599 by Watts_Pete on November 30, 2007 at 10:02 pm

annabanana writes:

Does anyone over there in the U.K. want to put me up while I find a job and place to live? I don't think I can stand this country any longer.

Someone as cute as you is always welcome in my place in London. It's nice and warm. :)

4. Banishing the Green-Eyed Monster

Comment #92589 by Watts_Pete on November 30, 2007 at 8:50 pm

When a man marries a women (any relationship for that matter)and swears to the women that he would not have sex with someone else than he needs to follow up on it.

What I want to know, is why do ppl keep spelling "woman" as "women" these days? What's with that? I see it all the time, but no-one has told me why. Why anyone?

5. My life under a fatwa

Comment #91201 by Watts_Pete on November 27, 2007 at 3:14 pm

She has even begun to touch on the American hard right's preposterous predictions that Muslims are "outbreeding" the continent's traditional populations and will impose sharia law "within decades". When I challenge her on this, she says that "experts" say it is true.

Preposterous in the US perhaps, where the Christians usually do a pretty good job of breeding too - but certainly not in Europe. US Christofascists arent quite in the same league as the Islmofascists, but are "touching" on it. They're quite fond of mutilating male genitals, albeit to a lesser extent - historically they've mutilated female genitals too. they hate gay ppl. they expect women to be subservient. some of them even practice polygamy. If the Christianists get total control, they may well start advocating the death penalty for homosexuality and perhaps even adultery (by women) - again. Certainly harsh punishment.

So the US safe from Islamism by Christianism is hardly good news.

Here we dont even have that. I'm a pessimist. It's the tide of history. civilizations flourish from barbarism and become progressive and liberal. Women are emancipated, free to choose who by and whether and when to have children, and often choose not to - and the civilization is overrun by the barbarians. Luckily ours should last me out.

P

6. My life under a fatwa

Comment #91200 by Watts_Pete on November 27, 2007 at 2:53 pm

Ayaan is my heroin,

but thanks to the mutilators

I can't get my coc aine.