1. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #178649 by babrock on May 11, 2008 at 8:21 pm

This may not be that significant a part of t fathers motivations but w/ t daughters 'affair' being w/ a member of an occupying army, there is at least some similarity to t behavior of French partisans who performed similar acts upon Frenchwomen who had had affairs w/ German troops.
That they waited until t Germans left does not speak to their courage. While our (t allies) occupying armies did not allow this, it was often winked at.

How much this motive drove this mans actions I donot know. His religion gives him more of an excuse for boasting of killing her for religious reasons. The Brits might well arrest him, if he exclaimed that he had killed her for political reasons. This way tho, they will feel a need to be sensitive to his religious motives.

2. Justice In The Brain: Equity And Efficiency Are Encoded Differently

Comment #178638 by babrock on May 11, 2008 at 7:52 pm

I know this is cheating but basically my take is t same as Unregistered. I would screw t one child, while providing t most meals.
Then do what I could to get as much food snuck to t screwed child, as there is more food available than otherwise this part should not be too hard.

Also this is very similar to t experiment that Michel Shermer was talking about last I heard him talk (similar except w/o t brain scanning anyway).

Interesting regardless.

3. Richard Dawkins interviewed by John Humphrys on Cardinal Murphy O'Connor

Comment #177559 by babrock on May 9, 2008 at 9:58 am

"I wish we had more time"
Well, why don't you?

Once again t "that is not my god " game, that is being played by both religious moderates and fundamentalists, is pointed out.
Sure, if 'god' is defined down to 'our belief in god', then he/she/it exists.
That is not t god of my baptist mom or any other fundamentalist. And vice-versa, people who belive in only that amorphous idea of god would be loath to claim much connection w/ t baptist god.

A related point, if god is defined down that narrowly, then, Richard is right, I donot see how anyone could say that it should be afforded any special privileges.
How is that any different than my belief that t N.O. Saints will win t next Superbowl or that libertarianism is t best politial idea.

4. My Response to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Comment #177267 by babrock on May 8, 2008 at 8:43 pm

Another knock on Richard here. Tho this one is only a tiny nit really.
Richard said Hitler had nothing god to say. That isnot quite true, as one of my favorite quotes is attributed to him.
How much this is a paraphrase , I donot know precisely. It was at least translated from German.

"One Should never accept t excuse that one canot obtain ones goal because of t circumstances. The trick is to change t circumstances."

Not that having uttered that makes up for any of his deeds, but I have always liked that.

5. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #175410 by babrock on May 5, 2008 at 11:05 am

Sam gets a rather large amount of critisism for racism, for taking positions just like what he is taking here. I try to be flexible and to imagine how different positions, that I donot agree w/ (just like that one there, that Sam is a racist) could posibly be true.
Try as I might, I am not able to bend over enuf to see things as do people critisizing Sam. He, as always, is t model of reasonableness, open and tolerant of all things accept intolerance ocasionally.
The most that can be said, for those opposing Sam, is that t question of when and when not to tollerate intollerance is a tricky one, best answered on a case by case basis. How one gets from that, across t chasm, to that Sam's intolleranc of Islamic intolleranc being wrong is totaly beyond me. In fact I think it can only be done w/ willful blindness and ignorance of t hypocracy involved.
" You are wrong for critisizing me for beating my woman" is just one example. Against that Sam' reasonableness is unquestioned.

6. Research Volunteers Needed

Comment #175344 by babrock on May 5, 2008 at 9:33 am

Probably not much more than minor nitpicking here , but I had t same problem that MPhil had w/a question or few.
"Do you believe that jesus was born naturaly?" or something to that effect. The question was totaly unclear on t caveat or condition of wheather he existed in t 1st place.
Regardless, simply responding w/ "I don't know" sufficed.

7. Shaw TV Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #175099 by babrock on May 4, 2008 at 11:57 am

There we go.
It started right up.
It just took some time.
On t off chance that it was due to anyones actions, thanks.

8. Shaw TV Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #175086 by babrock on May 4, 2008 at 11:17 am

I canot make it go, damnit.
This happens occasionaly.
I wait.
And later on everything runs just fine.
I am way too computer illiterate to understand, in t least, why this or anything else happens as it does. I am simply grateful that it does when it does.

9. The Neanderthal Debate

Comment #175003 by babrock on May 4, 2008 at 5:13 am

Just want to say thanx for putting this one up. I quite liked it. I was particularly pleased w/ his clearing up t did 'saps breed w neandertals' question.

10. Truly Bizarre : Indians Throw Babies 50ft From Roof To Thank God.

Comment #175000 by babrock on May 4, 2008 at 5:01 am

At least they used a sheet.
The sheet was not at all evident from t initial headline or opening shot. I just thought they might have been killing babies for a while.Religion has caused stranger things. Tho none come to mind imediatly.

11. Bill Good Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #174820 by babrock on May 3, 2008 at 3:34 pm

Teratornis
I thank you for saying that about our position on t "What about Stalin?" question and I thank you for putting it well.
I timed out twice trying to put it 1/2 as well as you did and just to agree w/ you on that issue in general. Three times is more than i care to attempt so I will simply leave it at this.

12. Was the new finger a 'natural' miracle?

Comment #174656 by babrock on May 3, 2008 at 4:51 am

"Proff Minger said 'When a finger is re-attached the nerves don't re-grow and people have no sense of pressure or pain.'"
I know a guy who had 1 1/2 of his hands re- attached. I am not t one experiencing life w/ t re-attached hand but t guy is an auto mechanic. Other than tennis player or brain surgion there are not too many tasks that require more "sense of pressure or pain".
What in t world is Proff Minger saying? I donot get it at all.

13. Bill Good Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #173861 by babrock on May 1, 2008 at 9:52 am

Goodnes, that pisses me off. 1st I timed out. then I post it befor it is finished.
Anyway
Ann Frank stated in her story how t prisoner barracks were rife w/ fleas, which of course made them miserable. The advanage to this was that it also made t guards miserable. They, having t choice, stayed out of t barracks.This gave t prisoners more opportunities to plot, pray, or find a pathway to escape.
This story struck me as making a fair amount of sence. The question remaining, is how does a faithead go from this, fleas, to repeated manmade genocide, wasps using another living organism as t host for their offspring, or any of t other widespread instances of suffering or injustice.

14. Bill Good Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #173845 by babrock on May 1, 2008 at 9:37 am

Coolwater or anyone else interested in t "Why evil and suffering exist?", Here is something I remember from Sunday school decades ago on t subject.

15. Science leads to killing people

Comment #173665 by babrock on May 1, 2008 at 4:36 am

I am rather new to t inernet, having moved into t late 20th century only 1/2 year ago.
One of t first things, that I managed to come upon tho was Thundrefoot's "Why people laff at creationists". "1000 Years of Creationists Accomplishments" I like even better. I wondered why these were not displayed on t Dawkins site. And I am glad to see that finaly they are.

16. Bill Good Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #173659 by babrock on May 1, 2008 at 4:22 am

Another minor thing here. This one in our favor.
Bw022 noted t moron going on about t flagelum, and asking how he could be so stupid. That is a common occurence. As they know that they are right, as they have god on their side, they donot have to bother w/ actualy being right. They just blather on, having faith.
Not that this will do us much good in arguing w/creationists. It is handy in an arguement w/ a judge.

17. Bill Good Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #173655 by babrock on May 1, 2008 at 4:05 am

Mr. Zara
1st off, pardon t previos post, bad typing skills, ect. ect.
I remember reading oe of your posts where you stated that you were/had been working as a scientist. As you are probably t only scientist named Steve, that I at all know, yours was t name that I looked for on Bentleyd's Steve list.
And your name was not on t list.
The list went up by two,to 879, since Bentleyd checked. Maybe you are one of those two. Maybe you said you had been and presently your creds are not current. It's definetly not my business or is it a big thing. I just noticed t absence of your name is all.

18. Bill Good Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #173654 by babrock on May 1, 2008 at 3:49 am

Mr. Zara

19. Soldier Sues Army, Saying His Atheism Led to Threats

Comment #169782 by babrock on April 26, 2008 at 7:26 pm

I spend, at least, a fair amount of time here at this site, bitching and whining about t relatively small amount of crap that I get for being an atheist and I see here yet again someone else who has to go thru an incomparably larger amount of crap, sometimes a heroic amount of crap, and I figure I should consider myself fortunate. Keep on fighting t good fight.

20. Mount Vernon schools to hire investigator in Bible case

Comment #169396 by babrock on April 26, 2008 at 1:14 am

That was amazingly easy. I am still not used to how incredible this magical devise is.

I think I was wrong. It seems it was not Ga. but Ohio after all.

21. Mount Vernon schools to hire investigator in Bible case

Comment #169394 by babrock on April 26, 2008 at 1:07 am

Not that this affects t severity of t infraction but I am curios where this occurred. both Mt. Vernon and Columbus ubiquitous here in Merca. My wife said she knew of a Columbus in Ga. as well as t one in Ohio.
We here do not have t variation of India or t old USSR w/ major language and cultural differences but t laws and social mores do vary from state to state.
Also we have hundreds, if not thousands, of newspapers so I am not familiar w/ t Dispatch.
This sounds like something that I would expect from here in t bible belt, so I would guess Georgia.

I am sure it could be checked tho I donot know that I am computer savey enuf to do it.

22. Judge orders La. school district to stop Bible giveaways

Comment #169320 by babrock on April 25, 2008 at 7:08 pm

Again I apologize for t lack of proof reading. Onlonger posts it is a problem w/ me w t time thing like I said.
One more thing tho for dav again.
I wish I knew how to do block quotes, but earlyer you were attacking someone for being intolerant.
When to tolerate intolerance is a bit of a sticky question.
My answer has been that it needs to be decided on a case by case basis, which is pretty similar to saying I have no answer.
We do a lot of argueing here plenty of it rather petty so I donot want to hold you to a higher standard than anyone else but while I donot see t dragonfire post you were complaining about, I would be willing to bet that t intolerance you were complaining about was like i said, intolerance of intolerance.

23. Judge orders La. school district to stop Bible giveaways

Comment #169313 by babrock on April 25, 2008 at 6:52 pm

Oh, and Philip1978 and Corylus said that David Robertson was here.
I just read "The Dawkins Letters" I am glad it was not too long. that is t best thing to be said for it. If one took out all t parts that are wrong t rest could fit on t inside covers.

I read it as a trade of w/ my mom, who is to read "Christian Nat" by Sam.
I can remember most of t points you made that had some validity. there were not that many. Yes, we here on this site can be fawning and illogical ect on occasion. You complained about us at least three times . On t other hand those three instances doubled t times you had a point. Yes Hitler and Stalin were bad. personaly I agree w/ you that we give ourselves a bit too much of a pass on this. Yes t universe is an incredibly incredible place and science does not yet have t big bang figured out completely such that some of t theories are bizarre. I think you had 1 or 2 other point that all together donot do much of anything to proove gods existence or necesity or goodness or anything.

IN fact If this is t best that can be argued for his defence then i think that I am more sure that he must not exist than befor I read your book if this is t best that one can seriously do.

24. Judge orders La. school district to stop Bible giveaways

Comment #169300 by babrock on April 25, 2008 at 6:26 pm

I should have proofread that better. sorry
Proofreading takes time and time increases t chance that I time out. I time out on an incredible number of posts and usually then get discouraged and blow t whole thing off.
And yes, I should use text editor, but I 've never understood whatever instructions get on that .

25. Judge orders La. school district to stop Bible giveaways

Comment #169295 by babrock on April 25, 2008 at 6:18 pm

Tangapohoah Parish is a suburb of New Orleans,where I have been living for 21 of t last 23 years or so.
It is north of t lake., tho to t east a bit of N.O. proper. Katrina came thru to t east so they got hit pretty bad I understand tho being North of t lake they had that extra bit of cover that N.O. east did not have. Large sections of look like katrina hit just a couple mo. ago.

Anyway, while I donot mean to judge others in t same way, but one of t things that t wife and I are particularly proud of is that we have not had kids, who would inevitably be brought up in either a public school like that or a religouse school, hardly any better.

I went to most of mygrade school here in La. and I know that as late as t 70s we were taught a semester of "t bible as literature"
I vaugly remember there being one girl at least who thought it was wrong as we all here do, tho at t time I was a f***head just beginning to question t legitimacy of all that was religouse so it all seemed resonable to me at t time and I think I only just vaugly could understand her problem w/ t whole thing. It didnot occure to me that there should be.

26. Tyrannosaurus rex protein proves dinosaurs evolved into birds

Comment #169215 by babrock on April 25, 2008 at 4:06 pm

I have read a number of statements from f***heads to t effect that evolution is wrong because it doesnot work chemicaly or something to that effect.

I read "The Selfish Gene " a decade or so ago and thought it made so much sence as to be irrefutable for t most part. I am also aware that there are plenty other mountains of evidence in support of evolution.

As such I figured that this chemical statement was either wrong or taken out of context or some thing such that whatever truth there may be to t statement it did not refute evolution.

While I donot claim to understand all t chemical claims regarding biology and evolution(nor do I think that creationists do either), I do think that this puts to rest whatever claim that creationists make regarding whatever chemical reason why evolution is invalid.

27. Interview with Dan Dennett

Comment #169187 by babrock on April 25, 2008 at 3:37 pm

If it is possible could someone get t audio of t sir Winston debate.
I am rather sure they said that they were to run it t next day and we do seem to have what canot be but a small piece of it.

I am so computer illiterate myself that t task is beyond me to t point of being nearly magic, but I would appreciate it if someone else could, thank you.

28. Open Letter to a victim of Ben Stein's lying propaganda

Comment #169135 by babrock on April 25, 2008 at 2:57 pm

moderndaythomas. I am going to take you at your word here and figure you are not joking. I have had and been using my computer here for about 1/2 year now and have yet to figure out t block quote thing yet. I also would like to somehow manage t text editor thing. On t occasions that someone has attempted to explain it to me t explaination needed an explaination.

I do tho share your happyness vicariosly regarding learning t procces, as I am still brimming over recently having figured out how to get these cool white spaces.

And so here I am fixing to post this, hoping I didnot time out once again.

29. Open Letter to a victim of Ben Stein's lying propaganda

Comment #169097 by babrock on April 25, 2008 at 2:43 pm

My initial intention was to again post my "I am sure that their less than beyond reproach position on t truth that they displayed in putting this movie together will be forgiven, as they had good intentions and god was on their side.

I see now that I have missed plenty and feel that I should amend this a little.

Apearently, good intentions and having god on ones side also ensures that one is right in any argument and that one never needs to question oneself while maintaining this position, regardless of t strength of t arguments made against oneself.
Actually, I think it would be an act of blasphemy to do so.

30. Lynchings in Congo as penis theft panic hits capital

Comment #168128 by babrock on April 24, 2008 at 2:40 pm

They got mine too.
It has now been shrunk almost all t way up to my knee.

31. Resentment Over Darwin Evolves Into a Documentary

Comment #165648 by babrock on April 22, 2008 at 1:24 am

I am sure all t shameful behavior on t part of t moviemakers is all for t best in t long run, and whatever faux paus they have comited will be forgiven. They do have god on their side after all.

32. Ben Stein Vs. Sputtering Atheists

Comment #165519 by babrock on April 21, 2008 at 2:51 pm

I can see how from a conservative position there is a liberal bias. It is no more bias than that of theirs. FOX is quite lacking in being able to put out any news at all that is not in a bias form.
But I can see how they mite be frustrated hearing ideas put out by people wo they diagree w/ (liberals) but who donot see t bias. People tend to not see their own biases. It tends to be true of us all.
I remember hearing a story about a Mgovern suporter in 72, who apearently actually thought he was going to win as everyone they knew was voting for him.

That was t one iota of reasonablness that I read in that article.And in all fairness I thought I should note it.

33. Lizards Undergo Rapid Evolution After Introduction To A New Home

Comment #165467 by babrock on April 21, 2008 at 1:50 pm

As I understand it, t only difference btwn micro and macro evolution is time and a matter of degree.

I am also rather confident tho, that as a creationist will understand it, this is merely an example of micro and not macro evolution.

W/ their ability to compartmentalize and obfiscate, I think expecting this to change creationists minds is expecting too much.

And now that I have rechecked, I see that livelycrib, among others, has already come to this same conclusion. So hell, I must be right now.

As Sam says tho "all we have are converstions"
W/ facts,evidence and converstion, there is at least always hope.

34. Religion is 'the new social evil'

Comment #165071 by babrock on April 21, 2008 at 2:57 am

Goldy
At t risk of looking like an idiot( I am sure it is neither t 1st or last time), I'd like to ask, What is that Jim London quote in that box? Where is it from? Who is Jim London? ect.

Useally, text in a box, like that (another thing I still have not yet learned to do, btw) is something that someone has previosly posted, or it is from t initial article. I looked but did not see it either place.

As such, it seems to me some random statement by some random guy put there for no reason. I am fairly sure I am wrong on all those and that you have a good reason for putting it there, and that I am just ignorent regarding t reasons is why I am asking.

35. EXPELLED!

Comment #164216 by babrock on April 19, 2008 at 6:04 pm

I just listened to t M. Shermer's interview and thoght I should put this out there.
It is a damned if you do, damned if you donot thing, but one does have to wonder, at least, if PZ's posting, about getting expelled, is not just more publicity for t movie. T TV adds seem to be playing up all t controversy such that even t charges of theft are all just more ballyhoo.

36. Sex for diploma offer caught on tape

Comment #164210 by babrock on April 19, 2008 at 5:50 pm

To be fair tho, w/ my co-workers, none of this was an abuse of authority at least, which is where I have t biggest problem w/ Mr. Jordan. The hypocrisy is a given.

37. Sex for diploma offer caught on tape

Comment #164201 by babrock on April 19, 2008 at 5:37 pm

I work w/ self professed christians and this type of behavior I have found is rather typical. I have a coworker who is often bragging about his $ for sex offers to a large number of t women we encounter. He graces me w/ details of when his offers are accepted, like w/ both t mother and t daughter(daughters possibly, on that I am not sure) and when they are rejected. I think I am supposed to think he is clever somehow. Tho he also complains about t problems he is having w/ his marriage, problems he blames on his wife.

My other favorite is my co-worker who brags about "only needing to be honest w/ Jebus". Here he was referring to his ex wives.

38. Interviews with Richard Dawkins and Michael Shermer

Comment #164141 by babrock on April 19, 2008 at 3:53 pm

Layla. Yes. I am sure we all wish you t best in your new life, not holding out hope for any help from imaginary friends.

39. Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions

Comment #163672 by babrock on April 18, 2008 at 6:38 pm

Yall have me at several disadvantages here. I mind wasting time on this petty crap. And I type so poorly that a larger number of my posts get timed out.

I will stop using one letter for t definite article when either;
1. Everyone else stops using one letter for what ever they want
(FSM,WTF,LOL,ROFLE, ect. I only know what half of those even mean,let alone all t rest.)
2, I become convinced that one is ok and t other isnot.
3. For t hell of it, I will throw this one in. When t indefinite article in most situations also becomes more than one letter.

I would love to be noticed and admired for my intelegence or cleverness or some thing. I would also easily manage w/o any of that if i am not found to be so particularly.
I would not tho want to wast any more time on this, so excuse me if I try not to any longer.

40. Flea of the week

Comment #163659 by babrock on April 18, 2008 at 6:11 pm

I am getting my mom to read " Letters to a Christian Nation". And I in return am to read "The Dawkins Letters". And yes, Paula is right. It is pointedly wrong on most everything on almost every page. I do not know which 4 she has read but if there is 10x t correctness in any of those books that there is in this one, then there is still not enuf to bother w/ putting pages between t covers of any of them.

I honestly find it unfathomable how someone could be so wrong so often, let alone how anyone would bother to make a book out of it.

41. Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions

Comment #163594 by babrock on April 18, 2008 at 3:24 pm

I asked t question because I was honestly curios and (t spelling police notwithstanding) figured that there should be plenty of people smart enuf to understand t issue better than I did and someone probly would not mind explaining it to me.

T spelling police( and other petty bickering) notwithstanding, I look forward to reading what everyone has to say, whether I am being noticed or ignored.

42. Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions

Comment #163588 by babrock on April 18, 2008 at 3:14 pm

I repeated t question merely to point out that it had not been answered, only talked about. If you thought I was demanding a responce, I apolagise for my part in your confusion. Otherwise feel free to ignore every thing I post. I in turn will not get bent out of shape over people being petty and bitchy.

I apolagise for being poor at typing and spelling. I had a longer, more indepth responce, but I timed out w/ it once again

43. Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions

Comment #163306 by babrock on April 18, 2008 at 7:11 am

My wife says that she has read of there being a tendency for female siblings (like NJS was stating) of gay men to feel t need to make up for t lack of procreativeness in their family. She understood it to be more psychological rather than genetic tho.

Along those same lines, she noted a tendency for couples who adopt because of infertility, to bear a child soon after t adoption. T presure is off.

Neither of these is a genetic issue. Tho in t former case, I think it could explain how whatever "gay" gene there is getting put out there.

44. Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions

Comment #163295 by babrock on April 18, 2008 at 6:39 am

All t discusion regarding procreation involvig gay men not withstanding;I did not get anything like an answer to my question, so I will ask it again.

Is t writer stating that female relitives of gay men are more fertile? Actualy it reads to me like it was a mere hypothisis, one of a few that could explain t presence of "gay" genes. (I realy do not want t start anything on that issue)

I am simply unclear on how much, if at all, t writer is making that assertian.

45. Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions

Comment #162991 by babrock on April 17, 2008 at 7:18 pm

Small question.
W/in t text under t 1st heading "Everything is an adaptation produced by nat. sel." it states "Homosexuality mite be linked to gene variation that increase fertility in females"

Does not this mean that t sisters, mothers and t odd female offspring of gay men should tend to be more fertile than that of non gay men?

I have never heard of any such thing

46. Yoko Ono, Filmmakers Caught in 'Expelled' Flap

Comment #162955 by babrock on April 17, 2008 at 5:53 pm

Not because I simply dislike it and want to see it banned, tho I do have agreat dislike regarding t widespread dishonesty this movie is bassed on, but it would make me very happy to see a part of John Lennon's legacy "stop the release ect," as DasSquid said.

That would be one more thing that he and his ideas could acomplish. As it is to be relesed in only a few short hours, (Isn't it being released tomorrow?) it would be remarkably unlikly.

I think that protecting John's legacy is probably Yoko's #1 goal these days. It is an issue that I also think is more important than what ever Mr. Stein and everyone at t Discovery Institute is whining about. So I am w/ her.

47. Sexpelled: No Intercourse Allowed

Comment #162900 by babrock on April 17, 2008 at 4:26 pm

I usually use t Ptolemaic theory verses t Copernican theory of astronomy to get t point acrossed, but this is vastly superior in just about every way.

Thanx again.

48. Yoko Ono, Filmmakers Caught in 'Expelled' Flap

Comment #162881 by babrock on April 17, 2008 at 4:04 pm

Not that I hold any of these guy in t same league as John Lennon, but,

I would expect Elton John to be upset if some rednecks started using "Philidelphia Freedom" to mean t freedom to kill queers.

Mr. Zimmerman to be upset if "The Times They Are A Changing" to mean thast now it is allowed to bomb churches and abortian clinics.

Woody Guthrie to be upset if "This Land Is Your Land" is to be said to be from t CEO of Exxon to Bill Gates.

Or lastly T Clash to be upset if "Lost In T Supermarket" to be understood merely as a five year old looking for her mother in t canned goods section.

49. Yoko Ono, Filmmakers Caught in 'Expelled' Flap

Comment #162863 by babrock on April 17, 2008 at 3:40 pm

Yes, this pisses me off greatly too, tho I am surprised only a little that t xtians feel compelled to steal for Jebus as well as lie for him.

On Mr. Lennon saying he was religous, I have to belive he was one, bending over backwards in an attempt to accomodate t ungrateful, duplicitous shits.

And more importantly two, that he probably meant only that he was imensly curriose, and interested in t questions, not that he claimed to have any of t answers, when he said he was religouse.

50. Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss

Comment #162568 by babrock on April 17, 2008 at 4:40 am

And I love his "kill religon" remark.
We should get that on our t-shirts rather than t 'A'
For me t 'A' has alwats stood for anarchy.