1. The Religion of Peace Strikes Again

Comment #297686 by Gregg Townsend on December 5, 2008 at 11:48 am

1434. Comment #297656 by Gregg Townsend

Let me see if I can express myself better.

An idea has been forming in my mind (these things take time in the mentally challenged) about how we all may get to equality in marriage. I’ve been saying for sometime that people probably wouldn’t support their own opposite gender parents being married if they were to think of it terms of their parents “doing it”. It certainly tickles my gag reflex to think (even fleetingly) of my parents in sexual congress. Steve’s comment, several days ago, to Bernstien about the “yuck factor” (or maybe it was ick... I forget) seemed to fit with my earlier thought.

It seems most people think of their parent’s marriage as a binding commitment to love. As Keith Olberman pointed out in his op-ed piece on the subject, why would anyone be opposed to that for everyone?

If we all were to stop using language that brings intimate action to mind, perhaps the folks with hang-ups would get over it...

2. The Religion of Peace Strikes Again

Comment #297675 by Gregg Townsend on December 5, 2008 at 11:19 am

I think I've mentioned before, but Mrs. Townsend loves her Kindle. She would recommend it to anyone... if they can afford it. I personally agree with decius's characterization of its price point.

3. The Religion of Peace Strikes Again

Comment #297656 by Gregg Townsend on December 5, 2008 at 10:51 am

Yes gentlemen. The goal, as I see it, is to call marriage, well, marriage. Gender be damned.

-edit- But Baron Scarpia was correct about my meaning. I'm just not as good at communication as he is.

4. The Religion of Peace Strikes Again

Comment #297650 by Gregg Townsend on December 5, 2008 at 10:40 am

Just a crazy thought;

Because we are dealing with the "yuck factor" as Steve puts it, maybe the vernacular should be "same gender marriage".

It could be the opponents to equality are hung-up on the word sex. (?)

5. Richard Dawkins and Aubrey Manning

Comment #296484 by Gregg Townsend on December 3, 2008 at 4:53 pm

Josh and Richard, thank you very much indeed.

6. The Religious Support Behind Proposition 8

Comment #291277 by Gregg Townsend on November 26, 2008 at 8:43 am

1263. Comment #291269 by DarwinsPitbull

*comes out of lurking mode*

That has to be the most irrational position I've ever heard! -edit- And, frankly I don't believe there is a person with such a view... you may be telling the truth but until I spoke with someone who actually thought that way, I feel justified in being skeptical. -edit-

Bernstein is a close second though.

7. Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God

Comment #290697 by Gregg Townsend on November 25, 2008 at 4:49 pm

Gotta agree with Mitchell here and secondsoprano is close.

I'm more a Corinne Bailey Rae or Annie Lennox fan...

Taste is subjective I guess.

8. Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God

Comment #290670 by Gregg Townsend on November 25, 2008 at 3:49 pm

Titania,

By the way, my condolences on your loss.

Bret Favre is the anti-christ!

9. Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God

Comment #290660 by Gregg Townsend on November 25, 2008 at 3:40 pm

1046. Comment #290659 by Steve Zara

[laugh] No way!

10. Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God

Comment #290654 by Gregg Townsend on November 25, 2008 at 3:36 pm

Was anyone else holding their breath while watching Decius's link... waiting for the horror to start?

11. Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God

Comment #290644 by Gregg Townsend on November 25, 2008 at 3:29 pm

Steve and Brian,

I've never really thought of cats as amoral... more like the only morality that matters is theirs. Once you understand you're there only for their pleasure, they can be quite pleasurable! Still, the 4:30 a.m. wakings (so I'll move my legs out of her sleeping spot) can be annoying... I'll give Brian that one.

-edit-

Decius,

Cool link, other than the sappy song.

12. Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God

Comment #290636 by Gregg Townsend on November 25, 2008 at 3:15 pm

1027. Comment #290634 by Wosret

Mitchell,

I may never know "What it is like to experience a cat's consciousness" but that won't stop Maggie (my cat) from trying to make me understand. :)

13. Is Obama the Antichrist?

Comment #287402 by Gregg Townsend on November 20, 2008 at 6:04 am

103. Comment #287400 by CaptainMandate

GALAHAD:
Look, let me go back in there and face the peril.

LAUNCELOT:
No, it's too perilous.

14. Atheism, a positive pillar

Comment #285794 by Gregg Townsend on November 17, 2008 at 3:56 pm

Flying Goose,

Let me also throw out my respect and admiration for your honesty. Many people have posted here with varying degrees of belief and all (that I recall) have tried to justify their belief with bad evidence. I have consistently called for the believers to admit that faith doesn't necessarily make sense but that they are comfortable with that. None have except you. Thank you.

Of course I could be misunderstanding you :)

Phil,

I really liked this imagery:

Trees were more beautifully themselves now that they weren't the colour of Monday as well.

15. Educated Catholics have sown dissent and confusion in the Church, claims bishop

Comment #285417 by Gregg Townsend on November 17, 2008 at 6:41 am

85. Comment #285385 by phatbat

phatbat,

I've always interpreted 'know' as 'guess', i.e., "I know God is watching over us." was always, "I'm guessing..." But your example is probably much closer to what they are really saying... they feel... or wish, maybe? Man, to be shown the error of my thinking is one of the great reasons for reading this site. Thanks.

16. Catholic bishops warn Obama they'll fight on abortion: Statement to focus on 'opposing evil'

Comment #282662 by Gregg Townsend on November 12, 2008 at 2:22 pm

Frankus and Steve,

I'm convinced that debate and general consensus is society's only chance for an agreement on abortion. I wish science could settle the argument for us but this article has convinced me that it can't.

-edit for spelling

17. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #282527 by Gregg Townsend on November 12, 2008 at 11:25 am

Every person who makes money off creating music with electric guitars, should have more taken from them since the electric guitar was created by the advances in science.

18. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #281346 by Gregg Townsend on November 10, 2008 at 7:34 am

MPhil,

I agree. The emphasis shouldn't be on 'less government' but on better government. Having a bureaucrat for a partner has taught me that most professional public administrators are just as concerned about wasteful government as the average citizen. Unqualified elected officials cause most of the problems (in my opinion).

Education of the electorate to elect qualified officials would go a long way toward efficiency... as the Sarah Palin fiasco clearly shows.

19. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #281337 by Gregg Townsend on November 10, 2008 at 7:14 am

Tyler,

My wife is a bureaucrat. Where does that put me?!

20. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #281334 by Gregg Townsend on November 10, 2008 at 7:11 am

Al,

Next time you're in Salt Lake, let me know and you can come by the house for a Guiness or a Spaten. No need to drink near beer in Utah if you know how to get around. :)

21. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #281322 by Gregg Townsend on November 10, 2008 at 6:29 am

All,

I'm not a Libertarian nor do I play one on TV, but to be fair; I've never known a Libertarian who was opposed to infrastructure building and control by government... they just want it to be local government so they will have a greater voice in what gets done. My opinion is they are mistaken.

Most will spout the DP mantra that Federal Government should only be in the business of National Defense. When I say, "What about the Judiciary?" is when the arguments ensue.

Also, anecdotally, most Libertarians I've met have been atheist or at least irreligious. That's not so bad.

Tyler and r2s,

Come on, America isn't that bad... is it? I could show you a good time even in Salt Lake City.

22. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280485 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 3:32 pm

990. Comment #280475 by Nairb

Yeah, DP likes to throw things like that around presumably with the intent to belittle and ridicule. For my part, I think the title fits. Obama is the leader, and I have some affection for him; thus he is 'dear' to me.

Capitalism is an efficient game of wealth creation [snip]

23. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280432 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 2:01 pm

Roger,

Yes, but the pig has lipstick!

24. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280429 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 1:56 pm

969. Comment #280424 by DarwinsPitbull

You also have to add the taxes the employers will have to pay, especially since dear leader will be raising them.

25. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280426 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 1:47 pm

967. Comment #280419 by Tyler Durden

His was an oversimplistic view, funny that!

26. Bad Faith Awards 2008: Vote now

Comment #280420 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 1:41 pm

I went with Governors of St. Monica's. Cervical cancer is nothing to be trifled with.

27. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280414 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 1:34 pm

Bonzai,

What you say makes sense and the article seems strange to me as well. My only point was, there is conflicting reports (evidence) and you could probably find a report to support any opinion you had.

During the Clinton administration I was interested in the subject and back then most of the reports I read claimed a correlation between minimum wage increases and unemployment with no correlation between minimum wage increases and decreases in poverty.

I guess what I'm saying is; I've seen no conclusive evidence that increasing minimum wage is a magic bullet to decreasing poverty and that DP may have had a point.

I'm open to evidence from both sides.

28. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280403 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 1:11 pm

Tyler,

I know, weird huh? My brother, who is a forensic accountant, claims that raising minimum wages is a sure fire way to cool demand for low price products (he assumes the employer will raise prices). But, every time minimum wages go up, another fucking Walmart opens anyway.

By the way, I've never set foot in a Walmart in my life (just in case anyone cares) :)

29. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280398 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 12:51 pm

954. Comment #280396 by Tyler Durden

"For Washington state's most vulnerable workers, many of whom have remained in depressed localities after business and industry have left the area, raising the minimum wage will deprive them of the jobs, training and increased earnings they so obviously need. This is surely not what supporters of indexing the state minimum wage intended."

The above was taken from an opinion page of someone who works at the orginization you linked too. Like I said, conflicting reports.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/153901_unemploy26.html

30. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280397 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 12:43 pm

Tyler,

Correlation. Proving causation (it seems to me) would be next to impossible.

As far as I know, over all unemployment isn't necessarily effected. The studies were for the workers who would be employed at that level (overwhelmingly teens). In essence, employers typically cut back on the amount of employees when minimum wages go up. They feel their labor costs at that level are fixed...

edit-

Bonzai,

I don't know (I admit). Some have been right-wing, some left, some independent. Most are inconclusive which feels about right to me.

31. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280384 by Gregg Townsend on November 7, 2008 at 12:21 pm

Ok, at the risk of getting flamed; DP probably has a point here.

The majority of U.S. studies (except for the three studies the Clinton administration used) I've read on the effects of raising minimum wages indicates a direct correlation between minimum wage increases and unemployment in the teenage worker group (the majority of minimum wage earners in the U.S.) Also, I've never read a study that concludes minimum wage increases reduce poverty; in fact most are inconclusive.

32. Gay Marriage Outlawed in California

Comment #279134 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 3:16 pm

10. Comment #279105 by Backslidden

Uh oh, Appleby is back.

Consenting, adult contributors to society's stability is why marriage should be recognized without discrimination.

Your comparisons to child sodomy is wrong on so many levels.

33. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #279121 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 3:00 pm

724. Comment #279117 by Brian English

Brian,

Until very recently (the beginning of 2008), US Citizens didn't need a passport to travel to Canada or Mexico, a simple driver's license would do. I still don't think we need one for Canada but we do for Mexico.

34. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #279096 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 2:31 pm

Also I don't care if people hate my tone,

35. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278956 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 12:51 pm

Alan Baylis,

I was trying to respond to this by liberalartist.

will the Republican party be dominated by Palin and her supporters

36. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278926 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 12:19 pm

634. Comment #278922 by al-rawandi

So, because others think you're wrong and pessimistic it naturally follows that they aren't thinking clearly?

Come on al, you could be wrong. Yes?

37. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278921 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 12:12 pm

Hey, my fellow Americans (don't you just hate that saying?) Obama's election has reaped benefits already; a stranger's kiss.

I liked this article.

liberalartist,

If they do, they'll deserve loosing the support of a man like McCain.

38. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278911 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 11:56 am

Bonzai,

During McCain's concession, I found myself wishing he had picked a better running mate and would have spoken to the voters with that much candor and integrity. It could have been such a better issue-based race. Just like Al Gore in 2000, why did it take defeat to bring out the best in him?

39. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278882 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 11:07 am

DP,

History is currently showing that dems are mostly responsible for this economic mess.

40. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278868 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 10:57 am

589. Comment #278855 by annabanana

Good point. This is why you must continue to post here; reason.

For my part, I'm gullible... or at least I was when I was younger. The fact that my first inclination is to believe what I hear has lead to some serious backstabbing (I was the recipient) in my past. For self-preserving reasons, I've learned to be skeptical. I must give some serious thought to why I believe some things said by the President-elect and not others. It is an interesting question and probably has more to do with me than him.

-edited

41. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278842 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 9:51 am

573. Comment #278837 by al-rawandi

...can I trust you with our money?

42. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278827 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 9:23 am

Al,

Let's you and I start a fiscal conservative, social liberal, Science Party. You get to be the Party Boss and I'll be the Treasurer. mmmkay?

43. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278818 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 9:12 am

556. Comment #278815 by al-rawandi

Al,

I thought he said, "No nude Texans!"

44. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278817 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 9:10 am

554. Comment #278813 by Steve Zara

The responses to Science Debate 2008, possible Supreme Court nominations, foreign respect, foreign policy, Sarah Palin, public speaking style, and (I'm just being honest) the fact that his mother was atheist are the reasons I chose Obama. I'm hopeful (sorry Al) that America chose well.

There are important differences, but I'm still suspicious of who President-elect Obama is beholding to because of donations. It's just a by-product of living in America.

45. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278812 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 8:59 am

Zeroangel,

I like killjoys! Remember, paranoia is just another word for heightened reality.

46. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278800 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 8:30 am

Al,

You've been saying 'corporate candidates' for months, and for my part I tend to agree with you. Not because I have any evidence or because I think you know what you're talking about, but for the irrational reason that I don't trust easily and I become more cynical as I age.

I've been meaning to ask you, what is it you mean by that and what lead you to that opinion? We're told (by the press) that Obama doesn't recieve corporate donations and has built his support $10 at a time from everyday folks...

I've said why I don't trust that, why don't you?

-edit for clarity

47. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278754 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 6:16 am

508. Comment #278747 by al-rawandi

Al,

Yes, you are right to point out that particular shame.

I am also worried that if Cali can have an amendment that discriminates... which state is next? What about US Constitutional amendment?

48. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278745 by Gregg Townsend on November 5, 2008 at 5:51 am

*Phew*

Well, we did it. Americans rose above our mistakes and historical prejudices and picked the best candidate (in my opinion) in spite of petty concerns for the color of skin. I was really worried.

We may have been the first country to elect a minority to our highest office but I still envy the rest of the world for not having to put up with "god bless..." etc.

Next hurdle; religion!

49. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #278015 by Gregg Townsend on November 4, 2008 at 10:44 am

567. Comment #278010 by hungarianelephant

My posts are intended as a grumble about the wretched state of so-called democratic politics,...

50. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #277990 by Gregg Townsend on November 4, 2008 at 10:25 am

18. Comment #277985 by DarwinsPitbull

I voted for the white guy... well, he's half-white anyway. Now, I had better reasons than race as motivation; for instance, his running-mate isn't Sarah Palin.

:)