101. The OUT Campaign has its own Flea!

Comment #106926 by AshtonBlack on January 3, 2008 at 5:32 pm

Personally, I think it's a little over pedantic to equate "more complex" with "most DNA". The only thing counting chromasones aids it age, not social, anthrapomorphic comparisons. (Spelling is an issue, sorry, I'm drunk.)

"Higher Animals" is a, to me, a perfectly fine term, to decribe intellegent behaviour.

Defining "gay" relationships, is difficult, in a non-human context. However, it's not only common, in my humble reading, but also accepted in "nature".

102. The OUT Campaign has its own Flea!

Comment #106916 by AshtonBlack on January 3, 2008 at 5:16 pm

Seriously what utter cunts.

This is after several pints of the good stuff... my bloody hell this is the best point I've heard in this discussion (apart from Steve Z. Respect to you, sir.)

103. Mother Nature is Not Our Friend

Comment #106128 by AshtonBlack on January 2, 2008 at 11:51 am

The gay Star Trek character was the Enterprise helmsman:
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/cast/69078.html

Tut....Tut.... the CHARACTER was not gay, the actor was. I don't think there was an overtly gay character in any of the incarnations.

104. Mother Nature is Not Our Friend

Comment #105946 by AshtonBlack on January 2, 2008 at 7:38 am

And if good hearted utopianists like yourself were in charge of it, I wouldn't bat an eye.

But, we live in the real world, full of greedy little control freaks, and arrogant fevered egos.

Gives me legitimate cause for worry.

Couldn't have said it better!!!

105. Mother Nature is Not Our Friend

Comment #105855 by AshtonBlack on January 2, 2008 at 1:27 am

*insert expletive here*
Typical I create a witty, thoughtful post and I forget to copy it before I get timed out.....

EDIT: maybe nihilistic wasn't the best word for me to use. Maybe "timorous" or "overly-vigilant" would fit better.

Thanks for the edit, Xdrive. I'm certainly not a nay-sayer and I would argue that it's caution with rational controls, such as a much more stringent patent system, (a topic for another thread I think.)that would allow progress without, for want of a better word, gouging.

Anyway, I normally find Sam H insightful and eloquent. I just think that on this we should think before jumping in with both feet.

106. Mother Nature is Not Our Friend

Comment #105814 by AshtonBlack on January 1, 2008 at 9:27 pm

time will remove the effect corporate greed, political struggles etc.

*chuckles* Would you like to make a bet?

107. Mother Nature is Not Our Friend

Comment #105809 by AshtonBlack on January 1, 2008 at 9:16 pm

Serdan,
I think it boils down to a matter of "trust". You trust that Multi-national/Government organisations won't exploit the potentials for their own survival. For example, what if a gene sequence was discovered that changed behaviour in say, social situations, that made us crave to "fit in", to agree with the majority or respect authority.
I personally am not so sure. Look at the controlling influence of modern mass media.

On a side note, I'm currently reading a sci-fi book on this very subject... Next by Micheal Crichton. A little light perhaps, but has some very interesting speculation on the potential pit falls of handning this type of knowledge to a corpocarcy.

108. Mother Nature is Not Our Friend

Comment #105803 by AshtonBlack on January 1, 2008 at 9:00 pm

Greetings,

I "kind of" agree with Diacanu on this subject.
The subjective decision as to "what is fit" is more likely to be made by those that control the patents for the gene in question and that leads to "what is most profitable", be it large research universities or drug companies.
I wouldn't trust any "for profit" outfit to make a decision of that magnitude, to have MY best interests at heart.

109. Carl Sagan's COSMOS begins airing on Jan 8th

Comment #104782 by AshtonBlack on December 29, 2007 at 12:19 pm

I came to "Cosmos" late, but along with the first season of James Burke's "Connections" it is one of the few that I watch over and over again. Classic, thoughtful TV. THIS is why TV was invented. Oh, and I agree with the poster that said "Cosmos II!"

110. Pope's exorcist squads will wage war on Satan

Comment #104610 by AshtonBlack on December 29, 2007 at 2:02 am

He does have an uncanny resemblance to The Emperor in the Star Wars films in that photograph.

If he looks evil, and he speaks evil ....

fear is the path to the dark side. fear leads to anger. anger leads to hate. hate leads to suffering. ~ yoda.

Edit: I think I'm going nuts (or possibly possesed) 'cos I don't remember editing the above comment. The original was: "Hum the Imperial March" when looking at the photo..... Well it made me chuckle!

111. 'Atheistic fundamentalism' fears

Comment #102252 by AshtonBlack on December 22, 2007 at 7:40 am

Utter, utter drivel. Cry me a river, Bish.