February 18, 2014

Survey: More Democrats Think Astrology is "Scientific," Fewer Understand The Earth Revolves Around the Sun
— Ace

Aebly digested by Maet last night, a new survey suggests that The Party of Science may not be quite as firm on the concept of science as advertised.

I think this whole argument -- who's "smarter," as an enormous group -- is stupid. And I don't lay that at AllahPundit's feet nor at Maet's; it is the left which endlessly propagates their, um, propaganda that "We're smarter and we love science." Surveys such as this one are discussed on the right not to establish the contrary proposition ("no, we're smarter, and we love science") but to undermine the left's original claim.

It's a stupid argument made by stupid people. I look down on people who attempt to elevate themselves by associating themselves with a larger group which they claim to be "superior" or "elite." I laugh at Ku Klux Klanners who talk up, for example, the accomplishments of the White Race. Absolutely, I'd agree, members of the White race have achieved a great many good and important things, but what the hell has that to do with you, Grand Cyclops, drinking yourself into oblivion as you mutter darkly about how "The Blacks" are keeping you from opening that business you've been talking about for ten years?

The argument of Achievement by Association is always made by the least-achieved members -- and the lowest-ranking members -- of any particular group. It is a low-level MSNBC line producer who will say something along the lines of "Liberals (implicitly: "such as myself") are much more creative and talented, as proven by all the great liberal directors, such as Steven Spielberg."

You will never hear Steven Spielberg say "Liberals are much more creative and talented, as proven by this low-level MSNBC line producer I never heard of and doubt I ever will."

The entire argument is made from a position of, essentially, admitted failure, or at least of admitted non-achievement.

I cannot tell you how many times I've heard someone on the left say something along the lines of members of the left being superior, because there are so many funny comedians who are left-leaning.

This argument is nearly always made by someone who is resolutely unfunny, born with a congenital immunity to humorousness of any kind.

Many members of this sad clade believe that appending an exclamation point or three to any sarcastic sentence -- "Conservatives sure love kids before they're born!!!" -- transmutes it not only into a joke, but a joke that is strong enough to be written in a permanent medium and endure, if not forever, at least until we abandon the internet in favor of BrainGrams or whatever.

And here now the news that more liberals/Democrats seem to think that astrology just might have something to it, and maybe this Nicolaus Copernicus feller was all wet.

What accounts for this? Is it just that they don't understand the important difference a few letters make in the words "astrology" and "astronomy"? Even if that's the case, that's hideously embarrassing.

And what could possibly account for the failure to have heard, at this late, that the earth revolves around the sun, rather than the reverse?

The differences on these questions, by political ideology, are not great. The more important takeaway, I think, is this: "Holy Long Discredited Superstition, a large number of Americans believe in astrology."

One difference, I think, is this: I have known a fair number of very intelligent women who believe, sort of, in either astrology or some other nonsense magic or pseudoscience. It is my experience that men buy into this less, and women more.

And, as I say, smart women buy into this. Women I would never ever call "dumb" or anything like that. But there does seem to be (at least in my experience) and openness to Dumb Stuff like astrology among women, even women who are otherwise keenly intelligent and well-informed.

I imagine there is a large psychological factor here, rivaling other factors such as natural intelligence and education. And for whatever reason, women seem more psychologically primed to be willing to believe in New Agey type things.

That, I think, accounts for at least some of the difference, by ideology, given that women skew liberal.

So while I would not join the sad, unaccomplished left in plumping for "The Right's superior understanding of science," I will indulge myself in a Nelson Muntz "Ha, ha!" at the finding that the Party of Science What Loves Science and Sciencey Things is more likely than the general public to believe that astrology is a scientific science, and less likely than the general public to have gotten late word that Copernicus was right.

Posted by: Ace at 07:18 AM | Comments (395)
Post contains 806 words, total size 5 kb.

1 The fuck you say, I wouldn't have known any of that in flyover country.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at February 18, 2014 07:21 AM (HVff2)

2 They don't read books; they just parrot what they're told.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at February 18, 2014 07:21 AM (Y92Nd)

3 Hey, when the planets line up in a row, something will happen!


Posted by: EC at February 18, 2014 07:22 AM (GQ8sn)

4 Yessir, you are correct.

Posted by: profligatewaste at February 18, 2014 07:22 AM (R3JkO)

5 Liberals think the Earth revolves around THEM.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 18, 2014 07:23 AM (7ObY1)

6 Yeah, I'd like to see the numbers broken out by sex.  You know the people who did it have them too.

Posted by: Lemmenkainen, Freelance Warlord at February 18, 2014 07:23 AM (ZWvOb)

7 I saw Sad Clade open for Clannad, Dublin, 1988.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 18, 2014 07:23 AM (7ObY1)

8 I don't know what this post is about, really.  People who believe in liberalism and/or socialism, despite decades of hard evidence that shows that both schools of thought actually make things far worse, are stupid.  I don't know how to nuance that. 

Perhaps they've been conditioned by an overly-liberal popular culture into never questioning anything, but that's still not a good sign of high intelligence.

Posted by: Null at February 18, 2014 07:23 AM (DuH+r)

9 Who believes in Deepak Chopra type stuff?

Posted by: EC at February 18, 2014 07:25 AM (GQ8sn)

10 And there they are in the paper:

MALE 41.5% 449
FEMALE 48.1% 498

Posted by: Lemmenkainen, Freelance Warlord at February 18, 2014 07:25 AM (ZWvOb)

11 Push people into PC degrees like environmental studies, womens' studies, black womens' studies, transgendered squirrel chasing...

and this is what you get.

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:25 AM (x3YFz)

12 Alternative hypothesis: Democrats could be less likely to believe in God, and seeing as they still need something to ascribe the indescribable to (that is to say as humans we're constantly trying to make sense of random chance) they fall back to actual superstitions.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 07:25 AM (GaqMa)

13 I looked over the article yesterday and it is not what I'd call impressive scholarship. The author (a law professor, oddly enough) addressed a very narrow question and imho was pre-disposed to getting this answer. I should check to see if your hypothesis about the results being partly dependent on women leaning liberal is correct. Any decent study of this type would have accounted for that. I completely agree with you about the issue being dumb. And, although you're right it's valid for conservatives to challenge the premise that liberals are the party of science, I'm pretty sure there are other scientific phenomena that conservatives are more likely to reject. The real problem, of course, is that people in general are not able to think as critically as they should. They don't seem to know what they don't know and they don't know to look for primary data (or sources, in the case of news). That makes them easily manipulated and swayed by authoritative-sounding people.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 07:26 AM (zDsvJ)

14 Who believes in Deepak Chopra type stuff? Heard a tale once of someone who read a bit much of his writings and became interested in quantum physics. They then proceeded to obtain a book on quantum physics. First thing they learned? Deepak Chopra is full of $#!+.

Posted by: Brother Cavil at February 18, 2014 07:27 AM (naUcP)

15 Also, African Americans who are close to unanimously Democrat, believe some interesting things, and are more likely to believe even more ludicrous things the more education they have. I wouldn't doubt that contributes to these findings.

Posted by: blaster at February 18, 2014 07:27 AM (4+AaH)

16 Most are over-credentialed Maroons.

At best.

Is it just me? The front page here takes an eternity to load.

Posted by: backhoe at February 18, 2014 07:27 AM (ULH4o)

17 Silly wingnuts. The Earth revolves around me. -Sanctimonious LIV dickhole

Posted by: RWC- at February 18, 2014 07:27 AM (fWAjv)

18 ace, just turn on the TV and go through the 200 channels of brain dead shit that these people watch. Shit I surprised they even know how to wipe their asses. Some of the dumb fucks even believe in ewoks. Morons.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 18, 2014 07:27 AM (0FSuD)

19 transgendered squirrel chasing? Hell, the squirrels are into it now? Damn Tango

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at February 18, 2014 07:28 AM (HVff2)

20 They don't realize that the Earth revolves around the sun because they believe everything revolves around them.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 07:28 AM (gaOtJ)

21 It's Nelson MUNTZ not Munch.  Ha ha!

Posted by: Witchfinder at February 18, 2014 07:28 AM (E1Cat)

22 I find it completely unsurprising that someone who can believe in wholly disproven political theories can also believe in wholly disproven mythology.

I keep thinking back on some liberal chick trying to explain "emotional intelligence" to me.  I was too polite to tell her that it was just another way of saying "I'm dumb, but I don't want to admit it".

Posted by: Dave in Fla at February 18, 2014 07:28 AM (ViC0h)

23 Everyone KNEW the world was flat until Columbus climbed down over the edge and checked.

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at February 18, 2014 07:28 AM (XO6WW)

24 I'm pretty sure there are other scientific phenomena that conservatives are more likely to reject.

___

I'm interested that you say that.  Why did you say that?  Not being confrontational, just asking for an example (I have a few of my own, just wondering why *you* think that).

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:28 AM (x3YFz)

25 Well shit, late to the party again.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 07:28 AM (gaOtJ)

26 Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 11:26 AM (zDsvJ) FWIW the author blogs over at Volokh as well and has a PhD is Psychology or something in that general area in addition to his JD

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 07:29 AM (GaqMa)

27 "A person is smart. People are stupid." Agent K, one of the MIB movies, I forget which... Exhibit Numero Uno - the 52% that elected TFG. I rest my case.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at February 18, 2014 07:29 AM (0HooB)

28

Just for argument's sake, I have a theory that makes some of astrology plausible.  Not the Venus in retrograde part, but the time of year you're born. 

 

In the first year of life you experience short dark days getting longer and brighter, then the reverse, or you experience long bright days getting shorter and dark, then the reverse.  (Or any other combination if you're born around an equinox).  So people who experience circadian imprinting the same way might have similar personality types. 

 

I'm not going to defend this one to the death, I just like having theories.

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at February 18, 2014 07:29 AM (A0sHn)

29 They don't read books; they just parrot what they're told.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at February 18, 2014 11:21 AM (Y92Nd)



After I read that I decided to look in the local library's system to see how many of Mark Levin's books were in the system versus lefty dimwits.  I was heartened to see that the system had more copies of Levin's books than Al Franken's or Bill Ayers' but slightly fewer than Flathead Friedman's.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 18, 2014 07:29 AM (hylEe)

30 heh, miss that Leno "Jay Walking" education by "funny man" segment already.

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 18, 2014 07:30 AM (MhA4j)

31 It's Nelson MUNTZ not Munch. Ha ha!


Good catch!


*points at ace*

Ha ha!


Posted by: EC at February 18, 2014 07:30 AM (GQ8sn)

32 25 Well shit, late to the party again.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 11:28 AM (gaOtJ)

Horse Derves in the corner.

Wanna beer?

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:30 AM (x3YFz)

33 Astroglide pertains to things that slide through the Solar System. The Milky Way Consists of millions and billions of gallons of milk.

Posted by: Womyns Studies Major at February 18, 2014 07:30 AM (32Ze2)

34 This is related. Melissa Clouthier, whom I generally admire, tweeted a link to this 2007 Psychology Today article (which is based on an, at the time unpublished, book). http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200706/ten-politically-incorrect-truths-about-human-nature When I read the article, I saw a lot of assertions and no data (or even citations to data or peer-reviewed research or scholarship). I don't know why this article is circulating now except that it is supposed to be a poke in the eye at feminists. But to me it looks like a piece of garbage. I think we can make our points without citing shoddy research. Just because they do it doesn't mean we should.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 07:30 AM (zDsvJ)

35

Hey Grog, can you believe, those silly  superstitious  Cro Magnons.  They are not science-y like us.  They actually believe that saber tooth tigers will eat you!!! 

 

Grog...? 

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at February 18, 2014 07:30 AM (lHb9q)

36 Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at February 18, 2014 11:29 AM (A0sHn) In theory this would be testable by looking at differences on either side of the equator.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 07:31 AM (GaqMa)

37 I agree, Ace, except for the claim that Achievement by Association arguments are always made by the losers and dregs. That's true of whites, but not true of many other groups. If you hear a white dude ranting about great achievements of the White Man -- yeah, it's probably a mentally ill druggie failure wastoid. But if you hear a black dude ranting about the great achievements of the Black Man it might be Jesse Jackson or LeBron James or Chris Rock or Obama. Successful, respected people. If you hear a hispanic ranting about the great achievements of Latinos, it might be a loser druggie, but it might Latin Grammy night or George Lopez or Antonio Villaraigosa. I don't hear too many respected asian-americans ranting about the glories of the Asian Man, but I hear a lot of respected blacks engaging in the most basest of racial pride talk. And I hear a good # of respected hispanics talking all about the glories of the Latinos.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 07:31 AM (ZPrif)

38 Corky may ride the short bus, but he rides it to that exclusive suburban school; and that makes him smarterer!

Posted by: rd at February 18, 2014 07:31 AM (D+lxs)

39 I imagine there is a large psychological factor here, rivaling other factors such as natural intelligence and education. And for whatever reason, women seem more psychologically primed to be willing to believe in New Agey type things. Ding ding ding ding! I don't really believe in astrology or a whole bunch of other New Agey crap but I sure as hell have a lot of books on, say, numerology and the like. Why? Well, there's a purely academic interest in seeing what people believe and why. But there's also a part of me that's like Beni in the Brendan Fraser Mummy remake with all Beni and all of his various religious symbols. What if? What if there is something there? Just in case, I'm gonna kinda sorta squint at it a little bit. Maybe. Yes, I do think there's some biological basis to that. I'm not sure what or why, but I do. You know what this post needs? That hilarious bit where some group went around to a rally and asked a bunch of Lefties if Obama was a Keynesian and the oh so predictable you birther you responses. Yes, yes, I'm sure it's edited as all hell but it's still funny. For those that didn't see, I posted an update on BC and his grandfather below. Short version is that it is septicemia but his grandfather is responding well to antibiotics already and the outlook is positive. He sends thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at February 18, 2014 07:31 AM (VtjlW)

40 Also, having a degree and being educated ate not necessarily related to intelligence.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 07:31 AM (gaOtJ)

41 19 transgendered squirrel chasing? Hell, the squirrels are into it now? Damn Tango

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at February 18, 2014 11:28 AM (HVff2)

nono... it means the transgendered people are chasing my squirrel brigade.  We've set up punji pits, claymores and razor wire.

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:32 AM (x3YFz)

42 eventually the human race will evolve enough to not believe in astrology. we're halfway there already.

Posted by: X at February 18, 2014 07:32 AM (KHo8t)

43 Posted by: Captain Hate at February 18, 2014 11:29 AM (hylEe) At my local library it seems conservative/conservative leaning books are always checked out. Lot of lib crap left on the shelves.

Posted by: RWC- at February 18, 2014 07:32 AM (fWAjv)

44 H8er!!!   I will  put a spell on you!!!  Oh,  wait.  I don't have that power.

Posted by: Miss Cleo at February 18, 2014 07:32 AM (BAS5M)

45 Bets are on. The "sun orbits the earth" believer also thinks that the world revolves around himself.

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 18, 2014 07:32 AM (MhA4j)

46 Read the linked articles and the percentage of those center to right is more disturbing. Stupidity doesn't just afflict the left.

Posted by: ExSnipe at February 18, 2014 07:32 AM (LKJt3)

47 >>>In the first year of life you experience short dark days getting longer and brighter, then the reverse, or you experience long bright days getting shorter and dark, then the reverse. (Or any other combination if you're born around an equinox). So people who experience circadian imprinting the same way might have similar personality types. Plausible! But unproven.

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 07:33 AM (/FnUH)

48 transgendered squirrel chasing? Hell, the squirrels are into it now? Damn Tango Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Damn chipmunks are the worst. Damn Thai ladyboys.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 07:33 AM (ix+5k)

49 No, no beer T9, I'm working. Got any wine?

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 07:33 AM (gaOtJ)

50 The real problem, of course, is that people in general are not able to think as critically as they should. They don't seem to know what they don't know and they don't know to look for primary data (or sources, in the case of news). That makes them easily manipulated and swayed by authoritative-sounding people. That's compounded by a society that tells them they're special snowflakes, which makes their inflated egos think they already know everything, and any thought they have must be correct.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at February 18, 2014 07:34 AM (0HooB)

51 And yes, the front page is taking FOREVER to load. 

Posted by: rd at February 18, 2014 07:34 AM (D+lxs)

52 49 No, no beer T9, I'm working.

Got any wine?

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 11:33 AM (gaOtJ)

LOL.

You 'ettes never cease to amaze me.

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:34 AM (x3YFz)

53 24?
t9?

Sorta off, on a tangent?

My family had only 2 superstitions.

One, never toss a hat on a bed- it brings you years of misfortune.

Two? You never give a person a knife. They have to pay you for it, even if it's a token penny. Otherwise the blade will cut your friendship.

Posted by: backhoe at February 18, 2014 07:34 AM (ULH4o)

54 Saw a quick interview with a high school English teacher who is twentysomething on TV, the interviewer was asking which Presidents on a list of four had been the target of an assassination attempt that was unsuccessful. The list included Reagan and Clinton.(Lincoln and JFK were the others) She mumbled that "it wasn't Clinton, and it wasn't Reagan,,,ummm I don't know" As Rush says, Liberals believe the world began the year they were born.

Posted by: Jen at February 18, 2014 07:35 AM (o985y)

55 hmmmm... Frumious Bandersnatch's theory could also conceivably extend to the wash of nutrients in the womb. It is conceivable (though I have no idea if there's any evidence of this) that women carrying their unborn babies near end-of-term during high summer might have more Vitamin D in their placental mix, and women carrying in the deep winter less, and that could possibly lead to very very basic differences in personality types.

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 07:35 AM (/FnUH)

56 {SNIP}Yes, I do think there's some biological basis to that. I'm not sure what or why, but I do. {SNIP} Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at February 18, 2014 11:31 AM (VtjlW) This sounds strikingly like an articulation of Pascal's wager .

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 07:35 AM (GaqMa)

57 The current UFC heavyweight champion -- Cain Velasquez -- is a Mexican-American born in California, raised in Arizona. College all-American wrestler. Educated dude. Accomplished. Successful. Respected. He wears a giant "Brown Pride" tattoo across his chest. I really liked him at first cause I thought it said "Bronx Pride". Which is cool. But no. it's Brown Pride. Pride of Skin Tone. He's not a loser. He's ultra successful. Admired for his work ethic and intelligent, diligent devotion to his craft.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 07:35 AM (ZPrif)

58 They believe in the Church of Climate Change, wher one's choice in lightbulb just might kill a polar bear. 'Nuff said.

Posted by: Roma Downey & Mark Burnett at February 18, 2014 07:36 AM (POpqt)

59 Phreneology is poised to make  a comeback.

Posted by: Count de Monet at February 18, 2014 07:36 AM (BAS5M)

60 I hate astrology. It's a bunch of bunk. If anyone asks me my "sign", I tell them to guess. They give me a few guesses, and I agree with every one of them. They eventually stop guessing and leave me alone.

Posted by: Hobbitopoly at February 18, 2014 07:36 AM (fk1A8)

61 40 Also, having a degree and being educated ate not necessarily related to intelligence.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 11:31 AM (gaOtJ)

^^^ This.

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:36 AM (x3YFz)

62 Leftists know everything pretty much the same way teenagers know everything.

Posted by: Tonawanda at February 18, 2014 07:36 AM (mE1l+)

63 You never give a person a knife. They have to pay you for it, even if it's a token penny. Otherwise the blade will cut your friendship.


Are you of Russian heritage by any chance?


My Russian friend did this exact thing with a POS he had bought at some Russian flea market.

Posted by: EC at February 18, 2014 07:36 AM (GQ8sn)

64 I have 5 degrees and still can barely figure out my remote control and have no idea how women work.

Colossal waste of time.

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:37 AM (x3YFz)

65 Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 11:35 AM (/FnUH) Don't forget 2 things. 1) Prenatal vitamins are more common now. 2) We fortify milk with Vitamin D now.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 07:37 AM (GaqMa)

66 I'm interested that you say that. Why did you say that? Not being confrontational, just asking for an example Based on the knee-jerk things I read about evolutionary biology from some conservatives who are pissed about "global warming" stuff, it seems to track conservative. Now that may just be that people who for religious reasons reject evolutionary processes and also happen to be conservative tend to bring it up -- but that democrats who hold the same religious views also reject evolution (but don't bother saying it on political forums). And, no, I'm not getting into a debate about evolution. To me there is a lot of magical thinking that cuts across political, educational, and socioeconomic levels. For example, anti-vaccine people seem to be white and affluent, as do people who hold some magical ideas about allergens and diet. It all boils down to our society no longer valuing the sort of detailed, careful thinking and analysis that used to be associated with being an informed person. Now being an informed person is the ability to Google "the Answer" on your cell phone. Not good.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 07:37 AM (zDsvJ)

67 Just anecdotal, of course, but I've seen a lot of grieving people turn to astrology. I can think of a few possible reasons why, but none of them make complete sense. Much like astrology.

Posted by: grognard at February 18, 2014 07:37 AM (hjKMO)

68 But no. it's Brown Pride. Pride of Skin Tone.


*waits for a 'white pride' tattoo on a white UFC fighter*

Posted by: EC at February 18, 2014 07:38 AM (GQ8sn)

69 I think there's two reasons for this.
1) the left really wants to think of themselves as super sciencey, and confuse the term "astrology" with "astronomy" when asked.
2) the left is the home of the space cadet wiccan tree hugging new ager who thinks astrology is completely reasonable.
On the other hand, the right is less interested in seeming sciencey and knows the difference.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 07:38 AM (zfY+H)

70 Well, I don't know much, but my bitch told me the stars be lined up for us to win the lottery. Hot Damn, $400 mill!

Posted by: LeRoy, LIV at February 18, 2014 07:38 AM (0FSuD)

71 Phreneology is poised to make a comeback. Sock + bar of soap = adding to a person's character.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 07:38 AM (ix+5k)

72

Frumious Bandersnatch's theory could also conceivably extend...

 

Hah.  It was a theory, now it's a Movement!

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at February 18, 2014 07:38 AM (A0sHn)

73 I don't believe in astrology.  Then again, I'm an Aquarius and we are naturally skeptics.

Posted by: Turnip Defense League [/i] at February 18, 2014 07:38 AM (O7Q1u)

74 one problem with Frumious' plausible-but-unattested theory: There has been a thousand years of interest in astrology. ~44% of the country apparently believes it's "scientific." If there were any studies showing differences in personality types by which season a child was born in, wouldn't we have sort of heard of it? This is the sort of "science" that immediately becomes pop science and widely promulgated.

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 07:39 AM (/FnUH)

75 8 I don't know what this post is about, really. People who believe in liberalism and/or socialism, despite decades of hard evidence that shows that both schools of thought actually make things far worse, are stupid. I don't know how to nuance that. Bullseye.

Posted by: Angel with a sword at February 18, 2014 07:39 AM (hpgw1)

76 And yes, the front page is taking FOREVER to load. The latest refresh asked me about loading an audio file. WTF?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at February 18, 2014 07:39 AM (0HooB)

77 could possibly lead to very very basic differences in personality types.

This seems cart-before-horse-ish. Wouldn't one first want to determine whether people born in different parts of the year actually tend to different personality types? Or is this already well-established?

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 18, 2014 07:40 AM (t8ySh)

78 Sock + bar of soap = adding to a person's character.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 11:38 AM (ix+5k)

Use oranges instead of soap.  Much easier on the skin.

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:40 AM (x3YFz)

79 >>>Don't forget 2 things. 1) Prenatal vitamins are more common now. 2) We fortify milk with Vitamin D now. good point, but take Vitamin D as a fer-instance. I imagine that there are lot of hormones having to do with *activity* or inactivity that are triggered by the seasons, and are likely present in the womb.

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 07:40 AM (/FnUH)

80 64 I have 5 degrees and still can barely figure out my remote control and have no idea how women work. Colossal waste of time. Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 11:37 AM (x3YFz) So why does this surprise you? Women have no idea how they work either. Hormones baby!

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 18, 2014 07:41 AM (0FSuD)

81 The latest refresh asked me about loading an audio file.

WTF?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at February 18, 2014 11:39 AM (0HooB)

Ghostery, people... how many times do I have to say it?

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:41 AM (x3YFz)

82 I guess that   just  shoots down my whole Achievement by Association gig. Can't use the old "Of course, I'm an AoSHQ moron" line on those hot babes at the bar anymore. I guess  those Valu-Rite martinis were too good for them anyway.

Posted by: Roy at February 18, 2014 07:41 AM (VndSC)

83 The circadian rhythm theory always made sense to me. All the Geminis and Cancers (born around the summer equinox) I know are kind of bonkers and have sleep weirdness. Of course, as modern lights come around, we develop different ways of making astrology seem true---children who are the oldest/biggest in their classes and sports teams are probably going to be more confident, say, so those with birthdays between early September and early December will share that trait to some extent.

Posted by: Jenny Hates Her Phone at February 18, 2014 07:41 AM (02O7f)

84 Everyone who is important knows that RethugliKKKans and "conservatives" are all Xtianist reactionaries who think the Bible is science.

Letting people like that make decisions is just stupid.

Posted by: Mary Cloggenstein from Brattleboro, Vermont at February 18, 2014 07:41 AM (CwQsh)

85 51 And yes, the front page is taking FOREVER to load.

Posted by: rd at February 18, 2014 11:34 AM (D+lxs)

 

Its the stitcher widget in the sidebar.

Posted by: buzzion at February 18, 2014 07:42 AM (LI48c)

86 >>>This seems cart-before-horse-ish. Wouldn't one first want to determine whether people born in different parts of the year actually tend to different personality types? Or is this already well-established? see the comment that followed. Frumious postulates a plausible pathway by which sun and seasonal activity level *could* affect personality type, but there is, as far as I know, no attestation that anything like this happens and thus needs to be explained.

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 07:42 AM (/FnUH)

87 "And, as I say, smart women buy into this. Women I would never ever call "dumb" or anything like that. But there does seem to be (at least in my experience) and openness to Dumb Stuff like astrology among women, even women who are otherwise keenly intelligent and well-informed." Holy shit! Just how else do you know my wife? Speak quickly!!

Posted by: Burn the Witch at February 18, 2014 07:42 AM (YbyjT)

88

This seems cart-before-horse-ish. Wouldn't one first want to determine whether people born in different parts of the year actually tend to different personality types?

 

Hater.  I already have minions filling out grant applications for this.

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at February 18, 2014 07:42 AM (A0sHn)

89 82 I guess that just shoots down my whole Achievement by Association gig. Can't use the old "Of course, I'm an AoSHQ moron" line on those hot babes at the bar anymore. I guess those Valu-Rite martinis were too good for them anyway.

Posted by: Roy at February 18, 2014 11:41 AM (VndSC)

The Hell's Angels jacket will get you more play.

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:42 AM (x3YFz)

90 Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 11:39 AM (/FnUH) Eh, I'm sure there's research out there in this area. And it probably says exactly that. And exactly the opposite! Worth noting though that you'd be dealing with literally hundreds to thousands of confounders on this particular study. More even depending on if you looked at adults or kids. Frankly there's no way to actually run it and come up with results that aren't really just the work of a good statistician.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 07:43 AM (GaqMa)

91 Astrology is every bit as scientific as global warming. You guys probably think fire can melt steel!

Posted by: t-bird at February 18, 2014 07:43 AM (FcR7P)

92 But there's also a part of me that's like Beni in the Brendan Fraser Mummy remake with all Beni and all of his various religious symbols.

Of course, when he finally hit one the Mummy understood, the Mummy said "Ah, the language of the slaves..."

Posted by: Null at February 18, 2014 07:43 AM (DuH+r)

93 Well the Earth revolves around Obama (although arguably the gravitational pull of Michelle's butt could influence planetary positions).

Posted by: Evi. L. Bloggerlady at February 18, 2014 07:43 AM (4kTo2)

94

Don't know about Astrology ... but I sure as Hell see a SocioPolitical form of Eugenics on the rise.

Posted by: ScoggDog at February 18, 2014 07:43 AM (Vt18g)

95 63?
EC?

No, I am Engish, Dutch, German, French ( hangs head in shame ) and Cherokee. My family line is traceable to the 1400's.

Dad was from Cape Hatteras and Mom from Ohio- she was mainly German.

Far as I know those 2 superstitions were an old family tradition on Dad's side. Mom had a million of them. My late wife was pure German ( Also traceable to the 1400's ) and believed black cats crossing your path were Good Luck. Funny, eh?

Posted by: backhoe at February 18, 2014 07:43 AM (ULH4o)

96

I cannot tell you how many times I've heard someone on the left say something along the lines of members of the left being superior, because there are so many funny comedians who are left-leaning.

 

The funniest comedians are  also  depressed, damaged, broken people who excise their pain with  alcohol and drug  abuse and by telling jokes, but mostly  with   alcohol and drug abuse.  High rate of  early death, too, IIRC.

Posted by: Count de Monet at February 18, 2014 07:44 AM (BAS5M)

97 Adolf Hitler was the Ruler of Amsterdam and fought the Second World War around 1800 when he killed several thousand Jews.

Proud prog college students at UCLA came up with those.  It's funny about the astrology by people dumb enough to think the one will think the other.

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at February 18, 2014 07:44 AM (XO6WW)

98 Astrology and superstitions don't bother me much. To me they're just ways people - who are fascinated by THEMSELVES and see themselves as IMPORTANT - indulge that preoccupation. I think there's a difference between reading the astrology column or practicing a superstition (rally caps, anyone?) for the mild psychological or emotional benefit they produce, and believing that there's a scientific basis for them. Obviously I did not wear my lucky shirt during the Broncos game, resulting in their disastrous Super Bowl performance!

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 07:44 AM (zDsvJ)

99 Astrology and horoscopes and dumb shit like that is sometimes referred to as "chick crack" in certain communities. And mostly they're right. It has very broad appeal to women. Not all of course. I've met some that don't follow it, but I've met far, far more who do.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at February 18, 2014 07:44 AM (oFCZn)

100 Frumious Bandersnatch's theory could also conceivably extend to the wash of nutrients in the womb. It is conceivable (though I have no idea if there's any evidence of this) that women carrying their unborn babies near end-of-term during high summer might have more Vitamin D in their placental mix, and women carrying in the deep winter less, and that could possibly lead to very very basic differences in personality types. Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 11:35 AM (/FnUH) See, that sounds plausible and is also something which can be studied. You know, actual Science! Insert rant here about how not believing scientists is not the same as not believing Science. On the superstitions front, I am very superstitious indeed. Oh, I don't believe that it helps, not really, but it is an outward manifestation of an attempt to control the uncontrollable and I am strongly inclined to such gestures. What's really interesting is that my parents are not superstitious at all but my grandmother was. Before anyone says, see, genetics, I am adopted. Before anyone says, see, nurture, my grandmother did not live with us when I was young(er). Now, I did learn a lot of them from her when we went to visit but it is intriguing that there is this clear connection between she and I that has no easy explanation.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at February 18, 2014 07:44 AM (VtjlW)

101 What's funny is people who are almost religiously into astrology and get their natal charts made up yet who insist (because they read several kooks who said so) that Jesus never existed but was a figment of Paul's imagination.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 18, 2014 07:45 AM (XyM/Y)

102 And, as I say, smart women buy into this. Women I would never ever call "dumb" or anything like that. But there does seem to be (at least in my experience) and openness to Dumb Stuff like astrology among women, even women who are otherwise keenly intelligent and well-informed. Also, animal rights and environmentalism. It comes from the same impulse as astrology, really. But women have an additional problem: People listen to their dumb shit when they're young and pretty, so they never have to face the fact that their shit is dumb.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 07:45 AM (T0NGe)

103 Astrology. Healing Crystals. Shamanic Drumming. Sure, conservatives believe such things. But they're a minority.

Posted by: Hork at February 18, 2014 07:45 AM (a2Kal)

104 83 The circadian rhythm theory always made sense to me. All the Geminis and Cancers (born around the summer equinox) I know are kind of bonkers and have sleep weirdness. Well, my wife and I both born in June right the equinox. She obviously is bonkers to marry me and we both do have sleep weirdness. So maybe.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 18, 2014 07:45 AM (0FSuD)

105 >>>And what could possibly account for the failure to have heard, at this late, that the earth revolves around the sun, rather than the reverse?

The Sherock Holmes method of education? Only learn what is important for your individual life, all the rest is superfluous.

"What the deuce is it to me?" [Sherlock] interrupted impatiently: "you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.” —A Study in Scarlet


Posted by: LizLem at February 18, 2014 07:45 AM (BF+2f)

106 Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 11:42 AM (/FnUH) FWIW, there's actually a study out there that's fairly methodologically sound that tracked separated twins over long periods of time (decades) to assess the "nature and/or Nurture" argument. But the study was done in what could be considered an unethical manner (the kids weren't told they were twins, the adoption agency specifically separated them as part of the experiment, they didn't know they were even in a study about this.) so the data has been sealed for a while (I think 50 years from now or so is when it's unsealed.)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 07:45 AM (GaqMa)

107 I wonder how many of the scientific geniuses who don't know the Earth revolves around the sun believe in global warming. My guess is 100%. I think that this demonstrates yet again that schools are far more interested in indoctrination than education.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 18, 2014 07:45 AM (Hx5uv)

108 As for astrology, it's fun to read when it's flattering, but I don't really believe it.  There are, however, more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in my philosophy, so who knows?

Posted by: Null at February 18, 2014 07:46 AM (DuH+r)

109 There was a white UFC fighter who had a tiny tattoo that some viewer watching the weigh-ins on youtube noticed. I forget what it was. It wasn't White Pride, but it was the type of tattoo that white pride type assholes get. Dana White (UFC Prez) immediately kicked the guy out of the UFC and apologized for not vetting the dude well enough. Meanwhile UFC hypes Cain Velasquez like crazy trying to make their Mexican Champion as they expand into Mexico and Latin America. Which has failed since Cain was raised in Cali and Arizona and speaks crap 7th grade Spanish. The Mexicans aren't fooled at all by him since he's obviously not Mexican. He speaks terrible Spanish and doesn't share their culture. He's an English-dominant American raised in the Arizona burbs. Mexican never embrace Mex-Americans as sporting heroes. The never embraced De La Hoya. They full embrace Canelo Alvarez -- who is a red-headed Irish-Mexican -- because Canelo was born and raised in Mexico. He shares their culture in a way that an English-dominant Mex-American raised in LA never can or will.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 07:47 AM (ZPrif)

110


Obviously I did not wear my lucky shirt during the Broncos game, resulting in their disastrous Super Bowl performance!

 

So its YOUR FAULT!

Posted by: buzzion at February 18, 2014 07:47 AM (LI48c)

111
With 1,200 of the world's leading scientists proclaiming Global Warming to be man's greatest threat, I'm going with science and not the flat earth republican's.

Unlike Rush Limberger, I'm right 98.7 percent of the time, and coincidentally, anal temperature just happens to coincide with my predictable measure of correctness.  Also, unlike all conservatives, I have never possessed a gaydar meter, and have no inkling how it would work.  I don't believe the gaydar myth is based upon scientific study, but simply a conservative means of degrading men who prefer the anus to vagina. 

Posted by: John F'n Kerry at February 18, 2014 07:47 AM (nQjHM)

112 I have no idea if this can be traced to natal environment and first-year environment, or is entirely due to *present* environment, but I do think it's correct that depression runs stronger in northern (low light, long winter) climes. To determine if there was anything to this, you'd have to track rates of depression among people born in more equatorial climes who then live in more arctic ones, and vice versa, to first parse out if there is any "residual" tendency towards the saturnish side of personlity type among people merely *born* in low-light, long-winter climates. Example: If you found that people born in "Summer" climates do not become depressed even while living ten years or more in Finland, but conversely found that those born in "Winter" climates do become depressed even living ten years in Rio, then you'd have the makings of a claim that natal/first year climate factors influence personality over a lifetime. If not, you wouldn't.

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 07:47 AM (/FnUH)

113 big yellow ball in sky no heat world

Posted by: dem agw believer at February 18, 2014 07:47 AM (14um2)

114 Ace, your point about people who claim intelligence by association is wonderful. Immediately reminded me of Dilbert's "Dan the Illogical Scientist" (can't believe how long ago this was: http://tinyurl.com/phsrzfa Now Dan is already absurd. How much more absurd are Al Gore or John Kerry or other humanities majors who pronounce themselves authorities on science because they're saying what 97% (™) of [highly-self-selected] climate scientists want them to say?

Posted by: JPS at February 18, 2014 07:48 AM (rtyRn)

115 if astrology were scientific, you'd be able to duplicate the results. yet no two astrologers can do that.

Posted by: X at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (KHo8t)

116 Ahhhh ... but you see you must turn the meme on its head for it to bite... its not that more dems believe in Astrology... Its that more people who believe in Astrology ALSO believe in Democrats and their ideas. Thus, it is not stupid people... but it equates one totally unscientific, unprovable body of belief... with another. Perhaps we should be a famous Astrologer to predict bad things if a Dem Prezzy is elected?

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (84gbM)

117 99 Astrology and horoscopes and dumb shit like that is sometimes referred to as "chick crack" in certain communities. And mostly they're right. It has very broad appeal to women. Not all of course. I've met some that don't follow it, but I've met far, far more who do.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at February 18, 2014 11:44 AM (oFCZn)

There is a smidgen of scientific fun stuff inherent in the topic.

Does Saturn exert a gravitational pull on you?  Absolutely.  Drops off as distance squared, so you don't feel it.  Do the galaxies exert gravitational pull on you?  Yup.

Can you feel it?  Nope.

Is it significant?  Hmmm (tin foil hat) might be...

It's fun brain candy.

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (x3YFz)

118 Another thought re: Frumious' theory--- not only could the mother's vitamin d (or seasonal diets) effect the baby in utero, so could stress hormones. Seasonal depression is well-established. Even after the baby is born, mothers who are depressed/stressed/malnourished treat their babies differently, perhaps leading to differences in personality.

Posted by: Jenny Hates Her Phone at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (02O7f)

119 On the superstitions front, I am very superstitious indeed. Oh, I don't believe that it helps, not really, but it is an outward manifestation of an attempt to control the uncontrollable and I am strongly inclined to such gestures. --- Exactly. It fills an emotional need. Just as horoscopes do. So if interest in those sorts of things track female, to me that's no surprise - and does not say anything negative about women.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (zDsvJ)

120 I'm not 100% convinced that astrology is entirely horseshit, at least not in olden days. I think it possible that a baby born December 21 and thus for its earliest months is exposed to the harshness of winter may be different from a baby born June 21 who is introduced into a green and pleasant world. In addition, certain foods are more available in the summer than in the winter. The influence of the stars is horseshit but maybe birthdates are not.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (Hx5uv)

121

O/T

 

Iran is walking away from the nuclear talks?

Or are they just taking the sanctions money and running? 

 

http://tinyurl.com/l9y3g9h


 

Posted by: rd at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (D+lxs)

122 50 The real problem, of course, is that people in general are not able to think as critically as they should. They don't seem to know what they don't know and they don't know to look for primary data (or sources, in the case of news). That makes them easily manipulated and swayed by authoritative-sounding people. That's compounded by a society that tells them they're special snowflakes, which makes their inflated egos think they already know everything, and any thought they have must be correct. Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at February 18, 2014 11:34 AM (0HooB) It's one of the down-sides of the Internet age; the amount of stupid people seems to have increased since this age began. Two factor make this seem so: 1) the Internet has increased the amount of information available to all; stupid people are unwilling/unable to process the info and, therefore, discard the BS; they also think that intelligence is based on the amount of info, which makes them arrogant. (I prefer the phrase 'aggressively stupid' for the latter.) 2) The rest of us have access not only to the stupid people in our meat-space lives but to the ones in our online lives; so it seems as though there are more of them.

Posted by: baldilocks at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (36Rjy)

123

I suspect most    regressives   don't understand that the Earth revolves on its "axis"     while simultaneously making a "revolution" around the sun.   All those jingoistic terms would give their brains a meltdown.

 

"Axis?  Like Axis powers?   GODWIN!"

 

"Revolution?  Of course you   want    a revolution!   TEA BAGGERS!"

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/s][/i][/b][/u] at February 18, 2014 07:49 AM (4df7R)

124 >>>The Sherock Holmes method of education? Only learn what is important for your individual life, all the rest is superfluous. "What the deuce is it to me?" [Sherlock] interrupted impatiently: "you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.” —A Study in Scarlet ... That always struck me as beyond stupid. Sherlock Holmes would know the tides, because tides very frequently factor in murders (in fact, I think the tides factor into the Study in Scarlet murder!!!), and anyone knowing the tides would understand how they work, the moon, the sun, what revolves around what. You *could* just memorize the tidal charts, but it is actually easier to first understand the basic situation of gravity and relative motion. I choose to ignore that line, or believe that Sherlock was lying for effect.

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 07:50 AM (/FnUH)

125 But there's also a part of me that's like Beni in the Brendan Fraser Mummy remake with all Beni and all of his various religious symbols. Of course, when he finally hit one the Mummy understood, the Mummy said "Ah, the language of the slaves..." Da Jooooooos

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 07:50 AM (ix+5k)

126 @18 - RIGHT ON

Posted by: bicentennialguy at February 18, 2014 07:50 AM (vg8iE)

127 Now, I did learn a lot of them from her when we went to visit but it is intriguing that there is this clear connection between she and I that has no easy explanation.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at February 18, 2014 11:44 AM (VtjlW

 

Well do you have the same astrological sign?

Posted by: buzzion at February 18, 2014 07:50 AM (LI48c)

128 I've also noticed the kind of science that liberals like. Paleo-science. Key features: No math. No quantifying. No specific predictions about the future. No testing against real data. Evolution and climate science come to mind. Conservatives like engineering, physics, astronomy (the one with math), economics (there is some math in Keynsianism but Keynesians don't like to apply actual testing to their theories). Moreover, conservatives tend to apply the scientific method (you know, what science actually is) to government programs and the like. To hear liberals talk about science is like hearing them talk about magic. There really is no difference for them. The shaman (scientist) tells them how the world works and they believe it wholeheartedly and without reservation. And when the shaman (scientist) tells them something different, they believe that without skepticism as well.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 07:50 AM (T0NGe)

129 Buyer’s Remorse: Economist Poll Finds 71% of Obama Supporters “Regret” Voting For His Re-Election… Weasel Zippers: Yeah well fuck you

Posted by: Nevergiveup at February 18, 2014 07:51 AM (t3UFN)

130 It all boils down to our society no longer valuing the sort of detailed, careful thinking and analysis that used to be associated with being an informed person. Now being an informed person is the ability to Google "the Answer" on your cell phone. Not good. *jumps up on Ye Olde Philosophical Soapbox* We are being led away from our conscience and an inner source of knowing to the outer source, which always confuses and misinforms. In the past, we (meaning Humanity) spent time reasoning things out and exploring various aspects of an idea. It's that "I'm not sure why I know, but I just do," many times relating to something being wrong. Call it intuition or whatever, the thing is it's inside you, not in your smartphone. I'll rely on that every time. *jumps off Ye Olde Philosophical Soapbox*

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at February 18, 2014 07:51 AM (0HooB)

131 Another bunch of Dumb NotScience otherwise intelligent women fall prey to is diet. There's an entire industry built around the NonScience of what you eat, when you eat, what combination of foods you eat, eating for bloodtype, eating based upon X Culture.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (qBtUE)

132 So are horoscope signs reversed in the Southern Hemisphere?

Posted by: Lincolntf at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (ZshNr)

133 I gave up on Astrology when they changed me from "Cancer" to "Moon Baby." Which sounds too hippy-dippy. And too much like "moonbat."

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (7ObY1)

134 They full embrace Canelo Alvarez -- who is a red-headed Irish-Mexican Pro tip: Just go ahead & accept the fact you are fucked.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (ix+5k)

135 @22 - A whole mystique and dogma was built and called "emotional intelligence," AKA self-control.

Posted by: bicentennialguy at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (vg8iE)

136 Astrology? were astronomy to prevail and permeate Myths and Legends are symbolic in source, projecting archetypes and metaphysical meaning. To claim such significance as meritless would not be wise. But to make more of it than "deserving" would also be unwise. Scientific? Perhaps to the extent that the story's symbols reflect plasma cosmology, effects through our planet earth, effects in our solar system, in the electric universe. thunderbolts project http://tinyurl.com/m7qsbpl ...the earth was flat, until it wasn't, heh

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (MhA4j)

137 To paraphrase Reagan, its not that the left is dumb its that the things they know are wrong. I'm not sure exactly when the split started but my belief is that it started with the eugenics movement which then spawned other idiocies such as the Malthusian theory, Peak Oil, AGW, etc.. The left started buying into this crap that humans were making the planet unlivable and if a group of elites didn't start taking control and mandating how we live our lives catastrophe would ensue. I think this is why they cling to these failed pseudo-science theories like religion, to admit they are false is to admit that their entire worldview is wrong. I don't like conspiracy theories but if you go read Ehrilch or the crap that came out of one world government lefty cabals like the Club of Rome that flat out admit that they have to develop theories that help prove that mankind is the real enemy of mankind and it must be controlled. Once you start believing that shit it's a small step to believing in other junk science propositions.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (g1DWB)

138 How's this? Liberals who actually speak publicly, appear on TV or opine on blogs are generally dumber and less factual than most of our population.

That's demonstrably true.

Posted by: Marcus T at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (GGCsk)

139 "Dana White (UFC Prez) immediately kicked the guy out of the UFC and apologized for not vetting the dude well enough. "
So... let me get this straight. Beating the hell out of other people, breaking bones, causing them to bleed, and fkocking people out... perfectly acceptable.
Possibly being racist: UNACCEPTABLE!!!!
Got it.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (zfY+H)

140 At least we are legit.  In bed.

Posted by: Chinese Fortune Cookies at February 18, 2014 07:52 AM (BAS5M)

141 The same people on Facebook who insist on posting stupid memes from "Being Liberal" or "I F$%king LOVE Science!!!!!!" are the same ones who post the entire daily horoscope, sign by sign, day by day.

"Many members of this sad clade believe that appending an exclamation point or three to any sarcastic sentence -- "Conservatives sure love kids before they're born!!!" -- transmutes it not only into a joke, but a joke that is strong enough to be written in a permanent medium and endure, if not forever, at least until we abandon the internet in favor of BrainGrams or whatever."

I know most of you dislike Facebook and don't post there, and the above quote is the reason why I secretly agree with you (but I insist on staying there for personal reasons). I'll mention it again, there's a FB page called "Being Liberal" whose content is almost 100 percent posts of the kind Ace spells out in the above paragraph. Usually it's a 2nd grade level anti conservative insult surrounded by !!!!!! and dozens of equally amusing sycophantic comments. At least they don't immediately block me when I go to town on them.


Posted by: Biffo Boffo at February 18, 2014 07:53 AM (YmPwQ)

142 That's compounded by a society that tells them they're special snowflakes, which makes their inflated egos think they already know everything, and any thought they have must be correct.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at February 18, 2014 11:34 AM (0HooB)

Posted by: baldilocks at February 18, 2014 11:49 AM (36Rjy)

I realized at about age 10 that I was totally insignificant, and as much flailing around as I could muster wouldn't change the fact that I'm just a few atoms organized in a fashion to irritate other atoms similarly organized.

Self grandeur and narcissism are actually funny, in a mocking sort of way, in the scope of the entire universe. 

Posted by: tangonine at February 18, 2014 07:53 AM (x3YFz)

143 I've also noticed the kind of science that liberals like.

Paleo-science.

Key features: No math. No quantifying. No specific predictions about the future. No testing against real data.


The science of feelings.


Posted by: EC at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (GQ8sn)

144

What else would you expect from people who make Manbearpig their Moses and Global Warming their religion?

Posted by: maddogg at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (xWW96)

145

I wouldn't say that an interest in astrology and other pseudosciences is necessarily a bad thing.   When you    treat it as hard science   is when it becomes a problem.   If   you're like me you'll occasionally glance at your horoscope and say, "Oh, hey, that totally sounds like what is happening at work right now."  Humans always look for patterns,    and astrology is just a   way      to read the patterns of our lives.

 

And I am so totally a Libra/Scorpio cusp baby.   Like, so totally.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/s][/i][/b][/u] at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (4df7R)

146 I'm not 100% convinced that astrology is entirely horseshit, at least not in olden days. I think it possible that a baby born December 21 and thus for its earliest months is exposed to the harshness of winter may be different from a baby born June 21 who is introduced into a green and pleasant world. Works with calves. Makes for a hardier cow.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (ix+5k)

147 #141 there's a FB page called "Being Liberal" I'll have to check that page out while I eat lunch. I could use a good laugh today.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (7ObY1)

148 2 They don't read books; they just parrot what they're told. Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at February 18, 2014 11:21 AM (Y92Nd) Oh, they read books. They just don't understand them.

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Rounding Error Extraordinaire at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (iU3DF)

149 So I'm an Aquarius...whats our sign? *and looks deeply into her eyes*


That said, I know that I am affected by full moons. I get cranky and anxious and it has to do with me being a water bearer and the tides and shit and if that isn't scientific enough Ms. Guido usually says "go run or something you are really getting on my nerves."


Its science I tell you. Pure science. It's settled. Doubters.

Posted by: Guido at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (jP/IR)

150 115 if astrology were scientific, you'd be able to duplicate the results. yet no two astrologers can do that. Posted by: X at February 18, 2014 11:49 AM (KHo8t) What are you talking about?

Posted by: Michael Mann at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (T0NGe)

151

Ace wrote, "This argument is nearly always made by someone who is resolutely unfunny, born with a congenital immunity to humorousness of any kind."

 

I don't tout one type of comedian over another or presume to hold forth over this or that type of humor. I can't. I am, unfortunately, one of those Ace wrote about, someone who is resolutely unfunny, born with a congenital immunity to humorousness of any kind. I can't tell a joke. I don't get jokes unless they're Three Stooges, poke-in-the-eye and pie-in-the-face simple and straightforward.  You know the guy who breaks out laughing minutes after the laughter has died down after someone says something witty, clever, or outright hilarious? Yup, that would be me: tone deaf to comedy. My kids think it's hilarious that I'm so earnest and literal and essentially humorless. It's something of a family joke itself.

 

I blame it all on my German and American Indian ancestors, two peoples not historically known for their zany humor and slapstick comedy.

Posted by: troyriser at February 18, 2014 07:54 AM (V9ol4)

152 123 I suspect most regressives don't understand that the Earth revolves on its "axis" while simultaneously making a "revolution" around the sun. All those jingoistic terms would give their brains a meltdown.

"Axis? Like Axis powers? GODWIN!"

"Revolution? Of course you want a revolution! TEA BAGGERS!"

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit at February 18, 2014 11:49 AM (4df7R)

 

No the Earth doesn't revolve on its axis.  It rotates on its axis.

Posted by: buzzion at February 18, 2014 07:55 AM (LI48c)

153

I do think it's correct that depression runs stronger in northern (low light, long winter) climes.

 

No. 2 Son posted a quote from Conan a couple of days ago:

"What part of the Celtic lands are you from?"

"The part where they're depressed and they drink".

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at February 18, 2014 07:55 AM (A0sHn)

154 AmishDude You should wander over to whereever the bioinformaticists are on your campus and learn about modern methods to study evolutionary processes.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 07:55 AM (zDsvJ)

155 Leftists buy books, to prominently display on their coffee table or pose with at the coffee shop. At least, most of the ones I know. They read enough to be able to talk about them and seem important and trendy.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 07:56 AM (zfY+H)

156 So few people know that the Earth goes around the sun and that it takes a year! that it's no wonder "Hope and Change" worked as a powerful, cogent argument for crony socialism.

Posted by: t-bird at February 18, 2014 07:56 AM (FcR7P)

157 Barack Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a malignant traitor.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 07:56 AM (PYAXX)

158 The science of feelings. Posted by: EC at February 18, 2014 11:54 AM (GQ8sn) compassionate conservatives manipulate it

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 18, 2014 07:57 AM (MhA4j)

159 Apparently my great grandfather was an expert phrenologist. That helps explain my grade school interest in von Daniken and fresh new global warming alarmism. I got better.

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 07:57 AM (sOtz/)

160 147 #141 there's a FB page called "Being Liberal"

I'll have to check that page out while I eat lunch. I could use a good laugh today.

====

I'm not exaggerating, it's so stupid that I half-suspect it's a rightie troll getting some laughs. My goofy leftard brother stopped sharing things from that page with me because I would just shred whatever it was.

Posted by: Biffo Boffo at February 18, 2014 07:57 AM (YmPwQ)

161 I think it possible that a baby born December 21 ... winter, etc. Do they read astrology charts upside-down in Australia?

Posted by: t-bird at February 18, 2014 07:57 AM (FcR7P)

162 In the past, we (meaning Humanity) spent time reasoning things out and exploring various aspects of an idea. ---- TL;DR /sarc

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 07:57 AM (zDsvJ)

163 Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 11:47 AM (/FnUH) Actually Ace, far northern areas and the equator get roughly the same amount of time of light, it's just dispersed differently. At the equator you get more or less 12 hour days all year round. At the poles you get times of 24 hour darkness, but also 24 hour light later on. As one of my Finnish Collaborators put it "during the summer we get so much sun you can almost hear the wheat growing." This doesn't undercut the suicide thing, which is real, and measurable. But the rate ticks up specifically during the dark period. The implication being that it's likely the depression is connected to the long stretches of darkness (rather than a sum total time in darkness which is actually roughly equal world wide.)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 07:58 AM (GaqMa)

164 No the Earth doesn't revolve on its axis. It rotates on its axis.

Posted by: buzzion at February 18, 2014 11:55 AM (LI48c)

 

TEABAGGER!

 

(Kidding!  See, I remembered it started with an R, but coudl I remember the right word?  No.  But at least I know when I'm wrong!)

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/s][/i][/b][/u] at February 18, 2014 07:58 AM (4df7R)

165 157 Barack Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a malignant traitor. Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It.

I still prefer "malignant tumor" but then I'm a judgmental SOB at best....

Posted by: backhoe at February 18, 2014 07:58 AM (ULH4o)

166 156 So few people know that the Earth goes around the sun and that it takes a year! Hee hee, silly wingnutz. I can prove that the earth goes around the sun in a day, not a year. It was dark out when I woke up today and it will be dark again when I go to bed. SCIENCE, bitchez! Duhhhhhh!

Posted by: The LIVs at February 18, 2014 07:58 AM (7ObY1)

167 You know... not understanding that the earth is round, orbits the sun, and such orbit is made up of just over 365 24(ish) hour days *might* explain why they can believe in Global Cooling Warming Cooling Climate Change Disruption.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 07:59 AM (PYAXX)

168 Soon it will be more equality of learning.

Posted by: Commen Core at February 18, 2014 07:59 AM (QZOmK)

169 I am convinced the human race is getting dumber with time. At the rate we are going, plants will be telling us what to do within a couple of thousand years.

Posted by: maddogg at February 18, 2014 07:59 AM (xWW96)

170 >>>Another thought re: Frumious' theory--- not only could the mother's vitamin d (or seasonal diets) effect the baby in utero, so could stress hormones. there is actually a whole (young) field of study about prenatal hormonal factors on babies' development. It's not just genetics and post-birth environment. There is an environment the mother lives in while carrying, and her hormones could affect the child. BTW, I kept saying "natal" above when I meant "pre-natal." From Wikipedia, on prenatal development: Mother's prenatal depression A study found that mother's prenatal depression was associated with adverse perinatal outcomes such as slower fetal growth rates. It appears that prenatal maternal cortisol levels play a role in mediating these outcomes.[19]

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 07:59 AM (/FnUH)

171 think it possible that a baby born December 21 and thus for its earliest months is exposed to the harshness of winter may be different from a baby born June 21 who is introduced into a green and pleasant world. Yes, but is astrology as we know it only relevant in the Northern Hemisphere? What of Australia and other areas where the seasons are reversed+ Are the traits associated with astrological signs different there?

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 07:59 AM (qBtUE)

172 OT


Bwahaha!!!  This happened in my state.  Gov McCrory is somehow responsible for getting a cook fired.


http://tinyurl.com/mpxc99v


I don't care if you are a state gov or just some regular moron.  If you are an employee at a service type business and you go out of your way to insult a paying customer, expect the manager to fire your ass pronto!



Posted by: EC at February 18, 2014 08:00 AM (GQ8sn)

173 I have a joke:  That George Bush sure is stupid!

What?  You don't think that's funny?  But all the great comedians have told that joke over and over and over and over and over and over again!  You must lack a sense of humor, wingnut!

Posted by: Shoot Me at February 18, 2014 08:00 AM (qiXMt)

174 "That helps explain my grade school interest in von Daniken and fresh new global warming alarmism. "
When you're at the age that unicorns and the tooth fairy seem plausible, that's okay. Its clinging to that nonsense as you get older that hurts.
Leonard Nimoy lost a ton of my respect with that godawful 70s "In Search Of" show.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:00 AM (zfY+H)

175 I'm not exaggerating, it's so stupid that I half-suspect it's a rightie troll getting some laughs. My goofy leftard brother stopped sharing things from that page with me because I would just shred whatever it was. LOL, yeah I just took a peek. They're too stupid to amuse me.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 18, 2014 08:00 AM (7ObY1)

176 Posted by: troyriser at February 18, 2014 11:54 AM (V9ol4) I can sort of relate to that. Not completely, but sort of.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at February 18, 2014 08:00 AM (HVff2)

177 104 Ha, my birthday is 6/20. I'm completely bonkers, too.

Posted by: Jenny Hates Her Phone at February 18, 2014 08:01 AM (02O7f)

178 think it possible that a baby born December 21 and thus for its earliest months is exposed to the harshness of winter may be different from a baby born June 21 who is introduced into a green and pleasant world. Yes. We're much more cynical than those stupid naive summer babies.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 08:01 AM (PYAXX)

179 Liberals love all sorts of pseudoscience. Which explains Keynesian economics, natch.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, Applied Phrenologist at February 18, 2014 08:01 AM (naUcP)

180 Present day astrology is based on occultic practices of yore. Most who say they believe this stuff haven't a clue. By the way, the (Persian) Magi predicted the birth of Jesus the Christ using a form of astrology.

Posted by: baldilocks at February 18, 2014 08:01 AM (36Rjy)

181 "I am convinced the human race is getting dumber with time. At the rate we are going, plants will be telling us what to do within a couple of thousand years."
Speaking of Comedians, Greg Giraldo had a hilarious and disturbingly plausible bit on that and the Pyramids. I'd link but nobody ever goes to them after being burned over and over on here by fat hairy-backed men and spiders

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:02 AM (zfY+H)

182 169?
maddogg?

I have maintained for years America has become collectively a lot more stupid. Maybe 40 or 50 IQ points down. I trace it back to the Clinton era. We used to be smarter than that.

Posted by: backhoe at February 18, 2014 08:02 AM (ULH4o)

183 I choose to ignore that line, or believe that Sherlock was lying for effect.
Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 11:50 AM (/FnUH)

I liked how in BBC Sherlock they play off the sun/moon line form canon, when Sherlock needs pull info about an astrological event from his mental databanks to prove a painting is a forgery. It was a nice turnaround, well played by the writers.

I think a man who can solve a crime by the amount of time parsley sinks into butter would be well aware of something like light patterns, and how they change according to the seasons; a change affected by the way the earth revolves around the sun. I think it's possible Holmes is being flippant with Watson in that instance, though in the text Watson seems genuinely concerned at his ignorance. But A Study in Scarlet was the first Holmes book, Conan Doyle was still getting the hang of the characters, so I give it a lot more slack than the later novels. (And of course the whole Mormon breakout section of ASiS is just full of historical ridiculousness and Watson waxing prosaic, I tend to skip that section when I read it.)

Posted by: LizLem at February 18, 2014 08:02 AM (BF+2f)

184 think it possible that a baby born December 21 and thus for its earliest months is exposed to the harshness of winter may be different from a baby born June 21 who is introduced into a green and pleasant world. Yes. We're much more cynical than those stupid naive summer babies. Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 12:01 PM (PYAXX) My brother was born on 6/21 and he is an absolute asshole summer baby or not. Now me on the other hand was born late autumn. And I'm a fucking piece of sunshine.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at February 18, 2014 08:02 AM (HVff2)

185 154 AmishDude You should wander over to whereever the bioinformaticists are on your campus and learn about modern methods to study evolutionary processes. Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 11:55 AM (zDsvJ) Eh...but the "evolution" that's taught in schools is taught as if it were religion, and that's the Left's attraction to it. In fact, they wouldn't like it if some . Ain't no bioinformatics going on in general education about the subject. In fact, it's a rare biologist who wanders into those areas. Also, not so impressed with bioinformatics. I've seen some of the stuff that they do. Lotsa ill-posed problems.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 08:03 AM (T0NGe)

186

 

Sir   Bedevere:  . . .  and that,  my  liege, is how we know the  Earth to be banana shaped.

 

King Arthur:  This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere.   Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes.

Posted by: Obligatory Python Reference at February 18, 2014 08:03 AM (BAS5M)

187 Yes. We're much more cynical than those stupid naive summer babies. Born in February, in D.C. So I started out with a surplus of cynicism and it just sort of became an atomic pile of cynicism at some point.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, Applied Phrenologist at February 18, 2014 08:03 AM (naUcP)

188 The Sherlock Holmes thing was just a device to show how rigidly specific his mind was and how uncluttered he tried to keep his thoughts.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:03 AM (zfY+H)

189 Speaking of Comedians, Greg Giraldo had a hilarious and disturbingly plausible bit on that and the Pyramids. I'd link but nobody ever goes to them after being burned over and over on here by fat hairy-backed men and spiders

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 12:02 PM (zfY+H)

 

 

 

 

Really? Can't imagine how that happened....

Posted by: maddogg at February 18, 2014 08:03 AM (xWW96)

190 Why are percents so hard?

Posted by: Sheila Jackson Lee at February 18, 2014 08:03 AM (JQuNB)

191 Posted by: Count de Monet at February 18, 2014 11:36 AM (BAS5M)

That's where you literally pound some sense into someone?

Or that would be proactive Phrenology?

I think I read about that in a Disk World book.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That (Microaggressive SoCon) at February 18, 2014 08:04 AM (LSDdO)

192 But women have an additional problem: People listen to their dumb shit when they're young and pretty, so they never have to face the fact that their shit is dumb. Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 11:45 AM (T0NGe) Wow. And here I didn't think you could be anymore of a prick that you already were. Congrats on proving me wrong.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at February 18, 2014 08:04 AM (da5Wo)

193 This is nothing but a red herring to keep people from realizing you wingnuts are conducting a war on women's vaginas.

Posted by: Joe Biden at February 18, 2014 08:04 AM (xvtYZ)

194 Also, not so impressed with bioinformatics. I've seen some of the stuff that they do. Lotsa ill-posed problems. Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 12:03 PM (T0NGe) MOLECULAR CLOCK MAKES NO SENSE. no really. I'm not an idiot, I'm well educated in this area, just at an undergraduate level but still. Molecular clock makes tons of assumptions that frankly it cannot support. Two for example: 1) That various point mutations happen on a rough time table (really? Why?) 2) that a mutation cannot revert and then remutate. (i.e. A to T back to A then T again. Molecular Clock would only account for the A to T mutation.)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 08:05 AM (GaqMa)

195 Or that would be proactive Phrenology? I think I read about that in a Disk World book. Retro-phrenology. The process of giving someone specific personality traits by hitting them in the head with various sized hammers.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 08:05 AM (PYAXX)

196

What of Australia and other areas where the seasons are reversed

 

 

You people keep asking about Australia.  Yes, their seasons are reversed.  But remember they are also upside down, so when they read the charts they come out the same way.

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at February 18, 2014 08:05 AM (A0sHn)

197  I am convinced the human race is getting dumber with time. At the rate we are going, plants will be telling us what to do within a couple of thousand years.

Posted by: maddogg at February 18, 2014 11:59 AM (xWW96)

 

Neitzsche disputed Darwin's theory of evolution for just that reason. If there is evolutionary ascension, where then is evidence of it? People are stupid and becoming even more so. He was being disingenuous and deliberately provocative, I think, but he saw idiocracy at work before it was made into a movie.

 

I don't think Neitzsche liked people much.

Posted by: troyriser at February 18, 2014 08:05 AM (V9ol4)

198 I have maintained for years America has become collectively a lot more stupid. Maybe 40 or 50 IQ points down. I trace it back to the Clinton era. We used to be smarter than that.

Posted by: backhoe at February 18, 2014 12:02 PM (ULH4o)



You and me both. The way I like to say it is mankind is going back to the trees.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at February 18, 2014 08:06 AM (FMbng)

199 Wow. And here I didn't think you could be anymore of a prick that you already were. Congrats on proving me wrong. Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at February 18, 2014 12:04 PM (da5Wo) Forgive him, it's just that winter born cynicism .

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 08:06 AM (GaqMa)

200 Those stoopid wingnuts believe in creationism and  that stoopid bible stuff

My psychic told me so, and the healing crystals she sold me kept me from getting prostate cancer which everyone knows kills millions of wymyn

Posted by: Rainbow Clogginstein from Sausalito, CA at February 18, 2014 08:06 AM (aTXUx)

201 Ok, again I comment and end up repeating something someone else said. I give up. Where's that wine?

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 08:06 AM (0MVzQ)

202 Some of the dumb fucks even believe in ewoks.

Nonsense!  I saw an actual ewok on Fox News once.  He kept getting preempted by an Israeli tank that was stuck in some mud, but he was real.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 18, 2014 08:06 AM (B/VB5)

203 169 I am convinced the human race is getting dumber with time. At the rate we are going, plants will be telling us what to do within a couple of thousand years. Posted by: maddogg at February 18, 2014 11:59 AM (xWW96) I believe we are in a time of reverse evolution... Smart people are, on average, only marring other smart people, and then usually having small families (as trying to put multiple kids through College is realllllyyyy hard). Not as smart people.... seem to be having more kids.... Add in that we have made life very safe for the stupid.. and even when they make what would have been a life threatening blunder, medical science can save them... We are breeding ourselves into stupidity.

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 18, 2014 08:07 AM (84gbM)

204 Posted by: Sheila Jackson Lee at February 18, 2014 12:03 PM (JQuNB)

Percents are from Mars. Fractions are from Venus.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That (Microaggressive SoCon) at February 18, 2014 08:07 AM (LSDdO)

205 I am convinced the human race is getting dumber with time. At the rate we are going, plants will be telling us what to do within a couple of thousand years.


Why wait that long?


*lights up joint*


This plant is telling me something right now:  you're getting hungry.

Posted by: CO LIV at February 18, 2014 08:07 AM (GQ8sn)

206 6/15 w/ insomnia. Interesting.

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 08:08 AM (sOtz/)

207 It's Idiocracy, Romeo.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 08:08 AM (0MVzQ)

208 I don't think Neitzsche liked people much. He liked Superman a lot though.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 18, 2014 08:08 AM (7ObY1)

209 I haven't believed in astrology since my numerologist told me it was full of shit.

And today my numerologist is a regular on Fox.

Oh, wait, that's Karl Rove.  My bad,

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at February 18, 2014 08:08 AM (XO6WW)

210 Global warming is real. The science is settled.

Posted by: Rep. Hank Johnson at February 18, 2014 08:08 AM (JQuNB)

211

If you are an employee at a service type business and you go out of your way to insult a paying customer, expect the manager to fire your ass pronto!

 

Word.  Then you get to go home and get caught fapping by your sister's  ridiculously hot  red bikini wearing friend.

Posted by: Brad Hamilton at February 18, 2014 08:09 AM (BAS5M)

212 My brother was born on 6/21 and he is an absolute asshole summer baby or not. Now me on the other hand was born late autumn. And I'm a fucking piece of sunshine. Late November here. I'm a cold s.o.b. And I was 2 months early.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 08:09 AM (ix+5k)

213 156 t-bird An epic obstacle swallowing parents in the "no child left behind" powers of gubmint confounds as well the children from experiencing and matriculating through the natural learning process. Curriculum, PC policy zero tolerance for science, literacy, metal calculations and physical education. Also, drugged for life on government policy sponsorship for behavioral/thought-process/mood-altering drugs. The public educational system is far worse than a socialist nursery school for life, as the kids are being taught day in day out year after year how to "belong" to Alinsky gangs and fight for ignorance as their "right" to dictate.

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 18, 2014 08:09 AM (MhA4j)

214 And astrology is exactly as scientific, credible, and worthwhile as Christianity.  So I'm not sure what can be gleaned from this.  Is it silly to believe in Astrology?  Yes.  Just like it's silly to believe in Jah, or Allah, Zeus, or Yaweh. 

Space myths are space myths.  Lots of otherwise intelligent people believe them.  News at 11.


Posted by: seattle slough at February 18, 2014 08:09 AM (mCz8+)

215 Human's intelligence mainly evolved to win arguments, not to discover truth. The point is to win status-games and achieve power so you can out-breed, in quality and quantity, the competition. If actual truth is helpful in the process then that's a bonus, but not necessary. If total bullshit can win you harem then that's better from evolution's standpoint than being accurate, but barren.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 08:09 AM (ZPrif)

216 *jumps up on Ye Olde Philosophical Soapbox* *jumps off Ye Olde Philosophical Soapbox*

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at February 18, 2014 11:51 AM (0HooB)

Heh. Is that stored by The Barrel and the hobo skinning equipment, or did you bring it from home?

Posted by: LizLem at February 18, 2014 08:10 AM (BF+2f)

217 213 /mental ain't metal, yet/

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 18, 2014 08:10 AM (MhA4j)

218 Thanks for the laughs and insights, folks. I gotta shove off for Walgreen's at the foot of the Causeway and see a man about a billboard....

Posted by: backhoe at February 18, 2014 08:10 AM (ULH4o)

219 Confirmation Bias.

It's like my wife says, "when your palm itches, it means you're going to get money."
Followed by, "I knew I was going to get money today, 'cause my palm itched yesterday!"

Ignoring all the times one will have an itch on their palm and never receive a windfall makes it easy to "confirm" this is "true."

Also, the doctor who delivered you had a greater gravitational pull upon you than all the stars, planets and Moon combined. 

Posted by: RoyalOil at February 18, 2014 08:10 AM (VjL9S)

220 >>FWIW, there's actually a study out there that's fairly methodologically sound that tracked separated twins over long periods of time...

My husband was adopted and met his birth mom and half-brother in his late 30's. It's amazing the similarities between them - not just the physical ones (same gestures, expressions), but the similar life experiences, daily habits, personality traits, etc.

Posted by: Roma Downey & Mark Burnett at February 18, 2014 08:10 AM (POpqt)

221 And I am so totally a Libra/Scorpio cusp baby. Like, so totally. Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit at February 18, 2014 11:54 AM (4df7R) I'm a Leo/Leo rising. Everyone who is shocked by that, let me know.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at February 18, 2014 08:10 AM (VtjlW)

222 We are breeding ourselves into stupidity. Posted by: Romeo13 at February 18, 2014 12:07 PM (84gbM) Or we're *failing to breed* ourselves into stupidity. But, honestly, it's always been that way. The uneducated "poor" have more children than the educated "rich." In the old days, it was because having few children was a sign of luxury. You could afford doctors and an environment wherein your children were likely to live to adulthood. The poor could not- and so had lots of kids to make sure that *some* would survive (okay- human behavior is WAY more complex than that, but it does play into things). Over time it just became "the way things are." Poor (usually uneducated) people have lots of kids; rich (usually better educated) people have fewer kids. But that's been going on (in the main) for a lot longer than the last couple of generations.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 08:11 AM (PYAXX)

223 Old trolls never die...

Posted by: Harrison Bergeron at February 18, 2014 08:11 AM (JQuNB)

224 Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 12:03 PM (T0NGe) I meant to finish that sentence by saying "they wouldn't like it if some test actually proved some evolution to be in error". Of course, what we call "evolution" today is very different from Darwin's view. The problem I have with evolution is that it's the template for all of the soft sciences. They don't know how to formulate things in another way.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 08:11 AM (T0NGe)

225 "I don't think Neitzsche liked people much."
Neitzsche just took atheism to its natural conclusion. He was insane, but he was honest.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (zfY+H)

226 6/4. After stating that feelings bearing on how I make my decisions, wife bitched it was because I only had half of a normal person's emotions ... the bad half.

Posted by: ScoggDog at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (Vt18g)

227 >>>AI wouldn't say that an interest in astrology and other pseudosciences is necessarily a bad thing. When you treat it as hard science is when it becomes a problem. If you're like me you'll occasionally glance at your horoscope and say, "Oh, hey, that totally sounds like what is happening at work right now." Humans always look for patterns, and astrology is just a way to read the patterns of our lives. And I am so totally a Libra/Scorpio cusp baby. Like, so totally. ... Look up the "Forer effect," having to do with "Barnum statements." This con has long been understood, and absolutely proven: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnum_statements The most obvious proof was that an "astrological profile" was given to lots of different people, all born on different days. They were asked to rate how accurately the forecast had described their current personality and current travails. They rated the horoscope as highly accurate. They were then asked to share their forecast with their neighbor. And they discovered that every single one of them had gotten the same exact forecast. it does not take an astrologer for me to guess the following about you: You wish to be confident, but are frequently plagued by doubt. You wish you had more money, but worry that this makes you ungrateful for the blessings you have. And etc. Such "Barnum statements" do not describe any particular astrological sign-- they describe 90% of all of humanity. These are all true of practically anyone alive.

Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (/FnUH)

228 I'm a Leo/Leo rising. Everyone who is shocked by that, let me know.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at February 18, 2014 12:10 PM (VtjlW)

I'm a Manhattan with a Guinness back.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (QFxY5)

229 I think it is fair to say that liberals base their worldview and arguments based on emotion, and that conservatives base theirs on logic.  That is weapon enough to use against   the lefties.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (AskuI)

230 Have you guys seen this? http://riversidedc.org/dear-white-christians-of-florida-an-open-letter/

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (0MVzQ)

231 Leftists buy books, to prominently display on their coffee table or pose with at the coffee shop. At least, most of the ones I know. They read enough to be able to talk about them and seem important and trendy. Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 11:56 AM (zfY+H) Like the dbag in the bar scene of Good Will Hunting when MATT DAMON! calls him out for memorizing a paragraph from a textbook.

Posted by: Mainah at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (659DL)

232 Space myths are space myths. Lots of otherwise intelligent people believe them. News at 11.


Posted by: seattle slough at February 18, 2014 12:09 PM (mCz8+)

 

I was an atheist once. I hope to God I didn't come across back then as abrasively and patronizingly as you do.

Posted by: troyriser at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (V9ol4)

233 202 Some of the dumb fucks even believe in ewoks.

Nonsense! I saw an actual ewok on Fox News once. He kept getting preempted by an Israeli tank that was stuck in some mud, but he was real.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 18, 2014 12:06 PM (B/VB5)

 

Ace has even appeared on the Today show. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szY8oB1_rjg

Posted by: buzzion at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (LI48c)

234 200 Those stoopid wingnuts believe in creationism and that stoopid bible stuff
My psychic told me so, and the healing crystals she sold me kept me from getting prostate cancer which everyone knows kills millions of wymyn
Posted by: Rainbow Clogginstein from Sausalito, CA at February 18, 2014 12:06 PM (aTXUx)

Hello relative of Mary! Are you also an Indigo child perchance?

Posted by: LizLem at February 18, 2014 08:12 AM (BF+2f)

235 It's a fact that hot, young women can say stupid shit and not get called on it. I've let hot chicks do my signs, read my auras, and do a palm-reading. Any dude tried to do that I'd call him a fucking idiot. An ugly chick who tried to do that I'd probably just ignore. A hot, young chick? Tell me more about this palm-reading stuff ...

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 08:13 AM (ZPrif)

236 >>>211 If you are an employee at a service type business and you go out of your way to insult a paying customer, expect the manager to fire your ass pronto! unless you're a govt employee insulting a citizen. then it's a different deal.

Posted by: X at February 18, 2014 08:13 AM (KHo8t)

237 >>Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 12:03 PM Suit yourself, AmishDude. (And I agree with you about many bioinformaticists... but in my case simply because they often [not always] data whores who never did an experiment to produce data.) But you really come off ill-informed on evolutionary biology and it's kind of a shame. Just sitting down with some scientists that you do respect would probably change your views. When I was learning about the AGW field and their claims, it always struck me as very over-stated, at the very least. Being a scientist who did experiments and modeling gave me a critical eye with respect to their claims. But I am not an expert in their field, so it always made me a little hesitant to reject the AGW stuff outright. But I worked in college with some geophysicists and after a few conversations with them on the topic, I could tell *they* thought it was bullshit -- even though there was no indication these particular scientists had a political agenda. There's something to be said for just having a conversation with experts in a field and keeping an open mind about what you might learn.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 08:13 AM (zDsvJ)

238 The poor have more children because what else is there to do?

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That (Microaggressive SoCon) at February 18, 2014 08:13 AM (LSDdO)

239 Heh. Is that stored by The Barrel and the hobo skinning equipment, or did you bring it from home? I found it leaning next to the building where the Ravage Chow is stored.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at February 18, 2014 08:13 AM (0HooB)

240 @214 I will take Aquinas and LeMaitre over the Yahoo daily horoscope. It helps to actually know something about the broad intellectual tradition in Christianity.

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 08:14 AM (sOtz/)

241 I'm not so sure if this is the thread for me...

Posted by: Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Guam) at February 18, 2014 08:14 AM (FcR7P)

242 One thing I've noticed is leftists trying to set up "science" as a sort of counter-religion: "I don't believe in God, I believe in Science!!11!!" Of course they have no idea what "science" is and how it's done, and they couldn't explain the Copernican theory to save their lives; it's not actual knowledge they profess, but rather anti-religion.

Posted by: joncelli at February 18, 2014 08:14 AM (RD7QR)

243 With everything we've learned about the universe, it amuses me that there are some truly stupid individuals who think a line-of-sight grouping of massive fusion reactors, some in a different galactic arm than others, determines your personality and foretells your life. The only way the stars impact us is by forming, warming, or most unfortunately detonating close by. But hey, we have a freedom in this country to believe in stupid things.

Posted by: CAC at February 18, 2014 08:14 AM (dHYnh)

244 Oh. Lord, are we going to have a thread where people believe who in Yaweh and orJesus are castigated for being dumb $a***. I'm out

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 18, 2014 08:14 AM (XyM/Y)

245 I've also noticed the kind of science that liberals like. Paleo-science. - I love paleoscience because: 1) Dinosaurs are cool and 2) dinosaurs are cool. It's not entirely untestable. Different theories are advanced and are tested by subsequent fossil finds. For example, it is now generally accepted that at least some dinosaurs were feathered and that birds are descendants of dinosaurs. Neither of those was believed a decade ago.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 18, 2014 08:15 AM (Hx5uv)

246 I'm a stubborn dick because I'm Irish and had a shitty childhood.

The fact that I'm a Taurus is just a coincidence.

Posted by: Oschisms at February 18, 2014 08:15 AM (pfVS8)

247 I think there is probably something to prenatal influences emotionally as well as physically. I may be totally wrong about this not being a doctor, but when I was pregnant I got very sick and of course couldn't have medicine because it would have been bad for the baby. But the OB told me that while my body was generating antibodies to fight off the illness those antibodies would be passed along to the baby, boosting his body's natural immunities. Therefore I would extrapolate that the adrenalin from stress or serotonin levels can also affect the unborn baby.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 18, 2014 08:15 AM (RZ8pf)

248 Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 12:11 PM (PYAXX) But in the past, the Death rates for children of the poor were much higher than those for the rich... In the West, through medical science, we've really closed that Gap...

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 18, 2014 08:15 AM (84gbM)

249 "Any dude tried to do that I'd call him a fucking idiot. An ugly chick who tried to do that I'd probably just ignore. "
Really hot young dudes can get away with stupid and abusive crap regularly too, from women. The problem is handsome men tend to just get more handsome as they age, so they get away with it longer.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:15 AM (zfY+H)

250 In the old days, it was because having few children was a sign of luxury. You could afford doctors and an environment wherein your children were likely to live to adulthood. The poor could not- and so had lots of kids to make sure that *some* would survive (okay- human behavior is WAY more complex than that, but it does play into things). Plus, making the beast with two backs was free. Going to the opera in London, NY, Paris, etc, was serious coin.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 08:16 AM (ix+5k)

251 I was an atheist once. I hope to God I didn't come across back then as abrasively and patronizingly as you do. I don't know if you did, or not, but the troll just sounded stupid, not particularly patronizing (since it's hard to patronize people when your world-view is still stuck in 10th grade). But, of course, most anti-theists *want* to believe that Christianity is "made up" because then they can try to avoid the evidence of their own consciences.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 08:16 AM (PYAXX)

252 This is a NONTROVERSY! Just a few progressives didn't get a science education because of cuts to school budgets

Why don't you talk about all the CREATIONISTS!!

Posted by: Dr Charles Johnson, Scienceologist at February 18, 2014 08:16 AM (aTXUx)

253 230?

Geez!

Posted by: backhoe at February 18, 2014 08:16 AM (ULH4o)

254 Wow. And here I didn't think you could be anymore of a prick that you already were. Congrats on proving me wrong. Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at February 18, 2014 12:04 PM (da5Wo) I'm sorry you misinterpreted the comment. (That being said, I am a prick, but this case doesn't prove it.) Pick your favorite older Hollywood actress and her favorite cause. Invariably, it's environmental or has to do with animals. When she was young and pretty, she could say almost anything and never get a verbal smackdown. But somehow, now that she's older, she wants to be *heard*. Kind of a Fredo Corleone thing.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 08:16 AM (T0NGe)

255 230 Have you guys seen this? http://riversidedc.org/dear-white-christians-of-florida-an-open-letter/ Oh, Madonn' A DC Preacher ordering the Florida rubes to get in line. Listen up, Districts. The Capital has spoken.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 18, 2014 08:17 AM (7ObY1)

256 @BarackObama We're going to double the distance our cars and light trucks can go on a gallon of gas by 2025. Yeah, cause we are discovering all these new energy sources double the energy density of gasoline. Or double the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. Only real hope is to make the vehicles weigh half as much.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 08:17 AM (ZPrif)

257 >>Have you guys seen this?
http://riversidedc.org/dear-white-christians-of-florida-an-open-letter/


Wow. Seems that it's all just one big Lefty campaign now. They pick a target - the Redskins team name, gun control, gay marriage, whatever - and then all the little forces pile on so that you just can't escape it.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 18, 2014 08:17 AM (POpqt)

258 "One thing I've noticed is leftists trying to set up "science" as a sort of counter-religion: "I don't believe in God, I believe in Science!!11!!" Of course they have no idea what "science" is and how it's done, and they couldn't explain the Copernican theory to save their lives; it's not actual knowledge they profess, but rather anti-religion."
Its a proxy for religion for them. Humans are religious creatures, and we know better no matter how loudly we claim there's nothing but what we can see and touch and measure.
That philosophy is self-detonating. By stating it you are expressing an idea which... cannot be measured or touched or sensed.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:17 AM (zfY+H)

259 I imagine there is a large psychological factor here, rivaling other factors such as natural intelligence and education. And for whatever reason, women seem more psychologically primed to be willing to believe in New Agey type things. Perhaps. Or, they are just having fun tapping into their spiritual or storytelling side. I certainly do. I know being a Pisces doesn't mean a thing, but, I enjoy being a Pisces. Astrology, gems/crystals, incense, oils, etc, absorb the senses. Meh. It's fun. Just like reading sci-fi.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette: sun worshipper. beach lover. at February 18, 2014 08:18 AM (IXrOn)

260 Women are more into astrology, but men are more into weird conspiracy theories.

Posted by: J at February 18, 2014 08:18 AM (6VB4r)

261 I've let hot chicks do my signs, read my auras, and do a palm-reading. Any dude tried to do that I'd call him a fucking idiot. An ugly chick who tried to do that I'd probably just ignore. A hot, young chick? Tell me more about this palm-reading stuff ... "Ooh, the hairs on your palms are intriguing sir......"

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 08:18 AM (ix+5k)

262 Molecular clock makes tons of assumptions that frankly it cannot support. You have to have assumptions for a mathematical model. It's inevitable. The problem is that biology (and climate) is just too complex. Too many variables. It's why you really have to test against data and not focus so much on elaborate models.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 08:18 AM (T0NGe)

263 My dear old Dad usta tell me as a young man: "It don't take much talent to push a pole, boy." I understood where he was going with that.

Posted by: maddogg at February 18, 2014 08:18 AM (xWW96)

264 Lower costs, wider coverage, better care, the earth is flat, and the Syrian oppositon is full of moderates. All of these things are EXACTLY like the others.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 18, 2014 08:19 AM (659DL)

265 Posted by: Romeo13 at February 18, 2014 12:15 PM (84gbM) Yes, but *now* it's just the expectation- built upon hundreds (perhaps thousands) of years of habit and societal pressures.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 08:19 AM (PYAXX)

266 A dabbler in philosophy finds atheism. The disciple of philosophy finds religion.

Posted by: or something someone said at February 18, 2014 08:19 AM (MhA4j)

267 Anti-Science wingnut denialists reject global warming's effect on the rising temperature of Uranus!!

Posted by: Dr Charles Johnson, Scienceologist at February 18, 2014 08:19 AM (aTXUx)

268 For all of our friends at  dailykos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjxSCAalsBE

Posted by: mrp at February 18, 2014 08:19 AM (JBggj)

269 But you really come off ill-informed on evolutionary biology and it's kind of a shame.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 12:13 PM (zDsvJ)

Most people are ill-informed.

Evolution is a fact.

I'll bet 99% of the people who answered correctly that the earth revolves around the sun don't know that.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 08:19 AM (QFxY5)

270 192 But women have an additional problem: People listen to their dumb shit when they're young and pretty, so they never have to face the fact that their shit is dumb. Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 11:45 AM (T0NGe) I noticed this also when having to deal with some of the old women in my family, all of whom were very pretty in youth. They also tended to think that every man was after them, even when the man in question was young and they were well past their prime. The exceptions: those who were formally well-educated and had accomplished something more than having a gazillion husbands.

Posted by: baldilocks at February 18, 2014 08:19 AM (36Rjy)

271 Y-not, I build a lot of weather and atmospheric gas sensors. It's bullshit. It's always been bullshit. First, we do not have the measurement density to justify the precision they are claiming (even if the measurements supported the theory); second, we don't have the maths to evaluate the complex interactions of climate systems; and lastly, Where is the water vapor - the whole thing is based on CO2 forcing feedbacks in water vapor to cause the warming, but the water vapor increases that should precede the warming aren't there.

Posted by: Jean at February 18, 2014 08:19 AM (4JkHl)

272 >> "I don't believe in God, I believe in Science!!11!!"

Funny thing is, I've sat beside a lot of scientists at church.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 18, 2014 08:20 AM (POpqt)

273 Yeah, cause we are discovering all these new energy sources double the energy density of gasoline. Or double the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. Only real hope is to make the vehicles weigh half as much. Choppers for everyone!

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 08:20 AM (ix+5k)

274 >>One thing I've noticed is leftists trying to set up "science" as a sort of counter-religion: "I don't believe in God, I believe in Science!!11!!" Of course they have no idea what "science" is and how it's done, and they couldn't explain the Copernican theory to save their lives; it's not actual knowledge they profess, but rather anti-religion. That was sort of the point I was trying to make earlier. They cling to some of the junk science and junk scientists as if they are holy men because their science gives meaning to their whole worldview. And at the heart of that worldview is that man is inherently evil and must be controlled. Everything flow from this, abortion, AGW, Peak Oil .. every liberal fantasy is a direct result of this alternate worldview based on science that has long been discredited. The only way they can make sense of this is to endlessly bleat that the science is settled! Arguing with hardcore leftists is pointless if you are trying to change their opinion. There is no logic at the core so you just end up getting declarative statements like the science is settled thrown back at you.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 18, 2014 08:20 AM (g1DWB)

275 "Women are more into astrology, but men are more into weird conspiracy theories."
THEY told you to say that, didn't they? *looks around nervously*
"Evolution is a fact. "
I can't help but giggle when I read or hear that.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:21 AM (zfY+H)

276 I was an atheist once. I hope to God I didn't come across back then as abrasively and patronizingly as you do. Posted by: troyriser at February 18, 2014 12:12 PM (V9ol4) Probably not. There's a difference between not believing (perfectly rational) and having the "false consciousness" (hee, hee, Marxist term) that the world would be a better place if filled with atheists.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 08:21 AM (T0NGe)

277 'Science'? 'Arithmetic'? Don't try to spook us with your magic tricks, sorcerers!!

Posted by: The Left at February 18, 2014 08:22 AM (FcR7P)

278 But somehow, now that she's older, she wants to be *heard*. Kind of a Fredo Corleone thing. All libtards are Fredo. But then I'm an Aquarius with Eris ascendant and a spy satellite in the second vacation house, so what the hell do I know...

Posted by: Brother Cavil, Applied Phrenologist at February 18, 2014 08:22 AM (naUcP)

279 Only real hope is to make the vehicles weigh half as much. Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 12:17 PM (ZPrif) Every time we do this, we make cars more expensive to maintain. Time chains go away in favor of lighter belts, more plastic parts, etc.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 08:22 AM (GaqMa)

280 271 Y-not, I build a lot of weather and atmospheric gas sensors. It's bullshit. -- Yep, the data collection always struck me as extremely problematic. Also, the modeling on a system that large, it's practically an open system, seems nigh on impossible. Skeletal muscle biology has been studied in molecular detail for ~70 years and there's still a lot of fudging required to get models that we still don't have 100% confidence in.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (zDsvJ)

281 Yes let's talk about superior races.

Posted by: Margaret Sanger at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (Aif/5)

282 Every time we do this, we make cars more expensive to maintain likely to kill us in a crash. Unburying the lede.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (PYAXX)

283 " And at the heart of that worldview is that man is inherently evil and must be controlled. "
Its rather the opposite. They think man is inherently wonderful and control will bring that out. That the lack of their power and control is letting the few bad seeds corrupt everyone else.
Its a basic tenet of the left: humans are basically good people and our system will create a utopia by closing out and educating away the bad.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (zfY+H)

284 Lefties say that they know what the weather will be by the end of this century, but have nothing to say when the weather forecast for tomorrow is wrong

"They're not perfect, you know!!"

Posted by: kbdabear at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (aTXUx)

285 Here's one for you: Acupuncture. And all the other "Eastern medicines."

Pure BS.

But, placebo says a good chunk of people will get better no matter what.

Billions spent on supplements and organic food . . . the well of stupid people believing stupid things will never go dry.

Posted by: RoyalOil at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (VjL9S)

286 Statistics are a form of weasel, right?

"Over seven in 10 Obama voters, and 55 percent of Democrats, regret voting forBarky's reelection in 2012, according to a new  poll."

http://tinyurl.com/n8yead7

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (iN+8f)

287 One thing I've noticed is leftists trying to set up "science" as a sort of counter-religion: "I don't believe in God, I believe in Science!!11!!" I love that argument. My response usually runs something like, "Hey, I love science too. Can you help me? I'd like science to prove God does not exist." The response is usually a big smile, then pause, then the dim realization that they've just been had, followed by the furious building of strawmen.

Posted by: Sean Bannion [/i][/i][/u][/s] at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (JpC1K)

288 Hmmm, the comments are closed on that Dear White Christians post. I wonder why?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at February 18, 2014 08:23 AM (0HooB)

289 Every time we do this, we make cars more expensive to maintain.

And more people die, but that's a net plus for the people writing the standards.

Posted by: HR at February 18, 2014 08:24 AM (ZKzrr)

290 I you are hot enough or rich enough or important enough you can say all sorts of stupid shit without anybody calling you an idiot. If you are rich enough you can surround yourself with yes men. If you are hot enough the yes men will surround you for free.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 08:24 AM (ZPrif)

291 Rumor has it that Darwin is pretty pissed at the left because their continued existence is making him look like a dunce.

Posted by: LoneStarHeeb at February 18, 2014 08:24 AM (BZAd3)

292 Time chains go away in favor of lighter belts, more plastic parts, etc.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 12:22 PM (GaqMa)

Eventually the complexity and cost of larger and larger subunits will overwhelm our ability to repair them, and we will simply discard our cars when they breakdown.

Luckily they are mostly amazingly reliable.....

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 08:24 AM (QFxY5)

293 Hmmmm.... interesting thought... What is the male / female breakdown of these groups? Note, they talk about the Political leanings of respondents, but then leave out the Gender. ie, are more Men or Women self identifying as those particular groupings... and do more Men / Women believe in Astrology?

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 18, 2014 08:24 AM (84gbM)

294 Anyone told slough to get bent yet?

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 18, 2014 08:24 AM (m5+rk)

295 Every time we do this, we make cars more expensive to maintain.

Not seeing the problem.

Posted by: Government Motors at February 18, 2014 08:25 AM (B/VB5)

296 Its a basic tenet of the left: humans are basically good people and our system will create a utopia by closing out and educating away the bad. This. They'll claim not to believe it (some of them), but it is the only logical premise for most of their world-view. ONLY IF man is basically good will confiscatory taxation work. ONLY IF man is basically good will amnesty for illegal aliens work. ONLY IF man is basically good will gun control work. And so on.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 08:25 AM (PYAXX)

297 Accupuncture is 100% bullshit. Also 100% bullshit -- Chiropractor shit.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 08:25 AM (ZPrif)

298 How evolutionists prove evolution. Many, many years ago when the Earth was young, a chemical soup formed in the oceans. From this soup simple single cells formed. Then the cells combined to form simple critters. These critters changed into other more advanced critters. Some of these critters exited the ocean and walked on land and became land critters. A few land critters developed wings and started to fly. Eventually there were amphibians, reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals. Some mammals became humans. Now, even though we have never seen this process in the fossil record, or in real time, nor can we recreate it in a lab, we know it happened because given enough time (we don't really know how much, just a lot) and by some unknown process (that we know existed) anything can happen. And it did! Our word is the only proof you need to prove evolution, because we are scientists and you're NOT! *Although a bit sarcastic, this is exactly how evolutionists "prove" evolution. Like creationism, evolution is a belief system. Neither has been proven.

Posted by: ExSnipe at February 18, 2014 08:25 AM (LKJt3)

299 But you really come off ill-informed on evolutionary biology and it's kind of a shame. Not at all. But my reaction is that of a magician watching a 12-year-old perform some tricks. I have a whole area of research that originated with a bioinformatical question (consensus trees). The questions that biologists wanted to answer were...not possible mathematically. They had some idea. It wasn't true, but the generalization (which has no biological application) is fascinating mathematics. I've seen much of what they've done. The question is always "I might be able to say something, what are your assumptions?" But they can't answer that, not in any way that gives a workable model.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 08:25 AM (T0NGe)

300

@BarackObama We're going to double the distance our cars and light trucks can go on a gallon of gas by 2025.

 

Yeah, sure thing bud.  But what is the oats per mile offset?  Like a third-world country, the car shells will be pulled by horses and oxen.

Posted by: Count de Monet at February 18, 2014 08:26 AM (BAS5M)

301 27Only real hope is to make the vehicles weigh half as much. Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 12:17 PM (ZPrif) Every time we do this, we make cars more expensive to maintain. Time chains go away in favor of lighter belts, more plastic parts, etc. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really That's why I'm hanging onto my 1998 Chev 1500 PU 4x4 until it completely falls apart and duct tape and liquid nails can't hold it together. Fucking government should stay out of the car biz. 9

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at February 18, 2014 08:26 AM (HVff2)

302 Every time we do this, we make cars more expensive to maintain. Time chains go away in favor of lighter belts, more plastic parts, etc. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 12:22 PM (GaqMa) Not to mention the engine is packed together like a Jenga puzzle. You have to take the whole thing apart to change the oil filter it's packed so tight.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at February 18, 2014 08:26 AM (oFCZn)

303 Frumious postulates a plausible pathway by which sun and seasonal activity level *could* affect personality type, but there is, as far as I know, no attestation that anything like this happens and thus needs to be explained. Posted by: ace at February 18, 2014 11:42 AM (/FnUH) everything effects a baby as it develops they are sponges as we are, still, today

Posted by: artisanal 'ette: sun worshipper. beach lover. at February 18, 2014 08:26 AM (IXrOn)

304 Posted by: Sean Bannion at February 18, 2014 12:23 PM (JpC1K)

I know that evolution is a fact, and that in no way contradicts my belief in God.

That's usually good for a few minutes of strawman construction.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 08:26 AM (QFxY5)

305 "Also, the modeling on a system that large, it's practically an open system, seems nigh on impossible. Skeletal muscle biology has been studied in molecular detail for ~70 years and there's still a lot of fudging required to get models that we still don't have 100% confidence in. "
See, this is where I climb on to the Critchton bandwagon. He didn't know whether global warming was a problem or not, but what he did know was that the science was too massively complicated and impossibly vast for humans to be religiously certain about it.
Evolution is the same way to me: some people are making absolute certain foot-stamping statements about things which are so complicated and we know so little about its like guessing the contents of the ocean from a drop of water.
As time goes on we find out more and more science is like this. And its bizarre how much of it was hand waved and presumed over the years.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:26 AM (zfY+H)

306 I am convinced the human race is getting dumber with time. - It is amazing to me that the ancient Greeks figured out the progression of the equinoxes. Still we shouldn't idolize them. The vast majority of Greeks were too dumb to read.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 18, 2014 08:26 AM (Hx5uv)

307 CharlieBrown'sDildo, There seems to be a disconnect between the acceptance of the utility of animal testing and the *reason* that animal testing is valuable in human medicine. But there's no way to pack years of science education into a politically-charged debate about it, so I've stopped trying.

Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 08:27 AM (zDsvJ)

308 Astronomy has made me a Deist. Odd, I'm sure.

Posted by: CAC at February 18, 2014 08:27 AM (dHYnh)

309 How do you "Aebly" digest somethin'?  Is it painful?

Posted by: MtTB at February 18, 2014 08:27 AM (lQCe+)

310 Getting any sort of "touchy" bullshit medical treatment will make you feel a little better, short term cause: 1) It feels good to be paid attention to 2) It feels good to have somebody touch you But it's not medicine. Acupuncture and Chiropractor bullshit would be safer and cheaper if people just went to a Thai massage parlor/whorehouse. Same effect. Better even.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 08:28 AM (ZPrif)

311 The Left nailed the Population Bomb, crystal power, 1970s ice age, ancient aliens, fetuses just being clumps of cells, and peak oil. I see no reason to stop trusting whatever balderdash flies out of their cake holes.

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 08:28 AM (sOtz/)

312 Pick your favorite older Hollywood actress and her favorite cause. Invariably, it's environmental or has to do with animals. When she was young and pretty, she could say almost anything and never get a verbal smackdown. But somehow, now that she's older, she wants to be *heard*. Kind of a Fredo Corleone thing. Posted by: AmishDude at February 18, 2014 12:16 PM (T0NGe) Demonstrated daily on Twitter with the likes of Cher, Ashley Judd, Kirstie Alley, etc.

Posted by: baldilocks at February 18, 2014 08:28 AM (36Rjy)

313 Posted by: ExSnipe at February 18, 2014 12:25 PM (LKJt3)

You don't understand what evolution is.

Origin of life and evolution are not the same things.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 08:28 AM (QFxY5)

314 They don't seem to know what they don't know and they don't know to look for primary data (or sources, in the case of news).

Looking for primary data is laudable, but it's freaking hard sometimes.

I can't tell you how many times I've tried to look for some information only to be blocked by a paywall.  Or to find a scientific paper with incomprehensible insider speak. 

I'm a CS guy, but even some CS papers are well beyond me.  I have training in Statistics, Chemistry, Physics, and Math through single-variable Calculus, Probability, Set Theory, and a lot of that other CS centric Math.  Despite that, if I try to read most published Math, Physics, CS, or Chemistry papers I get lost so fast it's frustrating. 

Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at February 18, 2014 08:28 AM (gtjN1)

315 I was under the impression that liberals thought everything revolved around global warming and coed dorm rooms?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at February 18, 2014 08:28 AM (t3UFN)

316 Chiropracty has some value (the same way stretching and massage are beneficial) but some, perhaps many, turn it into an absurd religion of cure-all magic. I can cure your cancer by rubbing your neck!

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:29 AM (zfY+H)

317 Did someone mention hot chicks spewing bullshit?

Posted by: Jenny McCarthy at February 18, 2014 08:29 AM (02O7f)

318 "Ooh, the hairs on your palms are intriguing sir......" I have a Simian Crease on my right hand. Talk about having fun with palm readers...

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at February 18, 2014 08:29 AM (0HooB)

319 I was under the impression that liberals thought everything revolved around global warming and coed dorm rooms?

Genitals and skin color, all the way down.

Posted by: HR at February 18, 2014 08:29 AM (ZKzrr)

320 I know that evolution is a fact, and that in no way contradicts my belief in God. That's usually good for a few minutes of strawman construction. Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 12:26 PM (QFxY5) Ditto. Wanna know who came up with the Big Bang Theory? Hint: It wasn't Sheldon Cooper. I note with interest that most atheists have no answer for the Argument from Contingency. Well they have one, it just doesn't make any sense.

Posted by: Sean Bannion [/i][/i][/u][/s] at February 18, 2014 08:30 AM (JpC1K)

321 Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 12:27 PM (zDsvJ)

You are much more forgiving than I.

You don't "believe" in animal studies?

Good. Go die.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 08:30 AM (QFxY5)

322 @BarackObama We're going to double the distance our cars and light trucks can go on a gallon of gas by 2025. By changing all speedometers to kilometers? Behold the Wizard's powerful Science!

Posted by: t-bird at February 18, 2014 08:30 AM (FcR7P)

323 I get a lot of fun out of saying to my Catholic wife: "You can't call yourself a Christian and be superstitious."

Heh, heh, heh. 

Posted by: RoyalOil at February 18, 2014 08:30 AM (VjL9S)

324 Origin of life and evolution are not the same things.

Liberals assured me at length that they are exactly the same thing.  And that therefore evolution disproves God.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 18, 2014 08:30 AM (B/VB5)

325 I believe in a combination of creationism and evolution. I believe created this world and us, but we and the animals/plants in it have evolved into the form we currently have.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 18, 2014 08:30 AM (0MVzQ)

326 But I'm supposed to be fat!

Posted by: mycroft holmes at February 18, 2014 08:30 AM (14um2)

327 But it's not medicine. Acupuncture and Chiropractor bullshit would be safer and cheaper if people just went to a Thai massage parlor/whorehouse. Same effect. Better even. Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 12:28 PM (ZPrif) Depends if it is penicillin resistant or not?

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (HVff2)

328 Astronomy has made me a Deist. Odd, I'm sure. Not so odd. Surveys have proven that people who get out into the great outdoors have a higher belief in a God. What could be more 'outdoor-sy' then poking around the Milky Way at night?

Posted by: SE Pa Moron [/i] at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (CnA98)

329 Yeah, we aren't discovering more dense energy sources. Internal combustion engines aren't improving in efficiency. About the only way to improve the distance you can go per gallon of gas is to reduce the weight being transported. Maybe Obama's gonna announce higher MPG thru forced gastric bypass surgeries for America's fatties.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (ZPrif)

330 "Astronomy has made me a Deist. Odd, I'm sure. "
Its the only rational, logical conclusion of careful study of the universe around us. Atheism is nonsense, I can buy agnosticism, but a creator of some sort is simply impossible to avoid.
Even Anthony Flew figured that out, in the end.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (zfY+H)

331 Nood up. Something about the clap, I think.

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (t8ySh)

332 Posted by: Y-not at February 18, 2014 12:27 PM (zDsvJ) We'll see about that!

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c), furiously writing his animal resarch dissertation at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (GaqMa)

333 Has anyone mentioned that Uranus is in retrograde yet?

Posted by: Astrology!!! at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (nbGZj)

334 All of this makes it much easier to see how the whole global warming/climate change argument gathered such a following.

Posted by: LoneStarHeeb at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (BZAd3)

335 I was under the impression that liberals thought everything revolved around global warming and coed dorm rooms? Posted by: Nevergiveup at February 18, 2014 12:28 PM (t3UFN) Until the next talking point memo goes out...

Posted by: artisanal 'ette: sun worshipper. beach lover. at February 18, 2014 08:31 AM (IXrOn)

336 If that weren't so long, I'd make it my permanent sock.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 08:32 AM (GaqMa)

337 >>@BarackObama We're going to double the distance our cars and light trucks can go on a gallon of gas by 2025.

*Ahem* Forget about me?

Posted by: Rising Ocean at February 18, 2014 08:32 AM (POpqt)

338 Genitals and skin color, all the way down.

I like the story recently where the organizers of the "Night of 1000 Vaginas" (yes, really) were denounced widely as h8ers because they were excluding the transgendered.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 18, 2014 08:33 AM (B/VB5)

339 Chiropractor BS is based on fake BS "science" of "subluxations" are crap that aren't real. Yeah, getting a massage can be helpful. But they claim they have an understanding of "subluxations" that is basically the same as eastern medi-quacks that want to adjust your "Qi" energy flows.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at February 18, 2014 08:33 AM (ZPrif)

340 Chemtrails and plastic snow conspiracy.

http://www.geekosystem.com/chemtrail-snow-conspiracy-explained/

Posted by: Buzzsaw at February 18, 2014 08:33 AM (tf9Ne)

341 I made a wonderfully intelligent movie about the origins of life.

Posted by: Ridley Scott at February 18, 2014 08:33 AM (Aif/5)

342 About the only way to improve the distance you can go per gallon of gas is to reduce the weight being transported. GM - Government Moped.

Posted by: t-bird at February 18, 2014 08:33 AM (FcR7P)

343 The earth revolves around the sun? Why didn't the sun tip over then, smart guy!

Posted by: Rep Hank Johnson at February 18, 2014 08:33 AM (aTXUx)

344 Nood up.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 18, 2014 08:34 AM (ix+5k)

345 210 Global warming is real. The science is settled. Posted by: Rep. Hank Johnson at February 18, 2014 12:08 PM (JQuNB) Hank Johnson is RIGHT!!

Posted by: Howard Johnson at February 18, 2014 08:36 AM (aTXUx)

346 Origin of life and evolution are not the same things. Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 12:28 PM (QFxY5) Except, they are- at least, they are to the extent they are both used as a cudgel against the religious. Note the argument is "Evolution versus Creationism." That indicates that those who believe in "Evolution" explicitly do not believe that life was Created (which is explicitly what Creationism states). If you want to say that species have changed over time, so that humans today are different in a number of ways from humans 5000 years ago? I'm fully prepared to believe that. If you want to say that new species have evolved from previous species- there's a lot of ground-work you'll have to lay before that's believable. Among those are the reproductive problem (animals of two different species don't breed fertile children), and the competition problem (if evolution is about better filling of niche (survival of the fittest), then why does a new species not completely wipe out an old species?). I'm sure I could think of other questions that have never been answered to my satisfaction (or, you know, at all- at least to me) if given enough time. Further, if you *do* believe in God, then you have to at least take a shot at explaining why macro-evolution (evolution of new species) is more believable than that "God created them, each according to their types."

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 08:37 AM (PYAXX)

347 @324 No s#!t. They seem to think Darwin weighed in on the origin of life itself by studying different species of the same bird in the Galapagos. Origin of SPECIES. I have been labeled a young earth creationist for thinking science has not nailed down the origin of life and the jump to multicellular organisms. That is all they know: label and ridicule.

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 08:38 AM (sOtz/)

348 I agree with Howard Johnson's agreement with Rep. Hank Johnson!

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:38 AM (zfY+H)

349 "I imagine there is a large psychological factor here, rivaling other factors such as natural intelligence and education. And for whatever reason, women seem more psychologically primed to be willing to believe in New Agey type things." Cut to the chase - Women, in general, will believe anything a confident and attractive looking man tells them, no matter how ridiculous. They're pre-programmed to do it, they can't help it. And let's admit it, fellow members of the Male Gender - We've been living off that little quirk in their psychology for the last 20,000 or 30,000 years. If not more.

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 18, 2014 08:38 AM (8Fa5Z)

350 "That, I think, accounts for at least some of the difference, by ideology, given that women skew liberal." in my experience, stupid women skew liberal, and by 'stupid' I don't mean uneducated. I mean stupid by choice.

Posted by: the Butcher at February 18, 2014 08:39 AM (8g9qq)

351 147 #141 there's a FB page called "Being Liberal"

I'll have to check that page out while I eat lunch. I could use a good laugh today.
=========
It's as bad as described, maybe worse.

It's just . . . so, so stupid. Self-congratulatory stupidity, at that; they wallow in their depths of stupidity.

Posted by: RoyalOil at February 18, 2014 08:40 AM (VjL9S)

352 If astrology isn't real then how did we get to the moon?

Answer that, mister smartypants!

Posted by: Joe Biden at February 18, 2014 08:41 AM (5fSr7)

353

285: "Here's one for you: Acupuncture. And all the other "Eastern medicines."

Pure BS."

 

I'm not so sure. While I don't think tiger penis has any value, I know that reflexolgy massages are THE SHIZZNET!

 

Whether you call it chi or interconnetcted nerve ganglia, I think there might be something there.

Posted by: Azenogoth (Freedom or Fire) at February 18, 2014 08:41 AM (OJn3e)

354 Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 12:37 PM (PYAXX) Species can't interbreed, in part because of how we've defined "species." So I'm not really sure if that plays into this at all, especially since the argument goes that this happened over a long period of time, whereas the whole "can't interbreed" looks at a point period (i.e. now.) As for "why didn't the old species get wiped out." Well actually it did. Each species now is the highest on it's particular evolutionary tree. That is to say all the species that came before are no more. Having said that, theories that incorporate punctuated equilibrium into their overall evolutionary method also approach this in a certain sense (admittedly in a different manor.) Frankly the current articulation of evolution is woefully inadequate to what the actual theory is.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 08:42 AM (GaqMa)

355 "Evolution is a fact. " Truly, evolution occurs. But the THEORY of evolution taken from Darwin and become "Darwinian" remains as such a theory. For "conservative" too project theory as fact aligns with a "liberal" who does the same. Common ground, lol.

Posted by: or something someone said at February 18, 2014 08:44 AM (MhA4j)

356 346 Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at February 18, 2014 12:37 PM (PYAXX) Thank you Allen, well stated. As an avid outdoorsman I also understand CAC's deist position. I find it impossible to spend an afternoon out in the wilderness and believe what I am experiencing came from a sea of blob.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at February 18, 2014 08:44 AM (HVff2)

357 That is to say all the species that came before are no more. tell that to the crocodile

Posted by: Dundy at February 18, 2014 08:45 AM (MhA4j)

358 Posted by: Dundy at February 18, 2014 12:45 PM (MhA4j) Not every evolutionary tree is the same height.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 08:46 AM (GaqMa)

359 Posted by: ExSnipe at February 18, 2014 12:25 PM (LKJt3) You don't understand what evolution is. Origin of life and evolution are not the same things. Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 18, 2014 12:28 PM (QFxY5) Then you haven't read or listened to the same evolution scientists that I have.

Posted by: ExSnipe at February 18, 2014 08:46 AM (LKJt3)

360 Perhaps some people are simply confusing astrology with  astronomy, easy enough to do.

Posted by: Javems at February 18, 2014 08:48 AM (nTgAI)

361 This just proves that the Democrats care more because they're the party that includes people that can't tell their ass from... There are more Dems because they consist of both the people that want to be taken care of and the people that think they're smart enough to take care of other people.

Posted by: rockhead at February 18, 2014 08:48 AM (jtTKf)

362 148 2 They don't read books; they just parrot what they're told. Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at February 18, 2014 11:21 AM (Y92Nd) Oh, they read books. They just don't understand them. Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Rounding Error Extraordinaire at February 18, 2014 11:54 AM (iU3DF) Hm. Nazis read books of the "right" sort, and understood them. Burnt the rest. Orthodoxy burns the free thinker, aka "heretic". As for regurgitating on cue, hell, that makes the rounds regardless of ideology. No?

Posted by: or something someone said at February 18, 2014 08:50 AM (MhA4j)

363 Then you haven't read or listened to the same evolution scientists that I have. Posted by: ExSnipe at February 18, 2014 12:46 PM (LKJt3) That's because none of them can ultimately answer the question, "Hey, where did the Primordial Soup come from?" Ergo, they're not worth listening to.

Posted by: Sean Bannion [/i][/i][/u][/s] at February 18, 2014 08:51 AM (JpC1K)

364 Posted by: Sean Bannion at February 18, 2014 12:51 PM (JpC1K) Damn scientists never want to consider the uncaused cause. It makes their heads hurt to much. Also they tend to think of nature as an intelligent designer. It's so frustrating.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 18, 2014 08:52 AM (GaqMa)

365 @354 Some species can interbreed. Nature does not follow our opinions about categories. Coyotes, wolves, and dogs to give one example. Not to mention Neanderthal booty calls.

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 08:52 AM (sOtz/)

366 and the people that think they're smart enough to take care of other people. Posted by: rockhead at February 18, 2014 12:48 PM (jtTKf) 361. clever ...AND the smart ass people who figure how to make the worst caregivers responsible for taking care of others. Job creation! Tax sponsored, mandated...

Posted by: or something someone said at February 18, 2014 08:53 AM (MhA4j)

367 Something modern science has a problem with is that if something is impossible, extra time won't make it impossible. No matter how long it takes... it still won't happen.
So I'm sorry Stephen Hawkins, the big bang cannot have come from nothing, even if it took a really long time to do it.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:54 AM (zfY+H)

368 As a dude, all I can say is that astrological profiles tend to match up pretty good with people in my life. And I find this interesting. Beyond that, astrology does not inform my life or decisions... So that is what has me lending half an ear to astrology. Now I know no matter what your sign is, you can read a horoscope and see yourself in it, but wouldn't you know it, the Scorpio I know is a total type-a successful confrontational asshole, my girlfriend is totally a homemaker, protector cancer and I am pretty much a spacey intelligent aquarius. vOv - it's interesting.

Posted by: EM August at February 18, 2014 08:54 AM (be7oN)

369 Emotions are the "first-responder" of the human psyche, and provide a quick physical sensation based on what an individual truly believes (what he actually "knows" to be "true", as it were). The idea of roasting a puppy may trigger an averse emotional response from an individual of our Western culture, but some Indian tribes celebrated special events with such a meal. Emotions are to thinking what politics are to philosophy. Too many people use "emotional intelligence" to inform their decisions, never examining or questioning the thought process underlying the emotions. How an individual "feels" about a given subject says far more about the individual and his ability to reason than it does about the given subject. That said, I think I'll just have the salad.

Posted by: jwpaine @PirateBallerina at February 18, 2014 08:54 AM (2oU2+)

370 "Coyotes, wolves, and dogs to give one example."
Pretty sure they're all the same species. If you had a wolf and a badger breed, then you have something.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 08:55 AM (zfY+H)

371 That's because none of them can ultimately answer the question, "Hey, where did the Primordial Soup come from?" Ergo, they're not worth listening to. Posted by: Sean Bannion at February 18, 2014 12:51 PM (JpC1K) Yep. I then I get called a silly God believing anti-science nut.

Posted by: ExSnipe at February 18, 2014 08:55 AM (LKJt3)

372 Evolution?  Creation?

I'm not saying it was aliens.

But it was Ancient Aliens.

Posted by: Giorgio Tsoukalos at February 18, 2014 08:57 AM (Q6pxP)

373 365. Beagle If you haven't yet, catch the BBC scientific broadcast on dogs. Prior to the Victorian Era, there were relatively few breeds of dogs bred from the primitive original wild dogs around the world. Since the end of the 19th Century, (obviously) dog breeding has gone ballistic.

Posted by: or something someone said at February 18, 2014 08:57 AM (MhA4j)

374 I'm wondering if these idiots just confuse astrology and astronomy, but thats just dumb.

Posted by: SunkmaniTuTanka at February 18, 2014 08:58 AM (7yb9x)

375 "I was an atheist once. I hope to God I didn't come across back then as abrasively and patronizingly as you do."  -Troyriser

I'm being precisely as patronizing about your religion as you are all being about Astrology.  They are equally fictional.  Equally grounded in reality.  (except that constellations are actual things that exist unlike Gods, angels, demons, and spirits).  Ace (rightly) takes it as a given that Astrology is bullshit.  It clearly is.  And I'm simply extending that same level of deference to your beliefs. 

If you think people shouldn't make fun of other people's beliefs, then why aren't you griping at ace for making fun of Astology?  Astology predates Christianity.  There are people who take it quite seriously.  Yet it is taken as fact that it is a ridiculous belief.  I agree.  You agree.  So you remain a skeptic when it comes to this belief system and you are no better nor worse than me about it. 

My point remains that if you really want to compare how irrational a particular group of people are you have to include ALL irrational beliefs.  Anything taken purely on faith is by definition irrational as the belief exists outside rational thought. 

Posted by: seattle slough at February 18, 2014 08:59 AM (mCz8+)

376 Horse and donkey make infertile mule offspring. DNA needs alignment.

Posted by: or something someone said at February 18, 2014 08:59 AM (MhA4j)

377 Properly speaking, science CANNOT and SHOULD not speculate where everything came from entirely. Its beyond the discipline's realm of ability.
Its like trying to teach music theory through painting. Its like trying to teach cooking by driving really fast. Science deals with things you can measure, sense, and test, period. Anything beyond that and you're not doing your job and should be listened to as much as an actor pontificating on economics.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 09:00 AM (zfY+H)

378 Yep. I then I get called a silly God believing anti-science nut. Posted by: ExSnipe at February 18, 2014 12:55 PM (LKJt3) Have them call me when science disproves the existence of God.

Posted by: Sean Bannion [/i][/i][/u][/s] at February 18, 2014 09:00 AM (JpC1K)

379 374. You're too kind, and likely correct.

Posted by: or something someone said at February 18, 2014 09:00 AM (MhA4j)

380 @370 No. Same kingdom, phhlum, class, order, family, and I think genus though.

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 09:01 AM (sOtz/)

381 Phylum

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 09:02 AM (sOtz/)

382 374 - Yes, but the schadenfreude is still delicious

Posted by: phreshone at February 18, 2014 09:03 AM (Q6pxP)

383 I'm being precisely as patronizing about your religion as you are all being about Astrology. They are equally fictional. Posted by: seattle slough at February 18, 2014 12:59 PM (mCz8+) Provide proof. Show your work. There's absolutely no science that affirms or denies the existence of God. None. Your opinion is not science. So for now, you'll have to be satisfied with "having no frickin' clue whether God is real or not." THAT is the only rational position if for some reason you don't feel like God is real.

Posted by: Sean Bannion [/i][/i][/u][/s] at February 18, 2014 09:03 AM (JpC1K)

384 As Heinlein said: "One man's religion is another man's belly laugh."

Posted by: jwpaine @PirateBallerina at February 18, 2014 09:04 AM (2oU2+)

385 My point remains that if you really want to compare how irrational a particular group of people are you have to include ALL irrational beliefs. Anything taken purely on faith is by definition irrational as the belief exists outside rational thought.

Posted by: seattle slough at February 18, 2014 12:59 PM (mCz8+)

 

I'm a Capricorn. I don't believe in any of this bullshit.

Posted by: troyriser at February 18, 2014 09:08 AM (V9ol4)

386 Astrology is demonstrably false, it is easy to disprove and is utterly without philosophical or scientific support. The existence of a theistic creator on the other hand...

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 18, 2014 09:09 AM (zfY+H)

387 @375 And you get to rule on what is rational apparently. The fundamental concept of the creation of the universe was theorized by a priest before Hubble. Aquinas laid the pbilosophical framework for that more than a half millenium ago. All of this theorizing was sparked by a few sentences in Genesis. Astrology knows I can be moody. Wow.

Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 09:09 AM (sOtz/)

388 Surveys such as this one are discussed on the right not to establish the contrary proposition ("no, we're smarter, and we love science") but to undermine the left's original claim. And also to mock them. Mock them hard.

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie © at February 18, 2014 09:11 AM (1hM1d)

389 375. matter exists in motion with room to vibrate and orbit and interact To limit possibilities of existence arbitrarily according to one's own confined experience would not be wise, and could well be in error. When I was 5 and asked my dad if outer space really went on forever without end, he asked me what I'd expect to find even if there were a "dead-end" sign posted somewhere out there. Why would anyone really expect to find nothing? Years later, he also said how foolish it was for mortals to build a fence around God. My dad was a research scientist in biology and animal nutrition, an avid outdoorsman, and our family vacations were all spent out in the wilds camping. And yes, were were raised as a family united attending church every week, my mother gathering us children together each evening before bedtime to read a chapter of scriptures, Bible from start to finish, year after year. My dad was a Classical Liberal and we never saw reason to confine "knowledge" to a false materialism that denies the essence of "life" as valid as any other "truth". Evolution is as true as it is, no more, no less. But the more things change, the more they stay the same is as true as not, as well. And a theory is not a fact IF you know scientific rationale.

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 18, 2014 09:14 AM (MhA4j)

390 And you get to rule on what is rational apparently. Posted by: Beagle at February 18, 2014 01:09 PM (sOtz/) Debates are always winnable when you get to decide the rules. Amirite? Soon the name-calling should begin.

Posted by: Sean Bannion [/i][/i][/u][/s] at February 18, 2014 09:16 AM (JpC1K)

391 Acupuncture is the only thing that can cure my sister's migraines, when weather patterns get her into a migraine cycle she can't break out of. It and chiropractic stuff do work; don't just dismiss it as hokum. Western science is far from perfect. BUT, I go to a sports medicine licensed doctor when I need them, not a new agey flower power child. He backs it up with legitimate science AND I then can get it billed to my medical insurance, yay.

Posted by: LizLem at February 18, 2014 09:27 AM (BF+2f)

392 377. Its like trying to teach music theory through painting. --funny you should say that.

Posted by: The Grand Staff and compositional notation at February 18, 2014 09:34 AM (MhA4j)

393 390. Wax on. Wax off. Mic on. Mic off.

Posted by: The Grand Staff and compositional notation at February 18, 2014 09:35 AM (MhA4j)

394 Also Religion. People who are firm believers in an organized theologically developed religion are very immune to superstition be they Presbyterian, Orthodox Jewish, or Atheist. When the Pope says Religion is the Enemy of superstition he is telling the truth. If I believe in God, and my religion tells me than Astrology, tarot decks, and Reike massage are from Satan, the false one, I am not going to believe in that crap. Same if I am a serious atheist practitioner of Scientism. The thing is that very few people are really atheists, there are a lot more firmly theologically based religious people, though they too are a minority.

Posted by: Roy at February 18, 2014 12:01 PM (ggEAc)

395 The traditional religions are real faith-- they don't generally make predictions that can be tested, so they cannot be disproved in the scientific sense. You believe or you don't, but nobody can tell you honestly that you have been proven wrong. The "reality-based community" has a strong affinity for all kinds of faith-y nonsense : magic rocks, healing spells, witchcraft, auras, etc, etc. Most of this stuff makes actual predictions, which just do not stand up. Yet they cling to that crap.

Posted by: Qrstuv at February 18, 2014 01:39 PM (sR7AK)

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