Phi for All

Even if this is true, it doesn't make all systems equal. Some systems deserve more serious attention than others.

I live in Colorado, which legalized marijuana, which means we can also grow hemp. I'd love to see biofuel from hemp seed oil, rather than using food crops like corn. Hemp will grow in areas where other viable plants won't, so it doesn't need to impact other growth or the food chain. And the rest of the plant has uses too, so it's a valuable crop that grows like weeds.

One of the things that helps people understand this is to start with the Bible as an historical text being told by someone who was actually there, as you say. There are some very dynamic claims going on there, cataclysms and miracles as well as historical points in society. Typically, events like this are mentioned by historians from multiple spheres of influence. As with any other historic text, you look for other texts that corroborate what's written, and that's where the Bible comes up short. It matches some mundane historical points covered in other histories but in most of the major claims, like Noah's flood or miraculous resurrections, no other documents (outside the Bible) mention these things, events that surely would be recorded by non-religious scholars as well. If this were any other historical text, it would probably be judged untrustworthy as an accurate document, especially if there are multiple outside sources that are actually in conflict with the Bible's accounting. I also don't understand why you would say some of the things in the Bible couldn't be made up. There have been many works of fiction that have better continuity and those were written by a single human author. Why would you expect creativity and imagination to lessen when multiple writers are involved?

Boredom is a self-inflicted wound. Why are you waiting for THEM to show you what YOU want to do? If they don't send you any notices, find them yourself. If you love learning, don't wait to be spoon-fed. Teachers are there for the entire class, but individual students need to find their own motivation. By the time you're in college, you should know how to find out what you need to know.

I don't think this talk of gods is appropriate for a thread on the laws of physics and reality.

I wouldn't say it was brains they lack, but rather training in critical thinking and other intermediate education. Some of the phrases creationists use can seem pretty compelling because they're based on misinformation, so if you aren't in the habit of checking sources and reasoning things out, or if you didn't have the correct information to begin with, their arguments can seem controversial. "If we evolved from monkeys, why do we still have monkeys?" is one that gets a lot of people. If you don't know why the question itself is wrong, it's hard not to think that's a good question.

I hope you're right. I, too, was impressed with his willingness to cross party lines for efficiency, effectiveness and integrity during his state's recent storm emergency. I may not vote for him, but he's the Republican candidate I'd feel best about winning, especially if he has to work with a Democratic majority in Congress.

Oh, that's completely different! I didn't realize you drank some without knowing! That's worth a LOT more than a free case of product. I'd go for a cash settlement if I was feeling litigious (which I rarely do). If they offer you a car, don't take it. It would probably be... no, I can't do it, I can't say it. Some puns are just too bad.

I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. I will NOT change Moontanman's user title. Oooooh, the temptation....

We are pleased with your decision not to tase us, pan dr ajb MPhys, MSc, PhD, AMInstP. It just occurred to me, what if the university police tased Andrew Meyer BECAUSE he called them bro?

I think this is a case where michel has an overriding ideal in mind that requires all speech to be allowed or we're tyrants. I think it's similar to the current political situation with the Indian diplomat who was arrested in NYC for visa fraud and underpaying her maid. The US wants this to be about criminal intent, but the Indians can't get past the idea that their female diplomat was strip-searched. India is going through some reform with regard to women, so they're focusing on what they feel is abuse. Regardless of how anyone really feels about that, or who is really guilty in this matter, the situation is hampered because both sides are offended for different reasons about the same case. I think the Indians have an overriding ideal in mind that requires their women NOT be strip-searched by anybody, anywhere. This keeps them from seeing the procedural necessities. Similarly, I think michel is standing up for what he sees as a right to speak our minds about injustice and oppression and other concerns, while we're arguing more from a practical side. We don't censor people the way michel fears we could. We actually champion that kind of speech quite frequently. What we suppress is the kind of speech that's not meant to help discussions, like trolling and flaming, or refusing to answer questions posed by others, or preaching with no intent of listening to what others have to say. And everyone knows we do because we tell them that in the rules.

Your instincts are spot on here. Science looks for supportive evidence, and it never looks for "proof" (proof is for maths). When evidence keeps mounting in support of a hypothesis, without any evidence refuting it (despite lots of trying), we gain enough confidence in the explanation to start calling it a theory. Especially when the hypothesis is so strong we can make predictions based on it like we can with evolution.

That's what I was thinking, but couldn't rule out algae since it seems to like acidic waters. I agree that arc's explanation seems best supported. Whitish on one side, darker on the other sounds like a part of the peel that's accidentally gotten processed into the bottle. Much more likely than some kind of growth. I'd contact the manufacturer. In these days of instant social media, they'd probably send you a case of lemon juice to keep you from publicly complaining. And you'd be doing all their customers a favor by pointing out a possible glitch in their processing line. I'm going to venture that it's some kind of grease or melted rubber from the bottling conveyor line. If it's a lemon peel that got caught in the bottling process, it might have come in contact with some of the machinery.

I think your problem is perspective. Look at it this way, a spontaneous person needs a schedule more than someone who's not. You need to know you can afford to do what you please right now because the beeping schedule will tell you if you need to be doing something else, something you'd rather not miss. You need to remove the stress of worrying that you're missing events and deadlines and eating. Oddly enough, the more order you place on your routine life, the more chaos you can handle, guilt free.

The photo where you have it on the end of a knife makes it look like wet cardboard, but that would be easily identifiable. As pears asked, what's the texture? Are you convinced it's a plant? I've heard that coral reefs can be plagued by algae when the water gets too acidic, but I wouldn't have suspected it could grow in lemon juice.

I think you're holding up absolute freedom of speech as some kind of goal, something we should all be striving for. But you're missing point that it's not really an ideal to let anybody say anything they want to anytime they want and anywhere they want. It's really kind of insane to think it makes me a freer, more complete human if I have the right to recite Hamlet's soliloquy at the top of my lungs in my own backyard at 3am. If I didn't have neighbors, I could exercise my right, but I do, so I can't. And yes, I feel OK with that. I don't get it, there are a thousand discussion sites out there where you can say pretty much anything you want to. We created SFN for those who didn't want to wade through the flame wars and name-calling and abuse and "freely communicated" junk. We created a haven amongst the savagery, a society in the wilderness, and that's always meant some rules for living, working and communicating with each other. Yet you join here and complain that there's no true freedom of speech. Do you look for apartment buildings that don't allow pets so you can move in and complain that they won't let you keep your cat? I've always had a hard time understanding why you feel we're so repressive here, when we only uphold the rules everyone agrees to when they join.

No, it isn't. It's recognized as such by some countries, but it's not a right all humans have. And even in those countries where they recognize a right to freedom of speech, it's never a right to say anything you want anytime you want anywhere you want. You aren't allowed to scream "Fire!" in a crowded theater, for instance. You aren't allowed to stand up and start talking in a court of law, or even at your place of work, unless it's appropriate to the situation. Do you think your freedom of speech would allow you to stand up on a lunch table at work and start loudly proclaiming that your employers are crooks and then start listing alleged offenses to your fellow employees? I mean, you're free to do it, I guess, until your employer has you escorted off the premises. As soon as they say it's time for you to go, your ability to say what you want about them on their property ends. So the question is, did you ever have a right to do that in the first place?

To me, this is living righteously, not worrying about being caught in a lie simply because you don't tell them. A worthy, ethical goal, imo.

I would hope that when industry is approved for large scale production, they'll be working very hard to offer a product that tastes and has at least as good a texture as the meat you eat now. I see no reason why they couldn't eventually make every steak taste like US Prime. I'm pretty sure, at least in the beginning, steaks and burgers will not be as common commercially as stew meats and other uses where the meat is in a blended dish. So we keep the pigs and grow the beef ourselves. We'd still save acres and acres and cut slaughterhouses by more than half. I would have thought of this sooner but I spent an hour gibbering in the fetal position when you mentioned taking my bacon away.

This is spot on, imo, Lying is an advanced intelligence event. When kids start lying, it's a sign that they're projecting themselves into the future, and realizing that the truth could get them in trouble at a later date. It's a good sign because it's signaling that this child is starting to plan ahead, knowing that his actions now have an affect on him in the future. Lying has it's place in our society, and shouldn't be taken away as a tool altogether. As others have shown, lies can be necessary and beneficial. Most aren't though, and that's why each situation needs to be examined. I think the key ethically is what you're willing to sacrifice if your lie is found out. In the case of how a dress makes your wife look, the consequences are some hurt feelings, but most likely compassionate understanding will turn it into a non-issue. But if your lie involves important decisions, or may hurt someone while it saves you, can you live with the consequences whether you're found out or not? As Greg H. mentions, we want to be thought of as ethical people. But the reality is that we often go too fast in our cars, endangering others as well as ourselves, and we sometimes take a bit more than our share, and we even take advantage of our fellow humans and call it competitive spirit or market economy or good horse-trading. In general, my conclusion is that being duplicitous about important things is too hard and involves too much brain damage; I'm too dumb to lie and too lazy to steal.

I'm always open to criticism, but I have to say it's really strange to have you join and make this your first post, all on the same day. I mean, what are you basing this on, the one thread you were reading when you responded? This is a pretty harsh generalization for a day-old member. Everything and everyone, all the time? Really?

I think some people see any kind of suppression as an abridgment of their rights, even when what's being suppressed is someone's "right" to be a dick on a science discussion forum. And I hardly feel ashamed setting rules and then abiding by them, expecting others who join to do so as well. There's lots of places on the webz you can go that let you say anything you want. You just have to expect a lower calibre of conversation.

Always tell the truth, unless the consequences for a lie are acceptable to all concerned. ... unless a politician is holding your baby.

Don't taze me, Moon!

Many years ago, I was leaving a concert, trying to get out of the parking lot full of people also trying to get out. The car parked in front of me (facing the same direction) had his engine and lights on, so I was waiting for him to pull out so I didn't have to back up. When he missed several opportunities to move, I got out of my car, went up to his window and said, "Hey pal, are you going to move or do I need to back up?" I didn't say it threateningly, but I'm a big guy. Even so, I was shocked at the fear in his eye as he told me he'd move right away. My date pointed out that it was my use of the familiar "pal" that probably made it sound like a sarcastic threat. I didn't mean it that way, I was actually wanting the exact opposite, but by using a term that was overly familiar for someone I barely knew, it came off badly. I guess I'm lucky the guy wasn't a karate instructor or I would have been very unpleasantly surprised. Now where did I put that folder of Teletubby avatars?