Phi for All

In discussion here, we've never been able to come up with scientifically meaningful supportive evidence of God, much less proof. Proof seems impossible.

Why do you think these forces oppose each other? Do you have such a device? Can you explain it or show some experiments? Do you have any evidence to support this statement? It will take 500 years to do what, exactly?

Ultimately, to me, Romney represents corporate models that have learned to profit from manipulating the government in ways that don't promote the general welfare. I don't think General Electric has any products that represent the kind of ROI they got when they spent $84.4M lobbying for tax breaks that saved them $8.4B. Helping make businesses wealthy at the expense of tax revenue is NOT my idea of free market capitalism at its best. In 1955, corporate taxes were 27.3% of federal revenue. In 2010, they were a mere 8.9%, yet they continue to get Republicans like Romney to scream about overtaxation of "the job creators". I guess if you strangle education long enough, you get people dumb enough to believe anything. And of course there's the integrity issue. "If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth" is not the mantra for how I want to be represented in my government. I was born a moderate, progressive Eisenhower Republican, and what the right wing has done to that proud party makes me sick.

If you saw one under your car tire, you'd still say, "What the heck is... oh, it's a tennis ball."

Depends on how finely shredded they are. At some measurable level I'm sure they would.

I could do it. If they're still considered tennis balls after being shredded.

My point is that "in control" sort of assumes we're the puppetmasters, working in a sort of ex vivo kind of way to engineer the evolution of other species, rather than simply being part of nature and the natural pressures that affect such mechanisms. Does that make sense? We're a part of the evolution of every life form on the planet, as they are in ours.

Do you mean "geyser", the jet of water from a hot spring? Is this for homework?

Evolutionarily speaking, are pandas worth conserving? I think the question itself assumes that we're controlling evolution rather than simply being part of its mechanism. Whatever the panda is doing to keep itself alive to reproduce (including being worthy of the help or harm humans can bring) will continue to work until it doesn't.

Sounds like a homework question.

Here's the mistake in your argument: "As a general rule, we do it because it feels good" does not equal "we only do sex because it feels good".

What pressures from overpopulation do you think would affect a mechanism like natural selection?

It's true, I really am beginning to think you have a smutty mind. And [math] \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} e^{-x^2} = \sqrt{\pi} [/math] is an integral using LaTex code.

LaTex is the scientific notation system we use here for maths. You know, I'm beginning to think you have a smutty mind, chilled_flourine.

Most of the states trying to change their voter ID laws are being very authoritarian about the process, which scares away many low-income and minority voters. Many of those folks want as low a profile as possible, but still value their right to vote. I think it's clear the Republicans don't want those types of people to vote, since they're the very people who rely more heavily on the programs the Republicans want to diminish or abolish altogether. This is so obviously NOT about voter fraud, it's about registering only the right people. I don't remember if it was mentioned before, but I remember reading where voter fraud in national elections already carries a $10,000 fine and five year prison sentence. It just isn't worth it for the little good it might do you.

Star Trek is the one I want to live in, Firefly is the one I most like to visit.

You might need to check with your local utility about what kind of equipment they allow for renewable energy credits. Most are required to allow things like solar and windmills to feed electricity back to the grid, but I hear they can be sticky about the details. Keep us posted on this, please. I know there are people who have been very pleased with their investments in micro-energy production. I remember reading about a guy who had rooftop solar that powered his home and made him an extra $3K/year from his utility. He was out of pocket around $12K after his state paid for most of the costs (2-3 times what he had to pay out, iirc). Couple that with a couple of fully electric cars and that's my idea of heaven on Earth.

This is part of the fiction being spun by our Republican party. There IS no fundamental problem with producing ID to vote. What's happening is that several Republican-controlled states have placed new and unnecessarily stringent time restrictions (48 hours) on filling out the paperwork for these IDs, and if you fail you can be fined. This is enough to make many older people and those who fear the government anyway reluctant to even apply.

It's not enough, sir. I asked why did you go from an ultra-liberal perspective to an ultra-conservative one? I think it's a fair question, and I'd really like it if you'd answer it, if it isn't too personal.

Bantering requires a friendly component. Yeah, too many staff parties where you guys spiked the punch. I still have flashbacks.

I'm quite shocked that you would let this person speak for you, when you've told us that you supported Dennis Kucinich in the past. Seeing as how Kucinich is known for delivering one of the strongest liberal perspectives of any member of Congress, how did you suddenly switch to what seems like blind support of the most extreme conservative perspectives? Was it simply because he was mayor of your city or did you really feel then that he represented your point of view?

If the banana fits....

The regular forum is for discussion, so if you have something to present that you're really not interested in discussing (actually replying to questions, engaging in digital conversations, learning from the perspectives of others, that sort of thing) then a blog may be best. People will still comment but your response is not expected the way it is in a discussion forum.

The monkey kept copies.

rigney, the problem with voter registration is not that a black man is President. The problem with the new voter registration reforms is that, for some bizarre reason, once you request the forms you have 48 hours to turn them in or YOU WILL BE FINED. Since voter fraud happens about as often as people get struck by lightning, it's clear that the laws are meant to frighten away certain voters (who are mostly Democrat, it turns out). The problem with food stamps is not that a black man is President. The problem is the economic downturn, which is a clear result of failed Republican economic policies, financial sector mismanagement, sluggish consumer demand and wars fought under the Bush administration. Unemployment was already at high levels when Obama took over, so why is it so unusual that more people are using food stamps? The problem with illegal aliens is not that a black man is President. The problem is extremely complex since many business owners (aka "job-creators") rely on unskilled and undocumented laborers. Many people object to the "illegal" immigrant, and justify that objection with rants about how much money they cost the country. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office in a report that examined 29 reports on state and local costs over a 15-year period, the truth is that the negative impact of illegal immigrants is a very modest one, and it really doesn't warrant all the hype and expenditure we've been placing on it. Like the voter fraud fears, it should be a non-issue for all the money we've spent combating it. We have bigger fish to fry, dude. The problem with Trent Lott "losing his job as majority leader" is not that a black man is President. It's that Trent Lott thought we would've been better off without the civil rights movement of the 60s (or as Trent put it, "all these problems over the years") and voiced that opinion openly. Your video makes it sound like he was fired, instead of yielding to pressure from his own party and resigning his position as Senate majority leader. And Senator (and Senate Majority Leader) Robert Byrd renounced his Klan affiliation back in the 1940s, long before the civil rights movement, and also long before he ran for the Senate, so your video is really sounding like just a pack of lies and suppositions.