1. Christopher Hitchens at Politics and Prose

Comment #45933 by Shine on May 29, 2007 at 4:42 pm

I would like to see one Hitchens thread without references to alcohol. I don't think it's too much to ask for. Bringing up alcohol in a Hitchens thread is more played out than his recycled jokes.

Find some new material, guys.

2. Free Speech

Comment #25571 by Shine on March 14, 2007 at 6:28 am

While the entire speech was wonderful, the last 5 minutes sent shivers down my spine. Very powerful.

3. Response to Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris

Comment #24962 by Shine on March 9, 2007 at 2:22 pm

"He takes the best of science... and the worst of religion... it's not really fair."

Richard Dawkins mentions the good parts of religion many times in The God Delusion. So that's just a terrible misrepresentation of the book.

And "the best of science"? The worst of science is when people keep the margins of science wide, so that they can fit their imaginary friend in the gaps science hasn't filled yet.

Blah...

4. Panel discussion on atheism where no atheists are included

Comment #20813 by Shine on February 6, 2007 at 5:12 pm

sankekorafi

That was excellent. I'm going to write something to them in the same vein and I recommend that others do the same. This is very aggravating.

Anyone else remember when CNN was considered the standard for the best in American cable news journalism? How far they have fallen.

5. Panel discussion on atheism where no atheists are included

Comment #20805 by Shine on February 6, 2007 at 5:01 pm

"Freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from religion."

YES. IT. DOES.

I stopped watching after that. Perhaps that was an anti-intellectual move on my part, but I don't feel like getting more aggravated right now.

6. James Randi on Larry King Live

Comment #19959 by Shine on January 30, 2007 at 9:45 pm

Janus -"I don't understand, what kind of "cards" are you talking about?"

I meant that perhaps he has a secret plan to expose these con-artists. It was also a pun due to him being a magician (a very good one, as well.) :P

Perhaps his new plan is to rope "psychics" into making there own verbal flubs instead of him doing all of the work. Exposing con-artists such as these "psychics" has become increasingly easy as science and understanding advances, but it's hard to dissuade true-believers from their asinine belief... unless their "leader" starts showing their true colors.

7. James Randi on Larry King Live

Comment #19951 by Shine on January 30, 2007 at 8:42 pm

I really wish that Mr. Randi would deliver his "coup de grâce" already. You can see it on the tip of his tongue after they say "I don't need the money" or "I don't think the money exists" or anything else that involves them dodging the point.

But then again, I'm not as accomplished or as knowledgeable as Mr. Randi. Perhaps he has some cards he isn't showing.

8. Richard Dawkins interview about 'Unweaving the Rainbow'

Comment #19947 by Shine on January 30, 2007 at 8:06 pm

Happy Hominid -"I can't buy into that. I think you prepare yourself as well as possible, while anticipating the level of your audience while asking pertinent questions."

I'm certainly not defending his brand of journalism. But you also have to keep in mind is that whatever Rose is selling, we aren't buying (so to speak.)

9. Richard Dawkins interview about 'Unweaving the Rainbow'

Comment #19934 by Shine on January 30, 2007 at 6:06 pm

DangerRuss - "Shame that the interviewer wasn't a little better prepared. One wonders how often any of these people actually read the book before interviewing the author."

Perhaps given the demographic of Charlie Rose's show that it's actually a good thing that he sometimes walks into interviews "blind." This way he asks the questions from the perspective of the person watching the show. And I think it's safe to say that the average person who watches Rose's program never heard of Dawkins until that interview.

RickM -"Sorry to be rude, but Charlie Rose is an idiot."

Are you saying that after just watching him in that interview or after watching Charlie Rose over a period of time? I'm not trying to start a flame-war of anything, I'm just curious because I don't watch him that often.