51. Lungless frog discovered in Borneo

Comment #158698 by Adam Morrison on April 11, 2008 at 1:04 am

Ahhh... I thought I was the first one to submit this story. Beaten to the punch I guess :D

It is a bit sloppy to call it backwards evo, but it's probably reflective of the reporter not the scientist (I'm supposing). Unless maybe they meant backwards to a 'primitive' trait (ie one from earlier in the species' ancestry, still a little problematic term though).

Interestingly enough I had a professor once describe Chimpanzee locomotion as possibly a 'backwards' evolution (though she described it much more elegantly). Since we don't seem to have evidence for quadrapedal chimps in the fossil record of any significant age, what if the split between humans and chimps occured after the development of bipedalism and chimps reverted to a quadrapedal locomotion better suited to an arboreal habitat.

It isn't likely, even she admits it, but wouldn't it be a fantastic discovery? I think it'd be hilarious and very humbling to Homo sapiens ;D

52. Dawkins warns of human extinction

Comment #155233 by Adam Morrison on April 4, 2008 at 8:54 am

Paula,

That's probably the best response to Pascal's wager I've ever heard.

Marvelous, simply marvelous.

53. Anti-gay Okla. lawmaker attracts 1,000 backers

Comment #154683 by Adam Morrison on April 3, 2008 at 3:07 pm

Obviously gay terrorists are a threat. I mean they're dressed so much better and their color coordination is fantastic. What's more dangerous than a guy with explosives and a smashing outfit?

Uhhh.... wait.... no... that's not right.

Hmmm.... what's more likely to cause harm? Oh yeah, dogmatic simpletons that spout nonsense facts to increase hate in society.

54. Anti-gay Okla. lawmaker attracts 1,000 backers

Comment #154452 by Adam Morrison on April 3, 2008 at 9:43 am

[blockquote]"Studies show no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than a few decades," Kern said in the recorded comments. "It is not a lifestyle that is good for this nation."[/blockquote]

I absolutely can't stand this woman. The miasmic filth she spews from her mouth makes me ill. Her quote is absolute invention. The only society I can think of in recent history that accepted homosexuality faster than the UK, US and Canada would be the Netherlands, and I'm fairly certain they're still going strong (note that I'm not 100% sure about this, I'm relying on some vague memories of news reports from when I was a child.)

In the ancient world certain amounts of homosexuality existed to varying degrees for centuries. The Greek version of homosexuality certainly didn't destroy their civilization, and even the Romans entertained certain homosexual tolerances for centuries. Both civilizations resulted in some of the most impressive accomplishments of antiquity.

I remember listening to clips of her on the radio. Should not hold office!

55. Darwin told us so: Researcher shows natural selection speeds up speciation

Comment #154306 by Adam Morrison on April 3, 2008 at 4:50 am

Fantastic! If these groups of walking sticks form a true species (ie cannot breed with other 'walking stick' populations) that's the final nail in the coffin for 'How come no new species are ever found' as well as the argument Rod mentioned.

I loves science :D

56. Scientists reshape Y chromosome haplogroup tree gaining new insights into human ancestry

Comment #154305 by Adam Morrison on April 3, 2008 at 4:47 am

[blockquote] Little known fact: the skin of Jesus was actually fluorescent. What do you think inspired the hymn "Shine, Jesus, Shine"?
[/blockquote]

Huh? WHAT?? If there's anything cartoons and comics taught me as a child it's that the only people that glow feel in toxic waste. Therefore Jesus fell into toxic waste (or was bombarded with gamma rays).... AND GOT SUPER POWERS!!! He wasn't the son of god! He was . . . . . and X-MAN!!! DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN

57. BBC 'too scared to allow jokes about Islam'

Comment #154301 by Adam Morrison on April 3, 2008 at 4:39 am

Well, I am now only answering to 'the prophet Muhadam' now, and he declares that the most holy divine has commanded him through his conversations with the archangel Billy Roy Jeremiah Gabriel to come up with a joke for the masses:

Two Sunni imams are walking down the street when suddenly another imam recoginizes them and starts screaming 'You do not follow the truth of Allah! I will call on all my legions of followers to destroy you unless you submit to the true heirs of Muhammed'. He then runs up and pushes one of the Sunni imams into a mud puddle and then runs away ululating.

The one Sunni imam helps his friend up and says 'What a jerk, this makes me so angry. Are you ok buddy?'.

The other imam, dusts himself off and looks at his friend and says 'Don't worry about that guy. It's no big deal. Shiite happens.'

Get it? Get it? (Sorry best I could come up with off the top of my head)

58. CEAI Action Alert for Science Teachers

Comment #154295 by Adam Morrison on April 3, 2008 at 4:26 am

I don't agree with teaching evolution as fact, you teach it as scientific theory. That being said, of course we have to teach what a scientific theory is (mounds of evidence, great explanatory power, have not been able to disprove it, etc...). Heck if I could come up with a better solution than evolution that suited the evidence I would in a heartbeat (and be immortalized in the annals of science).

But the reality is, we don't have a better theory, evolution does fit the evidence and is constantly firmed with new discoveries and nothing else compares that we can come up with today. I wish these poofists would give their heads a shake and clear the theist cobwebs out.

PS: Forget pastafarianism, I'm trying to bring light to the theory of new born humans. Stork? That's ridiculous, how can a 12lb bird carry a 5-8 pound baby and still maintain air-speed velocity. A Wandering albatross however, now that's a bird that can carry a baby. Teach the controversy! Not the lie of storkism

59. Anti-Quran Film Fitna Pulled From Web Due to 'Threats'

Comment #152298 by Adam Morrison on March 30, 2008 at 4:21 pm

re: Kaeru

I thought that would be the case before I saw the film, but it wasn't as bad as it has been made out to be by the media. The other aspect of that is of course, that it takes very little to cause these people (militant islamists) to react with violence and death threats.

I'm not crazy about the politician or the film, but the film was definitely a lot tamer than it could have been and he was definitely within the rights of free speech and not hate speech. Of course the point he was trying to make about the link between Islam and violence has only been proven (tentatively) correct by the threats agains the webhost.

60. Police: Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help

Comment #150342 by Adam Morrison on March 26, 2008 at 6:21 pm

This is why having 'faith' considered a virtue is dangerous. The child's parents should have their children taken away. That is not a safe home, imagine if one develops a severe illness. Maybe they can pray away pneumonia? Disgusting.

The Greeks had the right idea in recognizing there was a lot of self-delusion and danger in faith.

61. Happy Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #150340 by Adam Morrison on March 26, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Happy Birthday Richard,

Your contributions to society in biology, education and secularism are greatly appreciated, especially this oasis of digital sanity.

62. Discovery Challenges Finding of a Separate Human Species

Comment #142166 by Adam Morrison on March 12, 2008 at 5:24 am

Meh, I'd need to read the excavation reports and get more info on the cranial anatomy of these new samples. I did some research into the Flores people a couple years ago and I'm more inclined to put them into a separate species or a sub-species of erectus, but we need more data. The cranial morphology and endocast analyses do show some marked differences from modern sapiens. I'm not really buying into the 'microcephalic' argument at the moment, but hey new evidence can change my mind as it's really impossible to be certain at the moment.

63. Crossing the Divide

Comment #139811 by Adam Morrison on March 6, 2008 at 2:18 pm

Rod,

If you don't mind my asking, what part of Canada do you live in? (Curiosity mostly)

It's a little creepy how out of the way JW's will go. I was living on a lake an hour outside of Edmonton for a while, with no city or town in the immediate area and had one knock on my door at 10 in the morning. I get a kick out of how they always say 'Does 'so-and-so' still live here, just trying to get their foot in the door. The last place I lived had the same people in it for 10 years and allegedly 'a friend of theirs lived here a year ago'. Apparently it's ok to lie if its to get converts.

64. Lords Approve Abolition Of Blasphemy

Comment #139797 by Adam Morrison on March 6, 2008 at 1:59 pm

Prominent Christian activist Baroness O'Cathain launched a blistering attack on the amendment, with particular fury aimed at Evan Harris. Lady O'Cathain maintained that abolition of blasphemy would unleash a torrent of abuse towards Christians.

65. Church exhumes Padre Pio

Comment #138421 by Adam Morrison on March 4, 2008 at 9:32 am

Is anybody else getting macabre visions of a vatican 'Weekend at Bernie's'

"Nah, he's fine. He's just quiet lately"

66. Hebrew University researcher: Moses was tripping at Mount Sinai

Comment #138411 by Adam Morrison on March 4, 2008 at 9:24 am

Reminds me of a comic from an episode of 'Just for Laughs' where he was talking about how Jesus was really a chiropractor and his ability just got exaggerated.

'Man my back is killing me, I can't even walk'
'Go see that guy Jesus, he works miracles'
Can't remember the comics' name though.

No one's should really be surprised that Moses might have been a stoner. I mean no one in their right mind would start wandering the desert for 40 years because a bush said his people were the chosen of god. It's almost as bad as the people that believed him ;D

67. Survey shows Non-Religious Outnumber Those of Every Single Faith (But One)

Comment #137724 by Adam Morrison on March 3, 2008 at 12:03 pm

Just wait, as my generation (early to mid 20s) ages and we start to respond to censuses not as members of the previous generation's family, the number of atheists will jump significantly. I was just at a wedding recently and the vast majority of people my age there were atheists. However most of their parents were religious.

There's hope for the future yet! (Though I still think we're a minority)

68. Berlin gallery in Islam art row

Comment #136865 by Adam Morrison on March 1, 2008 at 10:22 pm

Whoah! I go on vacation for a week and find out that new heights of dogmatic stupidity are being aimed at.

Well, I think I'm gonna start plastering a certain turbaned terrorist cartoon everywhere I can on the internet.

69. Potentially Habitable Planets Are Common, Study Says

Comment #130044 by Adam Morrison on February 20, 2008 at 12:56 am

Michell;

Classic, just classic

70. Fleabytes

Comment #130042 by Adam Morrison on February 20, 2008 at 12:55 am

Great Jorb Paula!

keep up the good work :D

71. Potentially Habitable Planets Are Common, Study Says

Comment #129643 by Adam Morrison on February 19, 2008 at 12:05 pm

Hey Anna,

As far as what you can do to pay or get funding, I can give you a couple pieces of advice;

- Apply early, I'm not sure if you're from Canada or the US (or somewhere completely different) but most of the major grants need the application submitted a year before your grad studies begin. Many also need a letter or two of recommendation (some more, I think I needed 6 when I applied for the Rhodes IIRC).
- Volunteer even outside your field, it still helps, but within your field is still essential.

It can be pretty tough to get funding still. I graudated with a double honors undergrad and a first class GPA, was a president of an undergrad student association, volunteered for years at a historic recreation facility in my hometown, was on dept. council, etc, etc, and I didn't get any funding. Mind you archaeology and anthropology usually get minimal grants.

If you're Canadian I'd suggest going to Alberta for a year and working in the oil-fields or pipeline trades. It's pretty terrible work and the people are generally meth-heads or worse, but you can make insane money.....

Whoah, sorry, my advice seems pretty depressing.
(edit)
Getting a grad degree is nothing but sunshine and rainbows!!!!

That's better

72. State Approves Evolution As 'Scientific Theory'

Comment #129635 by Adam Morrison on February 19, 2008 at 11:52 am

the teaching of evolution ... should include scientific criticisms of the controversial theory

73. Potentially Habitable Planets Are Common, Study Says

Comment #129486 by Adam Morrison on February 19, 2008 at 7:43 am

Just expect to pay through the nose if you're doing a graduate degree in the UK and you're not a UK or EU citizen (I know I did!)

74. Potentially Habitable Planets Are Common, Study Says

Comment #129326 by Adam Morrison on February 19, 2008 at 1:33 am

Lol. I can't wait for the day they find extraterrestial bacteria or other microscopic life.

'Satan just put it there to test our faith!'

75. 'Frog from hell' fossil unearthed

Comment #129321 by Adam Morrison on February 19, 2008 at 1:31 am

Arrrgh!

Roy you beat me to the French jokes!

76. Cutting Edge: Baby Bible Bashers

Comment #129312 by Adam Morrison on February 19, 2008 at 1:26 am

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little....

77. The argument from oranges

Comment #128467 by Adam Morrison on February 17, 2008 at 4:21 am

Ding Ding here comes the stupid train. Next stop: Orlando.

I can only hope this guy hasn't reproduced. Stupidity on that level shouldn't be raising a rat let alone a homo sapiens.

78. The Search for Truth, God and Braver Scientists in 'Expelled'

Comment #128196 by Adam Morrison on February 16, 2008 at 1:07 pm

Great article. I've been making the argument that if someone could come up with a valid alternative to evolution he/she would be immortalized in science. Hell if I could come up with a better explanation that was supported by evidence I would.

Fact of the matter is there isn't a better theory. Intelligent Design is, at its best, lazy science (ohh this is too complicated... queue god!) and at its worst an barely concealed attempt for poofists to gain control of the education system.

Ben Stein's quote displayed a man who has no familiarity with the theory of natural selection. About the only thing he's convinced me of is that he's a vacuous twit.

79. Pleas for condemned Saudi 'witch'

Comment #127248 by Adam Morrison on February 15, 2008 at 5:17 am

Sorry to double post, just found some figures for US oil imports

"Canada remained the largest exporter of total petroleum in November, exporting 2.431 million barrels per day to the United States, which is an increase from last month (2.411 thousand barrels per day). The second largest exporter of total petroleum was Saudi Arabia with 1.620 million barrels per day."

So I was wrong about the amount of Canadian imports being over 50%, but it's still important to recognize that the US isn't getting the majority of it's oil from the Saudis.

80. Pleas for condemned Saudi 'witch'

Comment #127247 by Adam Morrison on February 15, 2008 at 5:14 am

Regarding Saudi Oil Imports, it's not as much as you think. Canada supplies more oil to the US than any other nation (IIRC it's just above 50%, but I may be wrong). So it's not just oil demand that keeps the US from telling Saudi Arabia how immensely backwards it is.

81. My Saudi Valentine

Comment #126996 by Adam Morrison on February 14, 2008 at 3:50 pm

Al,

You're the only person besides myself that I've ever heard make a comment about them looking like ninjas!

I made the joke at the checkout at a supermarket once and the clerk couldn't stop giggling.

82. My Saudi Valentine

Comment #126719 by Adam Morrison on February 14, 2008 at 3:05 am

I'm waiting for the day some poor Saudi guy gets into an arranged marriage and only sees his fiancee wearing the hijab. Then on the night of the wedding he finds out it's a guy who has been under there the whole time. Don't think they'd take that too well.

But seriously, if you're a young Saudi guy how can you hit on a girl who's wearing the hijab
'Babe, the bridge of your nose is so...
'You've got gorgeous eyes, or at least I think you do, it's hard to say because that narrow slit still kinds of shades them and it's a little hard to see them...
'I love the way the yards of hijab drape over your body. It reminds me of a birdcage with a blanket over top'

...
Well somehow I don't think flirting is their priority anyway.

83. A Tyrannical Romance

Comment #126578 by Adam Morrison on February 13, 2008 at 3:21 pm

Warning: Slightly Crude Joke

Re: Al-Rawandi

Maybe there was some sort of dino-kama sutra????

84. A Tyrannical Romance

Comment #126497 by Adam Morrison on February 13, 2008 at 11:19 am

This shows those people that say science can't be uplifting. This article made my day!

I can't say what Dino-VD is like, but if you want to know what the male dino's fav position is, I'd guess you could examine trytobiontops fossils.

85. Bill Maher on Larry King Live

Comment #125942 by Adam Morrison on February 12, 2008 at 9:51 am

Here's the links for the full interview (in three sections)

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vts_-1xb1Bc&NR=1

Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOWbATWTtVY&feature=related

Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG7CPlUePls&feature=related

86. Bill Maher on Larry King Live

Comment #125566 by Adam Morrison on February 11, 2008 at 3:43 pm

I haven't heard Maher's comments on medicine, so I can't judge that, but I liked his view of religion and will probably see the movie.

Hopefully this is a sign of secularism getting more attention. I know that more of my generation are atheists than most believe. Let's just hope people apply rational thought to everything, not just religion or faith.

87. Hitchens and Boteach Debate on God

Comment #125208 by Adam Morrison on February 11, 2008 at 4:18 am

Boteach displays an intelligence closely resembling that of a wet brick.

He doesn't debate, he randomly shifts between personal attacks and misconstrued evidence while the whole time shrieking with a madness that would rival Claudius or King George.

Every time he opens his mouth to spew forth a new miasmic stream of vacuous nonsense I have the urge to view my lunch for a second time.

If Boteach is 'America's Rabbi' I feel immensely sorry for my Jewish friends living in the US.

88. Sharia fiasco

Comment #124896 by Adam Morrison on February 10, 2008 at 11:58 am

Pat hits the nail squarely on the head. Now if gov't could display even half that courage and decisiveness we wouldn't be in half the mess we are now.

89. Battle of the Chambersburg billboards

Comment #124695 by Adam Morrison on February 10, 2008 at 5:11 am

I visited the Southern US this Christmas, and I was amazed by the overtly anti-atheist sentiment that could be found in some rural communities. It's so odd that a country that was clearly attempting to be secular is being slowly religionized.

I'd be pretty angry if I was an American atheist. It'd be nice if there were some large atheist lobby groups that could keep idiocy like that from print by legal action. (After all you'd never get away with saying 'Why do (Jews/Blacks/Hispanics/Physicists/Farmers, etc) hate America' on a billboard.

90. The Passion of 'Anonymous'

Comment #124449 by Adam Morrison on February 9, 2008 at 1:38 pm

Wish I could go back and ridicule Abraham, Moses, and Mohammed into oblivion.

If an internet existed then, they would have been torn to smithereens.
They'd be the "time cube", guys of the week, and then everyone would've moved on to Chris Crocker and Taye Zonday.

91. The Passion of 'Anonymous'

Comment #124430 by Adam Morrison on February 9, 2008 at 12:14 pm

Sarah and Queztalcoatl have hit the nail on the head.

Thetans were supposedly released into the atmosphere nearly 100 million years ago, when a galactic tyrant named Xenu exiled billions of beings to Earth's volcanoes and had them vaporized by bombs

The Thetans believe that they are the chosen people of the being Havohej. Havohej sent his son to this planet 4000 years after its creation and could manipulate energy and transform matter. He walked across water and eventually turned food and drink into physical components from his body. He then died and his spirit freed all humans from the shackles of their ignoble descent. However only those who believe in the son of Havohej will be saved...

92. Why Darwin matters

Comment #124420 by Adam Morrison on February 9, 2008 at 12:01 pm

Just picked it up tonight. This is the first UK paper I've bought :D

Maybe if there's a sales spike the paper will stay science friendly.

93. Scientists Say Mummies' Lice Show Pre-Columbian Origins

Comment #124356 by Adam Morrison on February 9, 2008 at 7:19 am

Re: Sarah95

Thanks, we do have some people that try to make anyone of northern european descent buy into that back in canada too. I recognize that Europeans did some terrible things in the New World, but I certainly wasn't part of it and 'Sins of the Fathers' only goes so far. I've been lucky to have a few native friends over the years too, so I also got the other perspective and also don't believe that nonsense about how Natives need to be educated and integrated into 'white' society.

Kind of comes down to the old golden rule of 'as long as no one's hurting someone else, mind your business'

BTW, Dr. Shell.... lol

94. Scientists Say Mummies' Lice Show Pre-Columbian Origins

Comment #123714 by Adam Morrison on February 7, 2008 at 2:43 pm

The findings absolve Columbus of responsibility for at least one wrong unintentionally wrought on the people he found in the Americas and called Indians. The Europeans who followed Columbus to America may have introduced diseases, namely smallpox and measles, but not the most common of lice, as had been suspected.

95. Sharia law in UK is 'unavoidable'

Comment #123706 by Adam Morrison on February 7, 2008 at 2:24 pm

Well this filled my stupid quota for the week.

Keith has it spot on. This is a mockery of what every person who fought against totalitarianism did.

If you're a Muslim who immigrated to the UK, it's a pretty safe assumption that you moved here for a better life (work, rights, etc). Maybe the lack of fundamentalist laws is a REASON that life is better in the UK (or Canada, US, Sweeden, etc.).

Call me crazy.....

96. Ad 'likely to offend gay people'

Comment #123364 by Adam Morrison on February 7, 2008 at 3:31 am

Re: DavidMJH

You disgust me and most likely, the majority of the users on RD.net

There has not been a single society that was ruined or destroyed due to homosexuality. It's usually been due to warfare, economic collapse, ecological change or ideological dogmatism. Read some real history books you dolt.
Example: Classical Athens - had a lot of people engaged in what we would deem homosexual activity (though not as much as its always made out to be). It was Athenian over-expansion and aggressive militarism that lead to the Peloponnesian war and their defeat at the hands of Sparta. Later they were CONQUERED by the Macedonians (and Romans and Turks).

You say it was homosexuality that ruins civilization? Hmmm I don't seem to recall and Gay organizations calling for invasions of foreign lands or military aggressiveness.

The civ. on Easter Island collapsed due to massive deforestation resulting in ecological change and economic collapse.

- Hmmm no evidence for homosexuality destroying civilization so far.

Rather than go on to the dozens of examples I could find of homosexuality NOT doing any damage to civilization, I challenge you to come up with one example of a situation where homosexuality was recognized and accepted leading to the ruin of a society.

Maybe if you actually read a history book you wouldn't be so amazingly simple. I'm going to assume you are literate, though the immense stupidity of your position and argument make me almost think you had someone else type it in as anyone as vacuous as you is probably incapable of literacy.

(Ahhh, now I feel better)

97. Ad 'likely to offend gay people'

Comment #123129 by Adam Morrison on February 6, 2008 at 1:36 pm

Steve,

In case you didn't know, gay is catchier than the macarena. Even Colbert turned gay (in the old days)
http://www.lisarein.com/videos/tvclips/dailyaugust2003/8-06-03-gaywatch-2.mov

and while I'm at it, Jon Stewart on the legalization of sodomy (probably the funniest opening ever)
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=128267

98. Ad 'likely to offend gay people'

Comment #123100 by Adam Morrison on February 6, 2008 at 1:06 pm

That Gore video was quite nice. I like this guy more and more everytime I see him. Too bad he's not going to be on the ballot for 2008.

Re: Steve

Isn't it obvious why we can't allow gay marriage? I mean if gays start marrying, next they'll want to adopt and that means their kids will be gay right? Because it's totally a 100% purely lifestyle choice. Then those kids will convert other people to being gay, and soon we'll all have immunodeficiency diseases. (Sarcasm of course)

Everytime I hear someone argue about the 'unnaturalness' and 'immorality' of homosexuality the arguments seem weaker and weaker. What really irritates me are people that associate homosexuality with pedophilia. They're not one and the same, but so many religo-conservatives can't seem to fathom that.

If being strait means being like Huckabee or Bush and their families,or Faldwell and the rest of the fundamentalist right, sign me up for gay anyday (uhh just not the sex part though ;D

99. The New Atheist Movement

Comment #123026 by Adam Morrison on February 6, 2008 at 11:25 am

ARRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

While I agree that too many atheists don't read the other side, this is such a stupid video.

'The Dominant Secular Religion'
ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!
It's not a religion you stupid poofists.

BTW, I love how their solution is more indoctrination. Wipe the doubt out early, we can't have them thinking for themselves.

I almost wish I drank, because stupidity of this level makes me want a bottle of scotch.

100. Ad 'likely to offend gay people'

Comment #123016 by Adam Morrison on February 6, 2008 at 11:14 am

What a load of crap. I hope they get sued for everything they're worth.

If this comment was made about 'blacks','jews' or any other minority there would be a media uproar. It is no less hateful or intolerant when gays are victimized.

ARRRGGHHH!!!! the poofists piss me off.