Comments by Apathy personified

351. Religions thrived to protect against disease

Comment #221933 by Apathy personified on July 30, 2008 at 10:22 am

In the areas of the world discussed, is transmission by humans the most common form of disease spreading?

I'd have thought that maybe a large polluted river - serving many tribes or villages, mosquito's totally ignoring arbitrary human borders (the bastards), etc. to be far more relevant when trying to make a link between geography, disease and humans - shows what i know.

Although i have heard mosquito's express some religious bigotry when deciding who to give malaria to next - i wonder why that wasn't included, helps their conclusion.

352. Church exorcism protected by First Amendment

Comment #221547 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 6:22 pm

We're goofy. Please excuse us lurkers.

Maybe we are, maybe we are.... However, if others were commenting, our comments would be spread out - wouldn't look so bad, they deserve no apology. (see, blame everyone else - it works)

Apathy is a prime example of what happens when you have been locked up with ants all day.

Hehahaha - the ants! the ants!
Doesn't explain you though, does it?
Lurkers, whitepearl is a prime example of what happens when you hurt yourself doing a pas de bouree turn.

353. Church exorcism protected by First Amendment

Comment #221531 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 5:56 pm

Perhaps a warning to the public is in order?

Can do.
Attention. Any stupid comments WILL be punished by whitepearl expertly wielding a cricket bat. You have been warned

354. Church exorcism protected by First Amendment

Comment #221520 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 5:28 pm

Oh well, can't please everyone.
Now we have a smoking ban - i have cut back, so still a 'teratornis smoker', but less 'kkelly miserable'?

Btw - you are free to use my aforementioned cricket bat, if you don't have a spare bat yourself.

Also

But they aren't the only source of knowledge

Are they not?

355. Church exorcism protected by First Amendment

Comment #221508 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 5:15 pm

oh whitepearl...

Try a cricket bat this time - the flat edge and the other side both really HURT.

Edit: If i sometimes smoke when drunk - does that make me a 'smoker' and/or will i have a miserable existence because of it?

356. Atheism FLEAmix

Comment #221499 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 5:08 pm

Guess I have to put the bat away huh?

Afraid so, not now though...until then - swing away!

357. Faith is not the answer

Comment #221495 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 5:04 pm

should come to Britain - we'd show you real fuckin' swearing!

It's an art form!

But you still owe me a coke

We'll put it on the tab :) (not the pinch or punch though)

358. Atheism FLEAmix

Comment #221485 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 4:57 pm

How many times must we say it? Atheism is not a 'belief system'

What's the highest number you can think of?

It's been way to quite around here lately. It's the eerie calm before the storm.

Indeed...(you got the jink first, damn again!) They will come, they will crash against the gates - annoy the hell out of everyone - then runaway like sissies, claiming victory.
Let's try a new tactic, everyone either ignores them (i mean everyone) or we all pretend to agree with them until they get bored and leave.

359. Faith is not the answer

Comment #221477 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 4:52 pm

Damn! - how does jink work online?

360. Faith is not the answer

Comment #221466 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 4:43 pm

righton,
....reread my post.... also, not a pic of me.

What's your opinion on the article?

Goldy,
I agree, it's almost too quiet....

361. Faith is not the answer

Comment #221457 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 4:35 pm

I wondered when this forum would descend into a dating site.
Well, no point fighting it...
I'm a straight male, 21, single (otherwise, why would i be advertising myself)
Any takers? No?

Ok - back to the article then.
.... i have nothing to add from my previous post (42)

362. Atheism FLEAmix

Comment #221453 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 4:23 pm

*Smirks*
These just keep on coming.

Christians are sure to encounter people who have been shaped by this strain of atheism.

What, people who don't compartmentalise their analytic and critical thinking abilities and extend a more rational approach to most, if not all, areas of life?

Here is keen insight that any believer can use to understand and challenge the new atheists.

A challenge would be wonderful - but my psychic powers predict that this will be the usual 'Gives me a fuzzy feeling inside' and 'atheists are nasty'

363. Breeding for God

Comment #221443 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 4:09 pm

Well, only one solution - vin picked up on it
Breeding for Secularism
Let's try beating them at their own game, even if we don't succeed, at least we'll have had fun failing.

These articles alway seem to assume current trends continue - this is not always so.

364. Faith is not the answer

Comment #221423 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 3:51 pm

Anyone know their Anglo-Saxon history?
I have a (modern english version) copy of 'The Sermon of the Wolf to the English' and, to quote an early paragraph
'Understand also completely that the devil had deceived this people too much, and that there has been little faith among men, though they speak fair words, and too many crimes have gone unchecked in the land'
That was written over a thousand years ago - not much has changed.

Also, Rabbi talking at lambeth - did anyone ask him which religion to turn to?

365. Council ban on atheist websites

Comment #221416 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 3:42 pm

Oh for fucks sake. I hope they get burnt, badly, for that - ban them all, or ban none, no half measures - they are breaking their own rules.
Another bureaucratic institution making decisions it doesn't have the authority to.

366. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #221041 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 9:41 am

Bonzai,

Well I think the situation may be more nuanced than this dichotomy.To avoid getting into long philosophy tangents,

Of course, i was just giving the two extreme cases, i was too lazy to be philosophically sound.
I think the key word when you are talking about societies which recognise 'right to life' in some form is 'functioning'.

IMO all rights are constructed but not all constructs are equally artificial.

Ok, fair enough.

Anyway, i'm off - The Dark Knight awaits - hope everyone has a good evening.

367. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #221000 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 9:04 am

Surely - like any other invasion of peoples privacy and rights as individuals - the government agencies need a court order and to follow due process?

Edit: Of course, i'm assuming the due process is what we would deem fair in a democracy

368. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220997 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 9:01 am

whitepearl,
Ditto - when i was 12. Sorry - shouldn't have mentioned it, none of my business.

I hope they find loads - it'll be fascinating and no politician will ever give approval to such a big 'blue skies' science project again if they don't find much.

369. Catholics To Pope: Lift Birth Control Ban

Comment #220991 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 8:56 am

While on the subject of the 'biscuit game' and catholics - what if the biscuit was one of those communion biscuits?

370. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220984 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 8:46 am

I'll give you a pat on the back though.

Thanks, occasionally i do try.

I like being my father(s) only, little girl

Oh, NOW i see - i know the type. :)

My cat-like curiousity is awoken by the '(s)' - but that's probably none of my business.

Yes, i'm a middle child - not as special as the first or a precious as the last - the 'other' one. (Not bitterness, just hard-nosed truth)

They are still cooling it down - will do some calibrations - then a winter shut down before it should be taking data next spring - that's what i heard anyway.
And yes, i don't want to alarm but - it WILL create a black hole that WILL destroy the universe.

Any black holes created will be tiny and will dissipate almost instantaneously
http://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/LHC/Safety-en.html
At the bottom of that is the link to the safety reports they did.

371. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220941 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 8:00 am

I haven't actually seen it - the reviews i heard were that it's perfectly acceptable, but nothing special. I saw you typed 'kung fu' and took a stab in the dark.

5 younger brothers, that must be so much fun! But surely they should be your personal bodyguard/security force, but instead they go all cassius and brutus on you? :)
I'm the middle of 3 sons - we have a MAD situation atm (after many previous 'scuffles') - though we are barely in the same place at the same time now.

Thanks for the video - makes me feel bad about the one i posted earlier (the rap one), but anyway. So it's half turn one way - full turn the other. I'll now add knowledge of 'pas de bouree' to the list of 'feign interest and knowledge' chat up techniques.

In case you ever date a dancer

Well, i've only ever heard good things about dancers. :)

372. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220911 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 7:11 am

Any day I wake up is a lovely day for me Apathy. Had to wake up extra early to open up the studio and think I pinched a nerve teaching something as basic and simple as a pas de bouree turn. Leave it to me.

That's a very positive outlook on life. :)
I won't pretend i know what a 'pas de bouree' turn is - but i'm sure what ever pain/discomfort you have will clear up soon, though that's a guess, i have no way of knowing that.

I'm looking forward to the X-files film also, not the mummy one though. By any chance have you seen 'kung fu panda'?

hungarianelephant,
I think you've made the right lifestyle choice. Also, doesn't barney drive you insane?

373. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220879 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 6:38 am

whitepearl

Apathy how could I forget you? How are you? Are you going to spend the day working in the taxi industry again or with the ants?

I'm good, thanks for asking :), yourself? How's your day been?
Haha - no taxi service today, though i'm sure it will resume tomorrow. I may also be a taxi service for the older bro this weekend - lazy bastard claims he has too many bags to get on the train. I was going to do a lot of my ant work today, but i haven't so far.
I am seeing the dark knight, tonight - can't wait.

Edit:
Al,
Quagmire: [walks between two women] 'sorry, I didnt mean to come between you... or did I?'

hungarianelephant,
Please, spread the misery - it can only serve to educate me - i was tempted to go the route of law, but physics told me not to.
Unless hollywood has lied to me, you must be very rich and working in an office full or gorgeous women - no sympathy here :)

374. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220872 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 6:29 am

Difference is some "rights" are more intuitive than the others

More fundamental maybe, but i'm always very cautious to attribute things to intuition - as intuituon is very easily 'corrupted' by the environment we grew up in.
Do we have inherent, natural rights, or are they all 'constructed' by humans to allow society to function? Pointless 'philosophising' or fundamentally important - i don't have an answer to that.
I agree that the law can become tedious :).
However, right to life isn't that simple. Ignoring wars where governments give permission for citizens to kill citizens of other countries (as a means, not an end in most cases, but it is still a kind of permission) - what about the death penalty or murder in 'self defense'? People on death row are there for years while lawyers argue the case. If you kill a burglar, that case can last for years aswell (certainly in Britain) while teams of lawyers argue the toss.

375. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220855 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 6:10 am

Depends what the women are wearing.

*High five* Giggity!

376. Catholics To Pope: Lift Birth Control Ban

Comment #220843 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 5:56 am

mixmastergaz,
In Patriarchal societies, the women tend to be the custodians of the religion, responsible for passing it on to the next generation.
This is why in Europe, with increased liberation and freedom for women (silly cows want to be treated equally) - religiousity fell significantly in the 1960's and 70's when women had more freedom. America had this, but bizarely seems to have gone the otherway (i honestly can't explain it), as now Europe is, in some respects (even CoE is saying some batty things).
If you force the women down and control them - you then get the next generation indoctrinated, sounds simple, doesn't it.

How charitable is it really when you're getting something out of it by perpetuating your particular brand of mythology? There's a big selfish element to it as far as I am concerned.

Indeed - it seems it isn't good enough to help them for the sake of humanity - to do the 'lords work' you need to 'convert' them as well, otherwise what's the point in helping them?

377. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220830 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 5:30 am

Private property is a legal fiction

Ok...but then what isn't a legal fiction? Right to life (as hungarianelephant points out), right to fair trial, right to free speech, etc. All of these are artificial constructs of our society, or 'legal fictions' - doesn't make them bad though.

Edit: Clarity

378. Catholics To Pope: Lift Birth Control Ban

Comment #220800 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 4:52 am

What are the chances that the catholic church will move into the real, modern world?

'On second thought, let's not go to Camelot, tis a silly place'

Every one MUST watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM

379. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220795 by Apathy personified on July 29, 2008 at 4:47 am

443. Comment #220775 by hungarianelephant on July 29, 2008 at 3:33 am
An excellent post -

What I do support is generally leaving people alone to run their own lives, and if that puts me in the capitalist camp, so be it. I'm all in favour of a coherent and properly funded social policy, but that is what still has to be addressed. Going on as we are is insane.

Couldn't agree more.

380. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220543 by Apathy personified on July 28, 2008 at 2:49 pm

whitepearl,
I'm sure it won't be too bad, just not as interesting as doing actual physics.
It's a nothing book - i'm reading it on recommendation - definately wouldn't recommend it to anyone myself though.

381. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #220483 by Apathy personified on July 28, 2008 at 1:43 pm

However, I could sense a disturbance in the force when I intimated that he had to take orders from women who were, shall we say, superior in their accomplishments to him.

Ouch! That must really hurt the ego of a misogynistic bigotted idiot like joe - another large gap in his armour (besides the intellectual one).

382. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220477 by Apathy personified on July 28, 2008 at 1:33 pm

Al,
Nothing wrong with being an asshole - if people don't want to be belittled they shouldn't spout rubbish - i myself am an asshole (according to my friends anyway)

whitepearl,
The ants are already recorded (by another research group - we are doing all the research donkey work), i have 30, 1.5 hour videos of them in different colony densities, all ready to be analysed - JOY!!
The book is called 'In God We Doubt' written by John Humphrys (famous british journalist).
My younger bro IS old enough now, but hasn't been bothered to learn to drive - i'm gonna say no one of these days, that'll learn him.

Al,
Read my post 300 on this thread.
*unsheathes trusty sword*

383. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #220451 by Apathy personified on July 28, 2008 at 1:02 pm

All you have to do is open your mind up to islam and praise be to allah.

That's all. Just allow yourself to be easily deluded

That does sound easy, tempting too.... but i still think a cricket bat to my head will get the desired results in a fraction of the time.

epeeist,
Have you managed to provoke him (hee hee) to call you 'athiest scum' again?

384. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220447 by Apathy personified on July 28, 2008 at 12:56 pm

whitepearl,

Doing well today. Taught a dance class early this morning then, then plopped my hiney down in the bookstore with a few cups of coffee. y tu?

Sounds like a good day :).
Me, i read a few more papers for my project, read an infuriating book and was a taxi service for the little bro - all fun and games for me.

Al,
Tough break, being 'generally wrong about EVERYTHING' must be traumatic - take it like a man big guy.

Mitchell,

Though, I'm not sure that that getting the most for the least should always be our goal, and that nothing one would take a lose on is worth doing.

I've never studied economics, so my comment was more an uneducated musing than a well thought out point.
However, remember that it's a competition - you are trying to buy for the least amount possible - they are trying to sell for the highest amount possible. This is where compromise comes in, which may not always work - but i know in advanced economics they use game theory to get the 'equilibrium' or best solution.

385. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220417 by Apathy personified on July 28, 2008 at 12:18 pm

whitepearl,
First, how are you? how's your day been?

I think you should stop beating around the bush and tell everyone what you really think.

What can i say - i'm a modest, shy guy ... no can't keep up that lie. :)

On the thing about free markets - a point that is never brought up is that free markets - when not abused or misused, have a way of resource consumption limitation - can the same be said for communism / socialism?

Edit: Also, from the article; typical snivelling, PC, plastic liberal response from the NUS - an organisation that can't balance its books or organise a piss up in a brewery

386. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #220409 by Apathy personified on July 28, 2008 at 12:05 pm

joe,
I want to be like you, can i brain my self with a cricket bat, or do i require a full lobotomy?

Also, can you provide evidence to back up your claims?

387. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220404 by Apathy personified on July 28, 2008 at 11:59 am

Ok, I have missed a lot.
First - the actual article, the figures do not surprise me.
What would be interesting is where these muslim students had their schooling (private islamic schools, 'normal' private schools, comprehensives, etc.)

Now onto the fun stuff.
Fuck total state control of everything, fuck total privatisation (postal service, NHS, etc) In principle it's quite simple really, the government provides the basic infrastructure and free markets do the rest - this only fails when people let it fail.
On the chatter about socialism and 'welfare', can someone tell me who decides what the 'greater good' is?

Edit: Spelling

388. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219864 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 4:19 pm

Before, I was a Nordic god. Now I'm more like Buddha - the fat Chinese one rather than the slim SE Asian one

Hee hee - Another phrase is, 'From Greek God to Greek cheese'. :)

389. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219839 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 3:46 pm

whitepearl,

Up until friday night, I hadn't seen anything Monty Python

Oh no! Have you been taking a crash course then?

Here is an actual clip from Graham Chapman's (the one who played Brian) funeral.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU19euwEe3k
Tells you all you need to know about them.

Wow - quite a few movies then - no casablanca or GWTW though?

Although I can't say that I agree with the mass killing of anyone,

Haha - that's a wonderfully understated and diplomatic rejection of mass murder/genocide. :)

Goldy,
I know, we all think we look like gods until someone points a camera or we look into a mirror. ;)

390. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219820 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 3:07 pm

Goldy,
You just need a Rocky style training montage - it'll get you into top shape within minutes and you get to listen to 'action hero' music. :)

Peace,
The way i understood it was that the Serbian security forces knew where Karadzic was the whole time - but he had so much 'insider' support that they protected him as much as they could, until the last minute. I think you are right about Mladic though - him and those around him will be so careful from now on.

391. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219802 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 2:42 pm

Goldy,
Moobs? (man boobs = moobs)

I can't believe he looked like a hippy and was working in alternative medicine,
'No, don't take paracetemol - commit genecide like i did, cured my headache'

Edit for whitepearl,
Glad to hear you are doing well and you had a relaxing weekend. Which old movies? MP assignment?

392. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219787 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Peace,
Oh i know, but wait until his former boss, Ratko Mladic is finally 'betrayed' and handed over - that's probably when it'll really kick off.

393. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219772 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 2:08 pm

I'm a big fan of Hugo Chavez,

or

Karadzic is a Serbian hero, and shouldn't have been arrested.

Anything to go on there?

Peace, LOL. Do you listen to fighting talk on 5live? Those are excellent 'defend the indefensible'.

394. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219766 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 2:04 pm

Quetz,
I've only ever watched 2 episodes of 'Will and Grace' - the final 2 - and that was against my wishes.
I think we are all equally crazy, some (like me) are just 'more equal' when it comes to craziness. :)

whitepearl,
I'm good, thanks for asking :). And yourself? My weekend was ok, bit quiet - I was a bit lame last night and got very drunk while first watching high fidelity (light romcom) then candy (hard hitting film about aussie junkies). How about your weekend?

395. Islam subway ads cause stir in New York

Comment #219748 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 1:51 pm

448. Comment #219082 by hawt4dawk on July 26, 2008 at 8:42 am

Ok, fair enough - i can see why you posted that at the time, I apologise.
Thanks for the links as well.

396. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219745 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 1:48 pm

Ok,
As always Apathy has a crazy plan.
thewhitepearl and kkelly - the new 'Will and Grace'.
Everyone will tune into that sitcom, except me of course.

397. Richard Dawkins slaps creationists into the primordial soup

Comment #219742 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 1:41 pm

Teratornis,
Firstly, nice attempt at making it look like i'm getting all offended and emotional - pity the trick didn't work.
On the initial point, we are not disagreeing - i'm merely stating my opinion that i think it's petty to make a remark like 'If I were sufficiently insensitive,..' then actually saying what you were going to say anyway. Just be honest and say it without the pretence of you believing you are on a higher moral plane (again, that is my opinion that i formed from reading your posts - if you think that this isn't the case, i can always re-read some of them).

The point about patronising an industry that 'hurts' people. Everyone has a choice when it comes to buying alcohol, i know some people
may be have a higher genetic risk factor towards alcoholism - but alcoholism tends to be a 'descent' rather than an immediate thing -
so people are free to make their own decisions and it's ultimately their responsibility. Alcohol is different to narcotics and religion in the sense that moderate, social drinking can probably do your health some good (helps you relax and i think there are studies on the health benefits of small amounts of alcohol). Any amount of narcotics tends to do harm to you and any religious believe is still a delusion.

Prohibition was an absolute disaster in America - if you don't believe me, look up the histories of Chicago and New York in the prohibition era (1920 to 1933)

Also, the rarer metals in your computer at the moment would have been mined - causing environmental damage, so maybe your buying the computer is patronising the mining industry? I personally don't like arguments like that.

398. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219736 by Apathy personified on July 27, 2008 at 1:19 pm

Wow - slow day at RD.net

399. Richard Dawkins slaps creationists into the primordial soup

Comment #218865 by Apathy personified on July 25, 2008 at 6:56 pm

The more disgust you feel for the style I imitated, the more I agree with you.

No, you have deliberately missed the point. It's not the style or what you said, it's the fact that you pretended to take the moral high ground (as you see it), then you said it anyway. What's the point? It comes across as 'holier than thou'. I like Al's style, it's honest and robust and aswell as getting his points across, his posts can also be funny.

If you want to draw analogies between recreactional drinkers and religious apologists then that's your perogative - it won't fit though.
You can not hold me, as a recreational drinker, responsible for other people being alcoholics - where is the connection? People are responsible for their own actions.
Religious people (fundies and apologists) are both living a lie, beleiving a delusion - it's just the extent of this delusion that differs.
Recreactional drinkers who are sensible (as the vast majoirty are)and drink in moderation, are unlikely to be doing themselves any harm by going out and socialising while having a drink.

400. Richard Dawkins slaps creationists into the primordial soup

Comment #218846 by Apathy personified on July 25, 2008 at 6:35 pm