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What is wrong with you, animals? Stop fighting you don't even have lightsabers.

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porphyria:
Wow, the suspense in the beginning was killer, I totally thought it was going to be a bird cat fight, what a twist xp. That was pretty epic, Im still trying to figure out what the hell is up with the birds, they looked like they were having far too much fun taking bets on who was going to win.
droopy99:
It's probably a good idea that you be made aware of this... smile
Turning into a pumpkin
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Yesterday, I got the following email from my cousin:

Hello,

How are you doing? Hope all is well with you and I pray this e-mail finds you in good health. I am so sorry i didn't let you know about me leaving for a conference in England. I really hate to do this but i need a favor from you because i lost my Bag...
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baudot:
I think we're mostly on the same page. There's a more extensive effort than you've found to put ayurveda through the crucible of critical thinking recently, but much of the procedure, as you've noted, has been crap.

One place where I'll diverge from you is in saying that curiosity should be enough to motivate studies. Medicines, before getting FDA approval, go through a process costing freaking buckets of money, and someone has to pay for it. Once in a blue moon people find a way to do a study on a shoestring demonstrating that some traditional medicine probably works, but never to the level of getting a drug cleared by the FDA. Also, speaking of research on diet in general, have you noticed just how crap and contradictory most of those studies are? There seems to be a very low signal to noise ratio in the field of dietetics. The few nutritionists I've met haven't given me much hope for the field.

It's a good point that one can make money through the practice - as the doctor, rather than as the drug company. But that still leaves some holes in the certification, compared to what conventional medicine gets put through.

Side note on acupuncture: Some studies have shown it to be effective versus a very limited array of symptoms. Mainly it's good for pain management and likewise with nausea. Then again, there have been counter studies showing that doing acupuncture at locations other than the approved points generates the same effects. So we may be dealing with a kind of enhanced placebo effect here. Though that would be worth looking into as well.

cathazzar:
I came because of the commment on the horror movie thread.

I stayed because of the peculiarity of the word "Bag" being capitalized in the first paragraph.

I remained because you somehow connected House Ravenclaw to online monetary fraud.

And now I'm sticking around because a discussion of herbalism spawned on the comment page.

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Got a Kindle.

Man. I was really against this thing when I heard about it originally. I love all of the tactile experiences books provide. But this thing is great. Even just having access to the store - why yes, I think I will take every Sherlock Holmes story Doyle ever wrote for a total of $0.99. Oh, Candide, also $0.99, why thank you....
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otoki:
Bahahahaha
semiretiredpunk:
See about gutenberg.org. A lot of older stuff is free now for e-readers. smile
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reid:
I was pretty outraged at Harris' remarks about philosophy. Then Krauss joined in and I was even more outraged, considering I had agreed with his other arguments the most. But then Blackburn FTW!!! He was brilliant... I facepalmed when, I think it was harris, claimed that Hume was wrong about not being able to deduce ought from is. But yes, I think the exchange between Harris and Peter made a good point. Peter thought Sam was speaking about a narrow form of science, Harris corrected him saying he's including reason and logic, then Peter said well you ought to have philosophy on the list then!! And that's when Harris felt the need to bash philosophers and the field, which was done out of sheer bad taste considering the phi faculty was co-sponsoring the event AND he obtained his first degree in philosophy (surprised no one brought that up). But it just doesn't make any sense. You want to include logic in science? Then you want people like me determining right from wrong. End of story.
reid:
I really don't care to argue in blogs, so I'll say my last words... I disagree. He meant to disparage philosophy as a whole from what he stated. No where did Harris make remarks saying well it's the state of philosophy that bothers me, or the fact that it cannot reach a definite conclusion. For if he had said that, I might have agreed. I think you're just assuming that's how he feels. From how he portrayed himself and what he uttered, I got nothing of the sort. Just sayin.
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droopy99:
Brilliant video
dezzie:
I love this!
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A friend now bothering me to write a book expressing the naturalist worldview, with specific emphasis on atheism.

I'm so unqualified that I can't even begin to explain to him how unqualified I am.

I might give it a try anyway. I had the idea of splitting it into three parts:

1 - There are probably no gods

Debunking transcendental (false dichotomy), cosmological (special pleading),...
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porphyria:
I miss talking to you. I wish I was a Rabbi so I could email battle you passionately in the name of god, it sounds sexy.
thedespair:
I'd like to read this, if you do end up going for it
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Busy week for me. To look at it, you might think I'm not a hermit.

Wednesday - a ton of people quit at work. I think the final count for the day was six. I'm not among them, but friends with a few who did quit. A bunch of us went to a nearby bar afterward. Talked with a few coworkers I've not really gotten...
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Just got the news that my mom's dad, my grandpa, died at about 7:00 this morning. He's the one who taught me what funny was. I'm going to write something to say at his funeral, I think. If I do, I need to make it funny. I'm thinking peppered references to Who's On First, which he introduced me to.

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droopy99:
I'm very sorry for your loss. I wish strength for you and your family.
winter_davis:
Sorry about your grandfather - your comments are very funny, so he clearly taught you well.
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semiretiredpunk:
I like it.
dezzie:
I'm totally inclined to agree with you. If I could of gotten away with it II would have taken those out, when I can I will. Thanks for your support on my set doll, and it seems great minds think alike.
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This is one of my first blogs here. I was funnier back then. I think maybe I cared more. Like I thought the world could be changed.

These days, I just hope it doesn't get worse before I die.

Anyway, I enjoyed reading it (including my little medley of links at the end - that last one is very clever of me), and decided it...
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So a while ago, on a whim, I signed up for an OKCupid profile and then promptly forgot about it.

Recently, they sent me an email. Someone rated me positively or something. So I went back to the site and started browsing around. I stumbled across one girl who really caught my eye.

Unfortunately, right at the beginning of her profile she mentions that she...
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devilsreject:
kids aren't for everyone man, and i don't ever judge people that don't want kids. They do consume a good portion of your life, as they should, they're your responsibility.

I would rather see someone say "i don't want kids" and stick to their guns rather than be miserable and/or raise a child in such a manner the kid just becomes useless to society. I would really like to see people put more thought into it like you do (not saying either of those situations apply to you)

and dating walking disasters is fun, it makes you realize how sane and responsible you are.
otoki:
wink I figured I'd drive the fucking point home.
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Smile.

devilsreject:
i always hated that dog at the end.