Re: In defense of Biblical marriage

2004-02-20 Thread TomFODW
I don't necessarily think that's true. Especially since prayer is the action. Besides, if one has to balance prayer with something, anything, then it kind of defeats the purpose in the first place doesn't it? Not in Judaism. At least not in Conservative Judaism. There's something Napoleon

Re: A reasonable view.

2004-02-20 Thread TomFODW
You are correct in the abstract, but perhaps less so in the concrete. So many critics of Israel actually ARE motivated by anti-semitism that it is only prudent to wonder at first. So many proponents of so-called states' rights really ARE and WERE motivated by racism that again, one's first

Re: In defense of Biblical marriage

2004-02-20 Thread TomFODW
Fair enough. One always needs to hope from time to time. But hope is perpetually optimistic. And it's been my experience that optimism is in most cases, a complete disregard for the truth. I can't _prove_ faith, and I'm not trying to. I was merely putting forth the position (or, rather, _a_

Re: In defense of Biblical marriage

2004-02-20 Thread tomfodw
Well sure. And you can make exactly the same objection to ANY reason ANYONE puts forward for doing ANYTHING. The measure of a measure taken is of course not the sincerity of the person taking it, but its effect on others. I'm simply saying that Judaism believes in more than mere faith as a

Re: Thoughts on gay marriage?

2004-02-15 Thread TomFODW
Well, add me to list of dolts then, Tom.  I find myself in that very boat; I believe gays should have the right to official unions.  Hell, why shouldn't *they* have to have the prospect of giving up half their stuff and arguing over who gets the coffee table if they break up same as

Re: Thoughts on gay marriage?

2004-02-15 Thread TomFODW
Is there some bizarre meme that's infected the members of this list that dictates that every single person who dislikes something would *automatically* impose his will on others because of it?  Do you all simply have that low of an opinion of everyone else that you assume that no one on the

Re: Thoughts on gay marriage?

2004-02-15 Thread TomFODW
This was an honest expression of concern and confusion that is shared by many. I suspect and hope that over time people will get used to the idea but for now it does not do the cause of gay union any good to sharply casitgate someone for honestly expressed feelings. If you don't

Re: Political Baiting  Re: Thoughts on gay marriage?

2004-02-15 Thread TomFODW
For whatever it is worth, it is a common meme among conservatives that liberals consider themselves to be smarter than conservatives. I don't consider myself necessarily smarter than anyone else. What I would say is that liberals are much nicer people in their politics than conservatives

Re: Thoughts on gay marriage?

2004-02-14 Thread TomFODW
In a message dated 2/15/04 1:56:06 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: As I understand it, a big concern of opponents is that once MA allows gay marriage, other states will be forced to recognize the marriages (IIRC, states are required to recognize marriages done in other states), and their own

Re: Voodoo Economics

2004-02-09 Thread TomFODW
Or like Karl Marx, actually.  Enhancing the contradictions, isn't that what the Marxists called it?  :-)  Been a long time since I read any Marxist philosophy, and I will admit I didn't pay that much attention when I was supposed to be studying it... Well, _some_ Marxists seemed to believe

Re: Voodoo Economics

2004-02-09 Thread TomFODW
1) Why do you assume that if he saw contrary evidence, he would have corrected himself?  There was plenty of contrary evidence available in 1883, and it didn't seem to stop him. Actually, there wasn't all that much evidence. He did not foresee the rise of the labor union movement. He

Re: Voodoo Economics

2004-02-09 Thread TomFODW
I'm not sure about that.  In many many ways his ideas are both wrong and dangerous.  His focusing on classes and the inevitability of class struggle, his inability to see the possibility of moderation and compromise all are firm foundations for the evil done in his name. At the time, there

Re: Whatever Happened to Scott Ritter?

2004-02-08 Thread TomFODW
Ask and ye shall learn: http://truthout.org/docs_04/020804C.shtml Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle ___

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-06 Thread TomFODW
So, going on the assumption that the Gospels are the best historical account we have of the events we are discussing, is it not ahistorical to simply skip over Matthew 27:20-25?  How would you suggest a film-maker handle that important portion of the story without making Jews nervous? Not

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-06 Thread TomFODW
I interpreted Tom's post as very clearly judging all Christians.   Perhaps you saw Tom's post differently? I hope I don't judge all Christians negatively. Most Christians are appalled by violence against anyone. Throughout history this has also probably been true (if it had been otherwise,

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-05 Thread TomFODW
But, what about God forgiving David? God can forgive sins against God, not against someone else. Only the person sinned against can forgive those (in Jewish teaching, that is). Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-05 Thread TomFODW
I would argue that John Paul II has done precisely that. To a large extent, yes. Certainly more than any major Christian leader before him (well, Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI also did a lot). Still a long way to go, though. But isn't judging all Christians as a class exactly the sort of

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-04 Thread TomFODW
Blasphemy against the Jewish God, which they believed Jesus guilty of, while a capital offense in the Law of Moses, was not any sort of offense at all under Roman law.  So those Jews (note that I am not saying all Jews were responsible, just as not all Arabs were responsible for 9/11) had to

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-04 Thread TomFODW
Sometimes forgeting (and forgiving) IS the choice with wisdom. A) Judaism teaches that only the wronged party may forgive. I can't forgive the Nazis for the Holocaust because I was not a victim. B) I believe very strongly that forgetting the Holocaust would be a further betrayal of its

Re: Best Superbowl Ever! wasRE: Janet Jackson s Right Breast Provoke s Outrage

2004-02-04 Thread TomFODW
I don't think it was the best Super Bowl ever, although it was one of the best ever. I'd put Giants-Bills as the best (besides the exciting finish, and the buildup - during the beginning of what would later be Gulf War I, the game was extremely well played - neither team committed a turnover,

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-04 Thread TomFODW
So IYO no one can ever make a movie about the life of Jesus -- where for Christians the main point of the life of Jesus is His death and resurrection and its meaning for us today -- because some people use the fact that some Jews who lived at the time were involved in his death to justify

Re: gud ol Repgnatcan suthrn edukasion

2004-02-03 Thread TomFODW
And yet, another State without an evolution curriculum is that right-wing hotbed of Illinois. Illinois has an extreme split between the northeastern corner of Chicago and the rest of the state. The southern half of the state is actually basically eastern Missouri. Illinois is, alas, by no

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-03 Thread TomFODW
I believe that you are furthering the causes of these broods of vipers by republishing their venom. I won't even give their words the respect shown by repeating them, even to point out the evil they contain. Far more to the point, will Mel Gibson repudiate their hate-filled verbal vomit,

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-03 Thread TomFODW
If a group of Jews make a movie about WWII in the year 3950 will there be Germans complaining that it sheds them in a bad light? I just hope and pray that there are still Jews around in the year 3950 to make a movie about WWII (or to do anything else). Tom Beck

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-03 Thread TomFODW
Ah yes. You believe. I for one, believe that views like that, hold back any sort of honest discourse. Furthermore, to brand something evil, is to show either a narrow-minded approach to things, or a faithful belief in what you are spoon-fed. Prove to me however, that evil is a substantial

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-03 Thread TomFODW
Thou shalt not kill. To translate the Hebrew accurately, it says, Don't murder. Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle ___

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-03 Thread TomFODW
Agreed.  I frequently quote from the KJV because a lot of people have heard the familiar passages from that translation, even if they're not very familiar with the Bible.  Many experts will say that more modern translations like the NIV may indeed be more accurate, but there's something

Re: Reviews for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

2004-02-03 Thread TomFODW
None of them are perfect.  That's for sure. Most Jews use one version or another based on the Jewish Publication Society's translation, and that has a lot of figurative rather than literal translations. The Conservative movement's commentary is always pointing out where it thinks the JPS

Re: Doing Business With The Enemy

2004-02-02 Thread TomFODW
In a message dated 2/1/04 10:46:35 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: God knows what really happened. Exactly. YOU DON'T know. You weren't there. I wasn't there. Stop talking like you were. Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed

Re: and we thought we had too much snow...

2004-02-02 Thread TomFODW
Looks like business is booming at the snow quarry...if the new Doctor Who has an episode set on an ice planet, they can film it there. Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle

Re: Doing Business With The Enemy

2004-02-02 Thread TomFODW
Incidentally, Tom, when do you ever follow that rule? Or does it only apply to liberals?  Speaking about Republicans when you have no knowledge, that's not exactly a problem for you, is it? Not sure I can recall the last time I accused anyone of any political stripe of murder. Tom Beck

Re: New Elements?

2004-02-01 Thread TomFODW
element 115 will be designated Ununpentium Except it might be 114 or 116... Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle ___

Re: Doing Business With The Enemy

2004-01-29 Thread TomFODW
In all seriousness, I still don't get it.  Other than such displays of force, what do you think a Qaddafi would respond to?  As far as I can tell, _nothing_ except force is likely to get results from someone like him. There have been stories that he also responded to such things as his

Re: Doing Business With The Enemy

2004-01-29 Thread TomFODW
There were a number of young men in the South who fought for the Confederacy not because they were trying to defend slavery, but because they felt allegiance to their states before their country.  While the simplistic interpretation, and maybe the most correct one, of the Civil War was that

Re: More good reasons to Distrust Corporations and Drug Companies

2004-01-29 Thread TomFODW
Personaly I think that scientific information, discoveries should never be secret. I had a physics prof who had a pattent on an solution to a class of equations. (don't remember details), So, everyone now knows the information, can use the solution in their work, but if they use the solution

Re: More good reasons to Distrust Corporations and Drug Companies

2004-01-29 Thread TomFODW
In a message dated 1/29/04 5:20:14 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Not the equation, a method for ~solving~ a family of equations. But that's still a description of the natural universe - the method is as much part of mathematics as the equations themselves. It exists independent of the

War in Iraq unnecessary?

2004-01-29 Thread TomFODW
The Army War College thinks the Bush Administration has been ignoring Afghanistan in its zeal to go after Iraq. Army War College essay calls Iraq war 'distraction' By THOMAS E. RICKS Washington Post WASHINGTON -- A scathing new report published by the Army War College broadly criticizes the

Re: Whale explodes in Taiwanese city

2004-01-28 Thread TomFODW
No post-explosion pictures. No sound. Still icky. Probably work-safe. Unless you work at Greenpeace... Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle

Re: Bone Phone

2004-01-21 Thread TomFODW
Japanese telecom carriers, pioneers of internet-capable and picture-snapping handsets, have now come up with the world's first mobile phone that enables users to listen to calls inside their heads - by conducting sound through bone. Thus validating every poor schizophrenic in the world...

Re: War on AIDS [was: Easterbrook on Bush's NASA plan]

2004-01-18 Thread TomFODW
Here in Brazil the number of children born with inherited AIDS decreased from about 8% to about 3% in the past few years. We _may_ have it under control. Mazal tov, but that has nothing to do with Bush reneging on his promise by making a splashy announcement about increasing American

Re: Social Programs (was: Re: Martian Emotion)

2004-01-18 Thread TomFODW
People who think that social programs are a waste of taxpayer money have failed to learn from history.  The poor overthrowing their own nation's government due to feeling neglected and oppressed is something that has happened repeatedly (The French Revolution, The Russian Revolution, etc.).

Re: Easterbrook on Bush's NASA plan

2004-01-16 Thread TomFODW
Obviously it is only a start.  The converse of No bucks = No Buck Rogers is also true.  Open your mind, man.  And your heart. Open your eyes, man. And your brain. You're taking the wish for the deed. Bush is infamous for propsing things that sound nice, so he can some nice publicity, and

Re: Easterbrook on Bush's NASA plan

2004-01-16 Thread TomFODW
Actually, I'm quite sure that Bush is laughing at you. Let him. The man's such a worthless buffoon, I take that as a badge of honor. At least he's not fooling ME. Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr

Re: Shrub's Conspiracy to Invade Iraq Revealed by Ex-Admin Official

2004-01-13 Thread TomFODW
My real problem with any attempt to defend the fact that Bush came into office determined to get rid of Saddam by saying the reason was to bring about regime change, save the people from Iraq, and be nicey was, during the 2000 campaign, Bush repeatedly derided the very idea of nation-building

Does this pass the smell test?

2004-01-13 Thread TomFODW
Anyone find it more than curious that the Bush Administration, which has been doing everything it can to obstruct the inquiry into who leaked Valerie Plame's name undercover CIA status, is leaping to investigate whether or not Paul O'Neill leaked secret documents in his book? Smells mighty

Re: Shrub's Conspiracy to Invade Iraq Revealed by Ex-Admin Official

2004-01-11 Thread TomFODW
And there are plans for invading N Korea, Cuba, Russia, China, Japan, Columbia, New Zealand, Spain, Canada..any country you want. It's what the military does. Plans in the Pentagon are not the same thing as plans in the White House. I think the point is not that the Defense Dept. was

Re: Extraordinary Rendition

2004-01-11 Thread TomFODW
It is time someone asked. What our government did to Maher Arar is worse than anything the British did to our Colonial forefathers. It was worse than anything J. Edgar Hoover did to alleged Communists, civil rights workers and anti-war activists during his long program of dirty tricks.

Re: Extraordinary Rendition

2004-01-11 Thread TomFODW
Responding to another list member's ghost post with hateful, hate filled clones: too upset to come up with more adjectives? I'd say you and your lot are the ones filled with hate and madness. I'm happy even with pipes in my kitchen frozen, the cable being out, my cat being sick and numerous

Re: Extraordinary Rendition

2004-01-11 Thread TomFODW
Perhaps you arrest and tort..., ah, thoroughly interrogate 99 basically innocent profilees to snare a single operative or active supporter. We. Don't. Torture. Period. Besides being despicable, it almost never works. Most people will say ANYTHING to stop being tortured. I understand the

Re: Extraordinary Rendition

2004-01-11 Thread TomFODW
Anyhow, I will now humbly wait for all of the Brin-L's resident liberals to point out that interrogtating a foreigner without a lawyer (if indeed that this story is true) does not constitute a high crime and misdemeanor. Don't ever travel in a foreign country in case you get on the wrong

Re: Shrub's Conspiracy to Invade Iraq Revealed by Ex-Admin Official

2004-01-11 Thread TomFODW
At any rate, who cares about this stuff?    About the most damning claim O'Neill has is that Bush actually had far more pre-planning for the war in Iraq than we have previously none.   So, we are going to pillory Bush for planning ahead? Um...well...considering that he never mentioned any

Re: A List A List!!!!

2004-01-05 Thread TomFODW
9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time. Not true. 14. Your friends love you anyway. Definitely true, at least in my case. Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon.

Re: Victorian Gollum

2004-01-02 Thread TomFODW
In answer to zMUD question of ever having seen Andy Sirkis, Gollum/Smeagol, in anything else, he was in Topsy-Turvy as the chicken walking Choregrapher. That's an outstanding movie. Highly entertaining. Delightful. Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man

Scouted: Only those who sacrificed...

2003-12-31 Thread TomFODW
http://www.workingforchange.com/comic.cfm?itemid=16205 Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l

Re: Rush Limbaugh is a hypocrite

2003-12-24 Thread TomFODW
Rather, I am referring to the fact that Roe vs. Wade is the _original_ right to privacy case in the United States.    The US Supreme Court in that case,  did not find a right to abortion in that case - how could they? - but rather found that 'the penumbra of the Constitution' contains a right

Re: First Mad Cow Case in U.S.

2003-12-23 Thread TomFODW
A) Veneman did not appear to indicate any second thoughts about American cattle eating animal byproducts. B) Wonder what this will do to the US blood supply. They already exclude people from donating blood who've lived for more than a certain amount of time in England and other places that

Re: SCOUTED:  Becoming a Compassionless Conservative

2003-12-22 Thread TomFODW
How is this mother any different than the neglectful wealthy parents of such worthless scum as Paris Hilton? Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle

Re: SCOUTED:  Becoming a Compassionless Con servative

2003-12-22 Thread TomFODW
How is this mother any different than the neglectful wealthy parents of such worthless scum as Paris Hilton? Thats a rhetorical question, right?!!! G If you mean, that it answers itself (and the answer is, not in any significant way), then yes. Tom Beck

Re: Fw: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

2003-12-21 Thread TomFODW
The temp score they're using for the trailer is the Stargate SG-1 theme... Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle ___

Re: A sad, sad, day for the Sci-Fi Channel

2003-12-21 Thread TomFODW
As if their incredibly bad taste in programming isn't enough, on the Friday after Christmas, the Sci-Fi Channel will be doing an all day Tremors marathon - every episode in order, and the movies. It's almost painful. I dunno, the first movie is very funny. Never saw any of the other

Re: Edge of the Galaxy

2003-12-19 Thread TomFODW
If we travel through this extra cosmic arm in the Milky Way that they believe wraps around the outskirts of the vast galaxy like a thick gas border will we become superhuman like Gary Lockwood and Sally Kellerman in Where No Man Has Gone Before? Kewel! ;) Tom Beck

Re: CNN Breaking News

2003-12-14 Thread TomFODW
Looks like they're doing DNA tests to confirm.  I wonder what that's going to mean to Iraq in both the short and long terms. It'll probably lead to a more widespread acceptance of the validity of DNA testing throughout the Middle East... Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always

Scouted: Tom DeLay to NYC: Drop Dead!

2003-12-01 Thread TomFODW
http://nytimes.com/2003/12/01/nyregion/01SHIP.html Tom DeLay, despicable if all-powerful Speaker of the House, wants delegates to the Republican convention in NYC next summer to eschew the city's hotels and restaurants and instead be his captives, er, sorry, guests on a luxury cruise liner a

Scouted: When Asthma Attacks

2003-11-21 Thread TomFODW
When Asthma Attacks A new report from Clean the Air reveals that the ill-conceived energy bill, should it be enacted into law, would haveA HREF=http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2003/11/20/news/02energybzbigs.txt; severe public health consequences/A around the country especially

Re: Family Guy may return

2003-11-20 Thread TomFODW
I loved the pure surreal nuttiness of Family Guy. The talking dog that everyone simply accepts...Stewie's megalomaniacal madness. But I also loved Futurama, too. Bring 'em both back! (Anyone but me notice the problem Fox has with shows that start with F? Family Guy, Futurama, Firefly,

Re: Fox News, we distort, you comply.

2003-11-17 Thread TomFODW
Martin and Lockheed merged, creating Lockheed Martin It was a merger in name only, believe me. I lost my job as a result of the so-called merger, which basically ended with Lockheed running the show, shutting down Martin facilities and putting Martin employees out of work, and Martin's

Re: Abortion: Pro-Lifers Foil Bombing Plot

2003-11-16 Thread TomFODW
In the pro-lifers don't do enough to oppose violence against abortionists department:    http://www.lifenews.com/nat209.html Investigators revealed more information on Thursday about Stephen John Jordi, the man whom FBI agents arrested this week on suspicions of plotting to firebomb

Re: Fox News, we distort, you comply.

2003-11-16 Thread TomFODW
do you seriously think that it's easy to become the CEO of a major corporation?  These guys are (in general) like Major League Baseball players. Obviously there are exceptions, but most of the time, even the worst one is so much better at what he does than the average person that it's barely

Re: Fox News, we distort, you comply.

2003-11-14 Thread TomFODW
I, for one, don't think Fox is unbiased.  I think it's about as biased as CNN or PBS - considerably less than NPR, though, to be honest.  It's just in the opposite direction.  The hysterical reaction to Fox, it seems to me, has more to do with the sudden shock of the leftist intelligentisia

Re: Veterens Bushwhacked

2003-11-14 Thread TomFODW
What do you expect from these scumbags in the White House? They announce nice-sounding proposals and reap the benefit from people who want to believe that their (in this case not really) elected officials are on the side of the angels. Then, after getting good press for their announcement - and

Re: christian dreams of murder...

2003-11-14 Thread TomFODW
Out of curiosity, do you object to Tom Clancy novels?  After all, they contain plausible scenarios by which our country and government heads could be attacked by all sorts of terrorists, resulting in the deaths of millions. Oh, come on, it's not even remotely comparable. In Clancy's novels,

Re: Bishops to punish catholic politicians who disobey Pope

2003-11-13 Thread TomFODW
Its a good thing Catholics are Jews Fool, or else you might really have gotten yourself in trouble at the very least you probably wouldn't be allowed to write football columns any more Catholics are Jews? Um...since when...? Tom Beck www.prydonians.org www.mercerjewishsingles.org

Scouted: Alabama chickens come home to roost

2003-11-13 Thread TomFODW
ALABAMA CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST: This fall, state and national conservative groups led the charge to kill Alabama Gov. Bob Riley's tax redistribution efforts and now aren't willing to pay the price. The Republican governor warned at the time that the cash-strapped state was in dire fiscal

Re: [L3] RE: religious/political question

2003-11-09 Thread TomFODW
Yet. I wouldn't put it beyond a fanatic to do something unfortunate. (Remember a certain chap called Rabin? I do...) There was also Baruch Goldstein in 1994, I'm ashamed to say. The difference is, most Jews worldwide were aghast at both. With a few despicable exceptions, there was hardly

Typical Republican hypocrisy

2003-11-07 Thread TomFODW
Justice Brown, if confirmed, would be the 11th Judge on the D.C. Circuit. Sens. Charles Grassley, Jon Kyl, and Jeff Sessions voted in favor of her nomination yesterday. But in 1997, opposing President Clinton's nominee to the D.C. Circuit, citing the D.C. circuits relatively low caseload, Sen.

Re: Poll in Iraq

2003-11-07 Thread TomFODW
I've heard conservative commentators quote reputable polling companies as indicating that the people of Iraq favor US involvement.  I've read that Cheney quoted a Zogby poll as indicating this favorable response.  Yet, when I searched for the poll, I got this result. I read an interview

Re: republican browncoat's latest attack on democracy

2003-11-07 Thread TomFODW
It's saying we're not going to allow the opposition party to ask questions about the way we use tax money, said R. Scott Lilly, Democratic staff director for the House committee. As far as I know, this is without modern precedent. Norman Ornstein, a congressional specialist at the American

Woo-hoo!

2003-11-07 Thread TomFODW
1. EVOLUTION: IT'S A NATURAL LAW, AND IT'S IN TEXAS SCHOOLBOOKS. By a vote of 11 - 4, the Texas State Board of Education yesterday rejected efforts of religious groups, the Discovery Institute in particular, to get science textbooks adopted that conform to the religious tenets of intelligent

Re: Country music evil?

2003-11-05 Thread TomFODW
Bluegrass Love (used to play banjo - poorly) Lyle Leavitt Eh the music featured in Oh Brother Where Art Thou? Loved the music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys? Don't know late 19th century country music which is tied to 16th and 17th century English music? Don't know Tom

Re: [Scouted] Trick or Treat rage?

2003-11-05 Thread TomFODW
I thought awhile back that if I were ever attacked and managed to knock my attacker down and unconscious for a bit, I'd use whatever I had at hand to carve an asterisk in the forehead of the person, then run and call the police.  The marring of the forehead would make for

Re: Country music evil?

2003-11-05 Thread TomFODW
I don't particularly like country music as such. I do like certain artists who tend to be considered country performers. My favorite singer period is Mary-Chapin Carpenter, but I don't know that I'd call her a country singer, even though she has often been listed as one. I also like Kathy

Re: [Scouted] Trick or Treat rage?

2003-11-04 Thread TomFODW
I thought awhile back that if I were ever attacked and managed to knock my attacker down and unconscious for a bit, I'd use whatever I had at hand to carve an asterisk in the forehead of the person, then run and call the police.  The marring of the forehead would make for easier identification

Re: [L3] RE: religious/political question

2003-11-03 Thread TomFODW
[He overstates his case here, as most Christians consider Jesus 'given for the sake of the world' and I think there is a Jewish concept of 'being a light unto the world' also.] There is a core Jewish concept of the people Israel being called upon by God to be or l'goyim (a light unto the

Re: religious/political question

2003-11-02 Thread TomFODW
Women die all the time because of pregnacies and all kinds of related problems with pregnacies. And doctors try to do something about that so the death rate will decline, just as they are trying to cure cancer.   The that parasite can also last for more 18 years draining resources, time,

Re: Dogmatism

2003-11-02 Thread TomFODW
And neither of us would call Marxism a religion. I would call Marxism-Leninism/Stalinism the official state (pseudo) religion of the former USSR though... and it was evil, EVIL I say! Please leave Marx out of it. He died in 1883 (34 years before the Russian Revolution), he never expected

Re: Barbour campaign shows GOP's white supremacist side

2003-11-02 Thread TomFODW
I imagine that a number of white people in Texas who own guns would have something to say about this You would hope they would not be thinking selfishly of themselves (You can't move them people into MY neighborhood), but that the entire idea of apartheid for ANYONE is loathesome and

Re: New Jersey (was Re: religious/political question)

2003-11-02 Thread TomFODW
I would prefer a monorail system instead. People of Springfield Monorail! Monorail! Monorail! /People of Springfield Tom Beck www.prydonians.org www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle

Re: New Jersey (was Re: religious/political question)

2003-11-02 Thread TomFODW
In a message dated 11/2/03 3:22:10 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: On Sun, Nov 02, 2003 at 01:32:28PM -0600, Robert Seeberger wrote: I would prefer a monorail system instead. Umm, how does it go, is there a danger that the track will bend? Not on your life, my Hindu friend! Tom Beck

Re: New Jersey (was Re: religious/political question)

2003-11-01 Thread TomFODW
Transportation sucks. Traffic is horrible, and public transit has poor coverage unless you just want to go to New York or Philly. Well, bad traffic and poor public transit are not unique to New Jersey. At least New Jersey *has* New York and Philly to go to...not too many states are situated

Re: New Jersey (was Re: religious/political question)

2003-11-01 Thread TomFODW
If you want to spend hours commuting to and from work, Jersey's your place then! You're acting like New Jersey is somehow uniquely bad in this regard. The traffic near Boston, DC, Long Island, LA, and Atlanta is at least at bad and probably worse. The Long Island Expressway is not

Re: religious/political question

2003-10-31 Thread TomFODW
My understanding of Jewish theological teaching (which is sketchy at best!) is that while God is the ultimate authority, Man must participate in decision-making processes, and so must seek knowledge and ask questions.  Well, the Jewish idea is that God began the creation of the Earth, but

Re: religious/political question

2003-10-31 Thread TomFODW
I was going to ask what you thought a self-described free thinker would say to someone who opposes abortion, but you seem to have answered that question already, and to have made my point that the free thinkers are just as unaccepting and unforgiving of those in their ranks who do not agree

Re: U.S. now saying WMD went from Iraq to Syria

2003-10-30 Thread TomFODW
I think the Iraqi WMDs are on a Mid-East tour. After Syria, they are probably headed towards Iran. :) Cool t-shirt. Tom Beck www.prydonians.org www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle

Re: religious/political question

2003-10-30 Thread TomFODW
Well, Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God, of course. My feeling is, what we say about God says more about us than it does about God. As a Conservative Jew, I do not take the Torah as literally dictated by God to Moses, but more as a compendium of sacred texts written over time.

Re: Happy Diwali

2003-10-25 Thread TomFODW
I wish you all a very happy and prosperous Diwali. Thanks, and I wish you back an equally happy and prosperous Dibeaver and Dieddie. Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last. - Dr Jerry Pournelle

Re: Brave new Schools: Adopting RFID

2003-10-24 Thread TomFODW
But the Buffalo school is believed to be the first facility to use the technology to identify and track children.   In 1873, as the post-Civil War inflationary boom went bust, a devastating panic hit the United States, leaving unemployment and poverty in its wake; the country sank into an

Scouted: More of Dubya's cowardice

2003-10-22 Thread TomFODW
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/10/22/barbours_racist_links_tar_bush_too?mode=PF DERRICK Z. JACKSON Barbour's racist links tar Bush too By Derrick Z. Jackson, 10/22/2003 AT THE ASIAN economic summit in Bangkok, President Bush condemned the recent

Re: Oh, BTW: Re: How some conservatives are deliberately destroying America

2003-10-21 Thread TomFODW
Yes.  Pretty much the way it has been done for at least 102 years (since the current state constitution was written by said interests to keep themselves in power) and probably for the past 184 years (since statehood).  People are sick and tired of it, and sick and tired of throwing good money

Re: Oh, BTW: Re: How some people claim conservatives are deliberately destroying America

2003-10-21 Thread TomFODW
An immediate/short term way to make everything hunky-dory and avoid all pain for everyone?  I don't see one.  I don't think there is one. Long term?  Remind the public servants on Goat Hill in Montgomery that their job is to serve the *public*, not ALFA, Paul Hubbard, etc. Except...the

How some conservatives are deliberately destroying America

2003-10-20 Thread TomFODW
From the Center for American Progress: ECONOMY - ALABAMA LIVES WITH ITS VOTE: Just six weeks ago, AlabamaA HREF=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A51143-2003Sep9?language=printer;shot down/A an attempt by Gov. Bob Riley to reform taxes in an attempt to stem the hemorrhaging state

  1   2   3   >