VTmotoMike08

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Everything posted by VTmotoMike08

  1. VTmotoMike08
    Nice backpedling. Another poster misrepresented the big bang theory as saying that something came from nothing. Then you reinforced it. So unless "very simple summation" = "exact opposite of what it really says" then you really don't understand the big bang, do you? I'm well aware that nothing in the Bible excludes life outside of Earth. And as far as total knowledge of the Bible, I bet I've got you beat there too, although I don't really care. 18 years of forced Christian indoctrination 6 days a week and I guarentee there is not a lot in the Bible that I haven't heard. I know I've got the major points down. Fortunately, I don't just accept everything I am told.
  2. VTmotoMike08
    If you truly think that the big bang theory claims that something came from nothing, then you have misunderstood the theory and your gross misunderstanding does not merit rebuttal. Due to the great availability of supporting material, the only sensible conclusion is that your misunderstand is willful and deliberate. If you have to misrepresent the theory to argue against it, you have already lost. Try getting a real understanding of the big bang theory then checking back in. Fine, then: "The best theory that we currently have says that there has always been _something_. Our theories are open to improvement and refinement, but the odds appear greatly stacked against an omnipotent creator. Beyond that, I would refer you to any decent science text book (not the revised Texas versions)"
  3. VTmotoMike08
    Like a very simple summation of the Big Bang Theory, perhaps? Indeed. Another great answer from our resident science expert, as so gloriously demonstrated by your previous hundreds of posts that have completly failed to grasp even elementary scientific concepts! Sounds like a very common, probably willful, misunderstanding of the big bang theory and evolution if you ask me. I believe there was always _something_. Beyond that, I would refer you to any decent science text book (not the revised Texas versions)
  4. VTmotoMike08
    "Many women who do not dress modestly lead young men astray and spread adultery in society which increases earthquakes," It would be funny if it wasn't what he truly thought Of course, Muslims don't have a monopoly on crazy theories. I could dig up a link to a crazy Pat Robertson rant about gays causing hurricanes or whatever the latest interpretation is but he's not really worth my time either.
  5. VTmotoMike08
    I would still be a firm Athiest. (side note: 400 planets? I think it will take a lot more than that to find life out there!) Here's why: for complex life to exist, it must have come from something less complex. The best explanation that we have for this is evolution. Invoking god to solve the infinite regress presented above is, IMO, a cop out and a non-answer. Saying "I don't understand, it must be magic (i.e. deity)!" is pretty silly. However, if we discovered a sufficiently advanced civilization (or if they found us first), they might be indistinguishable from diety to us (just like the native americans thought the Europeans guns were magic).
  6. VTmotoMike08
    I had to google the source, turns out it is a law prof in New Orleans: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25187.htm Footnoted version is apparently available if anyone cares to scrutinize. I mostly agree with the premise, but he might be manipulating statements in some areas such as: Well, no shit, the 10th percentile is generally lower than the 50th percentile Edit: well, I guess he could have meant that our lowest 10% is lower than the average of their lowest 10% but it could have been worded better
  7. VTmotoMike08
    I didn't read this whole thread but I guarentee that if Obama enacts a VAT in America, the next election will unquestioningly go to the republicans. It would be the easiest campaign promise ever- repeal the VAT!
  8. VTmotoMike08
    I too have long suspected that a little bit of inter agency coordination could eliminate the need for the census. Whether this would be cheaper than the census, I don't know. Leave it to the government to pick the most complicated, expensive, invasive, and cumbersome way to get it done
  9. VTmotoMike08
    Huh? Is that really what you saw there? I would really like to see any one here try and make a convincing argument that is was a real miracle, not just some cooky/ nutty/ just plain wierd preacher and a gullible church member. Is it common for Christians to believe everything they are told without questioning it?
  10. VTmotoMike08
    >>what do you have to offer those folks who suffer from unresolved issues of anger, anxiety, depression and guilt? You mean all the symptoms of Christianity? Anger- at God for allowing all the suffering in the world Anxiety- is my repentence enough? Depression- surely the world is screwed with all these heathens in it. And what about all my loved ones that went to hell? Guilt- I'm such a terrible sinner that I need a savior I would prescribe a hefty dose of reality with a side of putting on your big boy pants and f'n dealing with it.
  11. VTmotoMike08
    Really, skydivers bashing christianity is worse than all the people you have seen go in and die?
  12. VTmotoMike08
    Yes, those poor oppressed Christians... what a shame that they have to acknowledge the existence of other viewpoints, even in America! Everyone knows Jesus wrote the constitution to prevent this kind of crap from happening. Hell in a hand basket, I tell ya...
  13. VTmotoMike08
    With convincing evidence like this, I don't know how anyone could not believe Jesus heals skydivers bad knee during the "Holy Ghost Hokey Pokey" The magic starts at 3:27, before that... is interesting
  14. VTmotoMike08
    If you bitch and moan enough, walmart will accept any return. Just remember, it came out of the box like that and no you don't have the damn reciept, are you callin me a liar
  15. VTmotoMike08
    >>...needs to be doubled to get the economy stabilised You want to pay $19 for a big mac?
  16. VTmotoMike08
    >>Faith has it's purpose, and that purpose is for accepting what we can not know Sure, if only all those pesky bacteria researchers had just had faith that God put disease on Earth for a reason (that we cannot know) then maybe we would still have a few a few more reminders of God's will! Sorry, but SCIENCE's purpose is to try and figure out what we do not know. Faith is giving up and saying "thats the way God made it"!
  17. VTmotoMike08
    >>OK, next time I see him I'll chastise him for you (he is on our faculty). Ahh, that really is not where I was going with the whole thing... I really was just interested in knowing the origin of the term. I think its an interesting name for the Higgs but it seems to open the door for a lot of needless bickering between science and religion types.
  18. VTmotoMike08
    Not trying to be a dick but getting the rig in those colors will really limit your options when the time to resell it comes. There are few people who want that much purple on a container. Of course, its your money, your rig and if you like it then of course I hope you get it and are happy showing it off but you should realize that if/ when you decide to sell it, it will likely be a long and difficult sell because of the colors. This might not be a problem if you plan on keeping it for its entire usefull life but few people do that.
  19. VTmotoMike08
    Got it, I stand corrected, it was Lederman, although it seems he had mixed thoughts on the expression, and many other physicists don't really like it. http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/04/09/is-god-particle-the-right-term-for-massive-mystery-in-physics/
  20. VTmotoMike08
    I don't remember the source but I read in one of the articles on the LHC that most physicists don't really like the term "God Particle" because it overstates the importance of the Higgs. It seems that term was invented by the media who wanted to sensenationalize things. Working on digging up that source...
  21. VTmotoMike08
    Gee, with compassion like that, maybe you should get into counseling amputees! Just tell them that the body doesn't really matter, because jesus can renew their minds! Sure is easy to make statements like yours above when you've got all your limbs, huh?
  22. VTmotoMike08
    Hmm... amazing coincidence how the ceasing of miracles happened before mankind developed the ability to permanately record them in a verifiable manner? Too bad nobody had camcorders back then and we could have put the whole miracle question to rest, huh? O well, at least we have a book that we know is true because it says so in the book
  23. VTmotoMike08
    One data point: I keep it on and I have a ring site and camera wings. When was the last time someone died from a snag and how many people have done this? The last time someone has died from a no/ low pull on the reserve after a cutaway? Looks like it was last weekend... and it happens several times a year. Statistically, you are more likely to go in from a no/ low pull after a cutaway than having your neck broken by a snag.
  24. VTmotoMike08
    Tony suit C-wing jacket. I've owned two bev suits (RW) and 3 tony suits (FF and camera). I found that the quaility was comparable between the two, both are very high quality. I'm sure you could find someone who had a bad experience with either one. My tony camera suit was a custom design and they did a great job getting the pattern exactly how I asked for it.
  25. VTmotoMike08
    Not sure that I understand and/or agree. I would rather have a soft opening parachute and control shock absorption that way. ANY slipping in the leg straps is just distance that I have to fall before being caught by my harness! And it can make the rig shift around on my back when I go to grab the hackey. Am I missing something?