Al Those Great Scientists Here

Jack Hollis

On Thu, 15 May 2008 16:51:00 -0700 (PDT), Bill C
<tritonrider@verizon.net> wrote:

>> You make it sound as though there is a 50-50 chance that death is
>> better. It doesn't work that way.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>How does it work? I don't know anyone who has any credible evidence
>one way or the other, and even if being dead is simply non-existance
>how is that not better in many cases?
> Bill C

I'm sure there are a lot of people who would be glad to settle for
oblivion.

Ryan Cousineau

In article
<3f2a74ed-01a9-4b74-bd20-80daf823cc9d@a9g2000prl.googlegroups.com>,
"bjw@mambo.ucolick.org" <bjw@mambo.ucolick.org> wrote:

> On May 15, 1:48 pm, Jack Hollis <xslee...@aol.com> wrote:
> > On Thu, 15 May 2008 09:13:56 -0700 (PDT), "Paul G."
> > <carb...@egine.com> wrote:
> > >On May 15, 8:17 am, Jack Hollis <xslee...@aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > >To paraphrase your sophistry: In much the same way, the idea of living
> > >can only exist in contrast to the idea of dead. If one ceases to
> > >exist, so does the other. The question is, because they both need the
> > >other to exist, does it really matter which one you are?
> >
> > >It matters to me.
> >
> > I don't think you can really say, one way or the other, until you're
> > dead. For all you know, being dead might be a lot better than being
> > alive.
>
> To get back on the topic of global warming, this argument
> is a lot like the "Maybe global warming is happening, but
> we need to study it for another 50 years before deciding
> whether to do anything about it" argument.
>
> Ben
> Some studies claim that rich people aren't any happier
> than poor people. If you haven't been both rich and poor,
> how can you know which one is better?
>
> On the other hand, Mae West said "I've been rich and
> I've been poor, and rich is better." So if you are willing
> to take on faith the testimony of an expert, there you go.
> Now all we need is the testimony of someone who's been
> alive and dead. Does anyone have Jesus's cell number?

The numbers I'm aware of speak of a rapidly diminishing marginal value
of money.

Which is to say, the first $50k/a is the best.

--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@gmail.com http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

Tom Kunich

"Jack Hollis" <xsleeper@aol.com> wrote in message
news:cikp249oqsiooh02jk0i3p59sf67souno6@4ax.com...
>
> However, to fully appreciate money it's best to have been through a
> period when you didn't have any. My children, who have always had
> everything they want, have no idea how lucky they are and really don't
> appreciate what they have.

Can you imagine what sort of mind allows itself to win tens or hundreds of
millions of dollars and then loses it all within a decade? Every last dime?

Robert Chung

On May 15, 6:28 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:

> Can you imagine what sort of mind allows itself to win tens or hundreds of
> millions of dollars and then loses it all within a decade?

The kind of mind who'd think giving up golf would show solidarity with
grieving families?

Tom Kunich

"Robert Chung" <rechung@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:77c2454a-526b-42f9-ad96-fc88ff3efcb7@i36g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> On May 15, 6:28 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
>
>> Can you imagine what sort of mind allows itself to win tens or hundreds
>> of
>> millions of dollars and then loses it all within a decade?
>
> The kind of mind who'd think giving up golf would show solidarity with
> grieving families?

How about the kind who would purposely misrepresent what was happening
purely to make a political point?

Robert, you started out an intelligent scientist on this group and have
become a small and silly child.

Bret

On May 15, 5:51*pm, Bill C <tritonri...@verizon.net> wrote:
> On May 15, 5:03*pm, Bret <bret.w...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > > I don't think you can really say, one way or the other, until you're
> > > dead. *For all you know, being dead might be a lot better than being
> > > alive.
>
> > You make it sound as though there is a 50-50 chance that death is
> > better. It doesn't work that way.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> How does it work? I don't know anyone who has any credible evidence
> one way or the other, and even if being dead is simply non-existance
> how is that not better in many cases?
> *Bill C

My point was that just because something can't be proven wrong, that
doesn't mean that there is a 50-50 chance it is true. That's a common
fallacy. I may wake up tomorrow from this bad dream and find that I am
the king of the universe. You can't prove that wrong. That doesn't
mean it's very likely.

Bret

bjw@mambo.ucolick.org

On May 15, 9:50*pm, Bret <bret.w...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 15, 6:44*pm, Ryan Cousineau <rcous...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > *Bret <bret.w...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Anyone would have convicted this guy. The story would make a great
> > > Coen Brothers movie. I'd tell it here but I wouldn't want the guy to
> > > google himself some day and then decide to come after me.
>
> > Just use a pseudonym for him. I suggest "Tony Soprano."
>
>
> Better than that. His name was ohney-Jay aze-Blay.

This guy?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Rider_(Johnny_Blaze)
http://www.marvel.com/universe/Ghost_Rider_(John_Blaze)

I wouldn't have voted to convict him, myself.
It's not because I'm a bleeding heart liberal. It's
because I'm a bleeding heart liberal _and_ a
coward who's scared of people with flaming skulls
for heads.

Ben

P.S. Did you know that the Wikipedia "Ghost Rider"
entry is the same length as, for example, its
"Philip Roth" entry? And the Roth entry is half lists.

Robert Chung

On May 15, 10:25 pm, "b...@mambo.ucolick.org" <b...@mambo.ucolick.org>
wrote:

> P.S. Did you know that the Wikipedia "Ghost Rider"
> entry is the same length as, for example, its
> "Philip Roth" entry? And the Roth entry is half lists.

You insinuating that Philip Roth was a ghost writer?

Howard Kveck

In article <05c4eb2d-04ef-46f0-87d0-f9f227d298e6@2g2000hsn.googlegroups.com>,
Bret <bret.wade@gmail.com> wrote:

> On May 8, 11:50*pm, Howard Kveck <YOURhow...@h-SHOESbomb.com> wrote:
> > In article
> > <bb78e344-0cc3-4681-9e64-134f7271e...@d77g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>,
> >
> > *Bret <bret.w...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > On May 8, 9:41*pm, Howard Kveck <YOURhow...@h-SHOESbomb.com> wrote:
> > > > In article <482314ac$0$14355$e4fe5...@news.xs4all.nl>,
> > > > *Ted van de Weteringe <myfulln...@xs4all.nl.invalid> wrote:
> >
> > > > > Mark & Steven Bornfeld wrote:
> > > > > > "reality-based community"---I love it! *When do we move?
> >
> > > > >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality-based_community
> >
> > > > * *I'm betting on the aide in question being Karl Rove.
> >
> > > I think it was Douglas Feith. I do hope we find out some day.
> >
> > * *You know, Feith is also a good choice. But it sounds so Rovian to me -
> > similar to his comment to NPR host Robert Siegel about the then-impending '06
> > elections: "You may end up with a different math, but you're entitled to your
> > math. I'm entitled to 'the' math."
>
> The more I think about it the more it sounds like someone on a manic
> high. I once had a housemate that was an undiagnosed manic depressive.
> Their behavior became increasingly erratic until they were confronted
> by the household. We were told that we just didn't understand what it
> was like to be perfect. Things went downhill from there. Police,
> hospital, lithium, bus ticket home to live with parents. Our landlord
> was manic depressive himself and totally understood.

Wow, what an unpleasant living situation. I hope things got better for this
person. Anyway, while I agree that a person on a manic high could say the sort of
thing we're talking about, I don't really think that's the case here as it nicely
fits into a pattern of high hubris level comments and actions by Bush admin. people,
many of which have later been proven to be incredibly poorly thought out. Rove's
comment above is a good example.

--
tanx,
Howard

Whatever happened to
Leon Trotsky?
He got an icepick
That made his ears burn.

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?

Donald Munro

Jack Hollis wrote:
> I'm sure there are a lot of people who would be glad to settle for
> oblivion.

Ah yes, Sisyphus again. Better than an eternity arguing with a bot.

Bill C

On May 16, 12:46*am, Bret <bret.w...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 15, 5:51*pm, Bill C <tritonri...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On May 15, 5:03*pm, Bret <bret.w...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > I don't think you can really say, one way or the other, until you're
> > > > dead. *For all you know, being dead might be a lot better than being
> > > > alive.
>
> > > You make it sound as though there is a 50-50 chance that death is
> > > better. It doesn't work that way.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > How does it work? I don't know anyone who has any credible evidence
> > one way or the other, and even if being dead is simply non-existance
> > how is that not better in many cases?
> > *Bill C
>
> My point was that just because something can't be proven wrong, that
> doesn't mean that there is a 50-50 chance it is true. That's a common
> fallacy. I may wake up tomorrow from this bad dream and find that I am
> the king of the universe. You can't prove that wrong. That doesn't
> mean it's very likely.
>
> Bret- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

You can't give credible odds based on no evidence Though that seems to
be pretty typical too.
Bill C

Bob Schwartz

Donald Munro wrote:
> Jack Hollis wrote:
>> I'm sure there are a lot of people who would be glad to settle for
>> oblivion.
>
> Ah yes, Sisyphus again. Better than an eternity arguing with a bot.
>

I am endlessly astounded by the number of people that
choose the 'bot. Endlessly.

Bob Schwartz

Robert Chung

On May 15, 7:42 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:

> >> Can you imagine what sort of mind allows itself to win tens or hundreds
> >> of millions of dollars and then loses it all within a decade?
>
> > The kind of mind who'd think giving up golf would show solidarity with
> > grieving families?
>
> How about the kind who would purposely misrepresent what was happening
> purely to make a political point?

Oh, that's easy. Most of us call that kind of person "Kunich."

Donald Munro

Bob Schwartz wrote:
> I am endlessly astounded by the number of people that choose the 'bot.
> Endlessly.

There are always actors (playas ?) in the theatre of the absurd.