Evolution

Why is Evolution separated from Abiogenesis when Abiogenesis is just the beginning of Evolution?
Please list the scientific advancements based wholly on the giants and pure essence of science: paradigms/facts of evolution, the big bang and string physics?

Whataboutism

 JKGirl says:

Wednesday, 20 November 2024 at 10:25

Was spreading a poisonous and false conspiracy theory that Russia rigged the 2016 election to get Trump in the White House a violation of “norms?”

Was hiding the physical and mental decline of an incumbent President a violation of “norms?”

Was throwing open the U.S./Mexico border to allow historic levels of illegal immigration a violation of “norms?”

Was trying to prosecute a former President a violation of “norms?” Does it become more or less a violation of “norms” when those prosecutions are essentially abandoned when that President is re-elected?

Was banning the sitting President from social media a violation of “norms?”

Was having members of his administration working to oppose a sitting President’s agenda a violation of “norms?”

Was the FBI spying on a Presidential candidate a violation of “norms?”

Was censoring and suppressing an accurate news story before the 2020 election a violation of “norms?”

Was handing the Democratic Presidential nomination to someone who never won a single primary a violation of “norms?”

Was a Defense Secretary going AWOL while the U.S. was involved in two major military conflicts a violation of “norms?”

Was having a baggie of cocaine show up in the White House a violation of “norms?” How about the Secret Service stretching credulity beyond the breaking point by telling us they couldn’t determine who brought the cocaine into the White House…a violation of “norms” or nah?

How about an outgoing administration escalating a military conflict with a hostile nuclear power after the American people elect a new President with an entirely different view of how the conflict should be handled? Does that violate any “norms?

Our political environment is never going to improve until people like you, James Joyner, can admit you don’t really care about norms or rules or decency or citizenship. You just care about people like you remaining in charge no matter how frequently or how disastrously they screw up.

DK says:

Wednesday, 20 November 2024 at 10:51

@JKGirl: Lies, lies, lies.

You support Trump, an Epstein-bestie pedo who launched his toxic political career with racist birher lies against the first black president. Nobody cares about what you have to say about decency; you and rapist Trump have none.

Yes, Russia interfered in the 2016 election, with Trump’s approval.

Yes, Biden continues to perform his job duties more effectively than any of the younger presidents in recent memory, including obese and elderly fascist Trump, who left office with mass death and record job loss due to his incompetence.

No, Republicans do not care about illegal immigration except to manipulate idiots with racist fearmongering, hence why they passed no immigration bill under Trump and killed the bipartisan, Border Patrol supported border bill under Biden.

No, it does not violate norms to prosecute an orange thug who attempted a violent coup and illegally retained govt secrets. Phony hypocrites that screamed “Lock Her Up” at Hillary know this.

Yes, private social media companies had every right to ban Trump for using their platform to incite the Jan. 6 terror attack, violating their TOS.

True, defeated traitor Trump urging Netanyahu and Putin to undermine Biden was abnormal (and illegal).

No, it’s not abnormal for the FBI to monitor Russian assets.

No, a private social media company taking 24 hours to vet an irrelevant New York Post link about a private citizen was not abnormal. It’s also not censorship.

Yes, parties have every right to choose their nominee however they please.

No, the Secret Service’s behavior of late has not been normal, including the hundreds of Jan 6 text messages they magically deleted and disappeared.

Yes, it’s normal for a US president to defend allies, not letting Putin’s nuclear blackmail control US foreign policy.

The political environment will improve once voters, currently addled on amnesia, are reminded why they booted Republicans in 2018 and Trump in 2020: the amorality, incompetence, treason, and chaos already on display.

Y’all know that clock is ticking, hence why MAGA is still so angry and bitter despite Trump’s pyrrhic 1.5% victory. Delicious!

 

 

Migrant Refugee hero Jose Ibarra

 

Migrant Refugee hero Jose Ibarra demonized by Trump as a rapist and murderer being tried for murder of Laken Riley for rejecting his Latin Passion.

-Felony Murder x 3
-Malice Murder
-False Imprisonment
-Kidnapping
-Aggravated Assault with Intent to Rape
-Hindering a 911 call
-Peeping Tom

The US Law Enforcement and Intelligence communities needs the support, appropriate degree of subservience and complete, unquestioning obedience of citizens not a "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" like the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

Here is a another Trump promise to add to the list:
The US Law Enforcement and Intelligence communities needs the support, appropriate degree of subservience and complete, unquestioning obedience of citizens not a "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" like the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
Patriot Act II!!!!!  Repeal FISA! because you have nothing to hide.

Trump’s third idea was about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courts. These courts permit intelligence agencies to spy on people. He said, “We will totally reform FISA courts, which are so corrupt that the judges seem to not care when they are lied to in warrant applications.” He was critical of the FISA courts for their role in what he called “fraudulent warrant applications.” Trump said that many FISA judges are aware that these cases are wrong but don’t do anything about it. He promises to change this practice.

Trump wants to set up a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” to find and report any hidden wrongdoing by government organizations. Trump says that this committee will work to get documents that show what he calls “deep-state buying, censorship, and corruption” out of secret and into the public eye. “We will set up a truth and reconciliation commission to declassify and publish all documents on the buying, censorship, and corruption by the deep state,” he said. He says that this move would make these powerful organizations more open by letting the public see how they work on the inside.

Goodbye OTB

 

Don’t be a Troll

A reminder (and a warning).

Steven L. Taylor · Thursday, November 7, 2024 · 

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I will be blunt: I am tired of certain commenters who feel the need to insult rather than argue. I would name them here, but I get the impression that that would make them happy. Despite their protestations about the uselessness of the authors of this site, they clearly want us to pay attention to them.

Here’s the deal: we do this for free. It is an outlet and a hobby. It serves certain needs and uses, but there is nothing that requires this place to exist. We don’t need to have comment sections, nor is there any requirement to engage.

I engage because I enjoy it. And, yes, I actually think I have something to say. I know no one has to read it, let another engage me over it. I can live with the fact that comments can sometimes be annoying. I am self-aware enough to know that I, too, can be annoying.

This post is not about annoying.

I have no problem with disagreement.

I would honestly welcome a useful debate from a different perspective.

I understand that locking metaphorical horns with someone who disagrees with you can be cathartic.

BUT.

I do not enjoy sneering complaints and insults.

I see no need to constantly deal with people who can’t even be bothered to engage with the contents of the post.

I have tried to be patient.

I have tried, in some cases to point out that engagement is not happening.

In some cases over the years I have actively tried to help such people learn to engage.

I would note, as I have in the past, commenters are guests. I am not asking for deference, but I am at the end of putting up with rudeness and the derailing of conversation. Life is short and my time is valuable, at least to me.

SO.

Starting right now I will delete any comment that is rude or simply oppositional for the point of being oppositional.

Anything deemed derailing will be gone. Anything that hints of insult will be trashed.

And soon, commenters who can’t act like adults will be banned.

We provide a free and open space for anyone who can behave.

So. Behave.

Harris can still win.

I look forward to Republicans pushing universal background checks and mandatory gun buybacks just like the Democrats.
The Democrats will vote not to certify the count of the Electoral College ballots during a joint session of the United States Congress, pursuant to the Electoral Count Act.
A 15-member Electoral Commission (headed by legal juggernaut luminaries of Laurence Tribe, Glenn Kirschner, Liz Cheney, Alberto Gonzales, George Conway) will give the Presidency to Harris as occurred with the Electoral disputes and Compromise of 1877 also known as the Wormley Agreement, the Bargain of 1877, or the Corrupt Bargain .

And overlooking the hypocrisy.

The new “evidence” becomes public despite prior warnings from both Chutkan and Jack Smith that pre-trial publicity would jeopardize the “fair administration of justice” in the case.

an update on the j6 case before the debate got underway we read through a filing from Trump’s defense team and they were rubbing Jack Smith’s nose in his prior filings saying Jack how dare you want to release all of this material in the month before the election when months ago you said if Trump talked about any of these Witnesses or any of this evidence it was going to be the end of democracy, the administration of justice was going to be tarnished and we were all going to die well now they’re perfectly happy publishing it all.

Trolling at OTB

 Ann Althouse embraces the woke tankies attack on the Matt Walsh movie "Am I Racist?"
<blockquote>"That sums up what bothered me about the movie. The filmmaker had an agenda, so I couldn't trust him to be fair to the people he was tricking. And of course, tricking them itself is unfair. "</blockquote>
Whataboutism Same apply to Michael Moore's or Katie Couric's “Under the Gun,” excellent according to the commenters here documentaries?
@<a href="#comment-2961818">charontwo</a>:
This response made me smile.
<blockquote>@liekitisnot Ted claims they lied and he read their testimony. I just provided their testimony.
I'm not here to argue with your bullshit. If you want to live in a fantasy where facts don't matter, go right ahead, but don't expect me to join you in your delusional sandbox [litterbox] full of cat shit.</blockquote>
Matt B.  I am researching the Gish gallop pushed as a logical fallacy by you and Mehdi Raza Hasan.  
Listened to Mehdi's interview with Preet Bharara, It seems like a excuse and cope for someone having swatted/batted away every political narrative and tangent that was thrown at them to discredit them.