Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
3 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,807 Year: 3,064/9,624 Month: 909/1,588 Week: 92/223 Day: 3/17 Hour: 1/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   December, 2009, Posts of the Month
Admin
Director
Posts: 12995
From: EvC Forum
Joined: 06-14-2002
Member Rating: 2.3


Message 1 of 23 (537839)
12-01-2009 6:58 AM


When you find a post that is too good to be missed, nominate it here as one of the December, 2009, Posts of the Month (POTM).
You message subtitle should include the author's name and the topic/thread title.
Message Format:
Author: Author's Name
Forum: Forum where posted
Thread: Thread title
Message #: Number and Link to the nominated message
Nominations should include a link to the nominated article, and a short comment on why the message deserves nomination.
Note: As always, this is not a thread for debates. Posts should be limited to nomination, seconds, and acceptance statements by nominees.

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by Larni, posted 12-04-2009 6:36 AM Admin has seen this message but not replied

Legend
Member (Idle past 5005 days)
Posts: 1226
From: Wales, UK
Joined: 05-07-2004


Message 2 of 23 (537986)
12-02-2009 12:40 PM


Onifre on hate-crime laws and patronising interference
Author: onifre
Forum: Coffee House
Thread: Hate-crime = Thought crime?
Message #: Message 72
In three paragraphs, towards the end of the post, he nails not only what's wrong with hate-crime laws but with today's society in general.
Edited by Legend, : spelling

"We must respect the law, not let it blind us away from the basic principles of fairness, justice and freedom"

Replies to this message:
 Message 4 by onifre, posted 12-04-2009 10:43 AM Legend has not replied

Larni
Member (Idle past 163 days)
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 3 of 23 (538148)
12-04-2009 6:36 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Admin
12-01-2009 6:58 AM


Author: Lyx2no
Forum: Is it science?
Thread: At what point should we look for a non-materialistic explanation?
Message #:Message 84
Specifically the following.
It's even more amazing when one understands it. Science does not make the world less amazing but more. I'd not dare to think that I have a greater sense of the beauty of music than Brahms because he understands it more than I.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Admin, posted 12-01-2009 6:58 AM Admin has seen this message but not replied

onifre
Member (Idle past 2950 days)
Posts: 4854
From: Dark Side of the Moon
Joined: 02-20-2008


Message 4 of 23 (538171)
12-04-2009 10:43 AM
Reply to: Message 2 by Legend
12-02-2009 12:40 PM


Re: Onifre on hate-crime laws and patronising interference
Thanks, Legend
I haven't had a chance ot get back into the debate, busy travelling. But thanks again for the nomination...its my first, so you broke my cherry.
- Oni

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by Legend, posted 12-02-2009 12:40 PM Legend has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 5 by Larni, posted 12-04-2009 10:56 AM onifre has not replied
 Message 6 by Straggler, posted 12-04-2009 1:44 PM onifre has not replied

Larni
Member (Idle past 163 days)
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 5 of 23 (538176)
12-04-2009 10:56 AM
Reply to: Message 4 by onifre
12-04-2009 10:43 AM


Re: Onifre on hate-crime laws and patronising interference
.its my first, so you broke my cherry.
Think he'll ever call you again?
Edited by Larni, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by onifre, posted 12-04-2009 10:43 AM onifre has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 21 by Hyroglyphx, posted 12-22-2009 10:07 AM Larni has not replied

Straggler
Member
Posts: 10333
From: London England
Joined: 09-30-2006


Message 6 of 23 (538207)
12-04-2009 1:44 PM
Reply to: Message 4 by onifre
12-04-2009 10:43 AM


Re: Onifre on hate-crime laws and patronising interference
Oni writes:
.......its my first, so you broke my cherry
Really? I am astonished. I honestly thought you had been nominated several times. Anyway the post in question is well worthy of a nomination even if I think I disagree with it.
Oni writes:
I haven't had a chance ot get back into the debate, busy travelling.
Fair enough.
When I first entered that discussion I said that I could see merits in both sides of the argument. I have since gone on to expound one particular side of the argument in my usual impetuous and (overly) fervent manner. But I suspect that you and I will agree on far more than is currently obvious. I guess we will see.
Anyway - Congrats on your nomination. And seconded (sort of)

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by onifre, posted 12-04-2009 10:43 AM onifre has not replied

Percy
Member
Posts: 22388
From: New Hampshire
Joined: 12-23-2000
Member Rating: 5.2


Message 7 of 23 (538643)
12-08-2009 1:43 PM


Ironic Post of the Month
Message: Message 116
Thread: Speed of Light
Forum: Big Bang and Cosmology
Author: AnswersInGenitals
This is short enough that I'm just going to post the entire exchange. AnswersInGenitals posts this in Message 113:
AnswersInGenitals writes:
Dear Prof. Pope:
I'm wondering if in your extensive wanderings and interactions with physics illuminaries you had the opportunity to have discussions with a certain Dr. Arthur Compton. His thoughts on photons seems to be very scattered and I am curious to know if you have any opinion on his work. I was talking to him just the other day and he didn't recall having met you.
So Viv Pope responds in Message 115 as follows:
Viv Pope writes:
No, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Profesor Compton.
In the current state of physics there are so many so busily 'plouging their own furrows' that they sarcely have time to see over the hedges. One looks forward to the time when it all comes together. If you see that gentleman again, please give him my best wishes.
By the way, I am not a card-carrying 'Professor'. So any bids for qualifications I have made in that particular area have been cloaked in controversy. This was from the time when my mentors discovered that I was a heretic. It is certainly a truism that society doesn't encourage heretics, far less fund them.
Thereby hangs a tale, which might provide some insight into what I said in an earlier posting, about Socrates being executed and so on. I'd love to tell that tale, but hardly on this particular forum thread, even though that tale is all about my views on light and relativity.
To which AnswersInGenitals replies in the grand finale in Message 116:
AnswersInGenitals writes:
You have my sincerest sympathy and empathy. I know what it is like to have someone totally miss my point. May we both have more success in future endeavors.
The irony only becomes apparent when you realize that Arthur Compton is a deceased Nobel laureate famous for his discovery of the Compton Effect describing how photon scattering works when interacting with matter, and that shows that light behaves as more than just waves. He's been dead some 47 years now. Viv not only didn't know who Arthur Compton was, he didn't even pick up on the photon scattering reference.
A great setup and a fantastic punchline!
--Percy

Replies to this message:
 Message 8 by subbie, posted 12-09-2009 12:31 AM Percy has seen this message but not replied

subbie
Member (Idle past 1254 days)
Posts: 3509
Joined: 02-26-2006


Message 8 of 23 (538665)
12-09-2009 12:31 AM
Reply to: Message 7 by Percy
12-08-2009 1:43 PM


Re: Ironic Post of the Month
Gleefully seconded!

Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus. -- Thomas Jefferson
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack Obama
We see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by Percy, posted 12-08-2009 1:43 PM Percy has seen this message but not replied

Percy
Member
Posts: 22388
From: New Hampshire
Joined: 12-23-2000
Member Rating: 5.2


Message 9 of 23 (539009)
12-12-2009 7:35 AM


Cavediver on String Theory
So clear, for a moment I thought I actually understood string theory!
Seriously, even if you're the type whose eyes glaze over when reading physics, give this a read.
Message: Why extra dimensions are a good thing
Thread: String! Theory! What is it good for ?!?
Forum: Is It Science?
Author: cavediver
--Percy

Replies to this message:
 Message 10 by cavediver, posted 12-12-2009 10:31 AM Percy has seen this message but not replied
 Message 11 by hooah212002, posted 12-12-2009 10:33 AM Percy has seen this message but not replied
 Message 12 by Straggler, posted 12-12-2009 8:57 PM Percy has seen this message but not replied

cavediver
Member (Idle past 3643 days)
Posts: 4129
From: UK
Joined: 06-16-2005


Message 10 of 23 (539037)
12-12-2009 10:31 AM
Reply to: Message 9 by Percy
12-12-2009 7:35 AM


Re: Cavediver on String Theory
Thanks Percy - the fruits of a week's frustration of being away and not getting to read EvC

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by Percy, posted 12-12-2009 7:35 AM Percy has seen this message but not replied

hooah212002
Member (Idle past 801 days)
Posts: 3193
Joined: 08-12-2009


Message 11 of 23 (539038)
12-12-2009 10:33 AM
Reply to: Message 9 by Percy
12-12-2009 7:35 AM


Re: Cavediver on String Theory
I 2nd this. Amazing post cavediver.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by Percy, posted 12-12-2009 7:35 AM Percy has seen this message but not replied

Straggler
Member
Posts: 10333
From: London England
Joined: 09-30-2006


Message 12 of 23 (539080)
12-12-2009 8:57 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by Percy
12-12-2009 7:35 AM


Re: Cavediver on String Theory
Thirded. Cavediver has been generally awesomely educational in this thread but this post is great.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by Percy, posted 12-12-2009 7:35 AM Percy has seen this message but not replied

Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 13 of 23 (539354)
12-15-2009 10:44 AM


ZenMonkey lays a simple smackdown
Author: ZenMonkey
Thread: An inconvenient truth.... or lie?
Message: Message 157
Not all great posts are great art. Here ZenMonkey in a few simple links demolishes the ignorant silliness that is standard fayre for climate change deniers.

Replies to this message:
 Message 14 by Meldinoor, posted 12-15-2009 10:27 PM Dr Jack has not replied
 Message 15 by ZenMonkey, posted 12-18-2009 7:21 PM Dr Jack has not replied

Meldinoor
Member (Idle past 4808 days)
Posts: 400
From: Colorado, USA
Joined: 02-16-2009


Message 14 of 23 (539439)
12-15-2009 10:27 PM
Reply to: Message 13 by Dr Jack
12-15-2009 10:44 AM


Re: ZenMonkey lays a simple smackdown
Seconded

This message is a reply to:
 Message 13 by Dr Jack, posted 12-15-2009 10:44 AM Dr Jack has not replied

ZenMonkey
Member (Idle past 4510 days)
Posts: 428
From: Portland, OR USA
Joined: 09-25-2009


Message 15 of 23 (539700)
12-18-2009 7:21 PM
Reply to: Message 13 by Dr Jack
12-15-2009 10:44 AM


Re: ZenMonkey lays a simple smackdown
I am humbled. I regret the snark level in that post (sorta), but as Nick Cage says in Raising Arizona, "He provoked me."

This message is a reply to:
 Message 13 by Dr Jack, posted 12-15-2009 10:44 AM Dr Jack has not replied

Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024