http://www.mcphitty.com/blog Fresh from the Mind of McPhitty Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:43:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2010/01/01/happy-new-year-2/#comment-657 McPhitty Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:47:21 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/?p=39#comment-657 Oh where to begin? Well, let's start with stem cells. First, no cures or treatments have been successfully derived from embryonic stem cells, that's right none, zero, not even one. On the other hand, dozens of cures are in clinical trials which have been derived from adult stem cells. I support, even champion this research. Now, the "argument" for embryonic stem cells (if you can call it that), is that they are pluripotent, and pluripotent stem cells are capable of becoming any sort of cell, and this <u>might</u> lead to cures someday. Were it not for the inescapable ethical problems, this might make some sense. However this is a non-issue, because researchers have discovered ways to create pluirpotent stem cells from adult skin cells, and I support this research also. Now as for global warming, well let's just be honest and admit that all this is a red herring. I guess I'm going to have to address this at length. As for physics, nothing I studied in any way contradicts my worldview, and quite frankly, I think that the scientific evidence comes out strongly in favor of the existence of an Intelligent Designer, I'll have to address this at length too, I suppose. Oh, and I guess I should take you to task for the "religious freak" comment, I don't really know what that means, but I studied physics, and earned my degree in it, just like everyone else who has a degree in physics (which I'm guessing you probably don't), and no, I did not graduate from a "religious school", and as far as I know, most of my professors were not Christians (though some of them were "religious"), and a couple of them were Muslims, and the rest, I don't know, I never asked, it didn't seem to matter too much. I'm sure that all of them knew about my faith, and I had a very good relation ship with the entire department. I love reminiscing. Oh where to begin? Well, let’s start with stem cells. First, no cures or treatments have been successfully derived from embryonic stem cells, that’s right none, zero, not even one. On the other hand, dozens of cures are in clinical trials which have been derived from adult stem cells. I support, even champion this research. Now, the “argument” for embryonic stem cells (if you can call it that), is that they are pluripotent, and pluripotent stem cells are capable of becoming any sort of cell, and this might lead to cures someday. Were it not for the inescapable ethical problems, this might make some sense. However this is a non-issue, because researchers have discovered ways to create pluirpotent stem cells from adult skin cells, and I support this research also. Now as for global warming, well let’s just be honest and admit that all this is a red herring. I guess I’m going to have to address this at length. As for physics, nothing I studied in any way contradicts my worldview, and quite frankly, I think that the scientific evidence comes out strongly in favor of the existence of an Intelligent Designer, I’ll have to address this at length too, I suppose. Oh, and I guess I should take you to task for the “religious freak” comment, I don’t really know what that means, but I studied physics, and earned my degree in it, just like everyone else who has a degree in physics (which I’m guessing you probably don’t), and no, I did not graduate from a “religious school”, and as far as I know, most of my professors were not Christians (though some of them were “religious”), and a couple of them were Muslims, and the rest, I don’t know, I never asked, it didn’t seem to matter too much. I’m sure that all of them knew about my faith, and I had a very good relation ship with the entire department. I love reminiscing.

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2008/06/17/not-the-end-of-the-world-party/#comment-656 McPhitty Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:17:11 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2008/06/17/not-the-end-of-the-world-party/#comment-656 No, let's be clear, you don't have free will, no one does. That's because there is no such thing as free will. Now free agency, on the other hand is a valid concept, but free will is simply ridiculous. You see, the will is nothing more than our faculty of choosing, and that is bound by our desires. We always choose according to our strongest desire at the moment of choice, and never contrary to it. Moreover, the will is bound by the laws of nature, no matter how much I desire to fly under my own power, I cannot simply will myself to fly, and if I were to jump off of the roof of my house, I would be bound by the law of gravity. So, in no sense is the will free, being as it is a secondary thing. Free agency, however is something that we all do have, and it simply means that we have the ability to choose whatsoever we desire. Of course, none of this has anything to do with what I posted, so I'm not sure why I'm having this discussion. Actually, my post is rather brilliant, now that you mention it, thank you for noticing. Now as for 2012, if I wanted to, I could argue purely from reason and science, but that probably wouldn't make any difference. But here's the real crux of all this, it is monumentally unwise to criticize someone for having "absolutely no basis in fact or merit to establish an argument" by making a dogmatic assertion which itself is not based in fact or reason. Don't you think? No, let’s be clear, you don’t have free will, no one does. That’s because there is no such thing as free will. Now free agency, on the other hand is a valid concept, but free will is simply ridiculous. You see, the will is nothing more than our faculty of choosing, and that is bound by our desires. We always choose according to our strongest desire at the moment of choice, and never contrary to it. Moreover, the will is bound by the laws of nature, no matter how much I desire to fly under my own power, I cannot simply will myself to fly, and if I were to jump off of the roof of my house, I would be bound by the law of gravity. So, in no sense is the will free, being as it is a secondary thing. Free agency, however is something that we all do have, and it simply means that we have the ability to choose whatsoever we desire. Of course, none of this has anything to do with what I posted, so I’m not sure why I’m having this discussion. Actually, my post is rather brilliant, now that you mention it, thank you for noticing. Now as for 2012, if I wanted to, I could argue purely from reason and science, but that probably wouldn’t make any difference. But here’s the real crux of all this, it is monumentally unwise to criticize someone for having “absolutely no basis in fact or merit to establish an argument” by making a dogmatic assertion which itself is not based in fact or reason. Don’t you think?

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2009/05/25/if-i-were-president/#comment-655 McPhitty Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:32:39 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/?p=24#comment-655 Dear johhnydangerously, thank you for acknowledging my genius, I always appreciate compliments. In regard to Planned Parenthood, it is a deceptive organization. Abortion is murder (whether it's legally defined that way or not). It is a fact that a human embry is human, it cannot develop into anything but a human being, it is alive by the fundamental biological definition of life. A fetus on the other hand has a beating heart, a brain, and all of the other bodily structures that all other human beings have (I'm keeping this all very simple so that anyone can understand it). Now the fact that one human being is smaller than another does not deny that human being the right to live. The fact that one human being is dependent on another also doesn't deny that human being the right to live. Now if I got pregnant, well that would be something wouldn't it? The world's first pregnant man that was really a man, not a woman who was surgically altered to have a penis. No, I would never have an abortion, and yes I speak from experience. You don't know me, you don't know what I've been through (though some of my readers do), and you have no right to behave in this manner. As for my degrees, I earned them, all three of them, how many have you earned? Dear johhnydangerously, thank you for acknowledging my genius, I always appreciate compliments. In regard to Planned Parenthood, it is a deceptive organization. Abortion is murder (whether it’s legally defined that way or not). It is a fact that a human embry is human, it cannot develop into anything but a human being, it is alive by the fundamental biological definition of life. A fetus on the other hand has a beating heart, a brain, and all of the other bodily structures that all other human beings have (I’m keeping this all very simple so that anyone can understand it). Now the fact that one human being is smaller than another does not deny that human being the right to live. The fact that one human being is dependent on another also doesn’t deny that human being the right to live. Now if I got pregnant, well that would be something wouldn’t it? The world’s first pregnant man that was really a man, not a woman who was surgically altered to have a penis. No, I would never have an abortion, and yes I speak from experience. You don’t know me, you don’t know what I’ve been through (though some of my readers do), and you have no right to behave in this manner. As for my degrees, I earned them, all three of them, how many have you earned?

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2009/05/29/if-i-were-president-2/#comment-654 McPhitty Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:19:03 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/?p=28#comment-654 Dear johnnydangerously, thank you for taking my offer to be flamed for my positions. It's just too bad that you didn't actually read my post first. Let me help you therefore, to understand what I actually said. First, you are correct, marriage is defined in the Bible, and the bible defines it as being between one man and one woman. Second, you are correct, the U.S. Constitution does not contain a definition of marriage, that's the problem. Now until very recently, it simply wasn't necessary becaus no culture in history has ever thought that same-sex marriage was a good idea. Unfortunately, some in America have completely lost all common sense. It is for this reason that I believe that we need to settle this matter, and the only way that this can be done effectively is through an ammendment to the Constitution (you see ammendments are meant to address issues that the Constitution did not originally address). Third, I never said anything about income tax. I spoke about Value Added Tax, which was at the time, proposed for the United States. However it was being proposed in a very under-handed way. Value Added Tax (VAT) is not simply a national sales tax, neither is an income tax. It is a tax that compounds itself at every stage of the manufacturing process. I have never suggested abolishing income taxes. I do think that abolishing the current system of income taxes is a good idea, though I haven't decided what the replacement should be. Perhaps a flat tax, whereby the first $35,000 of income would be exempt, then the remainder would be taxed at 17%. Or perhaps, there is a better system, again I haven't decided. In any case, please have the courtesy to read my posts and understand them before you make a fool of yourself. Dear johnnydangerously, thank you for taking my offer to be flamed for my positions. It’s just too bad that you didn’t actually read my post first. Let me help you therefore, to understand what I actually said. First, you are correct, marriage is defined in the Bible, and the bible defines it as being between one man and one woman. Second, you are correct, the U.S. Constitution does not contain a definition of marriage, that’s the problem. Now until very recently, it simply wasn’t necessary becaus no culture in history has ever thought that same-sex marriage was a good idea. Unfortunately, some in America have completely lost all common sense. It is for this reason that I believe that we need to settle this matter, and the only way that this can be done effectively is through an ammendment to the Constitution (you see ammendments are meant to address issues that the Constitution did not originally address). Third, I never said anything about income tax. I spoke about Value Added Tax, which was at the time, proposed for the United States. However it was being proposed in a very under-handed way. Value Added Tax (VAT) is not simply a national sales tax, neither is an income tax. It is a tax that compounds itself at every stage of the manufacturing process. I have never suggested abolishing income taxes. I do think that abolishing the current system of income taxes is a good idea, though I haven’t decided what the replacement should be. Perhaps a flat tax, whereby the first $35,000 of income would be exempt, then the remainder would be taxed at 17%. Or perhaps, there is a better system, again I haven’t decided. In any case, please have the courtesy to read my posts and understand them before you make a fool of yourself.

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2009/06/10/this-country-is-headed-in-the-wrong-direction/#comment-653 McPhitty Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:02:58 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/?p=31#comment-653 No, I didn't join a militia, neither did I vote for our current President. Please do have the courtesy to admit that Socialism is exactly what is being put forward by the far-left of the Democratic party (Maxine Waters accidentally admitted as much, search for the video on YouTube). The biggest problem with Socialism is that it doesn't work (I can back up that argument). But I'm glad that you like my little piece of art. No, I didn’t join a militia, neither did I vote for our current President. Please do have the courtesy to admit that Socialism is exactly what is being put forward by the far-left of the Democratic party (Maxine Waters accidentally admitted as much, search for the video on YouTube). The biggest problem with Socialism is that it doesn’t work (I can back up that argument). But I’m glad that you like my little piece of art.

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2009/06/27/new-age-nihilism-at-the-movies/#comment-652 McPhitty Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:59:11 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/?p=33#comment-652 I love it when irreligious fools don't read what people actually said, and instead make up nonsense. I have no problem with strong women in real life, or as characters in movies. I do have a problem with the nihilistic worldview presented in this particular film. I have presented my view, I am entitled to my view, as is everyone else. Could I be wrong in my world view, certainly, but then if you're honest, you have to admit that you also might be wrong. Now if I'm wrong, and someone credible can demonstrate by plain reason, and intelligent argument that I am, then my views are subject to correction. Are yours? I love it when irreligious fools don’t read what people actually said, and instead make up nonsense. I have no problem with strong women in real life, or as characters in movies. I do have a problem with the nihilistic worldview presented in this particular film. I have presented my view, I am entitled to my view, as is everyone else. Could I be wrong in my world view, certainly, but then if you’re honest, you have to admit that you also might be wrong. Now if I’m wrong, and someone credible can demonstrate by plain reason, and intelligent argument that I am, then my views are subject to correction. Are yours?

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2007/12/24/prophetic-poppycock/#comment-651 McPhitty Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:52:40 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2007/12/24/prophetic-poppycock/#comment-651 To the contrary, not all religions are equal, and while you can find nut jobs who profess any religion, including atheism (which yes, is a religious conviction), they should not be taken as the exemplars of their faith. Intelligent debate is always welcome, but seriously, while it may be impossible to prove the existence of God, it is equally impossible to prove the non-existence of God. The big question that everyone needs to answer (which has nothing whatsoever to do with the subject of this post), is this: Why does anything exist? That is, if we accept that the universe begane at a definite moment in the finite past, which is a scientifically verifiable fact, then we must accept that there was a "time before that" when the universe did not exist (the various steady-state and oscillating universe theories have now been disproven and rejected by science). So, logically, there was nothing, now there is something, so where did it come from, and what is the cause of its existence. Before you answer, remember, your response must be rational and based upon a rational system of logic, which can be proven (those are your rules). Come, let us reason together, if you're up for it. To the contrary, not all religions are equal, and while you can find nut jobs who profess any religion, including atheism (which yes, is a religious conviction), they should not be taken as the exemplars of their faith. Intelligent debate is always welcome, but seriously, while it may be impossible to prove the existence of God, it is equally impossible to prove the non-existence of God. The big question that everyone needs to answer (which has nothing whatsoever to do with the subject of this post), is this: Why does anything exist? That is, if we accept that the universe begane at a definite moment in the finite past, which is a scientifically verifiable fact, then we must accept that there was a “time before that” when the universe did not exist (the various steady-state and oscillating universe theories have now been disproven and rejected by science). So, logically, there was nothing, now there is something, so where did it come from, and what is the cause of its existence. Before you answer, remember, your response must be rational and based upon a rational system of logic, which can be proven (those are your rules). Come, let us reason together, if you’re up for it.

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2010/01/01/happy-new-year-2/#comment-650 johnnydangerously Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:47:03 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/?p=39#comment-650 I bet you feel dread. Oh no, stem cell research might happen and diseases might get cured and women might go to college and get degrees instead of crapping out kids and cooking men dinner. Oh no, global warming won't be dismissed as a myth. For someone who majored in physics, you seem to have it in for science. How does that work? How does a religious freak spend his college career studying something that contadicts his whole world view? I bet you feel dread. Oh no, stem cell research might happen and diseases might get cured and women might go to college and get degrees instead of crapping out kids and cooking men dinner. Oh no, global warming won’t be dismissed as a myth. For someone who majored in physics, you seem to have it in for science. How does that work? How does a religious freak spend his college career studying something that contadicts his whole world view?

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2007/12/24/prophetic-poppycock/#comment-648 johnnydangerously Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:20:28 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2007/12/24/prophetic-poppycock/#comment-648 When you have a system of logic based on complete irrationality, such as religion, the sky's the limit on absurdity. So, basically you're arguing for this Dallas psycho to, in essence, tone it down a notch and kind of fly closer to the flock of all the other religious nuts who, for whatever reason, are deemed more sane. I think you're all screwed in the head for believing in an invisible being that no one can prove exists. When you have a system of logic based on complete irrationality, such as religion, the sky’s the limit on absurdity. So, basically you’re arguing for this Dallas psycho to, in essence, tone it down a notch and kind of fly closer to the flock of all the other religious nuts who, for whatever reason, are deemed more sane. I think you’re all screwed in the head for believing in an invisible being that no one can prove exists.

]]> http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/2009/05/25/if-i-were-president/#comment-647 johnnydangerously Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:16:02 +0000 http://www.mcphitty.com/blog/?p=24#comment-647 Oh, and about your Planned Parenthood crap, tell you what. Since you don't approve of birth control, why don't you adopt the next crack baby that comes along. I mean, you care so damn much about fetuses. Right? Oh, and to hell with women who get raped or who's lives are at risk due to the complications of the pregnancy. I mean, it's man's right to impregnate women and then it's on them to deal with it. Bet you a million dollars if your ass got preganant, you'd be the next in line for that 3rd trimester abortion. You really have a college degree? How? Oh, and about your Planned Parenthood crap, tell you what. Since you don’t approve of birth control, why don’t you adopt the next crack baby that comes along. I mean, you care so damn much about fetuses. Right? Oh, and to hell with women who get raped or who’s lives are at risk due to the complications of the pregnancy. I mean, it’s man’s right to impregnate women and then it’s on them to deal with it. Bet you a million dollars if your ass got preganant, you’d be the next in line for that 3rd trimester abortion. You really have a college degree? How?

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